For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
By Chicks427 Wed May 19, 2021 8:42 pm
So I mainly play bass, and lately I'm getting a little tired of sitting in my bedroom hearing /nothing/ but a bassline. I want to, at the very minimum, start playing to a drum loop, with the ability to record my sessions, and it's my understanding that basically any looper/mpc device will cater to that. More than that, I have a midi keyboard that I'd like to use for some chords, and I recently bought my sister an electric drum kit, so it'd be nice to be able to record custom drum loops.

I've been looking at loopers like the boss rc series, and some of the mpc range. Initially I was planning on getting a looper first and just practicing bass some more, perhaps doing some chord harmonics and the like, and doing any production on a desktop workstation, with the loops I've recorded as a kind of library of ideas. Lately, however, I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go ahead and get some kind of device like an mpc one, for example, and simply record my ideas straight on there?

My question is essentially, what would I get when buying a looper that I wouldn't also get if I got an mpc one**? I'm guessing I could attach a foot pedal to the mpc somehow? Though if not, that's not a dealbreaker for me. Other than that, though, I can't immediately see - having never used either of them, only going on various YouTube videos - what extra functionality I'd get from having a dedicated looper, except perhaps a better workflow when it comes to looping specifically. I feel like I'd end up having to move it to a DAW or an mpc kind of device to tweak it the way I wanted, anyway. In particular, I'd like to mess around with the drums so it's not a single loop with only 1/2 variations, and in that case it seems the looper can't do much?

Apologies if this is a stupid question, but having not tried any of these devices, I don't really know what to expect, and didn't want to end up buying something I wouldn't use. I'd appreciate any advice.

** I say mpc one not because I'm absolutely set on that, but just that it seems like the one I'd be going for, unless there ends up being a good reason not to.
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By mr_debauch Wed May 19, 2021 9:11 pm
well the rc-505 is a very nice looper but they aren't cheap. the mpc one is not far from that in terms of price. the one can do a lot, ok if you need a looper than the one isn't as good at that as the RC, but it does a ton of other stuff which depending on what you want to do or find out you can do later... it might be worth it.

you don't have to make hip hop drums to the grid... you can turn all the quantization stuff off and hit in a beat (off time or out of pocket) and record it that way too... plus you can assemble all your other sounds together all in the one machine.. then export as stems to mix it in a daw or mix it in the one and export as an mp3 or wav.... so it is pretty versatile. small little machine like that does a lot and i think it really is bang for buck.. so lucky these days.
By DokBrown Wed May 19, 2021 10:34 pm
IF u just want to loop get a looper.
If u want to loop + chop + midi  MPC

I imagine if u get a looper u will also need a DAW
The MPC 1 is probably all u need

Do u have a DAW that you are good with already ?
If so, that DAW + looper is your best bet


If no DAW comes to mind, might as well invest in learning the MPC.
U should never need another machine ;-)
By 6/8 Stanley Thu May 20, 2021 2:44 am
got a tc electronic looper a few years ago. Amazing features. Never used it after the first week. Hate how it degraded the sound of my electric guitar. Also maybe I just don't like looping. Try before buy.
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By Ill-Green Thu May 20, 2021 8:00 pm
I play guitar myself. I am more of a beatmaker than a guitarist but I know what I need in making music.

I been through plenty samplers and loopers. The kings (at least to me) are; sampler, the DJS-1000. Looper, the Grand Canyon.

One is a full fledge beatbox and the other is an effect pedal. Both created for live and on-the-fly creations. However, if you already have a DAW or a multitrack, just take the Grand Canyon route.

What I like about the Grand Canyon is that its an old school style of looper but packed with modern features. My bad, its a delay pedal with a looper in it but the stuff you create out of it you'll be using both sides equally. I see guys using the looper making ambient backgrounds and then layering guitar with the delay on top. I use an electric cajon for drums as the first 2 loops, then loop a bassline and then get crazy on guitar. Grand Canyon got a pitch knob with a range of -50%+50%. Really cool it can slow or speed up your playing like a turntable once recorded in. Also, you can record with the pitch knob up or down and you be able to make a bass sound like a bright guitar. Pretty nice for a pedal.

The DJS-1000 can loop and record on the fly and to as many pads as you like while you sample. Even edit samples while it plays.