Boss DD-6 hold mode gap

grovest · #1 01-13-2010, 06:49 PM

Gang, I just picked up a DD-6 off the classifieds. I bought it for really only one reason: the hold mode. I'm about 15 minutes into using it, and I'm unsure if the hold mode inserts a gap or not. The tricky part is as I hold a note, it naturally decays, so I can't tell if the 'BummmmBuummmmBummm' is the bass's natural decay, or a micro silence in the loop. What I ultimately want to accomplish are short 2 second samples of chords or just root note creating a seamless 'pad' sound. Possible?

Nerotic · #2 01-14-2010, 04:09 AM

It takes some practice, but it is possible. 15 minutes in is only the beginning my friend. You can do sooo much with this pedal, just be patient.

On a side note - the DD-6 is not the best choice for this application IMO, but it can get you there.

Happynoj · #3 01-14-2010, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grovest

Gang, I just picked up a DD-6 off the classifieds. I bought it for really only one reason: the hold mode. I'm about 15 minutes into using it, and I'm unsure if the hold mode inserts a gap or not. The tricky part is as I hold a note, it naturally decays, so I can't tell if the 'BummmmBuummmmBummm' is the bass's natural decay, or a micro silence in the loop. What I ultimately want to accomplish are short 2 second samples of chords or just root note creating a seamless 'pad' sound. Possible?

I suspect that it's the natural decay.

grovest · #4 01-14-2010, 11:57 PM

Hi guys. If you have another pedal in mind, I'm all ears.

I experimented with a tone generator tonight to eliminate the decay variable. The DD-6 cannot loop the "held" sound without a tiny gap.

This is probably no problem for what Boss intended and imagined this being used for, so I can't hold a grudge. The gap is quite noticeable. One interesting thing is that if I left the tone generator on while the sampled audio played back, on each repeat the sound was a different degreeout of phase, and of course an octave up.

Incidentally, I had the new Boomerang III just sitting here too, and it also can't do a perfectly seamless loop.

Looking forward I could either start and stop the hold with the beat, leave silence at the tail or start of the hold, or just lower the effect level so it's less obvious.

Another alternative... MIDI bass pedals and a softsynth.