Clear 1 Switch Looper without playing back anything?

[SaschaFranck]

Is there any way to clear the 1 Switch Looper without having to listen to the beginning of the previously recorded content?

I mean, there must be some way to do this, otherwise you could never even remotely use it in a live context.

 

Thanks in advance for any tips, tricks and hacks.

[silverhead]

Unfortunately…. No. At least not without somehow muting the main outputs for the brief duration (e.g. a Vol block after the Looper?). There may be better hacks - that’s just the first that comes to mind.

 

F’rinstance…. Engaging the Tuner might clear the recorded loop. I’m not at my device to try this.

[SaschaFranck]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:02 PM, silverhead said:

F’rinstance…. Engaging the Tuner might clear the recorded loop. I’m not at my device to try this.

 

Nah, doesn't work. Thought about the tuner as well, as in long-pressing the looper switch while the tuner is muting things, but on the Stomp, all switches become non functioning as soon as the tuner is engaged.

Can't afford "wasting" a block and a switch for a mute block (I just switched from a Floor to a Stomp for several reasons, so I do now need to learn to use blocks much more efficiently). Besides, quite often when I'm clearing a loop, I still continue playing, so muting everything wouldn't be a too great idea.

I also checked whether the Command Center Options would be of any help, but unfortunately they're not.

I've also got a Jet Micro switch along with the Stomp, and while it has a dedicated looper mode, there's no "clear loop" option, either - not wondering about that, though, because there's simply nothing like it in the MIDI implementation chart.

IMO this is quite an oversight on all one-button-loopers, they all seem to do it that way (even the sort of highly acclaimed Ditto looper is making no exception from that). These things are defenitely not made with live performances in mind.

Anyway, as this is a software based looper, L6 could at least offer an option for a "silent clean" function, maybe just available through Command Center or by expanding it to a 2 switch looper. Or even a 3 switch looper. I mean, the 6 switch looper on the Floor is taking over all the switching functionality as well - why not offer the same thing for the Stomp (minus, say, reverse, double tempo and undo as separate switches)? Switch 1 could then operate rec/dub, switch 2 could be start/stop and a long press on switch 1 would clear the loop without conflicts with the play switch. Fwiw, double press to stop the loop isn't exactly too reliable, either.

 

And apart from all that, I wish there was a "cancel" option one could use for the initial loop recording. The looper on the Zoom G3 has such an option and it's incredibly useful. I mean, if at all, the initial loop is *the* key thing of the entire shebang to work or not. And once you notice it might not be as great as you wish while playing, an instant cancel option is really neat to have. I for one am really digging this on the G3 - and as I also had in mind to finally replace the G3 with the Stomp for acoustic gigs (which is where I'm using the looper the most, in fact it's the only occasions I use a looper live), I'd really love a bit more comfort (rather than something that more or less qualifies as a showstopper).

 

[SaschaFranck]

Hm, I should post the 2 button looper thing on Ideascale. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

[SaschaFranck]

Fwiw, here's how the 2-switch looper works on the Zoom G3:

You get into loop mode by longpressing the right switch (of the 3 on the unit), that switch will also take you back to normal mode (so you could as well select another sound while the loop is playing).

Once in loop mode, switch (1) serves Rec/Dub purposes, switch (2) serves Cancel/Stop/Clear. When you press (1) for the initial recording, (2) offers a "Cancel" function, so nothing gets recorded at all and you can start away instantly by pressing (1) again. The cancel function alone is worth its weight in gold (err, well...). Once you're happy, you press (1) again and the loop will play. (1) now turns into an overdub switch, (2) allows you to stop (without any irritating doubleciick action which never allows you to stop at an exact moment in time anyway). Once stopped, (1) will start the loop again while (2) turns into a "Clear" switch (you need to hold it down a little longer, which is nice as you don't accidentally erase a loop).

 

Apart from the lack of an undo function (which would allow you to erase the last loop layer), this is absolutely perfect and live-ready as it allows you for a) exact stops and b) silent loop clearing.

 

Could work 100% the same on the Stomp (just that you have to insert a looper while it's always there on the G3). It might even be possible to enter loop mode without having to assign (and hence waste) a switch by either longpressing one of the switches or by simultaneously pressing 2 switches.

 

 

[HonestOpinion]

On 10/22/2022 at 11:01 AM, SaschaFranck said:

Is there any way to clear the 1 Switch Looper without having to listen to the beginning of the previously recorded content?

I mean, there must be some way to do this, otherwise you could never even remotely use it in a live context.

 

Thanks in advance for any tips, tricks and hacks.

 

Not sure if this helps. It is all the way back from the 2.60 firmware release notes:

1. Quickly double-press the 1 Switch Looper switch. Playback/recording stops and the LED lights white, indicating a loop is in memory.
2. While Looper playback/recording is stopped, press and hold the switch. The recording is deleted and the LED lights dim white.

[SaschaFranck]

On 10/29/2022 at 1:07 AM, HonestOpinion said:

While Looper playback/recording is stopped, press and hold the switch. The recording is deleted and the LED lights dim white.

 

Sure. But that will trigger some moments of playback, no way around it. And quite obviously, that's a no-go for any live situation.

[MusicLaw]

Fully Agree. There does not seem to be a satisfactory method. :((

[PierM]

Why dont you just use looper commands?

 

You wouldnt need to clear, as soon you set 2 or 3 footswitches to do like

 

FS 1, REC/OV

FS 2, PLAY/STOP

 

Or FS2 STOP and FS3 PLAY

 

Once you stopped, next REC press will just start recording a new loop. They didnt put a clear function, as Stop will already put the looper in two options: Play, Overdub, will start again....REC, will just clean and record a new loop.

 

Then, if you really feel the need of a clear; You can set a FS, to do a REC on press and STOP on release, so a quick tap, will record nothing, and drop the old loop...but this isnt really required as soon as you STOP.

 

There is plenty of control with looper commands. With an external controller, or just a external switch for FS4 and 5, you can have a full looper right there, with Rec/Ov, play/stop, Undo, reverse, etc etc...

 

But again, what you need is a stop button, so that next rec will just record a new loop, with no play involved.

 

[SaschaFranck]

On 10/29/2022 at 12:38 PM, PierM said:

Once you stopped, next REC press will just start recording a new loop. They didnt put a clear function, as Stop will already put the looper in two options: Play, Overdub, will start again....REC, will just clean and record a new loop.

 

Way cool, that's something I haven't checked yet. I even got a Jet Micro along with my HXS, so I could keep my current pedal assignments intact. I simply didn't know that using the dedicated rec function from stop mode would erase the previous loop (having owned a Floor until 2 weeks ago, I could've known, sigh...).

 

Still, a dedicated loop mode that you could enter without setting up things in Command Center (which will automatically "waste" some switches), would be nice to have IMO.

 

Will check all that out tomorrow (and I will have to find a place for the Jet Micro plus some 9V outlet I guess - and likely reconfigure my patches).

 

 

[radboudh]

or just assign another foot switch to silence the looper by setting its playback volume to -60 dB ?