Using a Looper To...Improve

[jlerner]

I bought a nice Boss RC-30 looper. It is not for performance. I bought it because I had heard it can be an effective practice tool.

Any thoughts on good (or bad) ways to use a looper for practice?

[Snuggles]

Well one way is to record yourself and listen to it afterwards on a loop. You'll be able to hear mistakes and recognize them far better from that perspective.

Another is to practice improvising based around a specific chord progression. Try soloing over a progression chord-to-chord, then just based on the key you're in.

[Intenzity]

Those let you upload drum loops I believe as .wav files over usb, so you can put drum loops on there and jam.

Play just the root notes of a chord progression to any song, or a blues and then solo over those notes.

Practice ear training by looping a note and playing notes against it to hear what they sound like.

Loop whole notes up in fourths (E, A D, G etc) and also up in half-steps (E F F# G) and play different scales against each note, either starting on the root of that note, or make that note the third, or some other note for instance on the loop whole note "B" play a G major scale (b is the third) to hear what that sounds like. Then try it on d, e, c, etc.

Make chords with harmonics and solo over them.

A million and one uses for those things.

[Stumbo]

Find some websites with bass backing tracks and record them with the looper.

[Turock]

Lay down a drone or a root fifth line and practice different modes over that.