Re: One EDP for two players

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

I liked Tim Nelsons Evangelist story. Thank you!
But to the real problem:

Fabio Katz <fabiok@home.com>:
>Yesterday was my first gig with Alvaro, a percussionist with a unique
>and eclectic kit.  I play Stick and use loops extensively.  Alvaro
>didn't have any problems following the loop instead of being followed by
>the rest of the band (myself).  Even when a loop was not completely
>consistent (tempo changes slightly during the loop, or I screwed up and
>finished the loop not exactly on the beat), Alvaro had no problems
>adjusting.
>
>He aldo wanted to try looping himself.  So we set up a microphone over
>his kit and at the beginning of an improvised piece I waited until his
>basic rythm was very clear to me and recorded a loop.  After that he was
>free to do more creative percussion along and against the looped rythm,
>and I had fun layering stuff and improvising on top.  The audience
>seemed to anjoy it too, and some people told me after the show that they
>didn't expect the percussion to be looped as well.

great work!

>Have others tried looping other players with your looping device?  We
>have only one EDP (mine).  I would like to hear ideas on how to setup
>and control everything in order to selectively loop one, the other or
>both players using only one looping device.  Yesterday we did the
>simplest thing:  I manually turned down the send to the looper for his
>mike after we were done recording his rythm loop.  After that it was
>only me adding layers.  It would be useful to be able to have more
>real-time control.

I did loads of very good loops with partners on only one delay
(2290/PCM42). You can find some on my site: Funcsonhamos/Primeiro Encontro
I used to do the taping and control FeedBack, and each player had a volume
pedal to control his overdub. I simply mixed the signals after the volume
pedals and sent it to the delay.

On the Plex you have more options, since you can connect several footpedals
in parallel with a simple Y. Instead of buying another pedal board, you can
also install some switches in the percussionists setup and connect them. A
resistor defines the function the switch will have (design on LD site!).
So the only problem comes as you noted: If one presses overdub, the sound
of the other is recorded, too. Your solution of dividing the music in
phases where one or the others Aux send is open is reasonable and can be
improved with volume pedals or switches for those Aux sends.
You can invent some construction where a second contact of the overdub
switch also controls the Aux sends. Either by passing audio through it or
by controlling a parameter of a effect or mixing device that allows to mute
some output.
You can also leave Overdub open all the time and just control the input of
the Plex as said. On principle, I made the input noise gate so that when
none of the players sends a signal, it behaves just as with Overdub off
(AutoUndo and Sync work, no FB reduction). But then, I had the lower the
gate sensibility so much, that maybe your noise is low enough to really
close the gate.

This is said tecnically correct and as understandable as I can, dont shock,
ask what is not clear, maybe others can help, too.

And then, shure, the great solution is to have a plex for each player and
connect them with BrotherSync!





         ---> http://Matthias.Grob.org