Uses for a looper pedal

[tommytubetone]

In another thread a looper pedal was discussed as a first pedal. @Captain Moto stated, “There are many more useful applications for loopers that I won't discuss now.“ Now I feel that I’m missing something and need to dig it back out. So what do you guys use them for? For practicing soloing at home, like RR, I prefer to have a band backing me up. It’s more realistic for what I do.
I was watching a duo one night with a sax and guitar player. All of a sudden I was hearing two guitar players, so it was like ok, that’s cool. He would loop his rhythm playing and then solo over it. So there’s one use for it. What are some others?

 

[artyman]

Ed Sheeran is ace when it comes to using loopers. Shows what you can do with them

 

[Zzzen Dog]

There's a book out: "The Blues Guitar Looper Pedal Book" available in both paperback and Kindle. Gives a good foundation on how loopers work in general and walks you through several examples of 2 bar, 4 bar, 8 bar, 12 bar and 16 bar examples. Each with multiple loops for riff, bass, chords, and percussion. Ironically, half of the book is more about chords, exercises, slide and other techniques... all after the looping. That said, for $15 on Amazon it's a reasonable price for a decent resource. It's free if you subscribe to Kindly Unlimited, otherwise it's the same price for the Kindle version

 

[CaptainMoto]

@tommytubetone

No big secret.
Here's a few ways a looper can be used :

-As a trouble shooting tool.
Position the looper first in the signal chain.
Create a small loop to play continuously.
With the pedal playing you can hunt down loose connections noises in your signal chain, particularly useful with large pedal boards that invariably are plagued with bad connections along the way.

-As a tone testing tool.
Same as above but, rather than hunting down problems, play a loop and turn knobs, flip switches to find the tone you are seeking.

-A/B testing
Put the looper between the guitar and amp #1, let it play as you test a second amp or pedal.

-Amp/Pedal shopping.
If your looper has a memory you can play a few of your favorite chord progressions, riff, licks.
Put the pedal in your pocket and take it with you to the guitar shop to test amps, pedals.
This allows you to test gear with your own guitar and no peer pressure to perform well in the store.

I think I've listed a few more ideas in the past but those are the few that come to mind.

 

[dvs]

I use mine exclusively for practicing. Backing tracks are great, but for the times I want to practice or develop something over a particular chord progression (which is a lot of the time), it's simple to lay a few bars down in the looper and have at it. It would be a whole lot more trouble to find a backing track with the right chords, in the right key, at the right tempo, and then set the loop over the part I wanted...

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

I use mine exclusively for practicing. Backing tracks are great, but for the times I want to practice or develop something over a particular chord progression (which is a lot of the time), it's simple to lay a few bars down in the looper and have at it. It would be a whole lot more trouble to find a backing track with the right chords, in the right key, at the right tempo, and then set the loop over the part I wanted...

I think this is the most "legitimate' (meaning most useful) application of a looper. For those who stray from the typical 3-chord blues stuff.

 

[tommytubetone]

I use mine exclusively for practicing. Backing tracks are great, but for the times I want to practice or develop something over a particular chord progression (which is a lot of the time), it's simple to lay a few bars down in the looper and have at it. It would be a whole lot more trouble to find a backing track with the right chords, in the right key, at the right tempo, and then set the loop over the part I wanted...

Yeah, I think the last time I used one it had to do with not finding a suitable backing track for whatever I was doing. Thanks

 

[PapaBear]

I've seen some folks do some incredible stuff live, from tapping there guitar for some percussion then adding a rhythm and singing and playing fills over it

 

[snarf]

Ed Sheeran is ace when it comes to using loopers. Shows what you can do with them

KT Tunstall and Phil Keaggy (caution: the Keaggy link is a religious song so don't click it if that kind of thing offends you) were a couple of acts making heavy use of a looper before loopers were really mainstream. The difference in their creativity and that of the rest of us mere mortals is astounding to me. Not only do they use them to add percussion, but they hear those short little riffs and hooks and phrases that they'll loop all together to make a song's accompaniment sound like they have a band behind them when it's really just them and their guitar. I haven't heard Ed Sheeran (I know I know, I'm behind the times so I'll have to look him up), but I'm guessing he's doing the same.

