41 replies to this topic

[Briz Vegas]

This story is a short(ish) one that started in 2010 when I had a mid life crisis, got a guitar and had about 10 lessons. Thats as far as i got at the time, but my teacher suggested getting a loop station as a way of having fun and creating a bit of a backing track for myself. Finally today I grabbed one at a one day sale in Brissy. I realised I would need to get my head around it so I jumped on you tube (as you do) and typed in the name of the gadget and got this (below)

Listening to these few tracks I was amazed at the sheer level of engagement this stuff gave me even through the laptop speakers. I get why musicians think we are nuts. Frankly, we are nuts. The loop station featured here is the same one I have and cost just over 300 bucks. I could listen all evening (I just have) - the hifi sits idle.

I'm not suggesting I'll ever produce anything like this, but what a wonderful result from such a modest investment and obviously years of practice and talent. Who needs a mixing engineer and HD files, honestly I'm gob smacked.

Edited by Briz Vegas, 28 April 2012 - 11:46 PM.

[Aslan]

Dunno about the loop station mate, but thanks for posting the vid - she's a sweetheart!

[mr-happy-pants]

Those of us who can't play buy hifi :-)

[kunalraiker]

Those of us who can't play buy hifi :-)

Ditto

[LogicprObe]

The best loop man.

[surfpurple]

A

This story is a short(ish) one that started in 2010 when I had a mid life crisis, got a guitar and had about 10 lessons. Thats as far as i got at the time, but my teacher suggested getting a loop station as a way of having fun and creating a bit of a backing track for myself. Finally today I grabbed one at a one day sale in Brissy. I realised I would need to get my head around it so I jumped on you tube (as you do) and typed in the name of the gadget and got this (below)

Listening to these few tracks I was amazed at the sheer level of engagement this stuff gave me even through the laptop speakers. I get why musicians think we are nuts. Frankly, we are nuts. The loop station featured here is the same one I have and cost just over 300 bucks. I could listen all evening (I just have) - the hifi sits idle.

I'm not suggesting I'll ever produce anything like this, but what a wonderful result from such a modest investment and obviously years of practice and talent. Who needs a mixing engineer and HD files, honestly I'm gob smacked.

Amazing!!

Who needs a band?

I have been 'trying' to play guitar for years, and now bass. Maybe I can get one of these machines and just play the 'three' chords I know on guitar and the 'five' notes I know on bass, and whoola! I could have an instsnt band!

..........................hang on !..........I still have to 'learn' how to use the 'machine'!!

[ehtcom]

It's the music that gives you the tingles, not the hifi system.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Earle.

[Proac]

Thank you for the utube video: she is very talented: a joy to listen to.

[GregWormald]

Briz--that's not a machine--that's talent.

Thanks for the post.

Greg

[calypso]

" I get why musicians think we are nuts. Frankly, we are nuts. " Believe me musicians are just as nutty about gear as we are if not more so. the endless quest for tone, valves vs solid state, constant turnover of equipment, etc, etc. The similarity between our two pursuits outweigh the differences.

[Briz Vegas]

There is a lot of talent and a very useful tool. I find the trick is getting the first loop down right, after that building on it is not as hard as each layer can be simple. I was up until two just mucking about as its addictive. After the novelty wears off I will have go back to scales etc unfortunately.

Not taking away from what she does and her obvious talent, I think she has it down to an art. Some of her videos have 1 1/2 million views and they are all good, including her originals. I do wonder how you translate those 1,500,000 views into a career and a pay check.

[Briz Vegas]

" I get why musicians think we are nuts. Frankly, we are nuts. " Believe me musicians are just as nutty about gear as we are if not more so. the endless quest for tone, valves vs solid state, constant turnover of equipment, etc, etc. The similarity between our two pursuits outweigh the differences.

Good point.Gotye has made a similar comment.

Also,I have only jammed with a mate and my teacher but its way better than a machine. For me the gadget is a tool to help/make me practice.

[LogicprObe]

" I get why musicians think we are nuts. Frankly, we are nuts. " Believe me musicians are just as nutty about gear as we are if not more so. the endless quest for tone, valves vs solid state, constant turnover of equipment, etc, etc. The similarity between our two pursuits outweigh the differences.

