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Re: Akai Heardush , a little frustrated, please help..

At 05:31 AM 6/20/2003, jimfowler wrote:
>SIT DOWN WHEN YOU LOOP.  i still can't nail the tempo when i try and 
>balance on one foot while clicking buttons with the other.

Maybe that's also a question of practice?

I often find performers who sit down when they could be standing to be a 
little boring to watch. I guess it depends on the context and instrument 
and type of music, but most times I think standing is better. I think it 
affects the energy of the music and the engagement between performer and 
audience as well.


>you're gonna have to drill this into your drummers head because he's used 
>to being the one who picks and maintains the tempo, but now that you're 
>looping, YOU ARE THE METRONOME.  the drummer must follow you, not the 
>other way around.  i'm still reminding my drummer that once a loop is 
>running, that's the tempo he has to follow.

This seems too rigid to me, and kind of like an excuse for looping 
musicians who haven't developed the skills to control their loops very 
well. In a band, everybody should be listening to everybody, and taking 
responsibility that they are playing their own part in time with everybody 
else. That *includes* you and your loops. Yes, the others should listen 
and 
lock in to you also, but when your loop is shifting out of tempo with 
everyone else, you need to know how to adjust it!

that might include:
- tapping the loop in time to begin with
- retriggering loops to get aligned back with the downbeat (manual sync)
- adjusting tempo controls to beat match
- redefining loop lengths on the fly
- re-recording the loop on the fly if necessary
- generating sync clocks from other players for the looper to follow
- etc.

Stamping your foot and insisting that everybody else has to obey the tempo 
of your loop seems like a good way to end up being a solo musician since 
nobody else will want to play with you.

kim


______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                     | Looper's Delight
kflint@loopers-delight.com    | http://www.loopers-delight.com