loopingMADNESS

[aedes]

Excellent thanks evan!

[Lebowsky]

Any of you highly knowledgeable folks able to point me to the right direction?

I am looking for a basic looper, that can allow me to record one riff, and then play over it. No need for much more... More features would be bonuses. But "rather small" footprint required.

I've used the loop function of the DD-7, EHX Canyon and such in the past, it gave pretty bad results, particularly because I really suck at stomping at the right moments... are there loopers where you can give a tempo first, and then record - I assume this would be more forgiving?
(I am amazed by people doing this live properly...)

It would be used in a bass + drums duo.

I don't really know where to start, so... fell free to slap me for more info.

Thanks!

[Dandolin]

i'm not sure what looper might be best for you, but i remember my eyes opening wider when i realized that different loopers implement the timing of your footstomp differently (on the press vs on the release)....

you might want to look for a looper that quantizes loops to an internal count, like the Trio (which obvi does a lot of other stuff and isn't usually looked at as a looper per se) - i'm sure there are others.

also, if you're haven't been (and i'm not suggesting you haven't been) aiming to end your loop on the downbeat of the next measure (while counting the beat in your head) usually brings better results than aiming for any target within the last measure of your "phrase"

also, i am no looping guru, but i'm confident others on here with more/better knowledge will jump in soonish

[aedes]

also...what else besides the ditto x4 does two independent loops / start & stop with 3+ switches. TC Electronic won't have them ready (new) til August...and I'm a little wary of tc electronic stuff on the used market because of QC.

[aedes]

infinity 3?

[gila_crisis]

EHX 1440 ca be synched via midi. But well... loopers are kind of instrument of their own, and you HAVE to learn how to use and stomp them!

[Lebowsky]

I did lots of research last night... so I would need something like the 1440 or other compact pedal that takes midi, and a device such as this one to do what I want?

https://www.disasterareadesigns.com/shop/p/micro-clock

or am I completely wrong?

thanks

[gila_crisis]

Yes that would do your trick

[manymanyhaha]

are there loopers where you can give a tempo first, and then record - I assume this would be more forgiving?
(I am amazed by people doing this live properly...)

It would be used in a bass + drums duo.

It's all easy until this part

Is the drummer really good at keeping an extremely steady pace? Like, are they basically a robot manifest surprisingly as a human? If not (and highly doubtful, right?), to do tempo first for a looper, you'd need a click track/metronome, either audible to your audience or to in-ears/headphones. That's how you most likely have seen it done live.

Otherwise, it's just practice practice practice and you will get the timing and as long as the drummer can hear the loop well over their own playing, they can play to it.

I am looking for a basic looper, that can allow me to record one riff, and then play over it. No need for much more... More features would be bonuses. But "rather small" footprint required.

This just sounds like a basic Ditto or any other dedicated looper, to me. Again, with practice, the timing will come.

But if something happens and you do need to get into click tracks and quantizing, that's quite a bit more complicated in terms of the looper and monitoring.

Apologies if I've misunderstood the question.

[cosmicevan]

Yeah...looping with a live band is a different animal than looping alone. You really need to have strategies in place for when your loop inevitably falls off time (within like 5 to 10 seconds).

[aedes]

So the boomerang III is less than the infinity 3. are the boomerangs still good after the company got sold?

[Lebowsky]

It's all easy until this part

Is the drummer really good at keeping an extremely steady pace? Like, are they basically a robot manifest surprisingly as a human? If not (and highly doubtful, right?), to do tempo first for a looper, you'd need a click track/metronome, either audible to your audience or to in-ears/headphones. That's how you most likely have seen it done live.

Otherwise, it's just practice practice practice and you will get the timing and as long as the drummer can hear the loop well over their own playing, they can play to it.

This just sounds like a basic Ditto or any other dedicated looper, to me. Again, with practice, the timing will come.

But if something happens and you do need to get into click tracks and quantizing, that's quite a bit more complicated in terms of the looper and monitoring.

Apologies if I've misunderstood the question.

thanks for the reality check spot on about the drummer...

we don't have immediate plans to sync both of us with midi, for now it is mainly me exploring ideas.

and so, I am thinking... maybe a simple dedicated looper, as you said, plus practice practice practice to get it right... but also have the possibility to sync to midi at a later time, to avoid purchasing something for nothing, and add the midi part later on. otoh, maybe we'll never use it...