That's right.
What about the disappointment when musicians and engineers spend all that time recording stuff at the highest res possible (for their situation) only to have people listen to it as an MP3 @ 128kb/s.

[surfpurple]

That's right.
What about the disappointment when musicians and engineers spend all that time recording stuff at the highest res possible (for their situation) only to have people listen to it as an MP3 @ 128kb/s.

+1

So counter productive to be in an age where technology enables such hi-resolution music yet lots of people (mainly ipod users) listen in such 'low' quality.

...........may as well go back to cassette tapes!

[LogicprObe]

I was never fond of cassette tapes either............and rarely used them.

[surfpurple]

I was never fond of cassette tapes either............and rarely used them.

I had dozens of the buggers! Thanks to my 'hi quality' tape deck!

[Jake]

I was never fond of cassette tapes either............and rarely used them.

Are you kidding? Cassettes were great. I'd rather listen to them than CDs. Ok, I know, I know, off topic....ban me!

[kunalraiker]

I remember my local audio repair guy, wanted to sell me this "glass head"
Apparently very hi-fi for the tape decks and was less prone to get muddy.

[surfpurple]

Are you kidding? Cassettes were great. I'd rather listen to them than CDs. Ok, I know, I know, off topic....ban me!

They don't jump or skip, or fail to read! And they were small too!

[Tony M]

Our old truck is really only used for trips to the dump.

 IMG_0094.JPG   3.98MB   8 downloads

But it has a cassette player........and the dump has a recycling shop that sells cassettes for about 50c ea. So, although I gave up on cassettes decades ago, I'm amassing a new collection that live in the truck and get covered in dust and still sound..................sort of OK.

[A J]

Wow - amazing

[LogicprObe]

Are you kidding? Cassettes were great. I'd rather listen to them than CDs. Ok, I know, I know, off topic....ban me!

I preferred reel to reel..............but not very portable!

[surfpurple]

Our old truck is really only used for trips to the dump.

 IMG_0094.JPG   3.98MB   8 downloads

But it has a cassette player........and the dump has a recycling shop that sells cassettes for about 50c ea. So, although I gave up on cassettes decades ago, I'm amassing a new collection that live in the truck and get covered in dust and still sound..................sort of OK.

Couldn't do that with 'CDs'!

[datafone]

I have about 80 cassettes, but need to get parts for the Tascam

[L J T]

. I do wonder how you translate those 1,500,000 views into a career and a pay check.

That's how Bieber was found!

[emesbee]

Are you kidding? Cassettes were great. I'd rather listen to them than CDs. Ok, I know, I know, off topic....ban me!

Boo, Hissssssssssssssssssss................

[emesbee]

They don't jump or skip, or fail to read! And they were small too!

Wow!! (flutter..)

[ayou2]

We bother because it is something most of us can call an enjoyment, hobby etc but we can also take little responsibility for the end result. This isnt a 100% accurate theory, but it applies to the majority of us.

Two parallels are Golf & Motorsport. Ever noticed how many golfers buy new equipment on a regular basis ? There is an enormous industry built on that fact. Many golfers think they can buy a better game.

Ever spent much time round Motorsport guys ? The car was off song, wrong tyres, cars no good on that track etc etc.

Audiophiles ... Amps bright, cd player lacks sparkle, speakers are boomy, silver cable / copper interconnects, too warm, not warm enough, lacks emotion etc etc.

So we get to duck and weave, blame the equipment and keep spending money while ignoring the fact that we are the ones who choose
what we use. People also tend to buy into our blaming the equipment, how many long suffering wife's of these types of hobbyists are there ?

If you play an instrument & suck at it, someone's going to eventually say, "stop buying different guitars, it's not the problem"

[Tony M]

If you play an instrument & suck at it, someone's going to eventually say, "stop buying different guitars, it's not the problem"

....especially if you play the saxophone .

[Briz Vegas]

A good reason to only play for your own amusement - you might suck but you get a kick out of it. When I bought a guitar I didn't get the cheapest, my guitar amp is a valve amp because frankly they cost more but they sound better. I have an old acoustic and an electric because I like the different sounds. I reckon everyone should have some sort of instrument in the house, even if you never play for someone else to hear.

