I'm interested in a looper for both guitar and harp [probably not at the same time]. Based on your experiences what are your recommendations? Thanks, Jay
Mike - what midi controller are you using for loopy and how are you using it? Did you do that solo looping workshop at SPAH with Brandon? I would have liked to have been there for that. ----------
Honestly, I haven't looped much lately. I got rid of the Boomerang as I was going to go with Loopy and midi. Being that I haven't been gigging, I just use it with the iPad at home. I am looking at midi right now and thinking it might have to be the Behringer:http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keyboards-midi/behringer-fcb1010-midi-footcontroller
I am trying to do a looper-friendly duo in town here, but I have so much customizing work I can't rationalize the time to get it going.
Anyways, I want a controller yet this year. The Behringer is probably too big, but there aren't many options like that. I'll run it as a 5 track looper with one pedal being "on" and "overdub" and the second being a "stop" and "erase".
I'd put the iPad on the mic stand and pretty much not need to touch it. I like serial sync, and would just have loops end/start at the repeat of the first loop....pretty much just like the Boomerang.
The advantage in this, to me, is being able to record in stereo. Live the Boomerang was fantastic. I just haven't been motivated to do much looping lately.
I have a Boomerang III Phrase Sampler and Loopy HD on an iPad, but really like my Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro for all the control it affords me. I also use a DigiTech Jamman--the original one made by DigiTech, as opposed to the original made by Lexicon, which I also used to own 12 years ago, and is good, but I sold that to buy an EDP. I also have the TC Helicon VoiceLive Touch, and Brendan Power does great things with its looper--I mainly use it for it vocal harmony. It's also worth mentioning that I mainly use the loopers to capture guitar signal, and play harp over that . . .
I saw a guitarist use a looper the other day in a very subtle way. Rather than spending several minutes at the beginning of the song building up the loops, he recorded the rhythm guitar he played behind the singer and then used it to back his guitar solo. It wasn't till halfway through the guitar solo that I thought 'hang on a minute, he hasn't got that many fingers' !! ---------- "Come on Brackett let's get changed"
I use an Akai E2 Headrush. It is a a very easy to use looper and also has normal and tape delay. The only thing I would like to change on it is the loop length as it only loops approx 19 secs maximum. There are better loopers out there though and if I had to start over again I think I would get one with a few more bells and whistles on it.....one where you could cut individual loops would be good. ---------- Oisin
The EDP only plays one loop at a time, but gives you huge control over that loop--you can have up to 16 loops to go back and forth between, all share the same memory, with a maximum of 198 seconds. It's not new, they don't make them anymore, but then the ones they make these days are more straightforward. One element that seems to be missing from a bunch of newer loopers is what we delay aficionados call feedback, the ability to lower the volume of the existing loop while adding new material. Without this capability, the loop gets cluttered fast! There are a few things that only the EDP (out of all the hardware loopers--software is different) lets you do--one is loop windowing. It's a little tough to explain--here is a YouTube demonstrating one aspect of windowing . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijGDH3qr9dQ But a more musical apllication of it is being able to "snip" the loop--so you can create a new loop by setting the start and end point, even combining parts of several iterations of the original loop, so you can change two bars of 4/4 into a loop of 6/4, let your imagination take hold!
Last Edited by on Nov 11, 2012 9:22 AM
Most working commercial musicians are going to use shorter loops, and just use them to generate backgrounds, tho . . . Check out our own HarpNinja, Mr. Mike Fugazzi, on YouTube! Probably using the 'Rang III . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MJdVTas2wE I could not find any videos on YouTube of harmonica players using the EDP--Mike Stevens was using one at one point, I don't know what he is using now.
I've got a Boss RC-3 that works fine for me. I just picked up the guitar and I've used the RC a couple of times to record a simple progression and then play harp over for practice.
I too have the RC-3. it has two inputs, so I can plug my guitar and harp in at the same time if I'd like. If I could do it again, I would probably get the RC-30 since it has two pedals (eliminating the need for double-taps and/or holding it down for "x" amount of time). Overall, I love my RC-3. It various rhythm options, as well as playback modes. There are some youtube videos out there too you could watch about it.
---------- -- "The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts" -- C.S. Lewis
I'm loving my TC Helicon Voicelive Touch. It's designed for vocalists so is mic-stand mounted with a touch screen - great for harp players too.
However, it comes with a footswitch for guitarists. It's a fabulous intelligent harmonist as well as multi-track looper and effects unit (great reverbs & delays, plus other stuff). It will sense your guitar chords and automatically give you the right harmonies for the song and key. Here's a recent video with it:
In addition to reading chords from the audio input (I use guitar), you can send it a MIDI stream and it will "sing" only the notes you send it--that's a really good way to go for a solo act--but the other works well too. I don't really care for what it does to the harp, harmony wise . . . perhaps with better EQ . . .
Last Edited by on Nov 11, 2012 11:39 AM
Very cool Brendan - what patches are you using - or starting with on the VLT? - and what loop 'mode' do you use on it. Also, what's the little box atop it ? I'd love to see a slower dewmo that shows how you are doing what you do with the Voicelive Touch.
I delved into looping for a while and will get back to it - but it's 'on the shelf' for now. I tried the Headrush 2 and could not generate well cut loops on it - perhaps as much a funcction of being a beginner on it - as it was the fault of the box. I then got into Loopy HD on the ipad. It is a fantastic way to go - but you do need to kludge your audio in and out of your ipad or iphone. I am considering getting a wireless midi trigger for it when I jump back in.
I have the Voicelive Touch, wich is a very cool unit but only tried looping with it briefly. The visual interface of Loopy appeals to me more, - but the VLT obviously has lots of potential, especially because you can apply all kinds of effects to the sounds you are looping.
I also recently got a Helicon Flashback delay pedal. A really great delay pedal that also has a very functional looper. Unlike the VLT, you can't use the delay effect at the same time you are looping however.
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Last Edited by on Nov 11, 2012 12:04 PM
