# Loop Pedal = Giant Leap Forward



## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

I got my first loop pedal a couple of weeks ago. It's nothing special (used Boss RC-1) but I have got to say that I have made more advancements in my playing in those two weeks than, say, the last two years. 

I have a PhD in rhythm guitar and have never had the confidence to solo, but it's amazing how quickly you can get a groove going when you lay down a three-chord loop and then start rolling out all your pentatonic scales over top. I'm sure my wife and kids absolutely LOVE it when I spend 30-minutes playing a blues scale forwards, backwards and sideways over the same E, A, B progression  

Anyway, I'm not sure what the point of this is other than to say...if you don't feel confident with your soloing, trade one of your 14 OD/distortion pedals for a loop pedal and the magic will happen.


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## ga20t (Jul 22, 2010)

Along with an old analog metronome (hate electronic blips and beeps for this purpose), a simple looper is my best friend. Excellent way to keep practiced or work out ideas, even when lazy or just not in the mood sometimes.

It's also handy for quick compositions/demos for projects; ex. rather than repeating a simple, short progression, I'll often just lay out all parts of the song and overdub melodies, bass lines, textural stuff etc. then record that from the speaker while I do live lead and accent playing overtop. Listening to the entire three or four minute song this many times consecutively really drives home any spotty playing, and any parts that could use improvement. 

The quick undue/redo functionality is particularly nice for errors-just stop when you have the best take and move on to the next dub.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

If you want to stretch beyond the RC-1, look up backing tracks on youtube. There's something for everyone.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

JethroTech said:


> I got my first loop pedal a couple of weeks ago. It's nothing special (used Boss RC-1) but I have got to say that I have made more advancements in my playing in those two weeks than, say, the last two years.
> 
> I have a PhD in rhythm guitar and have never had the confidence to solo, but it's amazing how quickly you can get a groove going when you lay down a three-chord loop and then start rolling out all your pentatonic scales over top. I'm sure my wife and kids absolutely LOVE it when I spend 30-minutes playing a blues scale forwards, backwards and sideways over the same E, A, B progression
> 
> Anyway, I'm not sure what the point of this is other than to say...if you don't feel confident with your soloing, trade one of your 14 OD/distortion pedals for a loop pedal and the magic will happen.


That's why I have such a large library of backing tracks in various keys without the lead guitar. I love soloing over these.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

You're right, magic will happen. I sold my first generation Boss looper and bought the small Ditto. Awesome gear. Also use Garageband.

Started playing to self made backing tracks in the mid '70s, with a Seabreeze reel-to-reel machine. Even now I use backing tracks from CDs and Free Jamtracks Guitar Backing Tracks


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I got a Boss RC-30 looper last year and I agree, they are tons of fun.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I've enjoyed my Trio a lot since I've had it for that same reason, to work on soloing.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Anyone using a Beat Buddy when looping? I've tried it, it's kind of fun too.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Mooh said:


> Anyone using a Beat Buddy when looping? I've tried it, it's kind of fun too.


I have the SDRUM, just waiting for my pedalboard to come in. Meanwhile. X Drummer works great.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Thanks. This thread made me use my looper last night. I have the smaller jamman. What I like are the stereo in/out. You can run a bass through one side to a bass amp and guitar on the other. 

I had fun looping all the guitar and bass parts for Last Child by Aerosmith.


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## Guest (Oct 21, 2018)

I have a Jamman Stereo, but it sucks tone when off so I cannot put it in my chain...


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Not sure if the smaller one sucks tone or not. I thought my tone sounded really good last night in the looped recording.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

fretzel said:


> Thanks. This thread made me use my looper last night. I have the smaller jamman. What I like are the stereo in/out. You can run a bass through one side to a bass amp and guitar on the other.
> 
> I had fun looping all the guitar and bass parts for Last Child by Aerosmith.


That's one thing that I like about the Trio, is that you can do the same.
Run the guitar into a guitar amp and the bass and drums into a bass amp.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

My FX8 has a looper. At some point I'll read the manual section on it and try it out. For now its disabled - i dont want accidental looping mid song!


