RE: HOW MANY LOOPS DO YOU USE SIMLUTANEOUSLY?

["greg williams" <gregorwilliams@comcast.net>]

I take a compositional approach in general, so how many layers I use at any
given time depends on the piece. 

I tend to use quite a few at times due to the nature of my music and guitar
orchestrations. I use two approaches to reduce the "mush factor" - keep in
mind I use two EDPs:

1) I use an ABY splitting box (Radial Switchbone) before the EDPs so that I
can assign any layer to be panned left, right, or both (center and louder).
Stereo separation of parts reduces the "mush factor" quite a bit, and 
sounds
bloody cool. Again, I take a compositional approach, so I plan this shite
out in advance. I then improvise solos on top (in the center). I am
fascinated with Gamelan-inspired Kotekan interlocking melodic fragments, 
and
I often hard pan two of those suckers left and right, with a ground or
ostinato in the middle. 

2) I rarely have feedback at 100%. I'm interested in things gradually
morphing over time in terms of timbre and key/modal relationships, as well
as polyrhythmic/polymetric possibilities. I also like to use looping to 
play
canons, where feedback reduction is particularly essential. 

I also alternate quite a bit of solo classical and fingerstyle steel-string
playing with the looping pieces, generally in the form of intros and codas,
and those of course have no layers.

I have moreloops set to 2, but I don't use that particular function much; I
like the organic flow.


~Greg
www.myspace.com/gregwilliamsguitarist