Learn Live Looping On The RC-3 Loop Station.

Now you've been introduced to this live looping course and the Boss RC-3 Loop Station pedal.

We also briefly covered the information that will be shared in Module One. Let's continue.

What gear do you need for effective looping.

Let's revise the gear you will need in addition to the pedal for creating loops.

Besides the pedal itself, you will need either a microphone or an instrument (preferably both) with the correct cabling that you can connect to a mixer and plug into speakers in order to create effective loops.

Plugging in the pedal.

Connecting the pedal is easy.

Create a line that starts from the microphone or instrument by placing the jack cable into the input of the pedal and then a cable from the output connecting to the mixer, amplifier that ultimately ends at the speakers.

We discuss how critical timing is when creating seamless loops.

Breaking down the nuts and bolts of what makes a loop.

We see that a loop is a segment of rhythm that plays over and over. The most common time signature is the 4/4 beat.

Timing is critical when creating seamless loops but it's a simple as counting 1  2  3  4.

We demonstrate using a microphone how we create a loop that's in time and we demonstrate a loop that is out of time.

The basic operations of the Loop Station are

1. Depress the pedal to start it recording (record mode)

2. Depress the pedal again to trigger the replay of the recorded loop (playback mode) This however due to factory presets will automatically start to record the next overdub (playback and record mode simultaneously) The next lecture will show how to change this setting so that it just triggers replay so the first overdub recording is no longer automatic but manual.

3. Double tap the pedal to stop (pause not erase) the loop from playing back. Double tapping the pedal to stop playback can cause confusion and errors, so by including a 2nd pedal (Boss FS-5U) this can be averted. This is the second pedal hack.

4. Erasing the loop. When out of play mode, press and hold either pedal and the loop will be removed from its memory.

Another helpful feature hack.

This hack is just changing a factory preset. The pedal is preset to continue recording after you've created your first loop. This may put a bit of pressure on you to rush your first overdub and mess up your timing.

By changing the default setting from 

"record to immediate overdub" 

to 

"record with only playback" 

you will reduce the pressure of rushing into the first overdub.

Creating your first loop with a microphone.

This is the laying down of your first loop using a microphone, this is your primary or foundational loop upon which you could layer other loops (overdubs) or you could just just sing over it.

The demonstrated vocal loop here is a common progression which provides the backing accompaniment  that can be sung with. I edited out the verse and chorus to avoid copy write issues but the original clip is public on You Tube the link is attached in the External Resources.

Creating your first loop on guitar.

Here we demonstrate how to create a live loop on guitar using just a simple two chord progression.

This is a primary or foundational loop upon which you can layer other loops or in this case we demonstrate how you can use it for practicing different chord inversions or improvising lead solos.

This is the conclusion and recap of the first module as well as what you can expect from the second module. There is also a looping demonstration showcasing what you will be able to do by the completion of this full course. The demonstration above was edited but there is a public link here in the External Resources tab.

Welcome to Module Two and in this clip we make a brief overview of the course content which includes a deeper look into the pedal's features, useful hacks and hints. We look at overdubbing with microphone and guitar, correcting mistakes. Avoiding common problems and much more.

Erasing errors and correcting mistakes.

Failure is the stepping stone to success so it's imperative to learn how to erase the errors and correct mistakes. Here we learn how to delete the first primary loop if we need to start over from scratch.

We also learn how to delete just an overdub without removing the primary loop so we can get a chance to redo the overdub correctly.

Creating multiple overdubs with a microphone.

Now we know how to erase and replace loops, we can now look at stacking multiple overdub loops.

Here we learn options using just the microphone.

Besides singing we can include things like beat-boxing, egg-shakers and even tapping the microphone for percussive effects.

Creating multiple overdubs on guitar.

Here we look at learning to stack multiple loop overdubs using the guitar.

Besides playing chordal rhythms we look at using harmonics, lead solos as well as slapping the guitar in various places to get desired percussive sounds.

Plugging in both the guitar and microphone.

In this lesson you learn how to utilize both inputs and outputs on the Boss RC-3 Loop Station so that you can plug in a microphone as well as a guitar or the instrument of your preference.

This gives you the freedom to loop from two sources and it really opens up more options as you will see in the next clip.

Looping Both Vocals And Guitar Combined.

Here we learn how combining both the microphone and guitar allows more freedom in creating more variety, color and texture in live looping. We can include much more complex and interesting sounds to feature in songs that we can perform and it's fun.

Tip when playing more complex chords lay one down and the wait for the loop to come around again before recording in the next, that way you have more time for more cleaner clinical playing.

Including other instruments.

You don't have to be a multi- instrumentalist to bring color and variety into your performance.

A repeated loop can easily become monotonous so mix it up a bit by including hand-claps, whistling, egg-shakers, bells, harmonica, kazoo, scratch-plate, castanets or you could just rattle some random pots and pans.

The wackier it is the more your audience will be entertained.

Additional Features and Uses.

Here you'll learn how the MC-3 is loaded with extra features from prerecorded loops to drum loops. It has 99 storage banks plus the utility of a USB and auxiliary port.

We look at it's memory, sound quality and other really cool functions.

Five Helpful Hints & Hacks For Live Performances.

The Keep It Simple Simon approach is best when trying something new. Once you are fluent with time and tune, then expand and get more creative.

Here are the five helpful hints below.

1. Use songs with the same chord progression

2. Use songs that have the same chord progression in the verse and chorus. Just leave out the rest for now.

3. Choose songs with the fewest chords as this helps your timing stay tighter.

4. Include crowd pleaser songs by just recording the drumbeat and basic percussion (egg-shakers, hand-claps) in a loop.

5. Use the press and hold function to remove existing loops so you can bring them back in later as either instruments to lift the song or vocals so you can add harmonies.

Including Other Effect Pedals.

We look at the options of using other effect pedals and importantly their placement in relation to the Loop Station pedal itself.

Avoiding Common Problems. Tips for troubleshooting challenges you may face. It's very important to be able to hear yourself clearly so you can record and play in time. The common problem resulting from this is feedback. Here you learn what is feedback and how to deal with it resulting from your microphone and guitar. The equalization settings on your guitar and mixer can help alleviate some of this. It might be worth purchasing a feedback buster for your guitar. Changing the angle of your speakers slightly my have a big influence on feedback. The reason we want to avoid even the slightest feedback is, even a little feedback compounds when you stack loop after loop because the same frequency is being copied over and over with each loop.

You've completed the course !!!!

Congratulations.

I wish you countless hours of blissful live looping pleasure.

For more musical footage, tips & hints take a look at our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/c/CUNNINGBRAD

Warmest regards

CunningBrad

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