well here's my two cents on loop pedals,the parts your looping could be played by "real live musicians" and I dont concider it "live" but a repeatative echo of a phrase played once till another "loop" is added I would rather see a guy with a drum strapped to his back with cymbals and a harmonica at least he's not useing an electronic crutch and thats my opinion on looping,it takes a lot more talent to play it "live" without any effects period.

It takes a lot more talent  and effort to assemble a song via looping in front of a live audience than to push play on a sequencer or a drum machine. That's my 2 cents. I guess we can all agree to disagree..........

ps-Grammys aint schni-ah-zitt............Jethro Tull won best heavy metal band over Metallica(PP).....Come on dude, you can do better than that!.................

I'll do better than that!

Milli Vanilli's won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1990.

Oh wait... is that better or worse? Was mili a midi?

Never mind.............

(PS - Tull, not metal ..[well a flute is made of metal], but greater than Metallica everyday IMO).

.....Should I get a drum machine and learn to programme it? Should I buy a recorder and produce my own drum and bass patterns? Any tips -
I have been playing for a while, maybe it's just a metamorphisis I am going through - Who knows.

My advice  would be an adamant no***( for performing live;// for home recording, or personal projects I am indefferent, to each their own)***. In a live performance setting, do not follow the masses. Keep it semi-authentic and demonstrate a will to continue the tradition of  humans' playing music, rather than computerized, processed, pre-recorded machines backing humans. Us musicians who do this thing for a living need to stick together and create as many working opportunities as possible for each other. We're family.......

       Here's my compromise;  You use a loop pedal. Familiarize yourself enough with your loop pedal to suffiently produce every sound that comes from your speakers on stage, before your audiences' eyes and ears. Any person can push a "play" button and have a huge wall of previuosly recorded music behind them. For the most part, audiences will appreciate the process by which the performing musician cares enough to  demonstrate how a song is constructed.

       As you well know, the key to looping is variety and diversity in the application thereof. Many people are OK with mashing the "play" button and coloring lightly to the totality of a song. I do not, nor will I  ever, prescibe to this philosophy, in a live performance setting. Just this musicians' humble opinion..... To quote  ole numb head Bill O'Rielly, " I"LL DO IT LIVE!!!"

   My views are by no means intended to bash people who choose to perform live with an opposing philosophy tp mine. I feel it is my duty though to keep the human element alive in live music........

Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L

I think whatever works for you is fine there are those who differ and I can understand there point of view, but ultimately do the best you can regardless if its midi or unassisted, people dont care what went into the song or how it was made all they care about is if it sounds good to them and there the ones who buy the cd's and pay the cover charges to hear music that they like :)

I must agree totally with Russ here.
Not having a way with the written word as some have here I think it just about hits the nail on the head.
What works for some musicans don't make it necessarily right or wrong but as long as good music (debatable point) is the end product then it works for me.
I use midi interfaces/computers sound loops and basically anything to create my own music and if it's enjoyed by people then I'm happy.. 
Ark

SouthPaw41L wrote:

jerome.oneil wrote:

Does OK with MIDI...
http://www.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uplo … 5/beck.jpg

Use it if you got it.

If that's your thing, more power to you. ????? I prefer living, breathing musicians myself. Are you sincere here or are you you just presenting an argument for the sake of arguing? Just curious......

Beck is one of the most original, successful, and creative musicians on the planet.  He uses midi sequencers, drum machines, loops, turntables, and samples extensively in his song book.   He also has three Grammy awards.   There are tons of talented people using electronics and new media in wonderful and creative ways.

You've used words like "unworthy, gimmick, lazy, fake, pretender, wanna-be" in reference to them.

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you Jerome, I've had a day full of lessons(7)and a gig tonight to boot ( a rather crappy one at that, be that just goes with the ebb and flow of playing music for a living). I hear what you're saying but totally disagree with you.

I'll expand...

    While  there is some talent invoiled in pushing the button that reads "play" you must admit that if the members in your band wanted a bigger cut of the profit and replaced your bass playing with a "midi sequenced device" or something comprable to said "lame, unworthy,pretnding, gimmick usin', fake, wanna-be- a- sounding-like-a-human bass playin'-device, you'd probably be pretty upset, right?....... You cannot disagree with me here.(ah-hemm) ..........   A friendly word of advice;" careful what you wish for, or promote as wonderful and creative...........you might find yourself watching your band endure great success from afar..........." Jiss some werds fer thawt......

Real Guitars and Real Music, Played live by Real, Living, Breathing Humans,
SouthPaw41L

ps-Grammys aint schni-ah-zitt............Jethro Tull won best heavy metal band over Metallica(PP).....Come on dude, you can do better than that!.................

jerome.oneil wrote:

Does OK with MIDI...
http://www.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uplo … 5/beck.jpg

Use it if you got it.

If that's your thing, more power to you. ????? I prefer living, breathing musicians myself. Are you sincere here or are you you just presenting an argument for the sake of arguing? Just curious......

Beck is one of the most original, successful, and creative musicians on the planet.  He uses midi sequencers, drum machines, loops, turntables, and samples extensively in his song book.   He also has three Grammy awards.   There are tons of talented people using electronics and new media in wonderful and creative ways.

You've used words like "unworthy, gimmick, lazy, fake, pretender, wanna-be" in reference to them.

Does OK with MIDI...
http://www.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uplo … 5/beck.jpg

Use it if you got it.

If that's your thing, more power to you. ????? I prefer living, breathing musicians myself. Are you sincere here or are you you just presenting an argument for the sake of arguing? Just curious......

Use it if you got it.

Does anyone use midi players or MP3 for back - up - ?
I do like just playing acoustic and layering parts but some songs just need that little bit extra.

NO NO NO!!!! If if you can do it live, do it live. If you can't, don't!....End the posing that is practiced by so many lazy, unworthy working "musicians" today.(i.e. sequencers and drum machines)  Practice, study, and get better, don't use the lame gimmic devices. Hire living, breathing humans who've played and practiced to earn a spot on a stage somewhere. Don't give in to the poser facade that so many "fake, pretender, wanna-be" musicians use today.....

Peace and Guitars and total destruction to sequencers and drum machines,
SouthPaw41L