Re: All help is appreciated: I found looper's delight by...

[Rainer Straschill <moinsound@googlemail.com>]

JT Platt schrieb:
> ...googling "choosing a loop machine". I just began researching loop 
> machines last night so I have no idea what to look for. I came across 
> the following archive which helped me learn the lingo and give me a 
> starting base:
>
> [...]
>
> How do I choose a loop machine?
>
> 1. I am looking for quality sound which I'm guessing is STEREO.
> 2. I do not NEED reverse.
> 3. I'm not sure what loop time would be desirable. Any suggestions?
> 4. I am DEFINITELY looking to save loops.
>
> Since this is something new to me, I want to spend just enough to be 
> happy. I don't want to be overwhelmed with complication, but on the 
> other hand, I don't want to be disappointed in the quality.
>
>
There are two routes you can take, and they can be somewhat combined:
1. Define your requirements, then search for a looper
2. Get a looper, play with it and find out what you like or don't like 
about it.

A few resources:
1. Per Boysen's looper comparison chart: 
http://www.looproom.com/looperchart.php
This is not up-to-date (some newer devices e.g. the looping plugin for 
Ableton Live are not covered), but still a good starting point, also to 
see what features to look for.
2. The LD archives:
Search them some more (as you already did)
3. An old survey about looper use by the people on this list: 
http://loopers-delight.com/LDarchive/200709/msg01183.html
A few years old, this gives you a hint what people are using...

Regarding your first requirements:
ad 1: you need stereo if you want to loop stereo signal sources (where 
"stereo" is important). That means that if you want to loop your guitar 
or a single vocal mic, you wouldn't need stereo.
ad 2: think about this - there's a lot of people (me included) who 
really enjoy reverse. This may be the most important transport-related 
functionality to me in a looper (except for record obviously).
ad 3: again, depends on what you want to use it for. Short noise 
textures: 1-2 seconds are sufficient. Grooves: they're typically 1-2, 
sometimes 4 bars, so that would put you in the 2-20 second range. 
Complete song parts: 25 seconds and upwards.
ad 4: means that the looper needs to be able to store loops in internal 
memory or on a memory card. Although e.g. the EDP allows for 
transferring loops to a computer via MIDI sample dump, this is not what 
you usually want to do.

Prehaps one more important point: two of the really important features 
are the so-called "first loop capability" (i.e. you set the loop length 
by clicking "record" twice, and that defines your loop length, as 
opposed to define "16 beats at 110bpm" and then hit record) and 
"overdub" (that you can infinitely add new material to an existing 
loop). Depending on your application, you may or may not need them - 
actually, most of the people here do.

          Rainer

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