Last October at Berlin2010, I attended a concert of bassist Andreas Bennetzen from Copenhagen/Danmark. He demonstrated and explained his concept of working with live recorded digital loops and electronical effects. I was really courious about his concept, since I also own a Digitech Jam Man Looper and soon figured out that working with loops on stage is much more demanding than expected …For me, the foremost problem is to isolate a loop recording from the loops you’ve already recorded before. When you use them as a playback, the bass (as the large microphone that it is) captures them again, along with the new loop, resulting in a unwanted multiplication … That’s why Andy uses a rather ugly solidbody electric upright bass that doesn’t capture any feedback. Besides that, Andy doesn’t use anthing special: a e-guitar effects processor (phaser, flanger, echo, reverb etc.) with integrated volume pedal, and a digital looper.Andy has recently put some of his tracks at SoundCloud, where you can hear and download them.
Double Bass Guide
by Jonas Lohse
I saw Renaud Garcia-Fons uses looper on some of his songs… amazing… simphony.
Thanks for posting this thread.
You´re right that isolating sounds so you can distinguish between drum, bass and synth like sounds is vital.
Using different effects, when recording different elements of the loop, also helps a lot. It makes it easier for the listener(and you) to tell the elements apart. That is why i have the Line 6 POD X3 live pedal—it´s for bass and guitar actually;)
It allows me to change sound radically on each element of the loop. Not that i do al the time. Often it´s enough to be creative about where I tap the instrument, and how I use the bow to create flange like sounds as well, but it´s very handy.
However, I think with the new powerful lap-tops switching to Ableton Live or some other loop program might be where the biggest possibilities are offered.
I am working on a new project where we integrate the build in Looper from Live 8.2. We are still struggling but it´s very interesting.
Best, Andreas