Loop pedal or Backing Tracks

[MaurysMusic]

Originally Posted by gdbird

Does anyone use either...both? Thoughts...

A few years ago when I was playing in a trio, it was just me on guitar, a bassist and a drummer. I used a boss looper to loop my rhythm parts. It was very useful. On many of the songs we were doing, the lead guitar was played over the verse part. I would simply record the verse part early in the song, and then step on the looper during the solo. Looper would play my recently recorded rhythm guitar and I would play a live solo over it. It was cheaper than hiring a 2nd guitar player and he was always on time. 😎

[8TrackJoe]

I use a looper with my church band. I can lay down a short rhythm phrase and have the bass and drums join and then I can either do solo or change the guitar sound to add dynamics to the song. I don't use it for every song only when it fits well. Plus if I need a little ambient I can record a soft finger pick chord or progression and then layer stuff over it. I also use an iphone with ambient keyboard sing chord loops to just fill in behind me. So if my song is in the key of G, then I have a keyboard pad of a G chord just softly playing in the back ground.

Now there are people that are using Ableton Live for live looping of backing or supplemental tracks for there music. I did that setup for one song. It kind of reminded me of playing with my Roland Performance Arranger keyboard.

I personally enjoy watching/listening to people that use loopers live and are creative with them. It's been mentioned already that usually the audience doesn't care how the music is created as long as it's enjoyable for them. I tend to fall into the camp that loopers, arranger keyboards, Ableton Live and whatever else is out there are simply tools. If they can be used to enhance the overall sound without taking center stage then great.

While I will use effects and other stuff I am also quick to strip it all away and just go back to a basic guitar (acoustic or electric) sound with the bass and drums behind me or just me on piano or guitar alone.

[Bluepoet]

The musician in me is very much interested in loopers, and I often speak about them, with enthusiasm, to the point where loved ones have bought me them, for my birthday/Christmas/etc.

The problem is, I now not only have two of the same kind of looper (people think I don't have one, when they don't see it with my gear), I don't use either one! Why? Good question--I did try using it, and it was fun, once I sort of figured out how it worked, but I really don't want to play lead lines over my strumming, and, aside from some interesting cosmetic sounds, I find it a distraction, more than an enhancement (I have a decidedly ignorant foot pedal ability, I think). I keep thinking I'm just not giving it enough of a chance, and I'll "get back to it", sometime.

Meanwhile, they both gather dust, along with my pre-amp, and that exercise bike, in the corner...

[Hotspur]

Which Looper is really about what you want to do with it.

For live work, not worrying about prerecorded loops, everybody seems to say the Boomerang is best. But it's expensive.

That being said, I do think that if you're using a looper primary to keep the chords going while you solo, there's not too much point. People aren't that interested in your solos. My preference for a looper over tracks is because the looper allows you to do so much more than that - to really build something where the audience might not even notice that you're looping at first, but it becomes more and more and more.

[Twilo123]

for learning a particular song backing tracks are great...for practicing/playing looper works fine if you don't have others involved.

[EoE]

people seem interested in my solos that is all we do no singers. l am interested in loppers and ways to get a bigger sound backing the melodies and solos.

[Gypsyblue]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi gdb...

I really don't get into people using prerecorded tracks (or lpre-recorded & stored loops).

Maybe that's just me, but I'd rather hear players play 'naked' than with backing tracks.

Me too. I like live music to be live.

Don't really want to hear a looper either, unless the guy is using it creatively. Like Bill Frisell or someone like that.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Gypsyblue

Me too. I like live music to be live.

Don't really want to hear a looper either, unless the guy is using it creatively. Like Bill Frisell or someone like that.

Hi G-blue

Or Phil Keaggy.

Sparingly and creatively is a great formula.

And looping done live still makes it fresh, but the minute a person starts using background tracks, my observation and experience is they become Musak for the room.

[Smitty70]

Would I be out of order asking step by step how you use a looper?

[MaurysMusic]

Absolutely not.

With my Boss RC20XL looper, I step on the record pedal exactly as I play the first downbeat of the passage I want to record. I play the entire passage and step on the stop pedal just as the passage is ending. It's very important to be on the beat. Now the recorded loop is in the looper but it's not playing yet. Later in the song when I want to solo over that passage, I press the play pedal ON The beat, and it begins playing the loop endlessly until I stop it.

When that song is over, I depress the record pedal and hold for 2 seconds. That erases the loop and I can do the same for the next song.

Does that make sense?

[el_kabong]

I'm increasingly open-minded on the subject. Like many others here, I recognize and appreciate the very traditional appeal of the "naked" approach to acoustic music.

Still.....there's not much difference, technologically speaking, between playing an electronic instrument, such as a synthesizer, and triggering samples, whatever the type.

Regardless, the vast majority of leading acts today (i.e. recording artists) are using either backing tracks or triggered loop samples....even erstwhile "country" acts. Many would justify it on the basis that their fans want to hear a performance "just like the record", even if that recording had a full backing orchestra.

As with any performance art, it can fall flat...may lack spontaneity, but that might also be said about any over-rehearsed repertoire of "cover songs". Alternatively, it can also add a depth and complexity, sort of like the difference between an artist's pencil sketch and final oil painting. There's sometimes beauty in both versions.

Philosophically speaking, I'm not entirely sure that I appreciate the significant conceptual difference between a traditional live orchestra and an "orchestrated" (DJ-directed) EDM performance using Ableton Live and other modern instruments or loops. Ignoring the timbre and cultural flavorings, both are intended to reflect the director's artistic vision (rather than individual players). The EDM performance may, in fact, exhibit greater spontaneity, insofar as it probably doesn't adhere to a set-piece of written music (i.e. the composer's artistic vision).

"If a professional musician in a symphony orchestra is playing Beethoven. But this particular orchestra have played this particular chestnut so many times, they can play it in their sleep. Does the genius remain present in the music or not?" - Robert Fripp

[cu4life7]

I have also recently jumping into the looping pool, and I must say that it is great tool to be used creatively and sparingly as Larry put it. I would tire quickly of a looping act where all the songs are built one sound at a time because they are generally repetitive and and the ear fatigues pretty quickly of hearing the same thing no matter how cool it is.

I bought mine to practice soloing, but quickly learned how to play a few songs with multiple instruments (piano/organ, guitar, etc). I would definitely try to mix one into my act if I get busy working on solo material. It is also easy to use one simply for percussion using your guitar.

[RoosterX]

Originally Posted by gdbird

Does anyone use either...both? Thoughts...

I use a looper for practice. For solo acoustic, I think using backing tracks is defeating the purpose of live music and a solo acoustic artist who uses full song backing tracks is only a guitar away from being little more than a karaoke bar singer.

[EoE]

as always money is the factor..I think a lopper and some prerecorded tracts will help me make more money. especially playing easy jazz in restaurants. have to make a good profit that is the bottom line.

[Smitty70]

Originally Posted by MaurysMusic

Absolutely not.

With my Boss RC20XL looper, I step on the record pedal exactly as I play the first downbeat of the passage I want to record. I play the entire passage and step on the stop pedal just as the passage is ending. It's very important to be on the beat. Now the recorded loop is in the looper but it's not playing yet. Later in the song when I want to solo over that passage, I press the play pedal ON The beat, and it begins playing the loop endlessly until I stop it.

When that song is over, I depress the record pedal and hold for 2 seconds. That erases the loop and I can do the same for the next song.

Does that make sense?

Yes thank you