Who's using drum loops?

[betterthanblank]

We REALLY want to start incorporating loops. We are getting hooked up with in-ears soon and this is one reason.

Who is using them - how are you constructing them (fruity loops, reason, ableton, etc.) - how are you using them live (triggering, etc).

I want to LEARN FAST!

Anywhere good you can download by the mp3 or wav file?

-Alex

[fmckinnon]

Hey Alex -
I'm hoping Jay (TheToneGuru) will see this and reply - I know he's talked about using them and finding online b4 ...!

[SeanMichael]

I've used them by running a cakewalk program through my laptop. The results were so-so. I REALLY can't wait to get my hands on the Roland SPD-S sampling pad. It's been on my percussion wish list for a while now. With the ability to record clips and play them back you can explore a lot of interesting grooves. Personally, as a drummer, I would like the ability to preset the drums on certain songs and just trigger them when the times comes. That would free me up to a point so that I can focus my mind on what I am singing.

Sean

[The Tone Guru]

Sorry I'm so slow to jump in, Alex....

My favorite loop hangouts are as follows, in no particular order:

http://www.bwacksforum.com -- genius from David Crowder Band

http://www.sacredloops.org/ -- potential to be the best place to share loops, unless we get it going here

http://digitalworship.wordpress.com/ -- has directions to get us all started

Consume these websites, then we'll talk!

[Adam Ogden]

Hey guys-

we are using loops here. Usually our Music Director or Worship Leader will make them (actually...almsot always the music director), I'm not sure what program he uses....he does all of our charting, loops, demo tracks, and all of that, so he has many different programs he uses...He either transfers them to a MAC laptop that we use on stage, that is triggered by our keys player or drummer, or he may move it to an ipod....or both for the sake of redundancy. Click on the left side, loop on the right, split into two channels into the console, so you can pipe the click into the ears of the players, and the loop into the house. We also inbed these clicks into video occasionally, to make our worship stuff go along with our custom video stuff.

We don't use it a lot, but we are getting into it more and more...usually at least once a month now.

[betterthanblank]

mmmm tasty links - THANKS!

[worshiptrench]

We did it for years.

Actually here is a new phenomenon...the anti-loop trend.

Sounds like Crowder and company (my lil bro' and Jack his guitarist are good friends from college) are ditching all their loops (even on their old loopy songs) and going organic for more freedom.

I have a friend who is a high-end producer alongside such bands as Oasis, etc. and he says the trend is to drop the loops. Sure they might trick up the eq on the kit on a section, but it is not loop based.

We do have a third drummer who plays with a click loop in his own ears but none of the rest of us here it.

[Wildwind]

We use them a lot. Our WL writes them in Reason and plays them back on a Mac laptop that is operated by the lead keyboardist (who happens to his wife). These are very cool and add a lot to our worship. They DO take some getting used to, like playing to a click track in a studio. But he programs things we don't have in our arsenal - cool trumpet parts, percussion stuff, and so on. And he's gotten better and better with it over time and they are getting more sophisticated. I'd estimate we use a loop on about one-third of our songs, two per service.

Greg

[fmckinnon]

Greg -
I'd totally dig hearing some of your loops! Can you share?

[Wildwind]

Unfortunately I can't. I don't have access to them and don't have the software. He can convert them to a more universal format, but he has chosen to not do that. I'm very sorry - I know they would be useful. Maybe this will change in the near future - I'll keep it in mind. He hasn't even let me use them at home (and he knows how much I practice).

Tim (the WL) bought the software (about $300 I believe) and taught himself ot use it. He says it's easy - but then he's a drummer who has programmed the old-style drum machines! I'm sure Reason is much more straightforward. I plan on buying a copy myself one of these days - he's offered to teach me, which will be a great help.