I feared having a guitar would kill my I interest in music by killing some of the mystery, but if anything it has added to my enjoyment. So I guess I am saying that "it's all good", but sometimes less can be more, you don't always need the big hifi to get engaged in the music. I still love my naim and CJ gear at the end of the day (or late at night to be precise)

[LogicprObe]

It's always a thrill to figure out how someone plays something or managing to get nearly the same sound.

[surfpurple]

A good reason to only play for your own amusement - you might suck but you get a kick out of it. When I bought a guitar I didn't get the cheapest, my guitar amp is a valve amp because frankly they cost more but they sound better. I have an old acoustic and an electric because I like the different sounds. I reckon everyone should have some sort of instrument in the house, even if you never play for someone else to hear.

I feared having a guitar would kill my I interest in music by killing some of the mystery, but if anything it has added to my enjoyment. So I guess I am saying that "it's all good", but sometimes less can be more, you don't always need the big hifi to get engaged in the music. I still love my naim and CJ gear at the end of the day (or late at night to be precise)

I can say that having a guitar and bass does, in a small way, kill some of the mystery of music.(coming from a 'listeners' perspective).

When I started learning the 'bass' I found that I listened to the 'bass' when I listened to songs and didn't listen to the song as a whole. And since I have stopped playing I find I listen to the song and not certain instruments more often.

I have a few 'muso' friends who listen just for certain instruments and they fail to really 'feel' the song as a whole! That's where I find that people who are more 'listeners' actually hear the music for what it was intended, and that is 'entertainment' NOT disectment! Listeners (who don't play an instrument), are very serious about their listening and really embrace the music a lot more. But I do have a couple (not many) friends who are 'fans' as well as 'musos'!

[LogicprObe]

That's sort of true..............but even though you may 'listen' to a certain instrument, you still have to feel it.

On that topic, I never took any notice of the vocals, except for how the melody fitted..............hence, I only started to know ANY lyrics, besides the odd chorus, until not many years ago!

[surfpurple]

That's sort of true..............but even though you may 'listen' to a certain instrument, you still have to feel it.

On that topic, I never took any notice of the vocals, except for how the melody fitted..............hence, I only started to know ANY lyrics, besides the odd chorus, until not many years ago!

Maybe cause you weren't 'listening' as a 'fan'!

If you listen to a certain instrument, then your focus is taken 'away' from the song as a whole.

[emesbee]

....especially if you play the saxophone .

If you suck a saxophone instead of blowing it, does it sound different?

[Paul Spencer]

The world is bursting with talent, there is one person this talented in every suburb, yet how do you explain the music on the radio?!

I do wish it was easier for musicians like this girl to get their music out there.

[tuyen]

i love listening to songs by Rihanna, everyday!

[surfpurple]

The world is bursting with talent, there is one person this talented in every suburb, yet how do you explain the music on the radio?!

I do wish it was easier for musicians like this girl to get their music out there.

"How do you explain the music on the radio" you ask?

Easy......IT'S A BUSINESS !

[rantan]

If you suck a saxophone instead of blowing it, does it sound different?

I choose not to answer that question on the grounds that it may tend to incriminate me

[Briz Vegas]

Sometimes just a post on a forum can get new music to a couple of hundred people. Maybe I should have picked an original track, but they were just mostly piano and voice, and were a little less fresh in concept and relevance to me.

At the end of the day (I sound like a football player) all that matters is that you enjoy the music. These videos helped me see that at a number of different levels, just as the guitar helps..............and I guess you could argue that a fancy hifi potentially also allows that different perspective. The approach that works for me might not work for you.

I found the playing along to music means you have to move with the music and that helps me to focus and experience music differently.

[goooobags]

Here are two more loop artists, both very different styles, they take a couple of minutes to get to the good bits though.




Just adding a bit to the discussion, in the Gorillaz cover in the first post, I could no doubt buy a pretty respectable headphone setup for the cost of a keyboard, guitar, mic and loop machine.

[Bodhi]

Ditto

Thirded (is that a word?)