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Looper's Delight
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I’ve just put together a new software based live
looping rig and thought telling the story here might help some and start an
engaging discussion with others. I held back on the software side for a couple of reasons.
One is the mental image of say the Kiss guy, Gene Simons, performing except
it’s a notebook instead of a guitar, doesn't seem like Rock and Roll.
Folks that was Eric Clapton on guitar and on PC its ... Second I have
done lots of software recording and I end up sitting in front of the PC the
whole time and not playing guitar. I needed a new notebook for travel and
figured it could host a looping rig as well. I really need a netbook for travel
and I figured I could squeeze a setup onto a new 10” notebook and if not
I still had all my gear. I’m a long time hardware looper been at it for over a
decade. I only play guitar and have 4 of Roland’s GK boxes but my sound
is now focused on the 2 VG units I’ve got a vg8 and a vg99. I was using
guitar to MIDI for everything but now I only use it to play the drums. To loop
I use one guitar to control one or more of the units at a time. I play in a
bass lines, drums, and rhythms by switching on and off my units and then
overdubbing loops. I was using a Boomerang, an Echoplex and
A/B switches for this. Hardware: I got a real deal on a Toshiba nb205 1.66ghz 1gb RAM and a
150gb HD and 3 USB2 ports. mAudio Fast Track Ultra USB with 6 ins and 8 outs. Behringer FCB1010 to control the software from a stomp
box hands free (must have the free software editor) Software: Mobius – My new looper it’s a simulation of 8
stereo Echoplex units which all can be in sync. The interface was very familiar
to me as I have an Echoplex and now I have eight on a free download. Bidule- A virtual wiring rack under MIDI control from the fcb1010
stomp box. I have to be able to route my instruments to the right tracks,
record to the right tracks and mute the boxes I’m not using. Moduis is
hosted and wired into Bidule. Jamstix - A virtual drummer and virtual sound source from my
drums. Also wired into BIdule. My whole rig: VG99, VG8, FCB1010, FV500L, US-20 and the
netbook with mAudio USB Old Rig: VG99, VG8, SR16, FC300, US-20, DD6, 2 double 1
single 1 triple AB switches, 4 channel mixer Boomerang, and the Echoplex I'm floored by what I've built so far. I added 6 tracks of
looping and stereo for everything. I should have done this a long time ago. I
can now not only layer my sounds and loop them up but go back and rework or
replace them by track or just adjust the volume. I can sound parts that
aren’t looped. I can rewire my rig on the fly and return to old wirings
saved to disk with Bidule. The netbook is a tight squeeze everything has to be turned
off on it except the sound stuff. I’m running into the high 60 dsp in
Bidule and about 50% on the CPU when drumming and looping. The available screen
is tight as well. Not much room for all the indicators I need to see to operate
it all. I do need to see it but not touch it during a song. I was/am very disappointed in the Roland fc300. I’ve
been using it for the vg99. For that it’s just OK but you gotta have a
foot controller for a unit like the 99. It just wasn’t setup to offer
enough buttons to do the looping right and its dual switch buttons are a pain
if the lights don’t match up. I hooked up a single expression pedal and
now use the fcb1010 banks for looping and switching, and others for selecting
patches on the two VGs. I’m still working on getting everything setup right
but I’ve got it all working and am looking forward to playing … now Cheers, -Ty www.soundclick.com\TygermanGrooveBand |