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Looper's Delight
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>ArsOcarina@aol.com wrote: > > > > > Just 'cuz you have 31 flavors at your disposal doesn't > > mean you have to use 'em all . . . all of the time . . . in every tune. > > Interesting topic, this thread. I seem to undergo this sort of epiphany every few months! Actually, at my clinic at this year's Loopstock I discussed just this very thing. As loopists, we on this list are genuinely curious about varied and various looping techniques, their process and result, and about the gear used to achieve all of this. And, within the "realm" of digital audio, both in sound production and treatment, we are somewhat at the mercy of technology (or so it might seem at times). Through all of this we sometimes forget it is about music, not music equipment. I was recently asked to return for a performance at a coffeehouse/restaurant where I had done a solo looping show several weeks ago. At that show, thinking of being "impressive", I took the whole kit; four basses, ebows, fx rack (with JamMan and two rack processors), pedal board (with TWO DL4's and an AdrenaLinn) MIDI controller, even a CD player with random sounds and "soundbites" from CNN and such for "found" vocals, all run in stereo..... And, I played it all...bass treatments, backwards stuff, percussion, muti-looped mayhem and madness. And..for the most part...the audience could care less. Through all of my concern with fx pathes, loop banks, MIDI controller and pgm changes, beat synced delays and whatnot, I failed to make any genuine contact with the audience. I was much more captivated by my blinking LEDs and my own little footpedal ballet, that I mght as well have been playing a pre-recorded CD. The audience was not "impressed"(save for but a few, who mostly enjoyed the array of pedals and blinking lights), in fact, they were generally bored.... Imagine my surprise at being asked back! So this time I switched things up. I went back with only a fretless bass, DL4, a DI box, and a pignose amp...all battery operated! Needless to say this put the emphasis back on my own musical, and looping, abilities with limited technology. Because I could focus on the music, not the gear, I was able to engage the audience and it was a wonderful night...and some really fantastic looping music was made. In fact, having LESS gear, and fewer sonic "options" made the whole thing somehow more creative...and yes, this time the audience was impressed, but by the music, and the loops, not by the equipment. Now, I am not against fx or "big rigs"...but I have found that creativity does not always lie in myriad of options. And, sometimes scoping down can uncover possibilities which otherwise would have been missed. I too have been mesmerized and amazed by Bill Walker's work...so obvious he has spent incredible amounts of time working with his gear that it seems so perfectly natural and in tune with his performance. I also memsemerized and amazed by 'Dre's work with just a guitar, EDP and amp. And what Steve Lawson might be doing with 12 EDPs and 7 DL4s just leaves me in speechless! Yet, in my own playing, the more buttons I have to push, the more switches and knobs which might require tinkering (and they seem to beckon you, don't they?), the more options I have, then the less focus I have on the music ( and throw MIDI anything into my equation and you are looking at a meltdown of catastrphic proportions!). I have been, for some time now, on the brink of getting an EDP, or Repeater (or both), yet always back off. For now, I am using my JamMan, an upgraded version with Bob Sellon's new chips, and have spent alot of time working with it. I know it, I can play it like an instrument (and I don't NEED MIDI!) I use my TC M-One for fx, as I know that machine also...and can work it quite well. With those, my bass, my hands and imagination, I hvae been doing some really cool stuff. My Adrenalinn, on the other hand, is fairly new and I don't know it that well. When I bring it into the mix, the "gee whiz" factor takes effect and I am bombarded with more options....the music tends to lose focus and continuity. And in a performance, I am always tap dancing the MIDI pedal, or spinning those little dials for a new patch (which is very infrequently the RIGHT one), and whatever dialogue or rappor I might have with the audience is shot; enter the "gear-gazing zone". Then there's all those cables........... Max _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail