------------------------------ Loopers-Delight-d Digest Volume 97 : Issue 201 Today's Topics: RE: sick Vortex [ Andrew ] Re: DP4, Anyone Interested? [ "nicomonguzzi" ] Re: Sick Vortex. [ Anthony Bowyer-Lowe ] Sync II [ malhomme ] Re: The magic of Torn [ "T.W. Hartnett" ] Re: The magic of Torn [ jeff & mary duke ] JamMan $ Value? [ Drumworker@aol.com ] re:Hello and RE: DOD FX-98 [ "Bret Moreland" To: "'Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com'" Subject: RE: sick Vortex Message-ID: <01BCF380.FF248C40@PCANDREW> Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="---- =_NextPart_000_01BCF380.FF2DB400" Henry, The Lexicon people in the UK are STIRLING AUDIO - sorry I don't have their number, but I do know they're based in London. -----Original Message----- From: Henry Throop [SMTP:throop@bogart.Colorado.EDU] Sent: 16 November 1997 22:16 To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: sick Vortex Anthony Bowyer-Lowe writes: > My most wonderful Lexicon Vortex is sick - poor thing. The rotary > encoder that selects the effect (the preset/register knob) has become > intermittent, and will only choose certain preset numbers. I can still > choose effects using the 'step' footpedal, but that doesn't let me > choose preset effects, only the user registers. > Any ideas what the problem is? Figure it's a mechanical issue with the > encoder, so how easy is it to replace? Does anyone have contact > information for Lexicon in the UK? The same control went out on my LXP-15. It's not exactly trivial to replace, but if you're handy with a soldering iron you can take out the old one and put in a new... the switch itself has a dozen or so pins that need to be unsoldered. Lex sent me a replacement part; I would imagine that it's a similar unit on the Vortex. If you're in a bind, you may be able to take the switch apart and clean out the contacts, and re-bend them if necessary. Might be quicker than waiting for a replacement part, although if you're like me, you run the risk of destroying the switch completely this way. -henry throop@colorado.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 18:17:05 +0100 From: "nicomonguzzi" To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: DP4, Anyone Interested? Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" You: >I have a friend selling a DP4. >He is currently studying in Germany but will be back in Dec. Is anyone >interested in making an offer for it? > >His description of the unit follows: > >"The DP4 has a short (only 3.3 secs) but high resolution loop. It has 4 >effects units which can be ganged in many configurations, and includes a very >wide range of excellent algorithms, from reverb/delay, chorus/flange, speaker >emulation, gating, and even vocoding." > >Cheers, >Paul O. Me: Your friend has the DP4 with him in Germany? i live in Switzerland (lausanne). It is the new model (DP4+)? around 500 $ ? However it' a really nice effects processor, the guitarist that play with me has one and is very satisfied. i would use it not as a looper of course, but before or after my jamman. it has even a sound generator.. ciao nicos (sorry for my english) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 18:59:38 +0000 From: malhomme To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Sick vortex Message-ID: <34709412.1F08@infobiogen.fr> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Oh, I know pretty well the problem, since when my brand new vortex, at the time flew from US to France, it arrived with the same problem. It is the encoder rotary pot in itself that is guilty. It becomes intermittent, and the factory preset are difficult to get, and especially to keep. The user one (if you dial through footswitches) are posing no problems. It is just the selection of programms through the encoder that is nuts. You "just" have to change the encoder. An iron, a little solder stuff, or ship it back to lexicon, if it still is cevired with warranty. Otherwise, try to find such an encoder. Those are the same used on reflex/alex/ maybe even jamdudes. Their are knowm to be sometimes faulty. Not often, just, it felt on us. That's life.... Olivier Malhomme ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 18:35:11 -0000 From: Anthony Bowyer-Lowe To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: Sick Vortex. Message-ID: <01bcf387$89b4e700$LocalHost@amudarya> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Dear Anthony, > >The encoder needs to be replaced. Our Distributor for the U.K. is >Stirling Audio who should be able to sell you a switch or have it >replaced. Stirling can be reached at 1-71-624-6000. Thanks for the information, Greg. I'll get in touch with Stirling tomorrow. How easy is it to replace the encoder? I'm comfortable stripping down and replacing parts in machines, but I don't want to mess with the Vortex if it is sensitive or complex inside. Thanks, ynohtnA. -- Anthony Bowyer-Lowe <= The Essence Of Anthony. http://www.amudarya.demon.