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Looper's Delight
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As a software product manager in a niche market (SGML/XML authoring and publishing), I find Tom's admittedly blatant attempt to solicit user help in addressing a weakness of his product... refreshing. I'm going to suggest it to our documentation department. I think I'll send in re-written chapters of documentation to Honda, Compaq, Northern Telecom and Microsoft. Especially Microsoft. No, wait... no, not Microsoft... I like my job. Best regards, David White Tom Spaulding wrote: > Doctors of Loop and all ye assembled Loopers- > > Yea, verily the Echoplex manual doth not suffice. It is an excellent > overview, (thank you Warren Sirota)but the unit is too deep to talk >about, > it is maybe best explained with examples. It even has the awful >reputation > of being complex! > > Therefore, everyone on this list who wants to contribute to re-writing >the > manual, (to be edited by the fabulous Jackie O. herself), please choose a > section you feel most competent with and re-write it. I will collect all > efforts and re-print a manual written by the actual experienced users of > the Echoplex. > > Kind of like a Lutheran Ladies Auxiliary cookbook, with italicized >credits > at the bottom of each recipe thanking the author(s). We will incorporate > the "best of" the digest archives and hopefully Kim and Co.'s helpful > pages, etc. Free t-shirt to all who contribute. Pepsi and balloons for >the > kids. > > All in favor of manual by committee e-mail me. All opposed, look upon the > book ye mighty and despair! > > (Some may think this is a low-budget, pandering, corporate-drive, attempt > to enlist off-payroll intellects and transform them into glorified tech > manual authors solely because they have spent the time necessary to truly > understand the product at a level the so-called Product Manager at >Oberheim > cannot hope to attain without weeks and months of sleepless night. They >are > correct. Thank you.) > > Tom "UnaLooper" KuzIsedzo ;) > > At 12:58 PM 1/20/98 -0600, you wrote: > >Hi New Potential Acoustic Looper: > > > > > > > >Rich Lamphear wrote: > > > >> Hi, > >> I'm an acoustic guitarist/singer/composer and I'm getting interested >in the > >> concept of looping and processing the acoustic guitar. I'm intrigued >with > >> the idea of extending my solo guitar and voice concept to incorporate >new > >> sounds, textures, and rhythms via electronics. > >> > >> I've got a little money to throw at this (~$1500) and I'd like some >advice > >> on how I might best spend the money. > >> > >> My idea is to install a decent quality pickup on my acoustic, >something > >> that would maintain a reasonable amount of the acoustic guitar timbre > >> before sending it to processing. I've heard good things about the >Sunrise > >> and McIntyre pickups for this type of application. > >> > >> The Echoplex Digital Pro seems the clear choice for a looper. Has > >> availability of these improved lately? (sorry if it's a faq, just >joined > >> the list). I did phone Thoroughbred Music and they had three in >stock, but > >> no pedalboards. > >> > >> In addition, I'd like a multifx box to do standard digital processing >for > >> both the guitar and the voice. My main question revolves around the >issue > >> of stereo processing. Do you really need 2 Echoplexes to get a decent > >> stereo sound happening? Do most people running stereo process first >(add > >> reverb, flange, etc.) and then go into 2 Echoplexes? Or do people >loop > >> first and then send the mono looped signal into a stereo processor and > >> output from there? > >> > >> My choices (for around $1500) seem to be: > >> 1) Echoplex mono into good quality multifx to stereo output. > >> 2) El cheapo multifx stereo output into 2 Echoplexes operating in >sync. > >> > >> Any advice to help me think about this would be much appreciated. It >sure > >> would be great to be able to do both the processing and looping in a >single > >> box, but I don't think anything like that's on the market....correct? > >> > >> thanks, > >> Rich > > > >The LoOpDoctOrs have their own particular take on "appropriate" >technology, > >but we've journeyed down some of the paths you wish to explore and >here's our > >two cents. > > > >1: acoustic pickups are enjoying a renaissance. We use the Highlander >system > >-- piezo and internal mike combo. It works just grand and you can >split the > >seperate feeds out of the guitar...so there are more processing/looping > >choices. That said, a single source piezo or whatever will work fine >too. > >Sure it will sound like a piezo/whatever, but it's there to loop and >morph, > >etc. > > > >2: One thing that we think is important on your equipment list for live > >applications is a MIXER. We use Mackie 1202s, but there are any number >of > >excellent and affordable small mixers. It can't be emphasized how >important > >learning to deal with a mixer is, vis a vis getting a good live sound >and > >taking advantage of all the acoustic looping possibilities. When you >can > take > >your mixer and break it down blindfolded in the dark with the drill >sargeant > >barking at you at 1 am, then you know you're in the music zone. So >start > >checking out mixers and the possiblities of hanging your >loopers/processors > >off the aux channels, which will give you molto/mucho/maxi flexibility >as far > >as tossing out cool stuff to the audience. > > > >3: Stereo processors are a GREAT idea after the looper... We use the >now > >discontinued Lexicon Vortex and we SWEAR by it, but we are a loopy lot >and > >some listeners swear at us. There are a lot of stereo processors out >there > >though, and a lot of used one that will take a mono source -- like what >will > >be coming in from your loopers via your mixers -- and turn it into true > >stereo. We have found the best way to grab our audience is to do >everything > >live in TRUE stereo. The ambient fields created this way can be >startling > >over the most modest pa. Put another way, you will have the biggest >sounding > >acoustic guitar on the block! And remember, that's even before you >start > >looping, so yes, once you get that mixer and pickup sorted out...look >for a > >stereo preamp/processor/effects box. > > > >4: Finally loopers. We own the Jamman and the Echoplex. We love them >both > >for their unique personalities. The Jamman had achieved a cult status >by way > >of now being extinct, but the Echoplex is not unduly complex as far as > instant > >looping gratification, has a MUCH better foot pedal. Can be loaded with > three > >full minutes of memory and is much, much deeper in terms of what can be >done > >if you really get into it. We're not crazy about the manual though, >and the > >faceplate interface is not as intuitive as the Jamman or the Boomer- > >rrrrrrrannnnngss. > > > >Best, > >the LoOpDoctOrs > > > > > >