Re: Gear judgement and expression

[tdbajus <nyfac2@nyfac.com>]

John Pollock wrote:
> 
> Jamie Lack touched a raw nerve:
> 
> > Does any other loopers out there feel that the arrival of more
> > expressive control devices is overdue?
> >
> > Instead of being able to control one parameter with one appendage, we
> > should be able to achieve a higher resolution.
> > Like, the flexion of each joint, say?
> > Or maybe contraction of muscles.
> >
> > So, let's hear some weird ideas, eh?

the flexion of each joint?  contraction of muscles?  Those aren't weird
enough?

I was going to make another scatalogical quip, but I din't want to bring
us back into the the 'LoopLuvLine' thread again ;)  


> 
> My hands are full of guitar, and my left foot is almost always dedicated
> to a pedal keyboard, so my right foot is the obvious candidate for
> controlling other parameters.  For years, I've managed two quite
> comfortably:  A volume pedal on the output of the synthesizer driven by
> my MIDI guitar, and a footswitch atop the volume pedal, used at first to
> start and stop a drum machine, now the sustain pedal for the synth
> driven by the pedal keyboard.

I am jealous, as I just learned to sing, play guitar and not fall over
all at the same time.  My parents are so proud of me.


> 
> As a recovering pedal steel guitarist, accustomed to using knee levers,
> I naturally considered knee-operated switches and pots.  Unfortunately,
> my knees are moving so much in discharging their other duties that they
> couldn't achieve the precision needed to control musical events.  

Heh heh, heh heh.  You said 'discharge'.

In a more serious vein, I have always thought that looping pedal steel
would be particularly amazing. Having goofed around enough with it to
realize I have about as much innate skill with that as I have for cello
(or, as some have told me, guitar), I got myself on of those tricked out
Hipshot B&G bender gadgets.  Love to goof with it, but I kind of wish
that I had the range of a real pedal steel.

> 
> I would gratefully welcome any suggestions toward a solution.  And I'd
> really like to hear how Patrick Smith controls his rig, which dwarfs
> mine in complexity. :-)
> 

Hire dwarfs to switch your rig for you.


Trevor