Questions and techniques

["Rupolo, Thomas" <RUPOLOT@BDD.com> (by way of Kim Flint)]

I+m writing with two questions for the list, one is somewhat specific
and one is a bit more general.  Lastly, I was asked to share some of my
other techniques to hopefully inspire fellow loopers.  I+m about to lose
my access to email for a while so I want to get this out while I+m still
hooked up.

First for the general question:

1) How many loopers save their loops and how?  This would have been a
good question for the survey a number of weeks back, but I just thought
of it now.   I use a plain ol+ cassette deck, but I wonder how many of
you use DAT+s, a sampler, or some other digital storage device like a
zip drive (if that+s even possible.)  I'm thinking about getting a DAT
but wondering if I should shell out $700-800 without considering
alternatives.

2)  I was wondering how many people have used these somewhat inexpensive
"phrase samplers" that are showing up on the market like crazy these
days.  I+m talking about the Akai Remix 16, MPC2000, and S-20, Boss
SP-202, Yamaha SL-10, Ensoniq ASR-X (this one is not so inexpensive,
actually), and/or Roland MS-1.  I+ve only seen an few of these and
getting Sam Ash in NYC to actually demo one of these things for me is
like asking for the salesman+s first born child.

I use an Echoplex in a number of very different ways.  I often like to
create an ambient loop but eventually want to add a drum/rhythmic part
with a different time length (usually shorter).  The original loop will
not conform to the new rhythm so I will probably end up buying another
unit.  I+d like the rhythmic part to hopefully but not necessarily sync
up to the +plex.

Has anyone ever used any of things and found them as easy to work with
as the +plex?  Do any of them overdub?


So without giving away any secrets (I don+t have any anyway) here are a
couple of my other techniques:

For DJ type purposes I use the Echoplex (expanded to 130 sec. of memory)
to sample other artist+s CD+s.  I have been "remixing"   material from
Massive Attack, Beck, Olive, etc.  I totally change the structure of the
songs, and often overdub subtle touches like extra drums, elec. piano
parts, or Sitar samples.  I work very quickly, and its fun to "play god"
and choose when the next section will come around.  If you like a
particular drum break you can cut to it every other measure if you want.

For my original works I use the +plex to build my basic loop (which
occasionally start with a sample of  some sort - but that is less often
that not.)  I then copy to other loops and build them adding bass lines,
multiple keyboard overdubs, guitar, drums (from my R-70 drum machine
played live into the machine - no more static drum machine programming -
hooray!)  I then create new loops for transitions, a "Chorus" - not
necessarily a strict Chorus, mind you.  I tell you I+ve never had more
fun with my bass than experimenting with multiple variations of a bass
line.  The hardest part is deciding which one to ultimately use.

Once all nine loops are filled I record straight to a cassette, usually
improvising a few parts in the process. - a synth or organ lead, more
samples, even some spoken word parts from a video cassette.  If someone
comes by who can actually sing, they+ll sing live as I record.  This way
the end result seems less like a succession of loops, and more like a
finished song..  There is something thrilling about playing while the
red light is on.  If I make a *mistake* there+s always the rewind
button.  Despite the trade-offs of working this way, I find this method
MUCH faster and more satisfying than  using a multi- track recorder.

I apologize for boring anyone who already works using similar methods.
In the interest of spreading some new ideas around it is my hope that
everyone get as much out of this very powerful machine as possible.

Tom Rupolo
"The Trance Lounge King"
Rupolot@bdd.com ('till 11/7)