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Re: Ritchie Blackmore looping



Title: Re: Ritchie Blackmore looping
Looping, no, not true...

Ritchie Blackmore used a tube based reel to reel recorder as a preamp / gain booster and slapback echo, even back in his pre-deep purple days with Screaming Lord Sutch.

http://www.thehighwaystar.com/interviews/blackmore/guitarplayer/guitarplay4.html

"I like a little bit of distortion which is controlled through my tape recorder. I built my own tape recorder; well, I didn't build it, but I modified it from a regular tape recorder to an echo unit. It also preamps and boosts the signal going to the amp. If I want a fuzzy effect l just turn up the output stage of the tape recorder.

Can you be more specific as to how it works?

I just keep it on "record" so it records, and it's like a continual echo becaus I couldn't get that echo with any echo machine. A continual boom, boom, boom, repeat. Most echo machines are awful; it's like you're in a hallway. The tape recorder doesn't interfere with the note you're playing.

What type of recorder is it?

I don't really know. I tried using a Revox and it didn't work. I'd really be in trouble if somebody stole my recorder. I've been using it for the last four or five years.

How did you come upon this idea?

I used to do that at home; I used to take my tape recorder and use it as an echo. So I thought if I could use it at home I could use it onstage and it sounded right onstage.

How exactly is it hooked up?

There's a cord from the guitar into the tape recorder input, and the output stage just goes back to the amp. And I can control the volume, too; I can have it loud with no distortion or vise versa. I have a little footpedal that I can stop and start it with. A lot of people think when they see the tape going the solos are recorded. Lots of people ask that. Some guy shouted in New York, "Turn the tape recorder off." Actually all that inspired me, I turned it off and really whizzed around."



Here is one of the coolest Ritchie Blackmore tape delay / volume swell tricks.

I've Cued up this link to 4:00 to the start of the coolness...:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS9IqML8Ubc&feature=player_detailpage#t=239s



people told me (and I have found this mentioned online here and there) that
Ritchie Blackmore was an early livelooper, using Revox tape machines. I've
never listened to Deep Purple much so this has completely escaped me so far.
Can anyone confirm? when was that, are there recordings or even videos of
this?

 "Richie Blackmore experimented with it in his early Deep Purple days and
with his previous gigs with 'Screaming Lord Such'. This would have been late
60's, early 70's, he's quoted saying people in the audience could see the
reel to reel and would yell at him to 'turn of the tape recorder'"

"Late 60s", so he got into this probably inspired by Terry Riley, before
Fripp/Eno, right?

-Michael


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