RE: Looping with a drummer

[spat@visi.com]

       I'm not a drummer, nor do I play one on tv, but for recording
purposes I use a homebrew set of drum triggers with a drum machine as a
sound module, coupled with a mic'ed snare drum.  The snare lets me put in
lots of rolls, rimshots, and other brufordisms not possible to convincingly
program on a drum machine.  Sometimes I will get a loop/groove going by
playing a few bars of drums, but generally I find I can get the groove to
swing more if I start the loop with bass or piano, and layer the drums on
top of that.  This lets me practice my drumming skills and jam a bit before
committing the drums to the jamman.   The hardest thing about playing drums
to me is keeping the timing steady, but with the jamman I only gotta be
tight for a few bars and let it loop away.  I keep it real simple so I have
room to embellish later as the loop progresses and builds.   Before adding
more percussion to the loop, I change the reverb program on the drums to 
add
different layers of depth.  Or, if in a slighty mischievious or naughty
mood, well gosh,  I dial in one of those crazy vortex patches, all good
clean fun.  No "butt-looping", this.
       Right now in my looping, I am very much feeling the need to take 
that
next step, namely aquiring a method of storing and editing the loops into a
coherent form of sorts.  Others on the list are in the same quandary, so
c'mon  you more experienced loop-types you, share your methods with the 
list.
        <now imagining several sage loopers, Tolkiean in apperance, 
stroking
long gray beards and readjusting wizard hats while nodding slowly as they
ponder such plaintive pleas... nope, wait a minute, now I'm imagining a fat
guy in a bathrobe eating a sandwich. nevermind.>

      
     steve