Re: Sparce 'n Spacey, part 2: fretless guitar

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

> Per wrote:
>> Yes. But I use the C model Sustaniac.
>
On 13 aug 2007, at 23.20, Luca Formentini wrote:
> Ahhh... this is why you have such a fast and loud sustain !
> you can't get it with the magnetic model unless you use a lot of  
> compression, some distortion would also help.
> I was really amazed how well it was sounding, even more when  
> thinking it was a fretless gtr !


I thought one interesting point in the clip I posted is that there is  
no distortion or amp simulation used at all. Only the guitar's wood  
and string sound patched into the sound-card.  A very clean "line in"  
guitar sound.


>> Only one loop all through. Making changes to that loop as you go.
>
> Was it all played in real time ?

Yes.

> I mean, you played the melodical stuff and sampled from there and  
> then tweaked the loop while playing ?

Yes, exactly. Playing long melodic lines while SUS Substituting short  
slices into the loop. Initially there is no volume on the looper so  
you don't hear the loop I'm building, until it fades in. Some slices  
cut in one octave below the played lead note (by pitching the loop up  
one octave when doing the Substitute. I use a script that pitches +12  
and then goes SUSSubstitute and finally pitches down a bit to  
compensate for the loop going faster at the higher pitch. Just to  
make the loop keep the timing), to form a bass line. While doing this  
I also change the Alternative Feedback in mobius to control how much  
of the old loop layers will be kept under the new layer  (going from  
zero Alt Feedback to totally substitute old audio for that particular  
slice duration, full Alt Feedback to make it work as if doing  
quantized overdub, but mostly somewhere in between to only make a  
little "pocket" in the old audio to make the new audio slice fit in.  
Hmm... the piece goes in 6/8 measure so I was using "8ths per cycle =  
12" or "8ths per cycle = 48" for very short notes cut in. That makes  
eventual tempo relating VST plug-ins sync up nicely.


>> How would you describe your approach?
>
> I tend to play without creating structures,
> I think I am closer to Matthias than to Andre ( to talk about old  
> friends).
> I also tend to create less rhythmatic loops.
> But I am always interested in learning new ways; the track you've  
> posted looks like a blend between Matthias and Andre ( I mean about  
> concept just !).

I agree. Those two guys are the pure personifications of two very  
different technical approaches to looping (although I think they are  
very structural in a musical sense). I think it would be difficult to  
combine both techniques when using the EDP because it needs to be set  
up quite exclusively for Andre-type treatment. With Mobius that's easer.

Greetings from Sweden

Per Boysen
www.boysen.se (Swedish)
www.looproom.com (international)