Re: How do YOU loop?

[Per Boysen <per@boysen.se>]

On 12 feb 2006, at 16.23, a k butler wrote:

> The "big problem" with looping is to combine some sort of ABC type  
> structure with loops that have a number of overdubs. After the A is  
> built up, it usually sounds like an anticlimax to start a B part  
> from nothing. There's no looping device available to let you keep  
> the rhythm from the A part going as you  start to record the B part.


This is indeed a big challenge! I address it with two workarounds  
when looping with laptops:

1. If I'm looping with Augustus Loop I have a bank set-up on my  
FCB1010 where each button transposes the pitch of the loop. Since  
Augustus Loop is a tape delay simulator without, without time- 
stretching, I have to be careful with pitching rhythmic material. If  
working with quantized transpose you can find a musically good  
counter rhythm in a new pitch, but I prefer to use the pitch  
transpose pedals unquantized. So I mostly transpose drone like loops,  
or I may put a beat synced plug-in after the looper to keep up the  
beat. In this concept it's interesting to transpose the loop in  
overdub mode while constantly renewing the audio. Old layers,  
recorded at a different pitch, can sound like different instruments  
and you can learn this effect to use it in a planned way.

2. When looping in Mobius I use a variation of my old EDP technique  
to use for example "MooreLoops=5" and start building a sparse layer  
in each loop, according to five different "chords". Then I keep on  
playing melodies over those five chords and taking care to punch in  
(or overdub) only notes or lines that I want in that chord section.  
So all chords kind of grow at the same speed as I pass through them  
with melodies. Here's an example of such an EDP improvisation over  
three loops/chords:
http://www.looproom.com/aol/01_Patterns.mp3 (sax/EDP+percussion).

With Mobius it is easier because I can put percussive stuff on a  
separate track and do the tonal looping on another track (the  
"MooreLoops" technique). Or I can lay down a bass line that is  
working with many different chords on another track.

There is also another concept for multi chordal live looping in  
Mobius where you create different chords/keys on dedicated tracks and  
then mute or un-mute tracks to go in and out of chords. I have not  
used that technique much though. Generally I like to work with as few  
tracks as possible to enable drastic changes by changing loop or  
reworking a loop.

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.looproom.com (international)
www.boysen.se (Swedish)
--->  iTunes Music Store (digital)
www.cdbaby.com/perboysen