I think I'll go with a basic one to start. I'm a bit weary on the TC ones however, read a lot of average reviews while looking into what you mentioned and seems like there have been some QC issues... EHX 360 to start maybe? and upgrade to the 1440 later on. Seems like the 1440 is smallest one taking midi, along with the Boss RC-5, but that one seems a bit overpacked with features I won't need.

If you have other suggestions or could comment on the above, please don't hesitate

[manymanyhaha]

If you think you might want to go midi later then you should get one with 5-pin midi in and out.

I've used several of the Boss RC iterations, Ditto X4, Infinity 2, Jamman and I was able to sync a Boss Dr-880 drum machine to all of them with success. Haven't used the EHX loopers so can't comment but it doesn't look like the Nano 360 has midi.

I've been software looping since 2016 so all of my experience with hardware loopers is with older model stuff. But it all depends on how much space you have and what you click with. For what I like to do, if I were to go back to hardware loopers and if I had the space, I'd probably be trying the Loupe, the new Looperator, Blooper, and the Boomerang, just to test out and see. The Loupe especially looks like a lot of fun to me.

[Dandolin]

If you think you might want to go midi later then you should get one with 5-pin midi in and out.

I've used several of the Boss RC iterations, Ditto X4, Infinity 2, Jamman and I was able to sync a Boss Dr-880 drum machine to all of them with success. Haven't used the EHX loopers so can't comment but it doesn't look like the Nano 360 has midi.

I've been software looping since 2016 so all of my experience with hardware loopers is with older model stuff. But it all depends on how much space you have and what you click with. For what I like to do, if I were to go back to hardware loopers and if I had the space, I'd probably be trying the Loupe, the new Looperator, Blooper, and the Boomerang, just to test out and see. The Loupe especially looks like a lot of fun to me.

Looperator's software only, right? pretty sure you didn't mean Looperboard - Looperlative 2?

Loupe looks fantastic, but availability may be the best ability in this space (not cheap either, but then none of the higher functionality players really are)

Folks also might want to check out the Beebo/Digit route as well - EDP Loopler is another attempt to bring Echoplex Digital Pro functionality to pedalworld, and since Loki, the developer, seems to have the ear of Andre LaFosse (and David Torn) it has a chance to develop into something really good. You'd need an external/midi footswitch as well to reach Loupe functionality tho Blooper is def cool - also need an external/midi to fully unlock it....

in another paradigm, user Shikawkee has mentioned his involvement in an effort [by HOSAT Effects?] to bring Lexicon PCM-42 functionality to a pedal format....

annnd...did i just latecomer recap a buncha stuff already laid out in this thread?

also, none'o'that is the simple, functional looper Lebowsky's after, for which i tend to think the EHX + practice will do...but maybe split the baby and look at the 720?

[manymanyhaha]

Looperator's software only, right? pretty sure you didn't mean Looperboard - Looperlative 2?

Loupe looks fantastic, but availability may be the best ability in this space (not cheap either, but then none of the higher functionality players really are)

Folks also might want to check out the Beebo/Digit route as well - EDP Loopler is another attempt to bring Echoplex Digital Pro functionality to pedalworld, and since Loki, the developer, seems to have the ear of Andre LaFosse (and David Torn) it has a chance to develop into something really good. You'd need an external/midi footswitch as well to reach Loupe functionality tho Blooper is def cool - also need an external/midi to fully unlock it....

in another paradigm, user Shikawkee has mentioned his involvement in an effort [by HOSAT Effects?] to bring Lexicon PCM-42 functionality to a pedal format....

annnd...did i just latecomer recap a buncha stuff already laid out in this thread?

also, none'o'that is the simple, functional looper Lebowsky's after, for which i tend to think the EHX + practice will do...but maybe split the baby and look at the 720?

Yes! Looperlative, sorry. Though I do use and like Looperator but that is a different thing.

Huge Poly/Loki fan here, would be looking at the Beebo/Digit with an external control as well. But only with external control, didn't jive too well with the Digit interface when I had it but apparently, that is just me. Everyone else seems to love it.

Forgot about Shikawkee's PCM-42 project, definitely looking forward to that.

Is Glou Glou going to make more Loupe? I almost picked one when they came up out, just because. Not that I need more hardware that I'm not using..................