Playing with looping pedals

I can't see what the DL4 has over the GigaDelay.

One thing I like the look at with the electro-harmonix is that is has a hand and footpedal interface, saving the need to bend down all the time for fine adjustment stuff.

So, having a RC 50 is the equivalent of having 2 DL4?

At a Roland Store here I have asked about both DD20 and RC 50 about that effect of "decaying layers" and they have answered me they are unable to produce this particular effect.

Anyway guys, I trust you more than a shop assistant, who maybe doesn't have a clue on this special effect, so if you tell me any of both looper models can make it:

Would you please describe me exactly the settings to try them at the store today or tomorrow?

I am selling my jamman and I have to be sure is worth the effort to change my looper.

Thanks a lot folks ;)

Hi, Oscar--

My GigaDelay is 40 miles away, but I'll retrieve it Tuesday. Then I can report accurately on its behavior.

I *believe* that its Sound-On-Sound mode can achieve the effect you describe (by appropriately adjusting the "Feedback" value), but I don't trust my memory.

All best,

Br.

[i]One thing I like the look at with the electro-harmonix is that is has a hand and footpedal interface, saving the need to bend down all the time for fine adjustment stuff.[/i]

That's the beauty of the Boomerang interface: it's entirely foot switches, plus a foot roller for volume. Also a plus for thereminists: the foot switches require much less physical force than those on most effect boxes (so, easier for footwork not to affect arm and hand position).

ONly one small thign to add. I read somewhere that Boomerang is releasing a new version of their product.

That may be old news but it is about time...

[i]So, having a RC 50 is the equivalent of having 2 DL4?

At a Roland Store here I have asked about both DD20 and RC 50 about that effect of "decaying layers" and they have answered me they are unable to produce this particular effect.

Anyway guys, I trust you more than a shop assistant, who maybe doesn't have a clue on this special effect, so if you tell me any of both looper models can make it:

Would you please describe me exactly the settings to try them at the store today or tomorrow? [/i]

Not quite - the RC50 is special in that it's actually three synchronised stereo loopers in one box. The rest that have been mentioned (besides the giga delay, which is stereo) are all single-phrase mono loopers.

This means that you have three phrases all running at the same length that you can layer on to. You can't get rid of individual layers, but you can fade in and out of each phrase just by setting the start/stop modes to "fade" and then hitting the appropriate switch. This means that you can fade and phase between different stretches of a piece of music if you wish. My recommendation would be to find the biggest constant in the piece and keep it on an isolated loop while you move between sections with the other two phrases... if that makes sense...

I was yesterday at a Roland Official Store...the results were not very satisfying. Well, in fact it was a complete loss of time.

The guy there was a young boy who didn't have a clue on the RC 50 nor the DD20. So, he was not a bit help as I suspected first by phone.Even he didn't understand what I was looking for.

I looked through the "sound on sound" mode of the DD20 for a while, but I couldn't achieve this effect. Anyway, still not sure if it is possible to make it or not.

¿Any ideas? Thanks in advance collegaes ;)

There isn't a looper in production that does what you're looking for.

Your best bet is to get a laptop and learn to use MAX/MSP or something similar, and build a footswitchable looper to your requirements that way.

Oscar I think you are getting confused with delay and looper. The effect you originally describe as wanting - "stacking a number of simultaneous layers with a progressive decay of each one?" - that's a long delay. Sound on sound looping doesn't do this.

Here is an example of me playing theremin thru a harmonizer and thru a giga delay using the panning delay setting. Delay was 10 secs and it was set to fade with a very long feedback but you should hear things slowly fading over the piece. Oh yeah I sing through it too a little later. This sounds like the kind of thing you were describing. (6min30s 3mb mp3)
[url]http://www.mediamax.com/unclechristo/Hosted/misc/cconwaytheremin.mp3[url]

I think your head wants a looper but your heart really wants a delay.

Hahaha! very funnny. And nice tune.

You can watch a delay as a "very short looper" in a way (or a looper like a very long delay).

To explain what i am looking for, you can watch this video of Ed Alleyne Johnson's Purple Electric Concerto: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fHOwTp0gXs





He has always a number of simultaneus tracks, one decaying after the next one. I am willing to reproduce this effect. Of course, I will not ever be half as good as this great guy or Pamelia, but I just want to use this effect to play by my own in an scenario.