By Jean-Marc Liotier
Sat Aug 16, 2025 7:47 pm
No Roland RC-505 thread here yet, so let's start one !
For the holidays, I've set up the RC-505 mk2 as MIDI slave to the MPC One: works perfectly, in spite of both device's reputation for MIDI capriciousness and preference for being master.
I have good fun layering vocals and acoustic instruments over MPC tracks... The MPC as a MIDI looper while the RC-505 is its audio looper alter-ego.
RC-505 mk2 works nicely as a class compliant audio interface for the MPC. In the RC-505 mk2 USB "Line out" mode, the RC-505 merely mixes in the USB audio from the MPC - and also gets MIDI clock through that... Not much interaction between them, but I believe that is how they complement each other best.
On the other hand, the RC-505 mk2's USB "Loop in" mode is of course almost pointless for the MPC One: audio input from the MPC One (acting as a mere synthesiser) into RC-505 loops is far inferior to MIDI looping on the MPC, though I have used it for fun with young kids, as its immediacy is more appropriate for that.
Also, in a non-live context, I can use the RC-505 mk2 as an acoustic sketchpad - and resample on the MPC through USB, lossless or pretty close to lossless (I have no idea what digital resampling might be involved - the whole chain runs at 44.1 kHz). Sub-optimal as it is, it is nevertheless a quicker method than mounting the RC-505 as USB mass storage, picking the .wav file, copying it to removable media and mounting that on the MPC for sample selection.
RC-505 mk2 and MPC feel like a great match to me: now my MPC has an audio live looper. With a cheap microphone (t.bone MB85, a Shure SM-58 clone, are insane bargains used) and my Arturia Keystep 37, I have everything I imagine needing and the whole is a compact package.
For the holidays, I've set up the RC-505 mk2 as MIDI slave to the MPC One: works perfectly, in spite of both device's reputation for MIDI capriciousness and preference for being master.
I have good fun layering vocals and acoustic instruments over MPC tracks... The MPC as a MIDI looper while the RC-505 is its audio looper alter-ego.
RC-505 mk2 works nicely as a class compliant audio interface for the MPC. In the RC-505 mk2 USB "Line out" mode, the RC-505 merely mixes in the USB audio from the MPC - and also gets MIDI clock through that... Not much interaction between them, but I believe that is how they complement each other best.
On the other hand, the RC-505 mk2's USB "Loop in" mode is of course almost pointless for the MPC One: audio input from the MPC One (acting as a mere synthesiser) into RC-505 loops is far inferior to MIDI looping on the MPC, though I have used it for fun with young kids, as its immediacy is more appropriate for that.
Also, in a non-live context, I can use the RC-505 mk2 as an acoustic sketchpad - and resample on the MPC through USB, lossless or pretty close to lossless (I have no idea what digital resampling might be involved - the whole chain runs at 44.1 kHz). Sub-optimal as it is, it is nevertheless a quicker method than mounting the RC-505 as USB mass storage, picking the .wav file, copying it to removable media and mounting that on the MPC for sample selection.
RC-505 mk2 and MPC feel like a great match to me: now my MPC has an audio live looper. With a cheap microphone (t.bone MB85, a Shure SM-58 clone, are insane bargains used) and my Arturia Keystep 37, I have everything I imagine needing and the whole is a compact package.
