Hd500 Looper Decay Like Dl4?

[rchibnik]

I was under the (possibly mistaken) impression that the HD500 looper was the same software as the DL4.

 

Specifically I am wondering if there is a setting to make older sounds volume decay in a way similar to the DL4.

 

So I record a phrase, then overdub a second phrase, then a third phrase, and the earlier phrases decay in volume as the later phrases are stacked on. Without this, the arrangement gets muddy.

 

No other looper besides the DL4 seems to do this - I was hoping the POD looper would also exhibit this behavior but it doesnt seem to.

 

[phil_m]

This is the one difference between the HD500's looper and the DL4. It's kind of odd because the looper on the M9 and M13 behave like the DL4. The overdub parameter on those pedals controls how quickly the recorded loop fades out. On the HD500, the overdub parameter control the level that new overdubs are recorded at. I don't know why they didn't make them all behave in the same way. It's especially confusing when a parameter is labeled the same thing on different products, but it does different things on them.

[rchibnik]

Its a pity that they didnt use the same software in the POD, but who knows what challenges they faced in packing so many features into an affordable product.

 

The other thing I would like is a longer loop duration - it doesnt give me enough time to record a slow 12 bar, like Stormy Monday, in the alotted time.

 

The other scenario I use it for is very short loops creating an ambient background over which to play. This scenario requires the decay - too many layers becomes muddy.

[phil_m]

The other thing I would like is a longer loop duration - it doesnt give me enough time to record a slow 12 bar, like Stormy Monday, in the alotted time.

 

You may already know this, but if you press the 1/2 speed switch prior to recording your loop, you can double the maximum loop length to 48 seconds.

 

That might not be long enough to do a whole verse of Stormy Monday, though... That's kind of long and drawn out, and like you said, slow, blues.

[gortur]

Specifically I am wondering if there is a setting to make older sounds volume decay in a way similar to the DL4.

 

So I record a phrase, then overdub a second phrase, then a third phrase, and the earlier phrases decay in volume as the later phrases are stacked on. Without this, the arrangement gets muddy.

Actually, rchibnik, my HD500 behaves in the way you desire. If I set the overdub parameter to a low value, then record a phrase, push overdub, the phrases will fade away and slowly decay in level.

 

I don't really follow what the manual states, but I would suggest you give it another try with a low overdub parameter setting. Good luck!

[phil_m]

You know, I checked it out this morning, and gortur is correct... I haven't messed with the overdub parameter in a long time, and the Advanced Guide is actually incorrect. The overdub parameter on the HD500 acts the same way as it does on the M13. I could have sworn that I remember people complaining about the behavior being different on the HD500 when it first came out, but I don't remember for sure. Anyway, it actually does act in a way that similar to the DL4 and the M13 in the way the overdub parameter controls how the loop fades away.

[rchibnik]

Thanks - gortur and Phil. I'll give it a try using the HDEdit software and see how that works and post my results.

 

I'm at work, so dont have my HD rig (had to draw the line somewhere after two guitars in my office.)

[phil_m]

Unfortunately, you can't do anything with the looper in HD Edit. It doesn't show up at all anywhere. You have to change the pre/post position and all the parameters on the HD500 itself.

[Mincer]

Yes, the advanced guide is wrong. What doesn't behave the same is that on the DL4 and M-series, you can control the loop volume with the exp pedal. This was inexplicably left out on the HD500.