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Re: Synths considered harmful (was Re: Using the Wind Synth tocontrol the Repeater)



> I think what it boils down to is this: Looping doesn't seem
> interesting to most musicians when explained or experienced.  
> You've really just got to do it to love it.  I could be wrong.

I think this is true. This is why the addition of simple loop
functionality into devices like the DL4 will probably help the cause.
You buy it 'cause it's a great delay...you wind up loving looping and
may eventually want a more advanced tool for that.

I think there's a slant on this which many musicians may not have
considered. I've encountered a huge number of musicians who are
disgusted with the "band scene", but still love making music. The late
hours, scheduling hassles, politics and personality conflicts, and all
that wear a lot of people out. A lot of them turn to home recording,
but that restricts your ability to improvise over a changing
background, and doesn't usually allow you to play out (unless you play
to backing tracks, which both restricts you to set arrangements and
generally relegates you to "cheezy" status). A looper is a tool which
enables you to extend yourself to fill more of the sonic palette, to
improvise without a band. I think that's a market that should be ripe. 

I know this is a motivation for me. My schedule doesn't allow for much
"band work", and frankly, I'm sick of the endless unproductive
rehearsals to earn that one scanty gig somewhere...before the whole
project fizzles when the vocalist or drummer or whatever quits. Then
the endless auditions and rehearsals start all over again. My playing
style isn't one that really works for solo performances. Perhaps that
reflects on my poor musicianship, which I'm trying to improve, but in
the mean time I either have to play with a group or...I can play along
with myself using a looper. This allows me to do musically satisfying
work 1) when I want, 2) without depending on others. I think this would
appeal to many "cottage musicians" (someone described this before as
"dentist musicians" when talking about who can afford expensive
guitars). It's a good market, one which I haven't seen any marketing
done to for loopers.  There's considerable marketing done this
direction for home studio equipment, perhaps this is something that
would help?

The idea that this is something that only "stage musicians" might use
probably holds people back. If they see the possibilities for what you
can do with one of these tools as part of your own music done for
personal satisfaction, I think they might sell better. But I think the
bottom line is that most musicians just don't understand the
possibilities. I wanted a Jamman a few years back, but didn't really
understand that it did more then a delay with an "infinite hold" button
like my old RDS3600.

Greg

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