Re: why we founded this list (So how and when can we get there?)

["Ty Gott" <Tygerman_GB@hotmail.com>]

I'm new on the list. I must say its been quite exciting. I hope these 
folks 
haven't suffered to badly for my enjoyment but its way more interesting 
then 
a post on someone else's MIDI timing workaround on a some box I don't own. 
I have enjoyed reading and reflecting on many of the posts. I get some 
sense 
of the past for looping. I've been looping for awhile and I did think I 
was 
unique, until I found all the sights on line. I saw Matthias' question 
...how and when can we get there? Asking how we raise the prominence and 
profitability of live looping. I'd like to take a stab at that one. 
Hopefully no one will lose an eye.

First just what is live looping. It would seem that it defines the gear we 
use and that we use it live like an instrument. I don't think of the group 
as a marketing arm of an instrument and software companies. But using 
looping gear or a delay is a requirement for live looping. So we all have 
that in common.
Next, I'm going to break down live loopers on a continuum. One one side is 
a 
looper that performs a complete impersonation of a top 40 band on the 
other 
is an improvisational ambient sound looper. Lets use two dimensions to 
define the continuum. First dimension is pre and post looping.  Our top 40 
guy is all pre loop, using the looping to record parts and play them back 
as 
recorded. Our ambient guy is all post loop, creating drones and 
manipulating 
them as they loop back. The second dimension to it is the use of meter and 
key. Top 40 guy does everything in meter and key while ambient guy uses 
neither.
The point I'm coming to is: If you want prominence and profitability the 
quickest easiest way is to move your performance toward the top 40 guy on 
the scale. The closer you come the more gigs will be available and a 
single 
performer can compete with full bands, undercutting their rates as he's 
only 
one guy. It's not necessarily top 40. It could be blues, jazz what ever 
just 
an existing genre so you can go out and compete with bands for existing 
gigs. Not my personal objective but I do try to be somewhere in the center 
on this continuum overall.  I must also point out that I have listened to 
many of the ambient loopers and they sound at least as prepared as anyone 
else. Takes a lot of work to get those rigs ready and a lot of practice to 
use them.
I get the impression that its not live looping that Matthias is trying to 
promote its also the ambient side of the continuum. I'd think that there 
are 
limits to this as music without meter or key is a hard sell. I do think 
there are enough loopers close to each other, like here in the Bay Area, 
to 
focus on a local venue. Find a suitable bar or coffee shop and setup a 
looping jam once a month or once a week. You take a slow night and make 
sure 
at least one guy shows up every session. You could help host loopers from 
out of town for the sessions. The group can collectively focus on 
promoting 
the fixed gig.
I also feel that the technology the group is using could be upgraded. The 
mailing list isn't as handy as a forum and it would be nice have a more 
searchable database of loopers.
Sadly, my next observation is that music is a kids game. To really take 
off 
it has to be the kids that take to looping. From what I can tell, this 
group 
is as seasoned as I am. We could be the Sensei to a new looping 
generation. 
Loop on the one grasshopper ... if you have a one ...

Cheers,
-Ty