Re: Digitech Jamman Delay Looper

[G <gigs@paradise.net.nz>]

Hi Tom
Sorry for the long delayed response.
I've read several discussions on the RC-50, and understand it can be
cajouled into behaving, sort of.  But it's a hassle. It's big, it can't
use memory cards and limited to a bit over 20 min. Something the size of
the new jamman delay/looper is fine, and I already have a midi-foot
controller which I'd rather use.

I've had lots of fun with unsynced pedals, and can relate to what you're
saying.  But it would be great to also have the ability to have
everything locked in time as well.

At this stage all my looping is at home, I'm limited to the SMMH's 30sec
stereo loop. Two years on I'm still waiting to find a decent looper that
does what I want properly can safely live on my pedal board.

I'd love the opportunity to find like minded musicians, form a band
and/or collabourate, while taking advantage of one midi sync to drive
our effects.
But before that I've yet to finish my pedal board, on that front
everything is on hold until I can find the kind of looper I want.  That
means I'm not looping anywhere near the way I want.

Bearing in mind I intend to keep most of what I loop, I still don't want
to be forced to use a computer to manage a library of loops onstage.
Although having that ability is also important.

The tap tempo feature of the Adrenalinn is only used to set the tempo of
the device, nothing more.  The A3's drum machine is basic but effective,
and a lot of fun to play along with the mod effect syncronised to it.
You can program rhythms into the drum sequence and then play them, the
only two ways you can tweak it as you go is either use the array of
buttons or use PC software.

However it can be used as a (limited) live midi drum set by using a midi
controller capable of sending notes over a specific register.  All drum
and modulation sequences are limited to two measures.  It even handle
3/4 time signature.

The main reason I got the Adrenalinn was the modulation/sequencer
features. Most of the modulated effects are great.  The amps are pretty
good for an emulator.  Delay sums any stereo effects and it's only
stereo effect is how much dry to left channel and wet to right channel.
Reverb is such that I always have it off.  
To begin with I had a lot of problems with static causing it to go
silent, it is extra sensitive and a known gripe - however replacing all
the crappy switchmode power supplies with linear supplies reduced the
problem greatly.  If the effects weren't as good as they are, I would've
flicked it off long ago.

I don't have anything recorded that I'm willing to share publically.
I firmly believe it's a bad idea to practice in public - at least for me
it is.  ;)

I honestly hope you get a lot of enjoyment with your new Jamman.  :)
Cheers
-- G.

To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
Subject: Re: Digitech Jamman Delay Looper
From: TR <tomrollison@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 14:53:35 -0700 (PDT)
>
>I'm assuming that time sync between the delay portion and the looper 
>portion will very tight. After I wrote to you I poked around Harmony 
>central and found some intersting stuff. Views on the reliability of the 
>midi on the RC 50 are across the spectrum.Here's a link to one review 
>wherein a guy descibes a very successful setup using the RC 50 as the 
>midi brain for a whole band,sending clock out for everybody to sync to.
>http://www.harmonycentral.com/reviews/242530
> If I had a more stable band situation and if everyone was intersted in 
>syncing up like that I can see where some very cool arrangements could 
>develop on the fly even. I'm wondering if a program like Ableton wouldn't 
>be the ideal vehicle for doing this.Or just some seperate midi clock that 
>everyone could sync to. Are you using your described setup in a band or 
>solo? Is there a link where I can hear some of your music?
>   I was actually interested in the AdrenaLinn,especially because of the 
>sequencer aspect. Seems like with the tap delay on this unit you can 
>create rhythmic sequences. Then I'm looking at how to tweak those in play 
>back. Maybe two effects loops,one pre- one post. I used to use a digital 
>delay in front of my Vortex that I would have set up with a lot of 
>feedback. It was pretty easy to find a sweet spot because it seemed like 
>the Vortex naturally compressed the signal and kept it from going too 
>wild. The beauty was in the lack of sync and the unpredictable nature of 
>the bleeps and bloops the came bubbling out of the Vortex.That was a 
>cheapo Korg unit which has since died. Maybe I can get something like 
>that going twixt the Vortex and Jamman Delay. Well I just got home with 
>the new Jamman so we'll see. 

>--- On Thu, 6/3/10, G <gigs@paradise.net.nz> wrote:
>> From: G <gigs@paradise.net.nz>
>> Subject: Re: Digitech Jamman Delay Looper
>> To: Loopers-Delight@Loopers-Delight.com
>> Date: Thursday, June 3, 2010, 1:35 PM
>> Hi Tom
>> I love to improvise and enjoy exploring different
>> sounds.  
>> I also use stereo effects adding more dimension.  
>> 
>> The first time I realised that I needed MIDI synced effects
>> was when I
>> was jamming with my SMMH looper.  Among other things I
>> use an
>> Adrenalinn3 multi-FX with time based modulation sequencer,
>> nova delay,
>> plus delays on the SMMH.  The delays were long and
>> needed to be in time
>> with each other, the modulations and loop for everything to
>> work.
>> 
>> I did my utmost to get the loop length to match everything
>> else, 
>>  lay down a groove just under 30 seconds, started
>> improvising over it
>> overdubbing as I went along.  Initially it sounded
>> great, but after a
>> minute things began to drift out of time with the loop
>> giving it a
>> chorus effect, then slap back, then it all became obviously
>> out of time
>> and fell apart.  Extremely frustrating.
>> 
>> With good MIDI sync effects & looper this won't
>> happen.
>> 
>> The other thing MIDI is useful for is using a midi
>> controller like the
>> FCB1010 foot pedal to change settings and programs. 
>> At the moment I use
>> it to control my Adrenalinn3, pretty essential in my view.
>> 
>> You could use a drum machine for master sync.  
>> The Adrenalinn has a simple drum machine and can send midi
>> sync signals,
>> but it doesn't provide start and stop signals, or anything
>> else for that
>> matter which will be important with a looper.  There
>> are a number of
>> other devices that can be used to control midi timing.
>> 
>> My long term goal, assuming I find a good midi-sync looping
>> device for
>> my floorboard, is to get a Gordious Little Giant to go
>> along with my
>> FCB1010 midi controller which among many other features can
>> act as midi
>> sync master - and can send start, stop, and provide a midi
>> timing
>> signal.  I'd connect the controller to a 4 way midi
>> break out box
>> directly connected to Adrenalinn3, as well as whatever
>> looper I end up
>> with, and a couple of other effects pedals - most likely
>> Eventide
>> ModFactor and TimeFactor.
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> -- G.