Beatbuddy Users?

MarkF_48 · #1 08-21-2017, 12:19 PM

How many of you are using one for live use, either the mini version or its big brother? I've got an older drum machine and it just isn't user friendly for its foot switch capability and ability to do fills easily.
Pros / cons?

AeroUSA · #2 08-21-2017, 12:48 PM

Just got the regular one. It's cool, especially if you install extra kits from the forums/store. As a solo guitarist I'd rather just have a floor kick pedal though but I would use the BB for a duo act!

rockguitar2000 · #3 08-21-2017, 01:48 PM

I play a solo acoustic show, and I just got a Beatbuddy added to my pedal board. I am dialing in some different drumbeats that I will use during my show. Pretty fun, but make sure you rehearse the functionality while performing. Can get tricky if you multitask like I do while playing lol.

8TrackJoe · #4 08-23-2017, 08:12 AM

Got the main pedal last year. Due to life it sat around not being used, but found out the drummer at my church is going to be out due to surgery so I pulled it back out. Been working through the desktop software, pulling in new beats and getting beats/sounds matching up to specific songs. I will probably down the road start reprogramming beats to sound more like I would want them too, but for the short term I can mix and match beats/sounds/tempos. I also use ambient pads behind my guitar and the beatbuddy to fill out the sound. For my needs I'm finding the "Brush" sound set works the best, so I just take the beat patterns and assign the Brush kit to the patterns, adjust the tempo, make a note of it and then prepare to build the individual set in the desktop software.

As it was mentioned above it does take practice to learn the button combinations and to stay on top of what you're doing. I've got mine matched up with a VoiceLive 3's looper, so there is a lot of foot dancing. I've used a number of drum machines going back to the 80's as well as arranger keyboards so the foot dancing / multitasking is not new for me. I do appreciate the improvements the company has made with the device and the active community that exist in their user forum.

SpruceTop · #5 08-23-2017, 09:24 AM

I used a Korg drum machine for awhile back in the early 1980s. I found by using just two patterns: Swing and Simple Rock that I could cover just about every type of music. It was just a matter of adjusting the tempo of these patterns to whatever song I was playing. The only drums I'd use from these two patterns were the Bass Drum and the Snare Drum and I'd dial-out all the other components of a kit. IMHO, using a Porchboard or tapping your foot against the base of a mic stand or near it is more in keeping with honest, actual musicianship and sounds just as effective as a drum machine when done right for acoustic music. It would be fun, though, to play around at home with a BeatBuddy or similar new-fangled device!

TimbreTones · #6 08-23-2017, 12:00 PM

Here's one BeatBuddy user.

I started with live looping some years ago, and use BB for some songs in my set to save my audience from long period of loop building each song. I got the full size pedal because it has MIDI. BB works as MIDI clock master for my TC Helicon Voicelive 3 Extreme. MIDI ensures VL3 Looper and BB play in sync.

Using BB is pretty dynamic, and it has a vast variety of beats and drum/percussion sounds, including cajon beats to fit a large variety of song styles with acoustic & electric guitar.

Here's a live looping video with my setup. The BB kicks in in the middle of 2nd verse.
https://youtu.be/pnBkqZhY8s8

This one's BB from the beginning, but unfortunately no acoustic guitar

https://youtu.be/9T5t-aihOY4

Janne

troggg · #7 08-23-2017, 03:56 PM

Like your guitar tone a lot!

TimbreTones · #8 08-23-2017, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troggg

Like your guitar tone a lot!

Thanks! Acoustic or electric?

I'm using Two Notes Torpedo CAB to load my custom Impulse Responses, made with the guitar I'm playing. It helps quite some with the acoustic tone.

troggg · #9 08-24-2017, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimbreTones

Thanks! Acoustic or electric?

I'm using Two Notes Torpedo CAB to load my custom Impulse Responses, made with the guitar I'm playing. It helps quite some with the acoustic tone.

The acoustic. Tell me more: Is the Two Notes Torpedo CAB an add on for the TC Helicon? Or something else?

And the guitar itself looks pretty sweet, I imagine it projects really well.

troggg · #10 08-24-2017, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimbreTones

Thanks! Acoustic or electric?

I'm using Two Notes Torpedo CAB to load my custom Impulse Responses, made with the guitar I'm playing. It helps quite some with the acoustic tone.

The acoustic. Tell me more: Do you use the Two Notes Torpedo CAB and the TC Helicon at the same time? The youtube videos that come up show it with electrics. Please describe how you use them together.

And the acoustic guitar itself looks pretty sweet, I imagine it projects really well.

amyFB · #11 08-24-2017, 10:02 AM

I have a beat buddy that I'll never use, I looked at it once then put back in the box.

troggg · #12 08-24-2017, 12:04 PM

No but I'd mention that not only does it have a purpose on stage, but if someone's a good writer, fooling around to a beat will inevitably inspire some song ideas.

And then sometimes you try to copy someone else's beat and come up with one of your own by accident.

TimbreTones · #13 08-24-2017, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troggg

The acoustic. Tell me more: Is the Two Notes Torpedo CAB an add on for the TC Helicon? Or something else?

And the guitar itself looks pretty sweet, I imagine it projects really well.

Two Notes Torpedo CAB is an IR loading pedalboard cabinet simulator for electric guitar people. It has IR slot, Power amp simulation, eq and nice reverb. It's meant to be placed last in your chain, to send the signal through a cab sim straight to FOH. However, I use it in reverse manner, running my guitar straight into it first. I have made my own custom IR of each guitar, reducing the "pietzoness" of the signal and add some "micness" to it. I don't use other features in CAB, but run the signal (through Boss OC-3 and EHX Key9) into VL3X for reverb and other effects. VL3 EQ is flat, as the CAB puts out a reasonably usable signal as such.

The guitar is my own make, you can check out the video links for more photos.

troggg · #14 08-24-2017, 05:48 PM

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds complicated ... but ultimately worthwhile.

I've been listening to all sorts of acoustic setups as I'm starting to land some gigs and I'm about to purchase some gear; I instantly recognized yours as a desirable, sophisticated sound.

I thought the guitar was a rare edition Martin! Was a Martin slothead your inspiration?

Do you have any videos or tracks with just you and the acoustic?

TimbreTones · #15 08-24-2017, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troggg

Thanks for the explanation. Sounds complicated ... but ultimately worthwhile.

I've been listening to all sorts of acoustic setups as I'm starting to land some gigs and I'm about to purchase some gear; I instantly recognized yours as a desirable, sophisticated sound.

I thought the guitar was a rare edition Martin! Was a Martin slothead your inspiration?

Do you have any videos or tracks with just you and the acoustic?

I have Plenty of videos! Just check out my Youtube channel Janne Koskela music

That particular guitar is inspired by SCGC H-13. It has 13th fret neck joint, long OM scale and thicker body. It also has Manzer wedge and armrest bevel for playing comfort. My Go-to guitar!

The setup is somewhat complicated to start up, with the convolution thing, but use is really straightforward. No need for dual source or special cabling, for instance. I have an IR loaded for each of my guitar, and they all reproduce a faithful-to-the-source sound.

Sorry this got off topic! Back to BB, and further questions of my rig can be PM'd