I feel bad about this - if there's a way I can get my hands on these loops, I'll do it. Some of them are very cool - and all of them are useful. For a smaller team, they'd be a godsend. Our team is mid-size I guess - two guitars, three keyboards, bass, drums, vocals - but no horns or woodwinds and no percussion person - and these loops make us sound bigger and better than we are.

Greg

[El Ben]

Jermaine, our keyboard player will fire up the occasional loop on his Yamaha Motif ES-8. They are, naturally, incredible, just like anything else that flies from the fingers of Jermaine.

[jacjsmith]

I use click tracks with my worship team (we all use in ears). We use them on every song, special music included. Rarely use loops, if ever. I found that with a click track, every song is in perfect tempo everytime, and the band plays really tight. No rushing during climatic periods. We use REASON on a mac. But our screen software allows us to import click tracks and will change the lyrics at the appropriate time. This allows for perfect transitions and no late or missed cues.

Once you get used to the click tracks, it just another instrument.

[Darryn]

We used one for the first time last week. The lead worshiper created it and burned it to a cd. The sound tech played it on a dvd player when it was time to play the song.

[Wildwind]

So how did you do with it, Darryn? We use them one about one-third of our songs. And we use a Boss device (some kind of fair-sized drum machine/metronome thing - only provides a click track in our use but I think it can do way more - sorry, don't know the model and don't speak drum too well) on everything, but I turn it way down in my Aviom. The drummer mainly uses it to keep things tight. BTW, our WL is a drummer but rarely leads from the drums.

Our loops have grown increasingly sophisticated as the WL's knowledge of Reason grows. Some of them are pretty cool when they add instruments we don't have (like horns or Latin rhythm instruments). I've gotten used to them now, but they were disconcerting at first in a live setting. I'm used to playing with click tracks in the studio, but hearing the extra instruments took some getting used to.

Greg

[Darryn]

So how did you do with it, Darryn?

We ran the dvd player though a stereo channel and had the drum loop in our inner ear monitors. The tech knew when to start the song and the musicians came in after the fourth beat.

The loop was set up to play for a specific period of time so we could only play the song one way, no extra repeats of the chorus and that sort of thing.

I hope that helps.

[Wildwind]

So you guys could follow it easily enough? Sometimes playing with loops takes a bit of getting used to. We struggled with it at first.

[Darryn]

We tracked with it easily enough. We rushed a little on the chorus but pulled back to keep with it.

[csobalvarro]

About a year ago I went 100% software for my keyboard rig. I use loops almost every week, though certainly not for everything. In fact, usually only one or two songs. I'm an avid Reason user. Running on a MacBook Pro, Reason drives all loops and sequences as well as most of my keyboard sounds. I bought the acoustic piano expansion and have LOVED it -- exquisite samples. In addition, I run Native's B4 Organ. I control the whole thing with two M-Audio controllers. I was very hesitant to go all software, but have found that once you do it's hard to look back. It's SO flexible, fast to put together sets, and it sounds fantastic. I'm hooked.

I've used full blown sequences for solo songs and included supplemental instrumental tracks and even a vocal or too. Makes for a very rich sound. I won't do that for worship though because we need the flexibility that full sequences don't allow.

We use in-ear monitoring. This really helps because it allows the drummer and bass player to use more loop monitor than others may want. They must LOCK onto the loop or it's really better w/o it. I'm a fanatic for keeping rhythm sections "in the pocket". Rather than help the sound of a loose band, loops can actually expose to problem. So use discretion :o

[TroyP]

We've been using loops for about a year now, but I still am learning and still feel very noob-ish. We use mostly drum loops (imitating a drum kit, that is) because we haven't had a drummer for about...hmmm...a year!

I'm planning to learn how to add the cool loop-ish non-drum stuff that Greg has over at digitalworship.net, but haven't become master of that like he is. Some great advice over there is getting me started (Hey Greg, I thought you were going to post over here about that?!)

Anyway, jump in, the water's fine. I'm using Live on an IBM clone, with an Axiom 49 as a controller.

Troy