Hi Loopists!

[fabiok@ca.newbridge.com (Fabio Katz)]

Hi Loopists!

It's great to be part of this list!  I just got the Echoplex last
Friday, and a couple of days later (thanks Teed!) I learned about this
list, very good timing indeed!

Thanks Kim for starting the list, and everybody for your
contributions.

Brief history of my looping life (it really starts with overdubs...):

- First time I heard of somebody playing more than one part was when
Paul McCartney released his first solo album (I think he plays all
instruments).

- As soon as I could get hold of two cheap cassette recorders, I did
some overdubs by playing back on one and recording through the mike on
the other, adding guitar, voice and percussion.  Not really looping,
but lots of fun, terrible sound.

- I built myself a simple stereo mixer, and using two stereo tape decks
I did stereo overdubs adding electric guitar and some keyboard.  Better
sound, still lots of work.

- I got a 4 track and did lots of experiments, adding a synthesizer to
the list of instruments.

- I got into MIDI and synced the sequencer to the 4 track to mix 3 real
tracks and many virtual tracks on the synthesizer.  More convenient,
good sound, but I wanted to play live.  I've played live along with
tapes a couple of times, but I enjoy it more when all the sound is
created right there.

- In a duo situation (Stick/guitar - guitar/didgeridoo) I've been
using the 2 seconds delay loop in the Boss SE-50.  Very limited but
great tool to try live loops.  I've used it in two ways: 
  1.  Overdub a rich rythmic pattern as background for solos (max feedback)
  2.  Set to repeat once, I alternate playing background and solo every
other 2 seconds, it sounds like two people and it changes all the time.

- Since last Friday I've used the Echoplex for quite a few hours.  I
find it opens many possibilities for practising, arranging, composing,
soloing, and of course playing live.

I'm looking forward to exchanging ideas with all of you on ways of
using looping machines, and anything specific to the Echoplex, which
exceeds my expectations so far.

Fabio Katz
Ottawa, Canada