RE: midi looper

["Nic Roozeboom" <nic_roozeboom@msn.com>]

Issues such as these would seem to suggest a need for an abstraction layer 
that manages between input (what you'd like to feed into the looper) and 
output (what is actually being sent out in MIDI, representing 'looped' 
content). That layer could have the ability to interpret incoming notes, 
and 
merge them into a meaningful way onto outgoing MIDI. E.g. if the same note 
already playing in the loop is played again, at a different time, it would 
merge the 'superimposition' or 'union' of those two notes rather than 
directly propagating them. It would need deeper memory than just one 
loop's 
worth, since it would have to keep history on which note is at which point 
in its decaying feedback 'envelope', and such.

Such an abstraction layer would be desired for other functions as well, 
such 
as abstracting tempo and time signature information, and synthesizing new 
MIDI clock based on the loop content and loop length. Based on this, 
extrapolation of tempo would become feasible, going into polyrhytmics. E.g 
launch a new loop in 5/4 but at the same bpm as my current loop in 4/4 - 
resulting in a synchronous loop but of different length).

(just some thoughts out loud)

Nic

>From: "Jim Palmer" <jimp@pobox.com>
>Reply-To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
>Subject: RE: midi looper
>Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:57:59 -0500
>
>i think you guys are missing a few things when you ask
>for overdub and feedback control in a midi looper.
>
>even if your midilooper pairs note-on to note-off,
>the receiving devices generally won't be able to do this.
>many problems will result from this.
>
>here's a few:
>
>       when you overdub and play a note that is already in
>       the loop, the next note off will stop it, even if you
>       are still holding it.
>
>       overlapping note-on/note-off pairs with the same note
>       number will result in chopped-off notes.
>
>       if you have feedback set to less than 100% and a note in
>       the loop is fading, if you play that note again, the new
>       notes velocity will be hijacked by the next note that was
>       fading.  (this is kind of hard to describe)
>
>overdubbing continuous controllers will make a mess as each new
>controller move would interleave with the moves in the loop,
>causing toggling effects. (as cool as they may sound, they w
>
>things like this will make it difficult to use.
>
>now, just the ability to set a loop length and have tempo
>derived with two button presses, like edp users does, would
>still be very useful...
>
>

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