really realtime software looper

["Jan Pek" <swirlee@angelfire.com>]

 hey everyone-

just picked up this post to the linux audio users list (below). someone 
has developed an EDP emulator which runs with the lowlatency kernel. this 
means it is probably the first software looper that could really be called 
realtime (by kim's definition).

the latency (~1ms under linux) is reliably less than the time it takes to 
transmit a MIDI message. 

i just a few weeks ago got a cheap linux box for $300 on ebay, and have 
been toying around with the sound on it. plans are to get a delta1010 for 
10-in 10-out !collaborative! live looping and live sample/retriggering. 

for most looping users, configuring a linux box might be a bit much at 
this stage. but im confident that as free software gets more powerful, 
we'll see cheap preconfigured systems coming out that will easily compete 
with dedicated audio hardware. 

plus, rme has released their hammerfall dsp (multichannel I/O box) for 
laptops, and they are supporting linux developers, so we should soon have 
a portable blackbox opensource audio platform. 

---jan p.
in nyc


here's the post:

Announcing SooperLooper --

SooperLooper is a looping sampler very much like the Gibson/Oberheim
Echoplex Digital Pro.  In fact, it is a downright emulation of an EDP,
with some additional features and a silly name.  I figured that the EDP
feature-set is powerful, proven, and popular -- so why not implement it as
a LADSPA plugin we can all use?

Get it here:

   http://dexterssandbox.com/sooperlooper/

I have never used an actual EDP, but all the features are described in
the EDP user's manual, which was an invaluable resource.  Take a look at
http://www.loopers-delight.com/tools/echoplex/echoplex.html to get the
manual and other tips.  It all applies.

FEATURES of SooperLooper shared with the EDP:
  Record
  Overdub
  Multiply
  Insert
  Replace
  Reverse
  Mute
  Undo
  Tap tempo Delay mode
  Feedback and Mix parameters
  QuantizeMode and RoundMode toggles

Additional features of SooperLooper:
  Redo
  One Shot
  Scratch Mode (DJ-like scratching of the current loop)
       w/ arbitrary playback rate


I developed SooperLooper using Ecasound as the LADSPA host and a MIDI
footcontroller (RFX MidiWizard MP1288).  I've patched Ecasound's MIDI
code to allow program changes to act like control changes along with a few
other hacks to support the unusual control interface for this plugin.
In short, to get it working best for live performance, get a nice MIDI
footpedal and my patches to Ecasound (which I will post shortly).

BUT, if you just want to try it out without investing the time and
effort to do it with your feet..... :)  I included a sample
curses-based console program to let you try it out with the keyboard.
It also has some nice feedback from the control outputs to let you
know the state of the plugin and time info about the looping.

Please try it out and let me know what you think, bug reports, feature
requests, etc.

Jesse Chappell
jesse@essej.net



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