404+rc2=ghetto555?

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:22 am

ok ok. i know it's not quite the same but i have a question about wiring. what i want to do is put my 404 on a mixing board, using both in and out rca's. i want the rc2 looper as my fx send return. finally i want to plug other instruments into the mixer soundboard ultimately making loops and recording them to the 404. if i use the 404 in aloop will this create a hum/feedback? also would a little tapco work? or what would you recommend? how would you do this?

Hot Sauce · Post by **Hot Sauce** » Fri May 09, 2008 7:14 am

listen man ive been thinking about something like this for a while now.

ive been looking at the boss loop pedals and the digitech jamman and this is how i would set it up.

i have a DJ mixer with an FX send:
connect my microkorg to run into my my 404 and turn on external source. plug the 404 outs into the line 2 in of my mixer.
i will connect my micron into the line 1 and have both my turntables connected to the phone inputs (as per usual).

connect the FX send to the jamman or similar loop pedal and jam and loop on the fly.

now my mixer has an FX send so that gives me a degree of control over what a want to loop. like i can be playing two melodies, one on my micron and one on my microkorg at the same time but only capture and loop the microkorg loop.

i am a bit unclear as to what your current set up is but i think it's like this (?)

sp-404 goes into mixing board which goes into loop pedal which goes into speakers/recording device.

what type of mixer are you working with?

if it doesn't have an FX send/return you will send everything through the master out to the loop pedal and go from there.

i have to go to school now but i'll get back to this thread and hopefully i'll be able to help you out.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Fri May 09, 2008 11:19 am

my current mixer does not have fx send/return, though i am thinking of getting a tapco that does. i will route the rc2 thru that(fx); no problems there. the problem lies in the fact that i want my 404 to recieve from main out and send to the same mixer. basicly i think it would be allright if can switch main out off/ channel in on and vice versa; what i really want is if this will still cause feedback.

Funkyoldcrate · Post by **Funkyoldcrate** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:18 pm

If I understand you correctly that is the same thing djs started doing at DMCs a few years back(creating beats with feedback) and it will be REALLY noisy.

fauna · Post by **fauna** » Fri May 09, 2008 2:55 pm

hey jbl. i do this. it worx, but you need send/return.

i run a buncha stuff (keys, git, the 404) into my mixer. i have an RC20xl off to the side.

each channel strip has a knob allowing you to send a portion (or all) of the signal into the FX send / return.

i have the RC accepting mono signal from FX send, then i route it into a channel strip of its own (because this gives more flexibility - such as EQ - than just running it into 'return').

something to bear in mind is that the RC series will thicken and distort after X number of layers. so you gotta watch that.

the other thing is that the control over how much signal is routed to the FX send is tricky, because it will boost the overall signal of that strip (ie: the 'dry' sound of the 404 thru the strip PLUS the additional signal running thru the send & channel strip), so getting a signal balance can be tricky. also, if you decide one track has no looped guitar, so you turn down the send knob, that signal will be quieter in the overall mix.

BUT YES! the scenario you imagine is possible. depending on yr set up it may or may not be the easiest thing to manage live (for eg: i don't bother...i only use this set up for recording, and strip it down for live playing), but if you 'ride the faders' you can make it work. fer sure, fer sure.

i hope that helps, mans.

EDIT: re-reading yr question - maybe i entirely missed what you need to know!

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:05 pm

i was hoping so fauna. hey hotsauce did you see the boomerang 3? funky old crate i didn't mean that i wanted it noisy but i was afraid it would be, so if it doesn't work then i'll just in to the rc then in to 404.

thanks yall.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:41 pm

so what if i just connected the rc2 out to the 404 mic and then connected the 404 out into the rc2, in which would create a loop. would this pose problems?

fauna · Post by **fauna** » Sun May 11, 2008 3:32 am

hm. not sure. if i can find the cables i'll give it a try this weekend.

fauna · Post by **fauna** » Tue May 13, 2008 1:58 pm

just for update's sake. i've gone to try this twice, only to find out at least one cable i'd need was nowhere to be found. will get my shiznit together and let you know sup.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Tue May 13, 2008 2:11 pm

cool! i am thinkin to buy one on auction but after reading another blog by wax inspecta, i fink :wink:

it might not be as handy as i was hopin'. my idea was to build a loop from the 404 then record the loop back to the 404. add record, undo etc...

but i ain't thinking of using together live like this, i just wanta create a makeshift 555 for producing loops to create 4+track sequencer if you can see where i'm going cool, if not that's cool too.

Hot Sauce · Post by **Hot Sauce** » Tue May 13, 2008 2:56 pm

if you don't want to use it live then there are much simpler solutions.

for example if you have a decent quality tape deck you can run your audio out from the 404 into the tape recorder and then back into the 404.

i have my 404 going into a small recorder. and i have the outs of that going into the mic in of the 404.

i think a 8-track recording device (hardware not a DAW) would be better suited to getting around the 1 track sequencer of the 404.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Tue May 13, 2008 3:46 pm

i def. want a sequencer. i'm currently lookin at a qy for less than a bill fitE. really i just like the idea using the rc-2 in the set-up but it's not really more than a theory like ; would it work well or...

i might get a old 4 track cassette but it's not on my top ten needs right now.

SaintElsewhere · Post by **SaintElsewhere** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:24 pm

The rc2 is cool. It's on my short list... It's live looping capabilities are far beyond the 555's, so I don't know if I would call the 404 + rc2 combo a ghetto 555...

Good luck with your setup.

jbl · Post by **jbl** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:28 am

wow i had forgot about this post. i have not bothered with a looper yet. i did get a sp-808 which has aux in/outs which seems just right for what i wanted to do. whenever, i do get around to it.