Re: looping devices

[PMimlitsch@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/28/97 11:00:24 AM, you wrote:

<<I have an antique looping device you may not have heard of, the digitech
PDS 8000 8 sec. digital delay/sampler.  It's sample resolution isn't the
greatest and finding the right tempo to make the sample length come out
right will send you around the bend,>>

Antique but still usefull. While it lacks the Jmans/Plex ability to
accurately define loop lengths via "Tap Tempo" the 8 sec. loop length is
still darn good. I picked up the rac version - rds 8000- 6 months ago for
$130. The reason I got it was because of the ambiguousity of the loop
length---delay times/loop length are set by turning a knob and not by the
more accurate "tap/tempo" Jman/Plex method. Is this a short coming? Not
always. Sometimes (such as ambient type things) it's good to just play and
let the loop come back at you without having to be constricted by a time
frame. Well, you could, some would say, do the same thing on the Jman/Plex 
by
just randomly tapping in the start/end points. Yes, but I've always had the
sneaky suspician that no matter how random you were you would still be
syncing to something-heart beat, bio rythm etc. ;). So, with this in mind,
some of the ways I use the Digi rds 8000 in conjunction w/the Jman are as
follows:
1) Sync. a defined loop wtih the Jman over a running left handed Stick(R)
bass line. While keeping that going layer an ambiguously defined loop
-ambient or rythmic-on the rds 8000 and let the two loops (+running/rythmic
"live" Stick part) float together/apart while soloing or adding more layers
with the right hand on the melody side of the Stick.
2) Start out layering long volume swelly chords on the rds 8000, hold the
loop (it does have that ability), determine the turn around point of the
ambigous loop and sync the Jman to that (tap/tempo) then build a 
differently
textured loop on the Jman. 
3)After doing either of the above throw either (both?) looper into 
fade/layer
mode and go back to buiding new loops on the unit that's fading. In this 
way
you can have loops that are continually morphing and intertwining 

In short, I like the idea of not having total contol over everthing. It's
nice to be  able to recreate rythmic/loop patterns as the basis for
compositions or as springboards for improvisation and for this the 
tap/tempo
function is a must. But every once in a while it's nice to let the machines
talk back at you on their own terms. -- Paul