Loop Pedals - Worth It?

[markw51]

Are pedals like the Boss RC3 Loop Station really worth while? Do they make your practicing more enjoyable? Or after a while do you get tired of them? I'd like some feedback before I lay down the $ because they are pricey.

[forgivenick]

Absolutely.
They make you better in so many ways.
They also help you capture those cool improvised melodies and rhythm that you come up with and wish you could remember.

[tlimbert65]

My JamMan Solo was one of the best purchases I've made. I love being able to capture phrases quickly and easily, and save them so I don't forget them. I also love assembling little mini-songs by layering multiple parts. And I love using it to lay down rhythm tracks to practice lead parts over.

Seriously, get one. You'll be glad you did.

[Lenderman_k]

I played around with one once. It was definitively a lot of fun, but didnt see my self owning one.

[forgivenick]

Sorry, double post. See the other one below.

[ce24]

I have the boomerang III and a Boss giga delay (it has looping). can't save but I really like mine...really didn't like the RC3 never was able to get along with it....YES IMHO they are worth having.

[forgivenick]

A few others things about loopers that I didn't expect.

I can put a pair of headphones into the output jack and just use it as a headphone amp...doesn't work great, but it does work. Going to try out a new guitar today that I found on craigslist and am meeting at Starbucks. To test the guitar, I am bringing the looper, a cable, and a set of headphones. Easy.

Also, I keep finding new uses for mine (I also have the Jamman Solo).
I find it extremely valuable for finding out what my volume/sound/tone sounds like out in the audience or outside my house when I practice. If I don't want to disturb the neighbors, I can leave a loop playing while I walk outside to hear how loud it gets where others can hear.
Also, I made a couple youtube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Forgivenick

None of which am I really proud of, but the ones where I compared a blues jr and scxd amps was really helpful to get a good rhythm track that stayed the same (volume/tone/pick attack) for both amps..then I also played a little lead over top. It is a great way to compare the tone of one amp/pedal/setup to another and it keeps the guitar notes the same every time.
I hope that makes sense.
The looper is the one pedal I won't live without. Yeah, even more than dist/OD.
Its that important to me.

[adjason]

I use the boss dd7 -it has a 40 second looper. Its fun to a jam leads over chords. I kind of wish I had a regualr looper that had more options but it is a good intro to looping pedal.

[popthree]

my boomerang 3 is one of the few pieces of gear that i can say without reservation.. if it were lost or stolen, i'd buy another one. and that's not a tongue in cheek harmony central joke... i absolutely love that looper.

[bossking7]

Originally Posted by forgivenick

Absolutely.
They make you better in so many ways.
They also help you capture those cool improvised melodies and rhythm that you come up with and wish you could remember.

+1

[mindlobster]

RC3 = VERY useful all round gadget, for the reasons posted above...the USB connection clinched it for me!

[Daddy Hojo]

I have an akai headrush 2 and it's awesome. You can practice with a rhythm player that never gets tired or gives you dirty looks when you blow it.

[mal paso]

Big +1 to all the positives already mentioned.

You can flesh songs out, practice soloing, work on your compositional skills, save riffs quickly and easily, and, if you see fit, get pretty psychedelic too.

If you are curious, but don't want to drop a ton of loot, check out the used section at Guitar Center. I picked up the Boss RC-20 XL last summer for around $100. Worth every penny and then some! Obviously it has nowhere near the features of the newer models, but it more than meets my needs.

[krowbot]

I've found them to be really nifty and useful. When teaching some of my students, it's so much easier to create an exact loop on the spot, rather than fiddling with a sequencer of some sort.

Also, it may help with the writing process if you create your own music.

[Scantron08]

Yeah, go for it.

I have an RC-2 which I bought for the same reasons Mal_Paso bought an RC-20. I didn't need one with all the bells and whistles of an RC-3. My primary uses for it have been practicing at some - usually soloing over a jazz chord progression as a part of my desire to learn jazz and master modal playing - and using it live as a on-the-fly looper for solo acoustic shows where I throw in a solo over a looped chord progression that I record and loop right then and there as I'm playing it live. It has plenty of space for those two applications, but the 14-second looper on the Line 6 DL-4 wouldn't have been enough for me. On the other hand, I also don't need 1,000 hours worth of space to use a bunch of pre-programmed instrumentation for gigs - though that could be really useful in that application, that's just not how I perform. I ended up buying the external footswitch, so I could stop the loops and erase the temporary memory more easily on the fly live.

I looked at the JamMan, too. There are a lot of good options out there, and I'm not saying the RC series is the only option. My one complaint about mine is that it will automatically set a tempo - that I didn't tap in myself - which means when I step on it to record a loop, it counts off four beats at that tempo before it starts recording. In effect, the loop begins on the second bar of what you're playing - so you either have to play another bar while it's counting off before (re-)beginning the phrase you want to loop, or realize it ahead of time and cancel the set tempo .... while playing and singing. Kind of a pain. I don't play alone often, though, so it's not a regular pain in my side.

[Justinvs]

As a practice and writing tool, Loop pedals are the greatest thing since Leo Fender invented sliced bread! I''ve only had one since Christmas, but I can already tell an improvement in my phrasing and timing. Not to mention, they're just a blast to fool around with. Get one, you won't regret it.

Justin

[Shidoin]

Absolutely get one. I have an RC-50; it's a great practice tool as well as a creative kick in the pants. Plus, it's a blast to build up tracks and add 25 guitar parts if you want to.
The RC-50 is really way more powerful than I need, but it sure is fun. I could see doing a solo gig with it and rocking the house...soon as I find that damn manual and learn all the functions.

[Lance]

Yeah....loopers are great.

I've had a Jamman, an RC3, and my Line 6 M9....and now my TC Elec Flashback. All do the trick - some better than others. Of all, the M9 or M13 was the nicest and easiest to control.

A key (and why I didn't bond with the Jamman or RC3) is having seperating footswitches for controls. Obviously, something like the Boomerang is probably the best if you want a pure looper.

[Alex W]

Originally Posted by markw51

Are pedals like the Boss RC3 Loop Station really worth while? Do they make your practicing more enjoyable? Or after a while do you get tired of them? I'd like some feedback before I lay down the $ because they are pricey.

Yes, yes, a hundred times yes.

I have a Zoom G3 and an EH Memory Man. The Zoom G3 gets more use because it has a built in drum machine function. It makes practicing a blast, and is useful for songwriting. My guitar playing has really gotten a lot better since I got it and I am having more fun too.

[AJBaker]

I don't own one, but having gigged with someone that does, is advise getting one with two for pedals on it. Playing live, it makes things a lot easier, and you can avoid some train wrecks...