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

I really need to start using one as I think they could be a great practice tool. Then again, I already know that I suck so do not need any recorded evidence of that!


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

It also helps with your overall timing, and in the end, phrasing. Loopers are great pedals. I had borrowed a friends for quite a while, but I need to grab one for myself.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Player99 said:


> I have a Jamman Stereo, but it sucks tone when off so I cannot put it in my chain...


This unit lets your guitar signal run unaffected straight thru to the amp, or thru the looper via an isolated transformer to a different amp. No battery required.

BigShot ABY - Radial Engineering


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2018)

KapnKrunch said:


> This unit lets your guitar signal run unaffected straight thru to the amp, or thru the looper via an isolated transformer to a different amp. No battery required.
> 
> BigShot ABY - Radial Engineering


Thanks, I have one of those that is powered, but it is a pain to have that much extra stuff to do simple looping.


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

Player99 said:


> Thanks, I have one of those that is powered, but it is a pain to have that much extra stuff to do simple looping.


Yeah, I hate the clutter too. 

I use the Carl Martin router as well, however, as an active device it colours the sound, so it is purely pragmatic and not part of the aesthetic. Mostly I use my feet to play bass, so the usual array of stompboxes is not possible. Strictly set-and-forget before the song starts.

I like the Bigshot, however, because its bypass and isolated transformer gives me the true guitar/cord/amp sound that I like best. All electronics -- effects, looper, tuner -- are ALL bypassed with the ABY. (And available to two guitars via the Carl Martin.) 

BTW readers, by going into a different amp, or amp channel, you can have your loops play in a completely different voice than what is being played over them. I find that having the looper play into the same channel is extremely limiting. 

I can't use a looper in a live setting. Repetitive stuff works fine because you can always re-do something, but with more formal structure, the slightest error results in a complete train wreck 

A great practice and experimenting tool, as has been said. 

Of course, good looping artists are a treat to watch too.


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2018)

I was looking for a video where he uses his looper but thought this was really good playing (a little off topic):


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2018)

This one he uses a looper:


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

OP - that is the exact reason why I enjoy wine digitech trio so much .


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

sambonee said:


> OP - that is the exact reason why I enjoy wine digitech trio so much .


...and I came home with one just last night. I've only had a chance to play around with it for 10 or 15 minutes so far, but this just went to the next level. Haha. I'm lovin' the Trio so far.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

If it’s the first trio make sure you update the firmware. There are a couple of good updates.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I gotta shout out my friend Jean Paul De Roover of thunder bay, if you're looking for a super talented looping artist.

Jean-Paul De Roover | performer | composer | producer


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2018)

I really don't like watching live looping. The building of the loop is so boring. Yawn. I watched it once, no need to see someone playing by themselves building up a loop again.


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## Geert van der Veen (Oct 20, 2018)

I have the older version of the Jamman, and it is rich in features, and has been extremely useful to me.

Ironically, given that it is a looper, the loop function is trickier to use than some other loopers, but that does not matter so much to me as I am only using it at home, and also because my main use for the unit is to load it with backing tracks and plug it into my amp so that I can play along.


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## Rozz (Aug 1, 2018)

Way back when(probably early 90s) I took a Yamaha GW-50 home on trial from L&M. Most people have probably never heard of it, but it was called a 'Performance Enhancer'. It was a programmable sequencer/drum machine with built in effects and a bunch of stock loops.

As I was playing over some of the pre-programmed rhythms my wife knocked on the door and said 'you should buy that thing'. Didn't have to say it twice. Before I had it, I played in a bar band and my musical life included learning scales, record-copying other guitar players solos, learning and rehearsing cover songs, and every once in a while jamming.

Once I got 'that thing' I started actually playing music when I was on my own instead of just learning licks. It gave me the ability to program modal progressions, which allowed me to finally understand modal soloing...which came slower to me than probably any one else in the world. I just didn't get it.

My brother bought me a DAW a few years ago so now I am styling. But any looping device would get a huge endorsement from me. Anyone who isn't using one is holding themselves back imo.


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