Re: "Mainly Vocal" looping performances: help in deciding which tools

[andy butler <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>]

Sergio G wrote:

> *Andy:* 
> - I saw the Vox one, not tried anyway. I think I need more than 2 
> parallel loops anyway if possible and I am a bit scared about the 90 sec 
> limitation. 

hi Sergio,
what you're imagining is a pretty complex setup.
( more like the guys who use software to loop)

You'll hear some very complex arrangements by live looping artists
if you listen around a bit, and the first guess would be that you
need multiple loops to achieve that.

However that's not the case, it more depends on how controllable
the loops are.
For instance, I use the EDP (no longer in production) which only 
plays back one loop at a time, but listening you'll hear tracks
dropping in and out fairly extensively.


Truth is, it's not likely your going to *buy* your ideal setup
and loop with it right away. If you want to do it with separate
loops for each element then it's going mean you'll have to work
out how to control groups of loops.
You could do it with software,
you could do it with the looperlative LP1(if you can get one),
but either way the "maths" of controlling them fluently isn't done for you.
Expect to put in some hours doing setup on a regular basis.

It's not just having the gear, it's getting a feel for using it,
...it needs practise, just like an instrument.


That's why it's already been suggested you start out with a simple
loop device, and work with it to get the most out of it.
Then you get to know how it all works...and you'll get "good at it".
You'll also quite likely find that your music can develop in new
ways as you experiment with what your loop device is capable
of (or by working round what it can't do).
I think I'm fairly safe in saying that's how everybody here did it.

All that being said, yes the Boomerang III looks like a really good
choice. I can't imagine you'd be disappointed.

The Vox VDL-1, apart from two separate loops, has an Undo/Redo
function which lets you bring a group of layers in and out.
If you think about it, you can make that sound like you have 4 loops,
each with multiple overdubs (...well you *could*).
If you wanted to go the "get something cheap and try it out" route
then it's way more sophisticated than the other cheap devices.

Something like the Boss RC-2 or Digitec JamMan are just so basic
I think you'd outgrow them in about a day :-)

andy butler
www.andybutler.com/mp3.htm