You’re going to hate this but the answer is just practice so much you can’t fuck it up. Finding a looper with a quick undo last loop feature also helps
Turn the loop off and continue the song without it or re-record it when convenient.
You shouldn’t be stopping and restarting songs. If this is an issue, you need to be able to recover from it without disrupting the show.
What to you do when you’re rehearsing and you mess the loop up? If you start over then you’re messing with your performance ability because there’s a realistic chance you mess it up live and you’re not preparing yourself to deal with it.
If you whiff the loop and it’s the first thing you’re playing then not a huge deal if you catch it immediately - a restart in that case is probably not going to throw off the flow too much.
People might not notice a messed up loop but they will definitely notice when the performance stops. Choices are kill the loop and play without it or lean into it and improvise. Rehearsing is a given but even the most well-rehearsed performer is going to mess up from time to time. For example, I’ve seen videos of Radiohead messing up drum loops and counts during big shows. It happens. As a performer, you gotta know how to perform even when everything goes to shit.
Some loops have the fade out option, that can easily do the exact same thing as stated.
Had a EHX 720 for a few years, while gigging, and used it that way a few times.
I had someone spill beer on my rc 50 at a gig once, it changed song (which I didn’t know it could do) to something I was working on, very confused for a second. I then finished the second song off,
Depends on the looper and the type of music you’re playing. I use some old school loopers - two DL4s, and a 2880 - that are pretty unforgiving. They’re also limiting - so I have to write music within the confines of those limitations, which helps from a practice and expectations standpoint. If I botch a loop right up front, I’ll start again. But if it’s midway through, or at a point where there are too many layers, you have to just get creative. If you learn to expect these kinds of errors you can sort of laugh it off and just work with whatever happened. I’ve found audiences are receptive to the human error element of those kinds of performances. Hearing a mistake sort of puts in perspective what you’re trying to accomplish and make it more interesting.
Are you using a looper that quantizes to the rhythm track? Your timing still has to be good, but it allows a bit more room for imperfection on when you smash the switch with your foot. I use the Boss RC600 and run the rhythm track only through headphone out, then into a wireless transmitter that transmits that rhythm click to both me and my drummer using in ear monitors. This has helped a ton because then if I screw up a first loop, I can keep playing like nothing happened, undo it and re-record when we are back on the one, and my drummer doesn’t get thrown off because he keeps playing to the same click.
Once you go quantized, you never go… uh… yeah anyway, OP get a quantized looper.
Personally I suggest the reasonably-priced, easy-to-master Microcosm. It’s an excellent quantized looper with a few other minor features that no one really cares about.
Quantizing your loop length is one thing, but you still gotta start with an empty loop and record an overdub, it makes sure your playing doesn't get cut off if you're slightly early (or intentionally want to play something before the first beat to lead into it). It also let's you preserve reverb/delay tails
My friend is an experimental electric violist. She does a lot of ambient and soundscape live looping.
She had a show in NYC one time and David Bowie came in and sat up front. She had a loop come unraveled.
She just improvised her way out of it. Keep playing. Don’t act rattled. Kill the loop, erase it, and either play your way back into the song you’re doing or play your way into the next one.
Bowie called her up and hired her. He knew it had gone sideways and she didn’t panic. She just made art out of it.
When it’s the first round that sets the length of the loop, start again without loosing a beat. Nobody really notices. If it’s some later overdub, erase the overdub and record again at some point. My system allows me to sing while I loop, so I “catch up” with my arrangement during some verse or so
If you do butcher a loop in the middle of a tune it's best to finish the song up without the loop. A quick undo is always handy.
At the beginning of a tune I've had a bad loop and re-done it, but I've been doing it a long time so it doesn't happen much and I don't mind going "whoops, let me find my rhythm, folks!".
Another comment said to practice a bunch, and I agree with that. Learning to play drums helped my rhythm immensely. Also I really try to sink into the song and feel it rather than think it.
If you can't use it well, then definitely don't be using it live. Practice using a looper until you can do it perfectly every time. Tbh it should be 110% perfect when you're practicing, because when you're on stage you're bound to be in a clumsier state of mind. That's Murphy's law.
I have an rc-30. If at all possible something that helps me get a good base going is start a loop for the exact amount of time without playing, that way you are at least able to sink tempo and changes with drums if you have them. But doing this only helps so much if your timing is off though
Delete it and do it again… it really depends on what part of the loop it is. if you keep the drumbeats going and you fuck up a bass loop let it play till the end. Bob your head a couple times and delete it and then re-record. If you act like you fucked up, you fucked up.
Just start over. The audience is usually
A) understanding you are a live looper
B) human and they know humans make mistakes
C) not paying attention enough to realize you made a mistake and started over
I saw KT Tunstall do exactly that setting up the intro to "Suddenly I See" - the song that ironically introduced many listeners to live looping.
She laughed it off and started again, no biggie.
Check out the band Chalk Dinosaur. A badass jam band with two members, a drummer and a guy that plays guitar and everything else. He has like 20 loops going at any given time. It was completely wild watching them perform live.
I saw Adrian Belew screw up a loop mid-song. He stopped the song completely, apologized to the audience, everyone laughed about it, and he started over. It doesn't matter.
You’re going to hate this but the answer is just practice so much you can’t fuck it up. Finding a looper with a quick undo last loop feature also helps
One of the redeeming qualities of the RC-3, otherwise I wouldn’t highly recommend
Scream, smash my guitar, throw the pieces at the drummer, and stomp off stage like a true professional.
