RE: Looping Catching on?

[Tim Nelson <tcn62@ici.net>]

I agree, and you really can't blame "John and Jane" for feeling more
comfortable with something they're already familiar with.
Case in point: Jimi Hendrix was a consumate showman, but that's not ALL he
could do.Roger Mayer (effects maker extraordinaire) once commented to the
effect that he had never seen anyone assimilate technology faster than
Hendrix. Mayer would hand Jimi a new gadget and within minutes Hendrix
would be using it in a very musical fashion; Mayer was astounded at the
slope of the Hendrix learning curve, and one can only imagine what he'd do
with an Echoplex (the new kind...) and ACID (also the new kind...). Jimi's
playing technique was a lot more subtle than many remember; think of
"Little Wing" rather than "Star Spangled Banner", finesse as opposed to
bombast. The thing is, he did BOTH well, yet what is he remembered for? The
flashy, superficial stuff; clothing styles and whammy dives. One would find
it hard to imagine him playing a little flashing box behind his head or
with his teeth, or kneeling before a flaming Boomerang with that can of
Ronson, none of which has much to do with the player's skill at actually
USING the equipment, but sure does make for good entertainment. So it's
easy to see why that solo washboard player would draw the crowd!
As far as illustrating my other point about developing technique SPECIFIC
TO LOOPING, I'm sure most of us have known at least one quite decent
guitarist who was a crappy bass player. The instruments are similar;
strings, frets, EADG, etc., but require a very different playing
philosophy. Guitar licks do not translate well to bass.
(I don't mean to pick on the guitar, but it's such a versatile and
ubiquitous instrument that it's an easy target!) Similarly, a Steinway, a
B3, an SH-101, a Mellotron, and a modular Moog share at least one obvious
feature; those black and white things you press with your fingers. Yet how
different they are in terms of technique, and how easy it is for this to be
lost on the non-musician. How often have we heard ANY keyboard referred to
as a "piano"? So it is little wonder that John and Jane find it hard to
appreciate something as alien (at least to them) as looping.

But is IS important that looping "catch on", and it IS unfortunate that
most of the factors influencing popular acceptance of looping have more to
do with economics and demographics than with music...

Tim

P.S. to Dave Eichenberger: Great Website!