This isn’t exactly a new product, but since I invest in a Boss RC-2 loop pedal, I figured I’d share my thoughts with you. The RC-2 records short recordings from an instrument input and then plays them back as loops so you can play or sing along with them. This makes jamming solos over top of a chord pattern very easy.

In my case, I used the RC-2 with my acoustic guitar, a Takamine Martin knock-off, circa 1980, with a Dean Markley pickup. Recording the loops is no sweat–the pedal provides a kick-snare timekeeping beat to help you line the phrases up correctly so that they loop without stuttering. You can store up to eleven phrases this way and the play them back. Phrase playback has its own volume control, though you’ll still need to adjust your main instrument volume apart from the pedal, since no input trim is provided.

Generally, I had only intended this for one-shot loops, for live performances where it’s just me and my guitar. But I’ve had a hard time getting the one-shot loops recorded and playing back during performance of a song. It’s just a lot to manage, and I haven’t gotten used to it yet. For $170 new, this pedal is fun, but I haven’t decided if it’s a keeper yet.