Why Does My Recorded Loop Fall Aut Of Tempo After A Few Seconds?

[bassman1959]

I record a loop on my POD HD 400 and witin a few seconds it falls out of tempo.  Any ideas why?

[daveschutt]

Just some thoughts and suggestiosn.  One making loops in perfect time is not easy, even miliseconds off will accumulate with each run of the loop making it more and more off time.  That's why most pros that use them for performance will use some sort of software based recording tool so they can edit them to make them perfect.  Since we don't all have access to that, I would suggest using a metronome while you record your loop.  Record your loop as many times as you can within the allowed time too as that will also make the imperfections accumulate slower.  If you're planning on using it with a band after it would be helpful if your drummer plays to a click for that song so that he can be in better time when you use your loop.  Nothing worse than recording the perfect 120bpm loop for a song then the drummer rushes and is playing at 122bpm when you go to start your loop, it will be a trainwreck at that point!  Good Luck! It may take many attempts, just remember Thomas Edison made 10,000 light bulbs until he found using tungsten as the filament to be the element he needed!

[TheRealZap]

that's why i prefer the boss (and probably other non-L6 loopers) because they have the built-in rhythm/metronome and quantize. 

 

Just some thoughts and suggestiosn.  One making loops in perfect time is not easy, even miliseconds off will accumulate with each run of the loop making it more and more off time.  That's why most pros that use them for performance will use some sort of software based recording tool so they can edit them to make them perfect.  Since we don't all have access to that, I would suggest using a metronome while you record your loop.  Record your loop as many times as you can within the allowed time too as that will also make the imperfections accumulate slower.  If you're planning on using it with a band after it would be helpful if your drummer plays to a click for that song so that he can be in better time when you use your loop.  Nothing worse than recording the perfect 120bpm loop for a song then the drummer rushes and is playing at 122bpm when you go to start your loop, it will be a trainwreck at that point!  Good Luck! It may take many attempts, just remember Thomas Edison made 10,000 light bulbs until he found using tungsten as the filament to be the element he needed!

[daveschutt]

I agree, I use a Boss RC-300 for perfomance looping applications.  I use my HD to practice, improve over progressions or as a great tool for sound checking by being able to play/loop and then walk out in the venue and listen.

[jimsreynolds]

I actually find the POD looper easy to use once you get used to it. It is very much dependent on you though to close the loop correctly.  

 

If you think about it though this is beneficial in the bigger picture because it increases your ability to correctly hit a pedal to match a tempo. When I first tried it I would create an asymmetrical loop more often than not. Now I am used to it though, I actually find it quite easy to get correct.  You need to learn to stay relaxed while awaiting the loop point though. If you get stiff then the odds are that you will miss the beat.   Naturally, shorter loops reduce your risk!

 

I had an RC-20 (original) for a bit but was a tone suck in my amp loop (may have been my config error in hindsight) so I ditched it.

 

I prefer not to use a metronome and so for me the quantisation is not really a factor.  The metronome always sounds shonky in a live setup to me.  I would rather take my chances and get the loop right.

 

Without the encumbrance of  a fixed rhythm it is much easier to get a loop going with a band too.  You can lay down a backing riff which the band runs with while you take a lead break.  The band have to be up for tracking the loop Temp (not always easy) but It can work quite well if you get it right.

 

Horses for courses though.

[guitarmech111]

The looper is basically useless for performance unless you have it dialed perfectly. Since we are human, perfect is not an option. I tried several times to loop a pattern live and it went off time every time I used it. I got some nasty looks from the band. For practice, yeah, it is ok. For performance definitely not.

[phil_m]

The looper is basically useless for performance unless you have it dialed perfectly. Since we are human, perfect is not an option.

It depends on the context of the performance. When playing with a band, it's going to be hard, but not necessarily impossible. The POD's looper is really a slightly improved version of the DL4 looper, and I've seen all sorts of people using the DL4 live over the years. A lot of them have been solo acts, but there's been a few with bands. Looping is an art in and of itself.

 

This little piece by Phil Keaggy is using the DL4, I believe.