Re: How do you approach looping composition?

[Scott Kungha Drengsen <kungha@earthlink.net>]

Hello Christian,
My 1st Cd "Bassapes" was pretty much layering and reverse on a 
Boomerang.(This was before I discovered this list the Echoplex and the 
work of Daved Torn and Jeff Pearce).I think that Steve Lawson and Max 
Valentino are bassists who are masters of this approach.In this mode I 
find it helpful to think in terms of parts;chordal,melody,percussive and 
to "start" pieces from diffrant places/parts .It's fine to have 3 
basslines in the same piece but think of it as another bassist once it 
enters the looper so as not to compete for space.
Busking can help alot.Nothing lets me know how much music is already 
happening on the looper as much as stopping the adding of parts to make 
change or talk to someone :)
Reviews of my work can be seen at
 http://www.bassinside.com/2003/april/cdreview.htm
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70308201453&sql=Ac098s31wa3mg
 
<http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=MISS70308201453&sql=Ac098s31wa3mg>
cristian cascetta wrote:

> Hello,
>
> It's my first post (even if I registered to the mailing list 5 months 
> ago), so I'd like to introduce myself:
>
> I'm a (non professional) bassist from Milan, Italy.
>
> In the last 9 years I played mostly blues and rock-blues, then I 
> started being interested in ambient dub after reading an article in 
> Bass Player magazine about Bill Laswell.
>
> At the same time I found loopers-delight, I appreciated the perfect 
> mix between the importance given to the conceptual aspects of looping 
> and the discussion about technical aspects.
>
> Looking for looping bassists I found Steve Lawson's incredible website 
> and this helped me to decide  to buy  an akay headrush  and trying to 
> become a looping bassist.
>
> My actual gear is:
>
> Basses:
> Fender Mexican Jazz Bass
> Laurus (an Italian Luthier) Stylist 4 string Bass
> '71 Gibson EB-2
> Washburn AB-20 defretted
>
> My effect chain is:
>
> Bass -> EBS BassIQ -> Tech21 Bass Compactor -> EBS Multidrive -> Akai 
> Headrush -> Rolls DI -> Behringer Mixer -> IBM Thinkpad (as recording 
> unit).
>
> I never used any looping device live, but the looping concept hit me 
> so hard I decided to give up my actual rock-blues band and concentrate 
> on the musical and conceptual aspects of looping.
>
> After this (long) presentation (I couldn't resist talking about myself 
> and my gear), this is my question:
>
> How do you approach looping composition? I'd like to create some 
> composition and a little repertoire, as I'd like to try some bass 
> looping busking.
>
> When I try to compose something, I start with some simple riff, then I 
> add some layer, but soon I've the impression of overplaying and 
> messing up everything.
>
> I think that I'm focusing too much on the looping paradigm, and I lose 
> the musical inspiration. Another disturbing thing is that I tend to 
> answer and react to the loops I create filling every silent part 
> producing a strong anxiety impression in what I play.
>
> I know composing is a very personal matter, but I hope to get some 
> suggestions from you experienced loopers.
>
> cristian
>
>
>