Looping/phrase-sampling thoughts/questions...

[ryanspeer]

I've never really tried doing any phrase-sample/looping before, but continually hear people rave about the usefulness of gear such as the Boss RC-20, Boomerang, and the L6 DL4's phrase sampler.

I guess my question is how do you guys use it in terms of practical LIVE applications? DO you use it at gigs, or just in the practice room, while recording, etc.?

Once I can carve out some free time I want to start experimenting with that element of my DL4, but meanwhile, the curiosity is kind of eating at me.

 

[eknapier]

I love my boomerang, had it for about 3 years. It's irreplaceable as a practicing/songwriting tool. Nice for isolating a few bars of a tricky progression to get good lines going. then loop the whole progression and try it there. How are these 2 guitar parts gonna sound together? Tap my foot and whoala! I've gotten to be a better soloist over the last few years, thanks to my faithful jam buddy.

As far as live situations go, I do not use the looper for "rhythmic" parts meant for the rhythm section to sync up to. I have seen the guitarist from the Codetalkers do just this though. But he had an amazingly precise drummer, most drummers can't hang with a rhythmic loop in a live situation. It can be done, you would just have to monitor the signal out to the drummer, which the boomerang is capable of doing. Mostly, I use the Boomerang to create ambient-style loops ala Bill Frisell to fill out the sound a bit when playing in a trio or sometimes quartet context. It's absolutely wonderful in these applications. There is a matter of taste involved in doing this and my ability to do it well without creating merely "background mayhem" has developed considerably over time. I've also used the Boomerang to perform a solo guitar rendition of Steve Reich's "Piano Phase" in a concert setting. All in all, a looper can be useful to any musician, regardless of ability, in a practicing situation. The usefulness in a live setting is really up to the player's imagination and ability.

 

[Moe45673]

Using a looper to play with a whole song is indeed very difficult. Many bands, especially in pro settings, have the drummer start off any background music (strings, whatever), and he plays along to a metronome.

For us lesser folk, a phrase sampler may be good enough to lay down a rhythm track underneath your solo, or something. Any drummer worth his salt can remain reasonably in tempo for a typical rock/pop guitar solo.

FWIW, I just use mine to practise (BEST practise tool ever). It's not on my pedalboard.

 

[monacosis]

well, i don't think i can improve on anything splatt has stated, but i will add my piece to this loop.

i have used the boomerang and other devices with some musical success for many years and it is indeed an instrument that should be studied and practiced.

Although it is possible to create (live) and play (live) with loops that are more or less arhythmic, the creative and challenging part for me is building loops that are interesting both harmonically and rhythmically. I believe that there is a vast untouched musical universe for this kind of approach.

IMO, the boomerang is well-suited to this kind of thing. Its limitation - non-storable loops - is really an advantage (to me, at least). it forces me and the rhythm person to focus on things that i usually don't think about and it forces me to do it all over again the next time.

i'm also fond of crafting storable loops and calling them up with other devices - but that's another thread.

mike

 

[fatback]

Mucho love for the GearPage!

Getting an introduction to live looping from splatt is like getting Eddie to show you tapping. Master class, in session...

ryanspeer, there is much more information and inspiration to be found on d.t.'s two instructional videos:

http://www.homespuntapes.com/prodpg/prodpg.asp?prodID=564&prodType=

cool stuff.

 

[rawkguitarist]

I use a Boss Loop Station XL (we can debate the tone, but memory and featurs are legion) which yes, is an indispensable practice/writing tool, but I do use in a Jazz duet live. Which consists of me and another guitarist or me and a sax player. I provide most of the accompaniment with various on the fly loops and saved loops. I have the bass lines for "All Blues" and “Footprints” saved in my LS, for instance. At a gig I'll play the bass line under an intro, then add comping to em. The loops come in real handy for filling up space.

The drummer I play with could definitely handle syncing, just haven’t had to do it yet. Occasionaly create the "over-obviously static "drones", but not real often.

 

[monacosis]

Originally posted by splatt
oh, it SURE has been (and is being) touched, all right!
*-)
maybe not so obviously in the most visible/audible commercial music arenas, but, still.....
i might agree that it hasn't been mined by very many gtrsts, yet, especially "live"; there are exceptions, of course.
one nameable example?
andré la fosse.
www.altruist.com

i stand corrected. consider it touched. but maybe there are not too many fingerprints on it yet?

mike

 

[KRosser]

Originally posted by splatt

there are exceptions, of course.
one nameable example?
andré la fosse.
www.altruist.com

+1 for Andre, a great guitar player and very original musical thinker

..which reminds me, I gotta get an EDP lesson from him...

 

[simeon]

further to splatt's excellent post - as different loopers are better at different things, sometimes it's good to have more than one...

i iuse two tc d2's for ambient drones and also for rhythmic tap delays.

i also use an electrix repeater for "phrased" looping, or stuff that needs to be synced to a midi clock etc - it's also good at re-pitching / re-tempo-ing / re-versing loops etc

i also sometimes use a kaoss pad for "one shot" phrases and scratching fx etc - this feeds a tc m-one which also has 5 seconds of delay...

i also have an eclipse which has tons of loopy features and 10 seconds of delay time (including reverse)

one day i'll figure out how to use the whole lot at once!

sim

 

[KRosser]

Anyone hear anything about the new Repeater reissue yet?

 

[somedude]

All I do is loop drones....


....I feel so inadiquate.

 

[boomchickaboom]

i've seen danny barnes do some amazing things with a loopstation, a banjo and a boss octave pedal.....

http://www.archive.org/audio/etreelisting-browse.php?collection=etree&cat=Danny Barnes: 2005

i find there's a ton of ways to use loop pedals in a live setting...for me mostly it's a solo improv thing....www.homeofsquirt.com.....

i've seen people as diverse as the bastard sons of johnny cash to bill frisell use 'em with intesting results......

and as other's have said there's something to be said for having more then one on hand....i like the z vex lo-fi and the boss together.....

d