The looper I use is still the one that I bought back in like 2003. I keep saying I'm going to replace it, but I never have. It's definitely something that every guitar player should have in their arsenal, but I'm not sure I'd say it should be their first pedal. I think it was my third.

 

[steve o]

I don’t have a looper but am amazed by what skilled people can do with them. Here is a performance of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” by Noah Hoehn. He is an amazing harmonica player and percussionist that plays with my church’s worship team occasionally and in Steve Duede’s blues band (when he isn’t doing his solo looping act). Amazing!!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1EiAQtIobRs

 

[JestMe]

KT Tunstall and Phil Keaggy (caution: the Keaggy link is a religious song so don't click it if that kind of thing offends you) were a couple of acts making heavy use of a looper before loopers were really mainstream. The difference in their creativity and that of the rest of us mere mortals is astounding to me. Not only do they use them to add percussion, but they hear those short little riffs and hooks and phrases that they'll loop all together to make a song's accompaniment sound like they have a band behind them when it's really just them and their guitar. I haven't heard Ed Sheeran (I know I know, I'm behind the times so I'll have to look him up), but I'm guessing he's doing the same.

The looper I use is still the one that I bought back in like 2003. I keep saying I'm going to replace it, but I never have. It's definitely something that every guitar player should have in their arsenal, but I'm not sure I'd say it should be their first pedal. I think it was my third.

I really love Keaggy's music... acoustic, electric whatever, he is always top notch. True Believers is an awesome song and a great performance.

 

[Crossroads]

For backing tracks. I have 32 hours of recording time on my Looper. I can drop wav files from PC onto the looper. And I have foot control to advance through parts of the song or the pick the next song start-stop etcetera.

For digital you can sample amps and effects similar to reamping on a DAW. The looper plays the same progression and save a lot of time by cycling through effects and amps. I am currently, cataloging over 1,400 digital amps. This would take forever if I had to play licks over and over.

 

[snarf]

I really love Keaggy's music... acoustic, electric whatever, he is always top notch. True Believers is an awesome song and a great performance.

Not to hijack the thread too much, but Keaggy and SRV are easily my top two fave guitar players of all time. I had somebody give me a copy of Beyond Nature back in like 93. Long about 95 or 96 I picked up Crimson and Blue and haven't looked back since. I think I have every album he put out (including the Backroom Trax and some boots and everything Glassharp I have found) I think he is easily one of the most musically creative people on the planet.

OTC - It's my understanding that the looper that he still primarily uses is the old rackmount Lexicon JamMan that he has used since the 90s. If I remember correctly, it has a total of like a total of 90 seconds record time.

 

[jackderby52]

For backing tracks. I have 32 hours of recording time on my Looper. I can drop wav files from PC onto the looper. And I have foot control to advance through parts of the song or the pick the next song start-stop etcetera.

For digital you can sample amps and effects similar to reamping on a DAW. The looper plays the same progression and save a lot of time by cycling through effects and amps. I am currently, cataloging over 1,400 digital amps. This would take forever if I had to play licks over and over.

Man, I gotta ask why??? 1,400?.. you kids these days! Lol.

 

[Crossroads]

Man, I gotta ask why??? 1,400?.. you kids these days! Lol.

Didn't start out lookin for that many, but shit happens. Weeding out the best of the best. I think there are about 16 on my board so far. But amazing amps I could never afford, and the 50's and 60's tube amps are in a world by themselves.

Hope you are dong well through all this crazy shit, bud..

 

[jackderby52]

Didn't start out lookin for that many, but shit happens. Weeding out the best of the best. I think there are about 16 on my board so far. But amazing amps I could never afford, and the 50's and 60's tube amps are in a world by themselves.

Hope you are dong well through all this crazy shit, bud..

Back at ya.... All is well, just puttzing around the house trying to hide from the wife! lol....

 

[Rancid Rumpboogie]

Sometimes I use mine for a door-stop.