• Join the A7X Discord!

    We're updating the community and moving all social content from the community to the Discord. All lessons related conversations will still take place here though! Join the Discord below and view the full announcement for more details

    JOIN THE DISCORD VIEW THREAD

Looper questions

Rad Synner

Sold-out Crowd Surfer
Staff member
Legend+
  • Nov 11, 2019
    1,416
    4
    4,357
    Montreal
    8
    So, turns out this is bad advice.

    I guess I will find out just how comfortable the couch is. On the upside, I finally scored the elusive PS5!
    Did you forget the flower bouquet when you asked for forgiveness? Also a nice dinner would have probably helped a lot, I am just saying...

    Dude, knowing how hard it is to get one, good job!
     
    Reactions: Adin Shepherd

    Rad Synner

    Sold-out Crowd Surfer
    Staff member
    Legend+
  • Nov 11, 2019
    1,416
    4
    4,357
    Montreal
    8
    Wait, you never mentioned anything about flowers. Why didn't you mention flowers!
    Ok no problems because now at least you'll have the flowers for when, idk, you but a high end PC or a new guitar! I would also add a nice dinner. Just put her in as good a mood as possible! It's for your own safety my friend!!!
     
    Reactions: Adin Shepherd

    Chris Johnston

    Music Theory Bragger
  • Nov 11, 2019
    759
    10
    1,883
    29
    North Ayrshire, Scotland
    14
    Hey man! I used to do an acoustic Solo project and would do live loops. It's such a fun & creative way to get a full sound live when you're solo and it's also a complete party trick to those in the audience So win win!

    My setup was a boss RC30 with a boss AB footswitch (to switch channels with my feet while I sang), going into a Digitech whammy pedal (I used this to emulate thick bass tones and give a sort of baritone guitar vibe to my tunes) I would also have a designated 'looping mic' going straight into the RC30 to layer harmonies too.

    The RC30 has two channels but I know the RC300 has more if you're planning more complex stuff

    My advice would be to start simple and to experiment as much as possible to figure out what the loopers limitations are with your tunes (for example with the RC30 I was unable to go to a completely different section in a tune - a modulation for instance - because I had already locked my backing vocals in the home key) I'm sure there are ways to figure out anything you want to do if you're crafty enough with what you're using though. That was just my experience with the RC30. I've also been waist deep in a loop and messed up - LIVE! I had to stop to stunned silence and restart the whole thing - that's just a horror story though.



    In terms of people killing it with a looper - look no further than this alien from outer space, Mike Love
    What you see at the start is impressive - but watch the video until the part where he stops and starts live looping the acapella vocal middle 8 (4:23) - Genuinelly one of the strangest and most impressive things I've ever seen someone do with a looper I remember trying to replicate it and gaining a whole new respect for the guy - you'll see what I mean!

    Hope this helps
     

    Brian Haner Sr.

    Papa
    Staff member
    Legend+
    Fucking Legend
    Nov 11, 2019
    812
    3
    3,508
    Unreal! The guy's incredible. So much going on there. Thanks for sharing.
    But even with all the incredible stuff he did - it was still just 10 minutes of 3 chords over and over. It was certainly interesting, but there wasn't a lot of "song" in what he did. Just a lot of variations on a basic theme.
    I think the thing about looping I despise is that you are stuck with 4 or 8 bars of a groove. If the chorus changes chords or keys, you're screwed. And forget about a bridge. Not sure how I would do it with classic pop/rock stuff - like Steely Dan.
    I guess you just pick songs that have 3 or 4 repetitive chords. Very few songs pre-2000 would be user friendly for looping. I'd have to update my tune list and do some newer stuff.
    I guess that's why I always hear the same 20 tunes from the looper community; "Somebody That I Used To Know", etc.
    And maybe I'm missing the point. (Believe it or not, it's happened before). Maybe the point IS to embrace the 4 bar groove and just work it.
    I may just mix it up and do what I do - which is basically karaoke (from tracks I recorded) with live guitar and vocal - and then when a song lends itself to a loop - I can break that out and do the "party trick".
    Regardless - this guy has a ton of game. Great musician!
     

    idssdi

    Sold-out Crowd Surfer
    Nov 11, 2019
    5,336
    6,754
    Groningen
    11
    Ed Sheeran is pretty much famous for using a looper, at least he was in the beginning of his career no clue what's it like now but this is some pretty cool looping


    And this is how John mayer did it but that seems more backing track/sample triggering to me
     
    Reactions: William B.