Here are the loop jams I captured from the month of October.
Loop 1
A riff based start, where has no grounding until the chords come in. It’s not quite a pedal tone because it’s not static, but has that feeling of one line providing all of the color for the other. In this case made it a bit hard to provide a lead line on top of the riff.
Loop 2
This starting riff feels like a pretty standard noodle for me. What next? The next layer, which chorus, is slightly overlapping the measure which is easy on the looper but was way more awkward to chop in the video. Regardless, the end result, funky. But once we get to the lead layer I was really feeling the swagger on this one.
Loop 3
Let’s not overthink the chord progression. Sometimes we don’t need complicated. Standard progression, tremolo go. I like how it keeps it interesting at the end of the loop, creating a bit of tension before it repeats. And that was enough to create a framework for what felt like a pretty fun jam.
Loop 4
I get full up on electric and need to go back to all acoustic. I play differently. The start here is very loopy to me. Just an idea, throw it into a loop and see what happens. The extra layer is where it can have some emotion and something to say.
Loop 5
A simple chord progression with tremolo. The bass line created the real foundation, that’s where most of the motion comes from. That foundation was what the lead parted needed to echo off of. I was happy with the vocal/emotive playing on top of this one, and how long it held up exploring that simple idea.
Loop 6
This one didn’t really come through until the lead section. The chord progression I think was from a song someone asked me to learn, but then I wanted to take it in a different direction. I no longer know what the song was. Anyway, what I started with here is fine; unremarkable. But I felt like the soul really only came in with the solo on top. I’m always trying to play melodically and not just “noodle,” and this one felt like it was saying something.
Loop 7
I had no idea where I wanted to take this loop. But I wanted moody distortion. So that’s what I did on top. No solo, just noise.
Loop 8
That’s a Q-tron envelope filter. Then some western-sounding big tremolo chords on top. Sure, why not?
Loop 9
I started with a more opinionated base layer. That means whatever is played on top as a “lead” layer needs to fit, and be a little more spacious. When it works well it works, this one is… reasonable.
Here are the loop jams I captured from the month of September.
The embedded clips below all show the same thumbnails, but I assure you they are each set to jump the right unique moment. Full video here.
Loop 1
A crunchy notadumble tone for the chord progression, a bass line that paces the drum kick in a nice way (I’ve been working on that). Listening back to it, the fuzzy lead tone on top is a bit shrill. But I like the distorted-plus-octaves released section in there. That part practically sounds like a song.
Loop 2
I really like the chord progression I noodled out that is the foundation of this loop. It uses a mix of single notes and some not standard chords and also not just a straight rhythm. I’ve found myself coming back to it after. The bass line isn’t fancy but was intentionally set in the loop to create some contrasting motion with different repeats. Using vibrato can be touchy with a lead tone because it can sound like you’re a bit out of tune (and technically, you are?), so I’m second guessing whether that was the right tonal choice here. I was going for a more laid back low fi vibe. Somewhat got there. This one sounds happy and relaxed to me.
Loop 3
This one so clearly was just me noodling out something weird on bass and then going “sure, yeah, hit record I guess.” Good to bring the tiny keyboard in though; I don’t do that enough. And then the jam on top is acoustic (pickup, not mic’d) with a fairly notably strong delay. It’s all, fine? Chill.
Loop 4
Swimmy phaser tone on that central riff. The bass is simple but emphasizes that double beat. And then for the lead I went a bit heavy on tone but was trying to lean into leaving lots of space.
Loop 5
This one is a repeat of sorts. I was listening back to some older loops and remembered this one I liked. So I decided to use the raw idea behind it again and see what happened. And what happened is one new idea on top of that led to so many more different ideas. There’s a pulse to this one that has me bobbing my head, started with the second guitar layer and then emphasized with the bass. I also like how the second bass layer (why not!) really adds something. And then for the lead section I laid something remarkably similar to the original but it ends up feeling very very different. Music is cool like that.
Loop 6
This one is so moody, and it’s not just the lighting. Such a non-assuming start with the tremolo open chords. I’m feeling better about locking it in on the bass, and this one gets there. It also represents the moment of me finally cracking a tone from the Dark Star that I liked (or more accurately, liked in a mix). I had also been playing a bit of slide (which I’m still not great at) before this and it really shows in the playing style.
Loop 7
So I messed up the original recording of this. Turns out I didn’t reselect the audio from the mixer and was getting it from the microphone (unhelpful due to having monitors off and headphones on). But I liked it so I went back and did a quick recreation the next day. The lead section here is over the original loop. I’m happy with how emotive the playing is.
Here are the loop jams I captured from the month of August. This was a crazy busy month so I’m really proud of the fact that I kept the practice going.
The embedded clips below all show the same thumbnails, but I assure you they are each set to jump the right unique moment. Full video here.
Loop 1
I have a trombone. I don’t particularly know how to play the trombone other than the basics. But it’s a fun instrument. And in this moment it felt like the right thing to bring out. Why is there a weird stain on my Hollow Knight shirt? No clue, but I can’t stop looking at it. Just like I couldn’t stop getting into a cycle of playing that melody over this loop.
Loop 2
I love playing with my pedalboard and an electric guitar. But… sometimes it’s great to set up a mic and keep it to acoustic instruments. First the nylon guitar that I learned on as a kid. Then the acoustic bass I got from a used shop in college. And then the bouzouki I got this past summer in Greece. It’s not often that I use the bouzouki for the final lead layer, but I think this jam slaps.
Loop 3
An example of where the interplay between the rhythm guitar and bass was essential to the jam having any character. I really liked how the slow bends sounded over this, combined with some delay so you get blend between the dissonant tones.
Loop 4
I was looking for something simple with simple slow movement. Thus a simple distorted line and then… nothing else? Yeah I guess no other layers. Various warbly tones played on top of that.
Loop 5
This may be the loop I had the most fun with in this set. Super simple crunchy guitar as the start, then some percussive organ from my tiny keyboard. The bass emphasizes the funkiest. After which I reached for the trumpet. In trying to put a couple different horn layers to harmonize, at some point I messed up the undo and committed something… not quite right. At that point, with 4+ other layers underneath it across various instruments… there’s no going back.
Loop 6
I recently got a Dark Star Stereo, and I’ve been trying to make it work for me. So far, if I’m honest… I might actually prefer the (less expensive) Afterneath. But I’m trying to figure this pedal out. This loop is an example of trying to lean into its dreamy overwhelming reverb. Most of the structure comes from the bass.
Loop 7
My loop pedal can do an A section / B section (e.g. verse/chorus), but I skip over it for most of my quick and dirty loops. The downside is that I don’t end up practicing transitions as much if I stick to one endless drone. This one… it’s fine.
Loop 8
I really like this one. Tremolo chord sequence, but then the bass gives it a lot more motion. And of course a bit of organ is always nice and lush. I could play over this one on loop for a very long time (and I’m pretty sure I did).
Loop 9
Time to cycle back to the acoustic. A bit of electric bass, but that’s all good (I have an acoustic bass, but my electric is new and I’m really bonding with it). Recording-wise I’m trying to get both the mic off the guitar and mix with the line in so I get a more full sound. Tricker to get right than it sounds.
Loop 10
Whether I start with the bass or the guitar changes the feel of the loop to me, but if I recall I did at least try the layers together before hitting record. But I think the section I sampled for the final play over didn’t quite capture the fun I was having with some long analog delay. A far cry from that The Edge style delay timing, but that’s what I was trying to play around with.