Re: dual loop technique?

[patrick@his.com (Patrick Smith)]

On 1/20/99 Bob Campbell wrote:

>I'm interested in hearing ideas about how 2 loop devices
>can be used creatively together. I use JamMan's so am specifically
>interested in exploiting that device, but any generic technique
>ideas are of interest.

Well to some degree this would depend on the music that you are creating.
The obvious would be to lay down bass lines on one and perhaps harmonies on
the others, drum tracks, etc on the other and then solo over it.

In FingerPaint we are concerned with creating ambient soundscapes,
Frequently we have four or more looping devices going at one time. Seldom
are they synced ion any fashion. Rather they tend to be of different
unspecific lengths. Then in the words of Buckminster Fuller we "allow the
information to brush against one another."  We may then play over top of
this or leave it as is.

This is also an approach that Eno has frequently used on his "sound
installations", with the exception that Eno uses various lengths of
prerecorded tapes and tape machines. Thus his "loops" can be very very
long. At times as long as 30 minutes. Listen to the "Shotuv Assembly" by
Eno for an illustration of this.

You can also set your Jam Man in delay mode and have decaying long delays
brushing against one another. Personally I do not like to set the feed back
level too high in this scenario since the drop in sound volume is quite
drastic in the jam man with very high repeats. I suspect this is one of the
major advantages of the TC 2290's that Fripp loves to use. I've yet to
experiment with this on my rather new Echoplex.

And then of course you can combine one machine in loop mode and one in
delay mode. My partner Steve Geest loves to use this approach. On the first
Looper's CD we were both using this approach with two jam men each to
create the piece "Sirens of Titan."

Finally do not forget the multiple loops functions available to you. This
can lead to many interesting results in the above configurations. Although
it can be challenging to come up with equally interesting loops when you
are locked in by the first loop length.

So play with your machines, don't forget to investigte the "fade" mode
available to you if you use MIDI with your jam men.

And most important in your looping education, immediately purchase your
copy of Looper's CD # 2 ( and number one when ever it is available) and
hear what other's on this list are doing. Then dive off and play.

Patrick

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