ever-changing loop solution?

johans · #1 12-13-2007, 12:30 PM

hi guys,

I have a question that probably some of you might have as well. So I have about 8-10 effects in my board, all are True Bypass so I'm good in the chain, just have one issue with the loop (should I will need one ..)

On my board, like most of us I have the following order: filter, compressor, 2 ods, fuzz, phaser, chorus, delay, boost. Everything works just fine for me. My initial plan, I thought of grouping filters + dirt boxes to Loop 1, and modulation on Loop 2.

However, soon I realize that I probably want some Chorus on songs that I use my Filters for and so forth. So I began to see the needs of cross-usage of pedals in the 2 initial loops, does any of you face something like this? I play in my church's contemporary rock band and will probably use the Loop 1 for louder praise songs, that I probably will need some phase or delay on them as well on a few certain songs, but setting them to the initial 2 loops won't be too efficient won't they?

What would you do in my situation? Bottom line, I will never need both loops to on at the same time, but I may find some need to cross loops for pedals I will use.

any thoughts shared?

JanusZarate · #2 12-13-2007, 01:11 PM

This problem could easily be solved if your loop pedal has a master bypass switch. Then, you could use both loops and only stomp one switch to turn them on or off. It would still be on you, of course, to make sure the proper effects are on/off before you do the loop switching, but you can easily do that while they're bypassed.

If you don't have a master bypass, and your box is big enough... consider getting it modded. Or, you could always get another one made.

stabbicus · #3 12-13-2007, 01:47 PM

+1 to MysticBoo. That's what I'm going to do. Loop-Master pedals are nice and are what I'll be purchasing when I get the money together. Or you could build one...

johans · #4 12-13-2007, 01:51 PM

actually .. that's not really what I am looking for at this moment

if i have to do master by-pass for those, it will be similar to me not having any looper at all

since all effects are already TB .. if I do the master by-pass like you said, I will have to make sure which pedals I want to be ON or OFF at the moment, that will pretty much left me the same way if i don't use any looper at all, just that I have a better grouping for loop 1 and 2

.. so

for example I have this in my order

BASS >> filter >> compressor >> OD >> fuzz >> phaser >> chorus >> delay >> boost >> AMP

How would you solve this if let say .. (weirdest case possible ..)
song #1: i need only filter, comp and phaser
song #2: i need OD, and slight delay
song #3: i need Filter, OD, and some chorus
and so forth ..

Again, not ideally always but those above is the extreme case examples. I know that without using any looper at all, I can just tip-toe on them as I need it but since its about 8-10 effect, I am just wondering what solution of efficient looper would be robust enough for such performance

JanusZarate · #5 12-13-2007, 01:57 PM

That's why I suggested the "master bypass" switch, actually.

That way, even if pedals were in separate loops, you could still use just one switch to bring your pedals of choice in simultaneously during the performance.

Then, in between songs, you could turn loops and pedals on/off as needed to set it up for the next song.

...this is one of those things that'd require a video to properly illustrate.

johans · #6 12-13-2007, 02:08 PM

Ah ... I think i sorta see it now peter ..

so I shall have any number of loops necessary that will sort of be my 'fixed' loops that I will use together most of the time, and to use some things on the fly, i'll by-pass them to my liking? got it ..

apart from that .. let say you engage the master by-pass, does it turn off the LEDs of the 2 original loops as well? and when you're in master by-pass mode, if you step on the loop 1, will it disengage the master by-pass too?

thanks for the explanation, i've never use a master by-pass loop before

JanusZarate · #7 12-13-2007, 02:31 PM

The master bypass doesn't actually turn the loops on or off. It's a physical disconnect, so the loops can still be active, but they'll be cut off from the signal path entirely.

Think of it this way... pretend the loops are "pedals". The master bypass is like a loop for those "pedals". So, when you use the master bypass, the loops are bypassed, but if they're on or off, that doesn't change. It's just another hardwire disconnect, that's all.

If you want to use the pedal like a conventional multi-loop system, you can. But the master bypass lets you bring in all active loops simultaneously, or take out all loops (active or not) simultaneously, with the stomp of one switch.

Stu L. · #8 12-13-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

If you want to use the pedal like a conventional multi-loop system, you can. But the master bypass lets you bring in all active loops simultaneously, or take out all loops (active or not) simultaneously, with the stomp of one switch.

Call me ignorant, but I don't see where some well planned planning couldn't do the same thing. If you know you'll want your fuzz and compression, why not have them in the same loop? I know there are times where you may want just the comp, then why not just turn off the fuzz

(maybe I just need more pedals to full understand

)

JanusZarate · #9 12-13-2007, 02:54 PM

Yes, well-planned planning can produce similar results. The sonic results are the same, but...

It narrows down to the switching convenience. Sure, you can effectively pull off the same exact sound with no loops at all, or with a hundred loops... but the "pedal dance" and amount of time required are not the same in either scenario.

johans · #10 12-13-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Yes, well-planned planning can produce similar results. The sonic results are the same, but...

It narrows down to the switching convenience. Sure, you can effectively pull off the same exact sound with no loops at all, or with a hundred loops... but the "pedal dance" and amount of time required are not the same in either scenario.

yup

that's the thing ..

johans · #11 12-13-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

That's why I suggested the "master bypass" switch, actually.

That way, even if pedals were in separate loops, you could still use just one switch to bring your pedals of choice in simultaneously during the performance.

Then, in between songs, you could turn loops and pedals on/off as needed to set it up for the next song.

...this is one of those things that'd require a video to properly illustrate.

also .. since i have set 'pedal space' and I am sure I won't be having huge additions to my pedal list, would it just be easy to go without loop? :P and simply tap toe them .. won't be efficient .. but given i only have 8-9 pedals, a few that will always be on, probably won't be too bad? ... this would be my last resort though

JanusZarate · #12 12-13-2007, 03:52 PM

Yeah, true... but it's not impossible to find a pretty compact 2-loop pedal with a master bypass.

$75.00 at Loop-Master, and it's the size of an EHX Little Big Muff, SansAmp BDDI, etc.

Now, if you want to go smaller... it gets tricky. Even though it's just a bunch of wires, jacks, and switches, you do run out of chassis space eventually.

johans · #13 12-13-2007, 04:21 PM

a looper strip would probably do

Quote:

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Yeah, true... but it's not impossible to find a pretty compact 2-loop pedal with a master bypass.

$75.00 at Loop-Master, and it's the size of an EHX Little Big Muff, SansAmp BDDI, etc.

Now, if you want to go smaller... it gets tricky. Even though it's just a bunch of wires, jacks, and switches, you do run out of chassis space eventually.