Re: Manual Overwrite (formerly Manuel O'Veritas)

[David White <dwhite@arbortext.com>]

As a software product manager in a niche market (SGML/XML authoring and
publishing), I find Tom's admittedly blatant attempt to solicit user help 
in
addressing a weakness of his product... refreshing. I'm going to suggest 
it to our
documentation department. I think I'll send in re-written chapters of
documentation to Honda, Compaq, Northern Telecom and Microsoft. Especially
Microsoft. No, wait... no, not Microsoft... I like my job.

Best regards,
David White

Tom Spaulding wrote:

> Doctors of Loop and all ye assembled Loopers-
>
> Yea, verily the Echoplex manual doth not suffice. It is an excellent
> overview, (thank you Warren Sirota)but the unit is too deep to talk 
>about,
> it is maybe best explained with examples. It even has the awful 
>reputation
> of being complex!
>
> Therefore, everyone on this list who wants to contribute to re-writing 
>the
> manual, (to be edited by the fabulous Jackie O. herself), please choose a
> section you feel most competent with and re-write it. I will collect all
> efforts and re-print a manual written by the actual experienced users of
> the Echoplex.
>
>  Kind of like a Lutheran Ladies Auxiliary cookbook, with italicized 
>credits
> at the bottom of each recipe thanking the author(s). We will incorporate
> the "best of" the digest archives and hopefully Kim and Co.'s helpful
> pages, etc. Free t-shirt to all who contribute. Pepsi and balloons for 
>the
> kids.
>
> All in favor of manual by committee e-mail me. All opposed, look upon the
> book ye mighty and despair!
>
> (Some may think this is a low-budget, pandering, corporate-drive, attempt
> to enlist off-payroll intellects and transform them into glorified tech
> manual authors solely because they have spent the time necessary to truly
> understand the product at a level the so-called Product Manager at 
>Oberheim
> cannot hope to attain without weeks and months of sleepless night. They 
>are
> correct. Thank you.)
>
> Tom "UnaLooper" KuzIsedzo ;)
>
> At 12:58 PM 1/20/98 -0600, you wrote:
> >Hi New Potential Acoustic Looper:
> >
> >
> >
> >Rich Lamphear wrote:
> >
> >> Hi,
> >> I'm an acoustic guitarist/singer/composer and I'm getting interested 
>in the
> >> concept of looping and processing the acoustic guitar.  I'm intrigued 
>with
> >> the idea of extending my solo guitar and voice concept to incorporate 
>new
> >> sounds, textures, and rhythms via electronics.
> >>
> >> I've got a little money to throw at this (~$1500) and I'd like some 
>advice
> >> on how I might best spend the money.
> >>
> >> My idea is to install a decent quality pickup on my acoustic, 
>something
> >> that would maintain a reasonable amount of the acoustic guitar timbre
> >> before sending it to processing.  I've heard good things about the 
>Sunrise
> >> and McIntyre pickups for this type of application.
> >>
> >> The Echoplex Digital Pro seems the clear choice for a looper.  Has
> >> availability of these improved lately?  (sorry if it's a faq, just 
>joined
> >> the list).  I did phone Thoroughbred Music and they had three in 
>stock, but
> >> no pedalboards.
> >>
> >> In addition, I'd like a multifx box to do standard digital processing 
>for
> >> both the guitar and the voice.  My main question revolves around the 
>issue
> >> of stereo processing.  Do you really need 2 Echoplexes to get a decent
> >> stereo sound happening?  Do most people running stereo process first 
>(add
> >> reverb, flange, etc.) and then go into 2 Echoplexes?  Or do people 
>loop
> >> first and then send the mono looped signal into a stereo processor and
> >> output from there?
> >>
> >> My choices (for around $1500) seem to be:
> >> 1) Echoplex mono into good quality multifx to stereo output.
> >> 2) El cheapo multifx stereo output into 2 Echoplexes operating in 
>sync.
> >>
> >> Any advice to help me think about this would be much appreciated.  It 
>sure
> >> would be great to be able to do both the processing and looping in a 
>single
> >> box, but I don't think anything like that's on the market....correct?
> >>
> >> thanks,
> >> Rich
> >
> >The LoOpDoctOrs have their own particular take on "appropriate" 
>technology,
> >but we've journeyed down some of the paths you wish to explore and 
>here's our
> >two cents.
> >
> >1: acoustic pickups are enjoying a renaissance.  We use the Highlander 
>system
> >-- piezo and internal mike combo.  It works just grand and you can 
>split the
> >seperate feeds out of the guitar...so there are more processing/looping
> >choices.  That said, a single source piezo or whatever will work fine 
>too.
> >Sure it will sound like a piezo/whatever, but it's there to loop and 
>morph,
> >etc.
> >
> >2: One thing that we think is important on your equipment list for live
> >applications is a MIXER.  We use Mackie 1202s, but there are any number 
>of
> >excellent and affordable small mixers.   It can't be emphasized how 
>important
> >learning to deal with a mixer is, vis a vis getting a good live sound 
>and
> >taking advantage of all the acoustic looping possibilities.  When you 
>can
> take
> >your mixer and break it down blindfolded in the dark with the drill 
>sargeant
> >barking at you at 1 am, then you know you're in the music zone.  So 
>start
> >checking out mixers and the possiblities of hanging your 
>loopers/processors
> >off the aux channels, which will give you molto/mucho/maxi flexibility 
>as far
> >as tossing out cool stuff to the audience.
> >
> >3: Stereo processors are a GREAT idea after the looper...  We use the 
>now
> >discontinued Lexicon Vortex and we SWEAR by it, but we are a loopy lot 
>and
> >some listeners swear at us.  There are a lot of stereo processors out 
>there
> >though, and a lot of used one that will take a mono source -- like what 
>will
> >be coming in from your loopers via your mixers -- and turn it into true
> >stereo.  We have found the best way to grab our audience is to do 
>everything
> >live in TRUE stereo.  The ambient fields created this way can be 
>startling
> >over the most modest pa.  Put another way, you will have the biggest 
>sounding
> >acoustic guitar on the block!  And remember, that's even before you 
>start
> >looping, so yes, once you get that mixer and pickup sorted out...look 
>for a
> >stereo preamp/processor/effects box.
> >
> >4: Finally loopers.  We own the Jamman and the Echoplex.  We love them 
>both
> >for their unique personalities.  The Jamman had achieved a cult status 
>by way
> >of now being extinct, but the Echoplex is not unduly complex as far as
> instant
> >looping gratification, has a MUCH better foot pedal.  Can be loaded with
> three
> >full minutes of memory and is much, much deeper in terms of what can be 
>done
> >if you really get into it.  We're not crazy about the manual though, 
>and the
> >faceplate interface is not as intuitive as the Jamman or the Boomer-
> >rrrrrrrannnnngss.
> >
> >Best,
> >the LoOpDoctOrs
> >
> >
> >