Looping Options, As Far As Song Structures Are Concerned

Gsus · #1 08-26-2006, 10:28 PM

Anyone may be qualified to answer this question; I just thought I'd post this question here because the two devices in question are patronized exclusively by these two resident pros.

I've been experimenting with looping for a decent amount of time, and have now realized that instead of ambient, soundscape type of music, I would rather continue looping with definitive song structure. This is exemplified in Michael's looping performances-most notably in his performance of "Snakes Got Legs" on "The Artist's Profile: Michael Manring" DVD, or on his performance of "Teen Town" at Bass Day '98.

What he does, in technical terms, is records a rhythm that remains throughout the entire song on one of his Lexicon JamMans (JamMen?), and then uses the other to loop and cycle between two (or sometimes three or more) different loops of chords/harmonies/etc. throughout the performance.

I know this can be done with two JamMen. I also have a Lexicon JamMan at this point in time. However, the units are becoming ever rarer and pricier, and as many of you are aware, have been discontinued almost a decade ago.

I have also heard that this can be done (or else, extremely closely approximated) with the Looperlative. $1500, to be honest, is indeed prohibitively expensive for me. However, I would be nearing the $1000 mark if I decided to wait patiently for another JamMan. Additionally, the Looperlative's got dozens of features that the JamMan does not (and programmability, to make up for the functionality it may not provide), and is heralded as the best and most complete looper on the market.

So what would you do? Would you wait it out or step it up? Either option will involve me parting with my hard-earned money, but which one will pay off in the long run? I'm looking for my next purchase to be the end (yeah, right) of my looping needs.

Jared

**Bryan R. Tyler** · #2 08-26-2006, 10:56 PM

After you get the Looperlative, you'd be able to sell your other Jamman to help pay for it's costs. It'll do pretty much anything you want as far as looping is concerned.

**Steve Lawson** · #3 08-29-2006, 08:59 AM

I started out with an original JamMan, back in the mid/late 90s - it was a great looper, but really doesn't compare with the Looperlative. If you were to get two JamMans, you've got twice as much kit to carry around, and kit that is obselete, so tougher to get any kind of customer support on.

Bob's attention to his users over on the Looperlative forum is nothing short of astounding, and the feeling that just by buying an LP1, you're part of a community of people helping to define the future possibilities of live looping is a pretty heady experience.

There are enough old JamMan aficionados around that you should be able to get a reasonable price for the other one, so I'd definitely recommend getting a Looperlative.

Steve
www.stevelawson.net

**Michael Manring** · #4 09-05-2006, 04:47 PM

Thanks so much for the compliment, Jared! Like you, I got very interested in doing song structures via looping and at the time I was working on it, the JamMan was practically the only game in town. It has the ability to lock to MIDI sync so two or more units could be used in tandem. I imagine that any decent looping device with MIDI sync capability will allow you to do pretty much the same thing There are loopers out there these days with metronomes and loop saving features to help you accomplish this in a single box, but from my limited experience with the Looperlative, I’d have to agree it’s probably the way to go.

xyllion · #5 09-18-2006, 02:28 PM

No other hardware looper offers as many simultaneously recorded tracks as the Looperlative LP1. The rhythm would occupy one of the eight tracks. You then would have seven more tracks that you can store song sections in.

Gsus · #6 09-19-2006, 03:46 PM

Wow!

Two pros and the creator of the tool itself replying to my thread? Only on talkbass. These forums really are an understated resource.

Thank you all. Regrettably, I'm neither in the financial nor the ideological position (my priorities are focused towards the rush to college) to buy the Looperlative now. However, it has been made clear to me by those who praise the Looperlative's limitless qualities that buying one is really the way to go. There's no real substitute.

When the looping bug kicks in again I'll be sure to contact Mr. Amstadt.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question, and I wish you all well in your respective careers as musicians and technicians.

Jared

P.S. Assuming I can get some tickets, I'll be coming to see Michael in NYC October 12th!

I'm psyched for both you (Michael) and John Gorka, but how do you usually do the shows? Do you have a solo spot?

**Michael Manring** · #7 11-11-2006, 09:43 AM

Sorry I didn’t manage to reply to this before the NYC gig, Jared. Did you make it to the show?

Gsus · #8 01-09-2007, 09:30 PM

Michael,

It's a bit late for an October event, but...

Of course! I wouldn't have missed the Joe's Pub show for the world! Your accompaniment to John Gorka's music was very tasteful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show.

It was especially nice to see you perform Monkey Businessman. Incidentally, I had just been working on learning that piece, and actually performed it at an Open Mic not long before the show. Just when I was convinced I was the only Manring fanatic there, a guy sitting at the bar screamed "MONKEY BUSINESMAN!!!!" amid tremendous applause for what was only a small sample of your musical body of work.

I brought a few friends and they were equally impressed. I also managed to sneak backstage, introduce myself, and (not so) subtly plead you to visit the tri-state area more often. A chance to see you is a chance to see you, but I'm sure there are a good many people interested in your solo stuff on the east coast, should you find yourself playing a gig there any time soon.

In short, thank you for all of your inspiration, and I hope you'll be able to make it back for an encore performance (and hopefully a solo gig!)

Jared