Will using a looper help me learn to jam with others better?

Will it be a fun toy?

Do you have or want one?

I don't like delays in getting the music going.  Some, (bemuzic) can do a quick, smooth and entertaining transition from starting the looper to really having the song going.   Some folks... well, not so quick or smooth. 

Are they cheating?   I think music snobs would say so.  I don't want to be a music snob, but I do like my music honest and straight forward.

Can you correct and enlighten me? 

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I don't think anyone's gonna give you shit for a well-considered opinion, Shane. I've seen the same thing. I've also seen (and been) that performer who somehow loses an audience through song selection, trying to wing it without proper rehearsal time, etc.

There's nothing wrong with using a looper to experiment. Sometimes, the experiment pays off.

It can bee a fun toy, i have a Jamman by digitech, you tend to go crazy on it at first, because  it opens up a range of possibillities.  and its getting a nack for it ,to not overflood it keep it simple and  for the One man Band ideer its a ferry usefull toy,  but just the other day i saw this Ukelele Guy cald JAMES HILL on youTube , he doe a number call'd "Billy jean"and he does tree(3( voice's at ones ,Bass rythm, solo and play's it all real time, its easy done whit one of these loopers, but then again where is the skill? its more of a trick NOT  to use one nowaday's then to. If u can spend the money do! i say, it can make  u understand

your own song writing ,you quickly put down a beat or rhytm git, ad a solo and see how it sounds, i think use it as a tool dont make it your life's VISION ! And maybee if you do ! you become the greatest Looper of all Time , and Good timing is what it surely NEEDS ! Greeeetssszzz YouAll  A.D.

Unc, to see an extremely powerful use of a looper, check out Phil Keaggy. 

https://youtu.be/Wp4wbcuKRn8

I have an Electro-Harmonix Nano which comes with the adaptor but have not used it enough to get the timing. My intent is to use it for songwriting as a scratch pad - you can save loops, and to practice scales and rhythmic accents. 

Derek,

You just made my morning with that vid. Mind blown. Gotta try the two capo thingy now...

Phil Keaggy!   Where have I heard that name before....   Yup, the two capo and looper thing was good.   What a showman too.   I am going to bid again on ebay,   Thanks.

Shane, don't know why you would get any slack from your opinion.  I think most people here totally agree with you on the mis use of a looper. Same song....over and over and ..... : (  the horror..... I really think people only clap because it's finally over. 

My goal is to play and sing the first verse. Then play back the verse wile singing and playing a bit of lead accents. Then jam out the chorus. Then switch the looper back on to do the verses and leads. Turning it off for the choruses. And always keep the ending of a song live and loop free. That way it will always be about the song. Not the toys. 

I listened to an instruction video on YouTube last night and the fellow made a wonderful comment as to loopers being cheap on Ebay these days, because so many folk either don't know how to use them or simply didn't take the time to learn.  I have a Boss RC-3 that I purchased over a year or so back.  I had never used it because it was a bit intimidating and none of the videos actually showed me answers to the questions I had at the time. Videos on YouTube are nice, but none really answered my questions so the thing stayed in it's box. Finally some more meaningful videos surfaced, so I'll likely drag it out and piddle with it after the holidays. Most the videos seemed to be of more professional guitarists simply trying to impress with their ability to do scales and rifts instead of breaking the steps down for those who are really beginners. The boss website was not helpful in my opinion, as all of the videos seemed to be geared at the more advanced players/learners and the instruction booklet for the RC-3 was simply over my head and not laid out in a good order in my opinion. Like say, intimidating in my opinion.

Some of the loopers are actually much more simplistic than the Boss 3-RC as to how to turn them on and off when in use. Less bells and jangles to fool with.  When I see/hear street violinists playing along with a looper, I am always impressed at how beautiful it all sounds. Me, I see them as a practice tool and even a great tool for writing music and recording. If you take the time to learn, they can be great at learning rhythm and time as well as helping your creative efforts in music. I don't see any particular disadvantage to using one or learning from using one.

Some folk instantly warm up to the tech stuff and some just never do. Me, I view it as a tool and nothing less or nothing more.  When I try again to learn the basics of how to use my RC-3, I believe I'll be a bit less intimidated by it after searching through the list of newer help series about it on YouTube. At least I hope so.  I wish I had known more about folk selling them off cheaper these days on ebay, as mine was pricey at the time I purchased it.

 

I lost one on ebay,   Gonna try again.  Opinions vary, but you folks have convinced me that if I put some effort into it, I will get some good out of a looper.

Ron, Unc, Phil Keaggy used to be with Glass Harp way back when from Youngstown, Ohio near where I grew up so he has always been a hometown hero. He played at a friend's church here in Mansfield several years ago and that was the first time I'd seen anyone use a looper - before the internet was what it is now. David Wilcox was one of the first to use multiple capos, he used to cut the lengths down to get the drop D tunings, then Kaiser made them for him, I believe. Him and Phil use all kinds of alternate tunings too of course.

A friend that is a fantastic player makes good use of his looper and had finally talked me into getting one. Now he keeps asking me if I am using it! I guess I better get it back out...

Good home town hero!   I have one of the specialty capos and if I played more six string, it would use it more.   I just can't seem to pull the trigger on buying a looper. 

I've been watching videos and looking on ebay and Musicians Friend.   I have almost narrowed it down to a DigiTech JamMan Express XT Looper and one by Boss.   Both are just under $100.00 U.S.  

I've used Musician's Friend a lot.   Good prices.  Cheap or free shipping in the U.S.                                 And a big thing, If you don't like it, you send it back.

But I just can't seem to pull the trigger and buy one.  I am not tech savvy.  I am cheap.   And what I want it for, I could do for free.  Find some videos and play along on harp and/or guitar.    Try to improve my harp and my timing.   

So, no looper for me right now.

I thought somebody was gonna gift you a freebie...

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