I guess I'm going to have to get one of those machines.My band busted up so I guess I can be my owne one man band. It's too cool what can be done. I just wonder how much of a learning curve is involved? Mike
I have to say that is technology at work. The one man band definition continues to expand. IMO, if it isn't done with real instruments, all live, it isn't a 1 man band. Anybody can set up these loops. I would like to see them pull off some it for real-like if the power goes out :-) I call this stuff overdubbing with electronic mumbo jumbo gizmos. It kind of reminds of the days when the dj came into being and put 90% of real bands out of business...... Be careful youngsters, you may just put the final nail in the coffin of live music with this stuff. Walter
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
@Walter: I'm curious to know why you don't think what she is doing counts as a "one man band" (or "one woman band" for that matter)? While she may not be playing the instruments all at the same time, she IS playing them. And she IS manipulating the loops live and in conjunction with her live playing and singing (ie triggering and pausing and bypassing them). To me that means that she has a clear idea in her head about the song she is playing, and that the loops become "instruments" she is also playing in the song. The song has structure and meaning, and she uses the loops within that structure. She does this all live and on-the-fly. Very different from a simple DJ (ie. on the radio), but sharing some aspects of what Hip-Hop DJ's do, while still retaining live playing of instruments. And with the looping, she is able to make music as a one-person-band that could not be done otherwise (ie. play the xylophone and the guitar at the same time). I know your one-man-band aesthetic is different, and they you have developed an amazing talent for playing several instruments simultaneously, and for extemporaneously creating songs. For some reason, I thought a guy like you would be way into something like this, so I guess it threw me for a loop (pun intended!) when I saw you posting (ostensibly) against this type of music making. So mainly, I'm curious as to why you feel that way (if I am correctly interpreting what you said)? ---------- ------------------ View my videos on YouTube!"
isaacullah: Thanks for asking. I learned the 1 man band from wilbert harrison back when I was first starting out playing. He had big hits with kansas city (in the 50's) and lets work together in the 60's. Let's work together was with him as a 1 man band with overdubbing. That sound grabbed right off and I have been in and out of it now for 35 years. My goal is to make my 1 man band sound like a real trio. That is what I visualize when I play. Those loop things sound like machines to me. No one is playing the sound. It is just a sound coming out of a speaker once it goes to the looping process.
It all is personal preference. If you dig these looping things that is great. When I see a live performance, I like to actually watch the instruments being played and how they all interact. Let this be just a guy with a guitar, a one man band, or a complete orchestra. The sounds of live instruments move me and the players actual playing is what turns me on. These looping things burry everything to my ears to the point you don't know what is what. Kind of like when there is 15 guitarists onstage during one of those superstar end of the show jams. You can't tell one player from the other.
I begrudgingly have bought a electric keyboard that makes piano, and organ sounds because I have not figured out how to use real ones with my 1 man band kit. I can't get my drum kit to fit with an upright, organ, or grand piano. Still what I play is what you hear. I push a key and a sound comes out. When I stop, there is no sound. I strum the guitar a sound comes out. When I stop no sound comes out, etc... My recordings are the same as it would sound live. These videos get me dizzy (to much sound and not enough space) and the music sounds sterile to me, like listening to one of those old tv music shows where they lip sync to the record. I guess that is why I don't like them. Take care. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Walter, there are two ways people use loop pedals. Some people record a bunch of stuff into the loop and then pull it out as music. That can be music, but it's not really live. These people are building the loops live though. You hear them record the loop, and it sounds good at each step. That woman is singing, playing guitar, beat boxing and running a loop pedal. She has to record each one with other stuff going. That isn't the prerecorded concert stuff you see pop stars doing. Even if someone else was running the loop pedal the worst I would say is, 'Hey look at that 2 man band!'
As for it burying the sound of the individual instruments, I can understand what your saying, but like you said, that can happen with all acoustic stuff too. It's all about the individual composition.
narcon: I understand what you are saying about the 2 different ways to use the looping process. Both ways don't hold my interest at all. When they start building on the loops they created, it is like overdubbing, or recording tracks in isolation - they become locked in to the time of it. That loop will go on forever. It is just too sterile, stiff. I am into real time music. Pat and Barbara McDonald were good friends when I lived in austin. They had that big hit the future is so bright I got to wear shades. I saw them perform alot with that jambox. It never grabbed me. But like I often say, what is good art and bad is all opinion. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
@walter: Okay. I get it. You have a different aesthetic idea about this kind of solo playing. That's cool, I fully understand where you are coming from now. I actually feel the opposite of that, however. To me, looping lets you make music as a solo act that you simply cannot make any other way (sans joining a group). The sterileness that bothers you doesn't come across that way to me, but then again, I grew up in the digital age, and that kind of stuff "feels right" to me. :) Thanks for clearing up your stance, it's always good to hear your opinion on things! ---------- ------------------ View my videos on YouTube!"
Last Edited by on Jun 10, 2010 9:37 PM
walter, you ARE stuck in the same rhythmic rut as long as the song lasts... doesnt mean you cant change the elements within... but thats just exactly like a million other songs.
not just anyone can make those loops work well, trust me... I only watched the first vid, and the young lady does a fabulous job harmonizing with herself. (a quartet if you will) on the fly, no less, and using specific selections to diversify the sound of the tune as she went along. bravo to her.
to tell the truth, if no one had seen the vid, and it were mastered after the fact... no one would dispute that song as one accomplished with the use of SEVERAL different artists...
There's no denying the draw to this kind of one man band. I guarantee you this...you put a man, well versed with a foot drum, cymbal and harp out on the street next to a dude well versed with a harp and a looping pedal? My money's on Mr Looper who'd have his hat full o cheddar...
Kyzer: One of the greatest freedoms of a 1 man band is that you can keep anytime, chord changes, dynamics, you want. With this looping you have none of these options. Yes, you are like a real band - locked into it, so I see nothing of value in it. I will stick to seeing a real band in action. As far as putting the two on a street corner and seeing who gets the bigger crowd, I agree with you to a point. If the 1 man band is smoking, and the looper fair, the 1 man band will win out. But if both are at similar levels of proficiency with their set ups, the looper will draw more people. Most people are not music listeners, but followers of trends and what is already familiar to them. They also like a wall of sound. I have been playing the streets for almost 40 years and the bigger the set up/more musicians, louder, faster,gimmicks(dancing dogs/monkeys at your side)the more familiar the tunes are, the bigger the crowd. A guy sitting quietly playing very complicated obscure classical music will get virturally no one compared to one of these loopers doing a cover of freebird. I am about doing what moves you. If looping moved me, I would be on it.
isaacullah: I say go for it with all you got! Walter
Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
nacoran: Yes that was timbuck 3. Pat and Barbara turned Dylan onto my music. I will never forget them telling me about that. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I just ordered a DigiTech jam man2 from ZZounds. I had a 10% off email from them. I hope this was a good one to get. USB connective, flash card memory expandable stereo in and outs, XLR plug. The Boss was near the same money but no USB,stereo or XLR. Does any one have one of these loopers? Mike
that doesnt help explain things. how could you not change time, chords or dynamics... it's as easy as pushing a button... ---------- Kyzer's Travels Kyzer's Artwork
