proper loop making

Moderator: interruptor

Post Reply
JT [golden beets]
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:03 pm
Location: buffalo ny

proper loop making

Post by JT [golden beets] » Fri Aug 06, 2010 12:14 am

hi everyone, does anyone know of an app that will allow making loops a bit easier?

what I do is play something on an instrument. say pt A of a bassline, or a skank progression on my guitar, record the performance in audacity, and then use my ears and eyes to cut what I need for a loop. then use recycle to make the loop (reason is a one of the tools I use alot)

time consuming, a bit inaccurate at times, and a pain in the ass.

I would rather play a bar of something, record it, and then have an app make a loop for me. lazy maybe, lol. but I spend too much time with bullshit and would rather drop a loop in my sequencer and continue to compose. :P

has to be something out there that fits my needs. just havnt found it yet.

for the record, I greatly dislike using loops created by other people. finding a skank riff loop wouldnt be hard, and easy as can be to use, but I need to play the parts myself.

btw, its my first post here. Im a chef and musician from buffalo ny. for the purpose of this site, I work on rootsy sounding dub pieces for the most part. :)

leitmo
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:27 pm

Post by leitmo » Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:27 pm

hi jt!

i think i'm missing something about your post, so i'll explain how i work:

i use Logic and play bass, when i find a bassline i like i simply choose right tempo on Logic, activate metronome and play the bass while i record on Logic, then i choose the best played line, edit and looped.

which sequencer do you use? audacity is just and editor and Recycle is a loop processor, so i must assume you don't use sequencer?

sorry if my answer did not fit your expectations
life was easier with tapes

JT [golden beets]
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:03 pm
Location: buffalo ny

Post by JT [golden beets] » Sun Aug 08, 2010 4:53 am

i use reason's sequencer. my bad, i reread my post and realized I didnt make that quite clear...

basslines I have no trouble with making nice loops. tho i get weary of that electronic feel and more and more often, I play and record the bass part start to finish so I can have more variation in the bassline.

its really the skank loops that cause me to spend more time than I wish too. I s'pose it because it starts on the 3rd beat and of course has silence at the beginning. I get it done but im displeased more often than not and go back for yet another edit... must be an easier way. lol.

heres an example of me finally getting it right. 2 different skank guitars on it. pretty much my 1st attempt at dub a few yrs ago and while unfinished and lacking level balancing and finesse, I was pretty happy with it back then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS0T-EpIrPk

leitmo
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:27 pm

Post by leitmo » Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:24 am

so you use Reason, i suppose there's a built-in sampler where you load loops you edit on Recycle. If your loop starts at 3th time i would suggest to delete silence before skank, in sequencer you'll in draw the note in 3th time that triggers this guitar loop.

Sorry if my explanation was a bit messy, it's easier with images.

Hope it helps!

PS: nice cover and pics (do you write kanji??) great work!!!
life was easier with tapes

JT [golden beets]
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:03 pm
Location: buffalo ny

Post by JT [golden beets] » Mon Aug 09, 2010 3:12 pm

thanks man. Ill try that technique out.

thanks for the compliment. I really dont believe that piece deserves it but it was fun to make and learn some things.

i do write kanji, but its more the chinese style than the japanese. jt716 on flickr has a lot more of my artwork.

jah love and thanks again!

leitmo
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:27 pm

Post by leitmo » Mon Aug 09, 2010 4:54 pm

i know all of us have our own method to write/play/produce/compose but Reason is a closed-system, open systems like Cubase, Logic, Nuendo etc allows yo to import samples and loops easier

Of course it's just my two cents

Greetings from Spain!
life was easier with tapes

JT [golden beets]
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 4:03 pm
Location: buffalo ny

Post by JT [golden beets] » Mon Aug 09, 2010 6:14 pm

spain huh? congrats on a well earned world cup win this yr. once the americans lost, mexico and spain were my 2 favs to win and one of them did!


as for reason, I do enjoy working with it for a number of reasons. the hardware style interface that is quite intuitive, the built in quality drum programmer and a host of other things. that said, I often run across its limitations and should consider using a different daw. I dont much experience with them but being a lifelong musician, I should be able to figure something out.

propellerheads has record available and I have the demo but havent used it much. then again, I really should save some cash and get p tools or cubase....

thanks again my friend! once Im done with work today, I am going to try making some test loops using your advice

JT

leitmo
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:27 pm

Post by leitmo » Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:28 am

thanks for the world cup, i'm not a football/soccer fan, had to work the night Spain won, i'm radio engineer and that situation was hell!

referring on your workflow don't follow my advice, is good to limit yourself or limit tools used. I'm happy with this method.

Keep Reason if you feel comfortable, just find a way to work quickly and the way you want (not the way the daw wants) with it.

Greetings!
life was easier with tapes

Post Reply