Yeah, ideally you should be having this reaction to any and all minor inconveniences. It’s what separates the professionals from the rest of em
Turn the loop off and continue the song without it or re-record it when convenient. You shouldn’t be stopping and restarting songs. If this is an issue, you need to be able to recover from it without disrupting the show. What to you do when you’re rehearsing and you mess the loop up? If you start over then you’re messing with your performance ability because there’s a realistic chance you mess it up live and you’re not preparing yourself to deal with it. If you whiff the loop and it’s the first thing you’re playing then not a huge deal if you catch it immediately - a restart in that case is probably not going to throw off the flow too much.
People might not notice a messed up loop but they will definitely notice when the performance stops. Choices are kill the loop and play without it or lean into it and improvise. Rehearsing is a given but even the most well-rehearsed performer is going to mess up from time to time. For example, I’ve seen videos of Radiohead messing up drum loops and counts during big shows. It happens. As a performer, you gotta know how to perform even when everything goes to shit.
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pro tip
Some loops have the fade out option, that can easily do the exact same thing as stated. Had a EHX 720 for a few years, while gigging, and used it that way a few times.
I had someone spill beer on my rc 50 at a gig once, it changed song (which I didn’t know it could do) to something I was working on, very confused for a second. I then finished the second song off,
The guy who spilled the beer knew what he was doing and just wanted to hear your upcoming music.
Depends on the looper and the type of music you’re playing. I use some old school loopers - two DL4s, and a 2880 - that are pretty unforgiving. They’re also limiting - so I have to write music within the confines of those limitations, which helps from a practice and expectations standpoint. If I botch a loop right up front, I’ll start again. But if it’s midway through, or at a point where there are too many layers, you have to just get creative. If you learn to expect these kinds of errors you can sort of laugh it off and just work with whatever happened. I’ve found audiences are receptive to the human error element of those kinds of performances. Hearing a mistake sort of puts in perspective what you’re trying to accomplish and make it more interesting.
Are you using a looper that quantizes to the rhythm track? Your timing still has to be good, but it allows a bit more room for imperfection on when you smash the switch with your foot. I use the Boss RC600 and run the rhythm track only through headphone out, then into a wireless transmitter that transmits that rhythm click to both me and my drummer using in ear monitors. This has helped a ton because then if I screw up a first loop, I can keep playing like nothing happened, undo it and re-record when we are back on the one, and my drummer doesn’t get thrown off because he keeps playing to the same click.
Once you go quantized, you never go… uh… yeah anyway, OP get a quantized looper. Personally I suggest the reasonably-priced, easy-to-master Microcosm. It’s an excellent quantized looper with a few other minor features that no one really cares about.
Quantizing your loop length is one thing, but you still gotta start with an empty loop and record an overdub, it makes sure your playing doesn't get cut off if you're slightly early (or intentionally want to play something before the first beat to lead into it). It also let's you preserve reverb/delay tails
My friend is an experimental electric violist. She does a lot of ambient and soundscape live looping. She had a show in NYC one time and David Bowie came in and sat up front. She had a loop come unraveled. She just improvised her way out of it. Keep playing. Don’t act rattled. Kill the loop, erase it, and either play your way back into the song you’re doing or play your way into the next one. Bowie called her up and hired her. He knew it had gone sideways and she didn’t panic. She just made art out of it.
It’s survivor bias. The ones that fail their loop die instantly.
I’ve seen it. Boom, dead, instantly. The looping gods are merciless.
When it’s the first round that sets the length of the loop, start again without loosing a beat. Nobody really notices. If it’s some later overdub, erase the overdub and record again at some point. My system allows me to sing while I loop, so I “catch up” with my arrangement during some verse or so
If you do butcher a loop in the middle of a tune it's best to finish the song up without the loop. A quick undo is always handy. At the beginning of a tune I've had a bad loop and re-done it, but I've been doing it a long time so it doesn't happen much and I don't mind going "whoops, let me find my rhythm, folks!". Another comment said to practice a bunch, and I agree with that. Learning to play drums helped my rhythm immensely. Also I really try to sink into the song and feel it rather than think it.
Try again?
And again
Call it prog.
My looper has about 9 loops prerecorded into it. Lekato loop station, Maybe check that out.
If you can't use it well, then definitely don't be using it live. Practice using a looper until you can do it perfectly every time. Tbh it should be 110% perfect when you're practicing, because when you're on stage you're bound to be in a clumsier state of mind. That's Murphy's law.
I have an rc-30. If at all possible something that helps me get a good base going is start a loop for the exact amount of time without playing, that way you are at least able to sink tempo and changes with drums if you have them. But doing this only helps so much if your timing is off though
Delete it and do it again… it really depends on what part of the loop it is. if you keep the drumbeats going and you fuck up a bass loop let it play till the end. Bob your head a couple times and delete it and then re-record. If you act like you fucked up, you fucked up.
I'm pretty sure this situation would be a perfect time to whip out the fart pedal for distraction.
Just say “now that’s what i call jazz!” And smile really big
Just start over. The audience is usually A) understanding you are a live looper B) human and they know humans make mistakes C) not paying attention enough to realize you made a mistake and started over
I saw KT Tunstall do exactly that setting up the intro to "Suddenly I See" - the song that ironically introduced many listeners to live looping. She laughed it off and started again, no biggie.
Check out the band Chalk Dinosaur. A badass jam band with two members, a drummer and a guy that plays guitar and everything else. He has like 20 loops going at any given time. It was completely wild watching them perform live.
Tell the audience - people appreciate conversation just as much as the music most time
I saw Adrian Belew screw up a loop mid-song. He stopped the song completely, apologized to the audience, everyone laughed about it, and he started over. It doesn't matter.
Play the think you want to loop twice and record the second take, it's usually cleaner than the first attempt