Re: new loop pedal

[Jeff Larson <Jeffrey.Larson@Sun.COM>]

mark sottilaro wrote:
 > If it syncs to a MIDI clock and let's you do stereo
 > loops of a pre defined length, I'm interested.

It does stereo but I don't believe it syncs to MIDI clock or let you
predefine loop length, at least not very well.

I skimmed the manual, it says that the loop time can be defined with
MIDI start (FA) and stop (FC) messages.  But nowhere does it say that
it responds to MIDI clocks.  It will SEND them to a drum machine but
it does not receive them.  So if you were controlling this with a
sequencer I would expect the sequencer and the loop to gradually go
out of sync since they are not sharing the same clock.  Setting the
length with MIDI stop seems a bit odd anyway, if the goal is to have a
sequencer and the looper be in sync, you'd have to start the sequencer
again after you stopped it to define the loop length, I couldn't
determine whether this second MIDI start will start the loop over
again.  Basically, they're either explaining this badly or it isn't
going to work very well.

You can also make it sync with an audio signal that is different
than the main signal (e.g. a click track) but then you lose stereo.
One channel is the sync signal, the other the main signal.  But again
this only defines the initial loop length, once defined it runs to
it's own internal clock.

It seems to be designed to control a drum machine/sequencer,
not be controlled by one.

Predefining loop length seems to be the antithesis of what this
box is all about.  It is supposed to figure out the loop length
freeing you from pre defining it or setting it manually.  You can
set it up to end the loop by pressing the button a second time, but
it still quantizes the actual end to what it thinks is the "beat".
The only place I could see where you have absolute control over
the loop length is with MIDI start/stop messages.

Jeff