Using a Looper Pedal with a DP-24/32?

[Old No7]

Ahoy the forum from the coast of Maine!

A guitarist friend really likes my DP-24SD and the variety of partial songs or licks I've saved on that for future use. He is seriously considering getting one for his studio. Until now, he's only used a Looper Pedal -- layering loop after loop to get his creative juices flowing. When he's got one he really likes, his loop pedal (Boss RC-5) allows him to save it -- as up to 99 loops which can be named -- and he's able to recall those later, or transfer them over to a PC or DAW.

So we were talking and he said -- "Why not get a Looper RC-5 for use with your boards?"

Instead of laying down 5+ tracks on the DP unit (one at a time), he suggested running the Looper between the mixer and DP, and using the Looper to lay down drums (as drum kits and rhythms are built into the RC-5), then bass, add some harmony or layered strings, and then solo or jam on top -- and then when you really like what you hear, you can save it, and move over to the DP to record the lick/melody as a longer song and not just a loop.

He's got me very interested in this idea, and it could be a fun & faster way to make my own backing tracks to jam over, and it could make the process of going from an idea to the recording on the DP much faster or more productive.

Thoughts on this???

Old No7

 

[shredd]

Thoughts on this???

Me? An opinion? You're kidding, riiiight?
I have an opinion on EVERYthing. It's just that where I live, speaking your mind doesn't get you an intelligent discussion on viewpoints; it will get you a bullet in the forehead.
So I do all my spouting here!!!

I personally love loopers. I've had/used many, from barebones up to gear (like my beloved DigiTech GNX4) that will do utterly aMAZing things in looping. I even avail myself of the sequencing abilities of my Roland synths.
As you implied, it's a fantastic tool for building practice/backing tracks, etc. I'll shamefully admit to using them in constructing song projects.

That said - while your buddy is in the ballpark in terms of intent - what you intend to accomplish with that setup - I'm not convinced that the methodology is quite on the money. Here's why:

IF your intent is to have all these various loops available to call up and jam to, his approach is not such a bad idea - you're essentially using your mixer as a multi-instrument source to put stuff into the looper. That's all-good.
But it also means that everything runs through the looper, rather than direct to the DP (unless your mixer has multiple sends/busses/whatever).

So what do you need the DP for? Couldn't you just record your loops and play them into yr amp for jams/practice?
///////////////
Let's say you get a super-duper-luper and put it after your board, and before your DP, and set up loops. You program a drum pattern/song in the looper; you play some git'r rhythm/bass/KB's/whatever into the loop.
Now you've got this nice backing track to play to/practice to.

Next question is: if you're recording your loops/jams/practice, WHAT DO YOU NEED THE LOOPER FOR?
Other than, perhaps, to create the drum loops, which I can do in minutes on any of my 3 beloved ZOOM RT-xxx drum machines (or download in .wav format from any of a billion websites).
Note that you can record the same stuff - the drum pattern, rhythm git'r, bass, KB's, whatever, right onto the DP - and accurately, using auto punch and/or editing - and just set your in/out points, and have the DP play back on "repeat" to jam/practice to. And record it for as long/short as you want, copy/paste chunks of it, etc. Make copies of the song at a button-push, for different takes. Virtual tracks.
Point being: the DP offers a LOT more flexibility to create what you want than does the looper.

The only reason I could hallucinate was this: to essentially be using the looper as a "sound source" to call up backing/practice jams/tracks you've made more easily (??) than recalling different songs on the DP. Apples/oranges.
IF your intent is to have all those loops available to jam to and RECORD your jams - then yeah, put it after the mixer and before the DP; then you can playback the loops into the DP's inputs, and also play git'r into another input or two.

If I were me - I'd be considering the cost/value of that setup, and whether I could accomplish the same thing without the looper and spend the money on my obsession with collecting rare and historic Q-tips; or if putting the looper into the arrangement actually enables me to do something I couldn't just set the DP up to do.

How's THAT for an opinion?!?

 

[Old No7]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Shredd.

I'm now thinking I don't need or want the drum kits and rhythms of the Boss RC-5 -- as those on my Yamaha MODX 6 are better, and also allow me to change drum patterns for an intro, verse or chorus (of a long loop). And maybe I don't need the 99 loops to be saved on the Looper either.

I may just get a Boss RC-1, using drums off the MODX, and when I get a multi-instrument loop going to where I like it, then I can save it on the Tascam by having the tracks pre-armed and hitting record.

This will give me the benefits of experimenting with a Looper, help solve the GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) problem I have, and also make the best use of the DP's capabilities.

We'll see how this works out...

Old No7

 

[shredd]

Good call, methinks...and pretty much along the lines I'd have gone:

• I'd been unhappy with crappy drum machine functions built in to gear meant to do something else. There's a lot of that. Get gear to do what it's meant to do.
• And I know ALL too well the agony that G.A.S. imposes on us poor musicians.
• AND I'd agree - for the small chunk 'o change an RC-1 would cost, it'd serve all those needs: especially "GAS relief", the ability to experiment with new ways to do whatcha wanna do, and maybe make up some new ones!

Not to mention: if you find that a looper creates workflow/function/capabilities you like, you can ALWAYS upgrade - if you even need to...but no need to spend hundreds on an "exploratory" purchase. See if it works for you, first.
Have fun!!!

 

[David Porter]

Well... I don't have any input regarding the topic Old No7 - but I did want to tell you how blown away my wife and I were visiting your neck of the woods in early October. Stunningly beautiful. We happened to catch full fall color and also were blessed with great weather. And the food - my god the food! From York to Kennebunkport to Boothbay and Camden and all the way up to Bar Harbor - what a treasure Maine is. Looking forward to visiting again!

 

[Old No7]

Glad you enjoyed the visit -- it sure sounds like you hit all the good spots! Thanks for helping out the economy. You came at a good time too, as Maine has 4 seasons:

Fall - Winter - Spring - and August

...or....

Hunting season - Skiing season - Mud season - and Bugs season

Cheers!

Old No7

ps: The Boss RC-1 Looper arrived today -- heading up to play with it now........