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Looper's Delight
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On 2 nov 2006, at 01.46, Greg Mills wrote: > I’ve pondered and posted this one in the past but never been able > to find a solution. There seem to be a lot of very talented > programmer types here so I thought I’d ask the question again. I > play with an improvisational group using laptops, guitars and > keyboards and we are all starting to use computers for one reason > or another. Computers are great, but there’s one thing that I think > limits things, at least in our group. I don’t like the way we all > have to be MIDI sync’ed together. I’d rather we could all use loops > or sequencers but still be in control of our own timebase. When > synced together one of us has to be the clock master and so only he > can dictate the tempo. As well as this, if I want to start or stop > my host sequencer, I can’t do this and then rejoin the jam. Here’s > what I’d like to be able to do. > > I would like to use a midi controller such as the Contour Shuttle > Express with some software (maybe a utility such as Plogue Bidule/ > MAX/Pure Data/etc). I would like to set up the jog wheel so that it > will alter the tempo and the shuttle control so that when actuated, > it will increase/decrease the tempo by a preset amount (say 5bpm) > then return the tempo to its original value when released. I could > use the other five buttons for tap tempo, start, stop, etc. Then I > could nudge the sequncer forward or backward like a DJ would with > decks. > > Any ideas? > > Greg If you do not MIDI sync the computers everyone can use a local tap tempo function to catch up with the global tempo feel in the group. I like playing group improvisaiton unsynced, but I prefer another method to catch up with the groups temp that I learned on the EDP. If you are using a software looper like Augustus Loop or Mobius you can let the looper dictate the global tempo reference for all your software and what you do then to set a new temp is simply to record a new "first loop". BTW, the best system so far for synchronized group improvisation is the EDP's Brother Sync but I have not heard about any such thing in software. To do the tempo wacking and getting back on track, as described at the end of your post, you need some tool for Tempo Division. In Ableton Live I have used the audio tremolo function of the plug-in Auto Pan (controlled by a MIDI joy-stick) to do that. On the MIDI side I know that these tempo division techniques are one of the major principles in Numerology (OS X). You should also be able to make a tempo division tool in Max. Don't know about Bidule - I'd love a tempo division tool for Bidules internal sync but I have not seen one yet. But then I'm still a Bidule freshman and there might be one. If you're using the non synced group set-up and use the method of recording a new first loop you can just make this new loop in a different length but poly rhythmically musical. Like for example if you're band is playing in 4/4 you make the new first loop one and a half bar long. This will create a new tempo reference for all your local synced stuff that goes in a slower kind of triplet feel. Greetings from Sweden Per Boysen www.boysen.se (Swedish) www.looproom.com (international) http://tinyurl.com/fauvm (podcast) http://www.myspace.com/looproom