Can Someone Please Explain The 11 Different Modes on the Boss?

[asandman]

BOSS RE-20
I recently got the Boss RE-20 and am loving the sounds. However, I am wondering if others could provide me with explanations/descriptions on the 11 different modes available on this pedal. I really am looking for this information to allow me to establish baselines for quickly choosing a mode to tweak rather than switching through all modes looking for one to tweak.

I also would like any information regarding the differences between the 3 playback heads and the effect(s) they have on your sound.

Thanks in advance for your insight!
ASANDMAN

 

[MrSage]

Have you checked the manual?

http://www.roland.com/products/en/_support/om.cfm?ln=en&dsp=0&iCncd=2677

 

[Zexcoil]

Hey, thanks for that manual.

I never got one with mine and I couldn't find where to download it without signing up for something on the Boss site. (I left it sitting on the counter when I was checking mine out and it got misplaced at the store).

There are a few hidden features that would be hard to discover without the manual.

 

[asandman]

Yes I read the manual.....I wanted to see if anyone would be kind enough to explain things perhaps more clearly or provide some examples or descriptions. While I have heard the RE-201, I have not owned one nor had the chance to play with it for any length of time.

 

[Rossl]

Keep in mind that on the 201 the "playback heads" are spaced differently in relation to the "record head".

The "record head" records your sound/lick to the tape, the "playback heads" then play back the lick. The farther away the "playback heads" the longer it takes for the tape to reach it hence a longer delay is possible.

The repeat rate is a speed control also controls the delay be adjusting the speed of the motor that moves the tape through the unit. By slowing the tape it takes longer for the recorded lick to reach the given "playback head". The "playback heads" are turned on and off using the mode switch.

The different mode setting let you choose different combinations of the 3 "playback heads" , see page 18 of the manual.

Modes 1-4 do not use reverb, only tape repeats are heard.
Modes 5-11 use the reverb along with the tape repeats.
Mode 12 is reverb only

Hope this helps, when I first read the manual it was a little vague, but when I remembered how the 201 worked it started to make sense