Re: Loopy behavior

[Hawkeye255@aol.com]

<<Wife:  "Who's that group?"
    Me:    Huh?
    Wife:  Who is that anyway?  What CD are you listening to?
    Me:    Um, it's not a CD, it's me.
    Wife:  Do that more often.>>

     When that happens to me (which is not as often as I would like, I 
confess), I know I'm onto something.  When you can catch the ear of 
someone 
who is (1st) used to listening to your mangling and looping or more 
accurately used to tuning out the aforementioned activities and (2nd) and 
who 
will go so far as to inquire about the good groove (or whatever);  that's 
the 
time to makes notes, try variations, because you're THERE, that's what 
looping can do, can be.  Of course you already know that.  Ain't it great!

     BTW: I only occassionally create live sequences and loop over them 
(as 
per an earlier discussion).  Like you, I usually use an arpeggio to start 
with.  My Prophecy has an ok arpeggiator that is programmable, but my 
JP-8000 
has a much more sophisticated one.  Sometimes I get two different 
arpeggios 
going (one on the Korg and a very different one, in a very different time 
signature, going on the Roland) and use my sequencer to control the tempo 
only, which I move all over the place during the piece with the 'speed 
dial' 
.  The polyrhythms that emerge can be mesmerizing.  Then I add musically 
related loops and finally solo over all that with vocals and/or classic 
guitar, bass guitar, digerridoo, harmonica, accordian, washboard, 
kazoo...anything.  Finally, I try to 'keep what works and roundfile the 
rest" 
with the pertinent details written down in my little notebook.  It's that 
notebook that helps me decide, roughly, my 'program' for each set.  
EXAMPLE 
(from my notebook):           
                    [ SJI ] K...#3   R...perc #3  T44.  which translates...
{Saint James Infirmary Blues, Korg Prophecy arpeggio pattern #3, Roland 
JP-8000 arpeggio Percussion #3,  Start Tempo=44 bpm.}

I don't have any particular sounds chosen until I'm ready to 'take down 
the 
lights and start the show."  But of course I have several favorites.  
Finally, my mixer is just as important as any other piece of gear, since I 
fade arpeggios and loops in and out during each number.  The loops, 
combined 
with changing tempos, different instruments fading in and out and solos 
that 
are never the same twice, are what make each number a one-of-a-kind event 
and 
just as much an adventure for me as for the audience.
     The moment I get it all figured out, down to a science, the nitty 
gritty, the knat's ass, the final bottom line; I'll give away my gear, 
find a 
suitable large tree, assume the Lotus position under it and gradually fade 
away...  looping: OMMMM!
     Bill "Hawkeye"  ;-)