[software] Tape Loops

[Louigi Verona]

Hey guys!

I have created a post at the free and open source software thread, but later decided to make a thread fully dedicated to this, because I am afraid not a lot of people might notice this.

I started working on a program which I plan to use in a performance which is planned in autumn and want to present the first version - already functional and can be used.

Here's the demo:
http://www.louigiverona.com/?page=projects&s=software&t=tapeloops

Tell me what you think and feel free to download if you find it useful!

[Sam_Zen]

Not unzipped yet, only watched the tube so far, but I'm impressed ! Looks like a very useful tool..

It has of course a slight decrease in volume of the repeats, to avoid ending up with resonations.
Is this a lineair fade-out, or is it possible to give it another envelope ? It sounds beautiful anyway..

the ability to record sound from microphone and also display the loaded waveform

This is a thing every wav-editor does, so I suppose you want to use a mike sound to put in the tapeloop,
instead of loading a WAV-file ?

[Louigi Verona]

It has of course a slight decrease in volume of the repeats, to avoid ending up with resonations.

Didn't understand what you mean here %)

Is this a linear fade-out, or is it possible to give it another envelope?

It is just a linear volume control.

so I suppose you want to use a mike sound to put in the tapeloop,
instead of loading a WAV-file?

exactly. what I wanna do during a performance is record notes of a piano that stands on stage - do that in real time right in front of an audience so that they see what's going on - and then use these notes in a composition similar to what you saw on the video.

[PPH]

I saw the video, too. Nice. This uses the generative music concept explained by Brain Eno, right? I think the effect is interesting, how a group of looped notes start overlaping and originate a complex layered sound.

I haven't downloaded the software yet. I see that it is a wav player that loops what you play. I wonder why you didn't use a simple existing player, like XMPlay, which can loop a track and of which you can open several instances at the same time.

[Louigi Verona]

generative concept? hm. Well, not really. At least, not the way it is done in Koan, which uses very complex rules to generate pretty complex sounding music - with chord changes, etc.

But yeah - it is generative in a way that the music is being generated by some process. Actually, this concept is I don't know how many years old and comes from using tapeloops.

XMPlay has a bulky interface not suitable for performance, plus I will expand Tape Loops a bit - it will have the ability to record from mic and instantly make the sample available for looping.

Also, it is fun to make your own tools.

[LPChip]

Nice program, but I don't have loops so its kinda hard for me to use this.

If it were possible to have a softsynth (of any kind) attached to it, and make it play one note or a sequence even, it would be better IMHO.

[Louigi Verona]

Why not use a sequencer then?

The beauty of this exact program is that it emulates the cassette tapes situation. One could play it and one could record on it. And that's all the programm would be able to do.

I also plan to make a second version which will allow to group tape loops and thus allow the musician to start several tapes simultaneously, thus allowing basic synchronization.

The reason why I stick to such a scheme is that I believe it is one of the greatest methods to create sound music and its simplicity opens a lot of space for application of skill, imagination and creativity.

[LPChip]

Why not use a sequencer then?

I actually use a sequencer too. EnergyXT next to modplug for my sequencing needs (mostly recording my piano and CF plays).

The beauty of this exact program is that it emulates the cassette tapes situation. One could play it and one could record on it. And that's all the programm would be able to do.

I also plan to make a second version which will allow to group tape loops and thus allow the musician to start several tapes simultaneously, thus allowing basic synchronization.

The reason why I stick to such a scheme is that I believe it is one of the greatest methods to create sound music and its simplicity opens a lot of space for application of skill, imagination and creativity.

Agreed. One could argue that such functionality would already exist in a sequencer, but the difference is, that a sequencer is aimed for recording and arranging a track once and then be able to play it back. You obviously are looking at the performing aspect of music, which is gerat.

[Sam_Zen]

Yep, it's the realtime-performing aspect of this tool which I find very attractive.

And indeed, if making a microphone input for this, there should be a line input as well for non-accoustic sources.

The idea of a common start of a bunch of opened tapeloops at the same time sounds very nice.

[uncloned]

I believe Abelton live does all this and more - it was made for live loop recording and mixing.

Of course it costs money - perhaps someone has a knock off version of it - or LV can develop one :-)

You can try Live for free

http://www.ableton.com/free-trial

Live's Session View acts as a musical sketch and launch pad, encouraging you to try out new ideas and improvise freely. Each cell in the Session View grid can hold a loop, recording, MIDI file, complete song or any other musical element. These ideas can be recorded on the fly or dragged in from the Browser, combined and played in any order you wish.

[/i]

$139 for the LE version is really not outrageous - the 6 or 7 hundred to get Sonar producer w/o an upgrade is....

One more note - using "key jazz" I was able to real time play samples in FT 2 - which emulates this looping idea as well (with sufficiently large loops loaded as samples).

[Louigi Verona]

Every sequencer has synchronization, you know, beat matching - all that stuff. If you are working with tape loops - you don't have that.

Also, my software has a small (hehe) feature - is that you can visually tell which tapes are looped and which are not since they change color. The green tapes play the record once, the red once loop.

And what is "key jazz"?

[Louigi Verona]

You can try Live for free

This is true - Pirate Bay is your friend.

[uncloned]

The company lets you try for free.

Live changes color when you launch a loop track - and if your loops are of differing size - and you turn off beat matching - it will behave as you describe.

[Louigi Verona]

Yeah, Chris, I know, I was joking. Ableton is cool, but Tape Loops is a bit different concept anyway - they are a bit more hardcore, a bit more raw some might say.

ps: I "own" several licensed versions of Ableton which came with hardware - midi keyboards and my soundcard. The version are Light, I am not sure what's missing from them.

[LPChip]

ps: I "own" several licensed versions of Ableton which came with hardware - midi keyboards and my soundcard. The version are Light, I am not sure what's missing from them.

Darkness. :lol: