Re: Suck because you're Looping ?

[Tim Nelson <psychle62@yahoo.com>]

--- mark <sine@zerocrossing.net> wrote:
> I cut my looping teeth on a JamMan which had no
>undo, and now that I've gone Repeater, I must admit I
>don't use it too much.  I'm not perfect, I 
> just forget I have it.

It's funny; Terry states that the reason he likes dt
is because he's such a good guitarist. Now the only
person I've ever heard who has said they *don't*
necessarily consider dt all that great of a guitarist
is dt himself (as an 'aw shucks' in the context of
seeing his role in things more as a
texturalist/composer/overall visionary than a
conventional instrumentalist), and *I'm* certainly not
about to criticize the man's playing.

However, there is something about Torn's playing that
appeals to me even more than his chops, and that's his
adventurousness, even when it means a 'mistake'
happens. He is utterly unafraid of going out on
musical limbs, even when they break once in a while.
When watching some players hit a 'bum' note and then
grimace, scowl, wince or otherwise express dismay, I'm
reminded of the way dt (on a few videotaped
performances I've seen) in such a situation often
looks like the offending note is a source of mild
amusement, like, 'Ooh, where'd that stinky one come
from?'.

But THEN, rather than stomping on UNDO, he'll often
work the glitch into the fabric of the improv, so
after a few repetitions he's built up some
surroundings for it that make it sound like he meant
to do it all along. THAT to me is essential live
looping, thinking on one's feet and working with what
happens.

-t-

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