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 17:11:15 +0000 From: malhomme To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Please, young americans... Message-ID: <34707AB0.3524@infobiogen.fr> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Would you be kind enough to forward me some telephone numbers (not 800-XXX) where I could call, considering I coould buy one FX-98 (a good start when no jamdudes or echopleces are appearing in the horizon.. Olivier Malhomme ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 17:08:36 +0000 From: malhomme To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Sync II Message-ID: <34707A12.F0A@infobiogen.fr> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit AHHH error error it is not a tr 606, but a 505. That makes all tyhe difference because there is no trigger out. I tried to replicate the high voltage output by adding the sounds one on another, and cranking the volume. And, yes, I loose then the bebefits of adding some sounds of these machines in the process.... Olivier Malhomme ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 97 14:01:15 -0000 From: "T.W. Hartnett" To: "Looper's Delight" Subject: Re: The magic of Torn Message-Id: <199711171957.LAA14648@scv4.apple.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" >Is this done with volumepedal and reverb/delay?? if so , how can he make it >move and change throughout the loop?? how long do u think these loops are?? >5 secs or 90??? >I mean , I dont understand HOW he does it , but those things are the main >reason I`m out there searching for a looper.Which I can`t find BTW. I've got the Torn instructional videos, and he demonstrates a lot of his playing techniques. He makes several of the loops you're referring to with a PCM-42 with 20 seconds of delay. A lot of volume pedal work, a little compression, distortion and phase-shifting on the input signal. He locks down the loop, and sends that through a Digitech harmonizer set to a fifth or an octave above, and runs the whole thing through a PCM-70 for a really big reverb. He may also use a reverse reverb, it's been a while since I watched the video. The PCM-42 can also be set to randomly set the modulation section, resulting in further rapid pitch shifts, which the reverb smooths out. Travis Hartnett ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 11:52:16 -0800 From: improv@peak.org (Dave Trenkel) To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: The magic of Torn Message-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Hi guys , I have a question about some of the sounds David Torn gets out of >his >equipment ( I know this is hard to answer , I`m just looking for ideas and >information). >And I hope this is not off-topic , but ; Torn makes these huge, lush , >organic and warm/ugly carpets of sound that lies way back in the mix and >sortof just envelopes the music. (I`m shure u know what I mean. If u dont, >listen to his cd "tripping over God". > >Is this done with volumepedal and reverb/delay?? if so , how can he make it >move and change throughout the loop?? how long do u think these loops are?? >5 secs or 90??? >I mean , I dont understand HOW he does it , but those things are the main >reason I`m out there searching for a looper.Which I can`t find BTW. Torn is a master, no doubt at all. I don't think there's any one technique that is his "secret weapon", he just knows his tools very well, and finds interesting uses for them. But every once in a while, I get a kind of "A-ha" (NOT the band) experience that gives me a clue into some of his techniques. I recently scored a classic Electro-Harmonix Memory Man ($75 at a pawn shop in Salem, OR). I've found one very Torn-like sound in it. Setting the delay time and feedback to the minimum, and the wet/dry mix to fully wet, the delay time knob acts as a kind of pitch control. his sounds very much like one of Torn's sounds, though I imagine he uses a PCM 42 with a foot pedal controlling the delay time. ________________________________________________________ Dave Trenkel : improv@peak.org : www.peak.org/~improv/ "...there will come a day when you won't have to use gasoline. You'd simply take a cassette and put it in your car, let it run. You'd have to have the proper type of music. Like you take two sticks, put 'em together, make fire. You take some notes and rub 'em together - dum, dum, dum, dum - fire, cosmic fire." -Sun Ra ________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 97 11:00:00 EST From: Edward_Chang@mail.amsinc.com To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re:Lo-Fi StutterinG & Drum n' Bass rolls Message-Id: <9710178798.AA879809480@mail.amsinc.com> Thanks for the info - very interesting... ed ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 15:24:03 -0500 From: "Hogan, Greg (Exchange)" To: "'Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com'" Subject: RE: Sick Vortex. Message-Id: <215C1D5A0FFDD011B3CC00805FC18C29178661@NTSRV2.LEXICON.COM> Content-Type: text/plain Anthony asked: "How easy is it to replace the encoder? I'm comfortable stripping > down and replacing parts in machines, but I don't want to mess with > the Vortex if it is sensitive or complex inside." Dear Anthony, You need to take precautions against static when opening the machine up and while you have it opened. There is minor mechanical disassembly/assembly required and then the desoldering of 6 solder points to remove the old switch and then resoldering the new switch at those same 6 points. Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything that I can do for you. Best regards, Greg Hogan Lexicon Customer Service Phone +781-280-0372 FAX +781-280-0372 email: ghogan@lexicon.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 97 13:15:54 -0800 From: Kurt Revis To: Subject: Re: Sick Vortex. Message-ID: <19971117212032977.AAA190@[204.201.212.90]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" >How easy is it to replace the encoder? I'm comfortable stripping >down and replacing parts in machines, but I don't want to mess with >the Vortex if it is sensitive or complex inside. I just replaced the same encoder about a month ago, and didn't find it very difficult. The important thing seems to be to have a fairly high-powered soldering iron, in order to heat the existing encoder's contacts hot enough to be able to pull it out. Someone with better soldering/desoldering technique than me would have found it easier, of course. The encoder isn't too close to anything else on the board, so it's not too dangerous to mess with. Like I said, I think I have pretty poor soldering technique, but my replacement feels solid and works just fine. Good luck! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 16:24:43 -0500 From: jeff & mary duke To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: The magic of Torn Message-ID: <3470B61B.6592@bellsouth.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit hovard@online.no wrote: > > Hi guys , I have a question about some of the sounds David Torn gets out of > his > equipment ( I know this is hard to answer , I`m just looking for ideas and > information). > And I hope this is not off-topic , but ; Torn makes these huge, lush , > organic and warm/ugly carpets of sound that lies way back in the mix and > sortof just envelopes the music. (I`m shure u know what I mean. If u dont, > listen to his cd "tripping over God". > > Is this done with volumepedal and reverb/delay?? if so , how can he make it > move and change throughout the loop?? how long do u think these loops are?? > 5 secs or 90??? > I mean , I dont understand HOW he does it , but those things are the main > reason I`m out there searching for a looper.Which I can`t find BTW. > > I hope I haven`t annoyed you with my ignorance or started a debate which is > off-topic > (I have noticed that a lot of the postings are gear-related). > > Yours truly , Thomas Woehni > I was reading an old interveiw with Torn and he called it > >hypnodrones;> Well what I do is, I play guitar into a delay line, which > I > then process. Then play more into > > it and then I process more, and then play more into it, and then > process > more. And the > > opening sound, if you can hear it in "Time Bomb" ? it's a little bit > low, > is a drone, is a > > loop. All the background sounds in "Time Bomb," in "Diamond Mansions," > ? > that's a > > loop. The solo on "The Others" underneath things, I looped Chris B's > trumpet. In the end > > of "Brave Light of Sun," that is solo guitar. After the drums drop > out, and > there's about a > > minute and a half of sound ? that's solo guitar, with the drones. > Let's see > ? what doesn't > > have it? "Door X" is all loops. That's all it is [laughs]... It's > nothing > but guitar - it's like > > three tracks of guitar. > >also he has said that he improvises onto dat then puts it into a > computer to > make songs out of the bits!So its improvised then modified. > >I hope this helps a little.Have you checked out "The Torn Web" at > http://ott-outreach.engin.umich.edu/torn/ > >Jeff Duke > > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 20:22:50 -0000 From: Anthony Bowyer-Lowe To: Looper's Delight Subject: Ooooops! Message-ID: <01bcf396$938d82a0$LocalHost@amudarya> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sorry, people - the last post from me was 'sposed to go just to Greg @ Lexicon, not the list. My apologiesapologieapologiapologapoloapoloapolapoapa... ynohtnA. -- Anthony Bowyer-Lowe <= The Essence Of Anthony. http://www.amudarya.demon.co.uk/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 17:58:38 -0500 (EST) From: Mark Sottilaro To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Re: The magic of Torn Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hey, One of the ways that I create a Torn-esque soundscape is by using a volume pedel and a verity of effects (reverb, pitchshift with lots of feed back, and other time based effects) I use a lexicon JamMan to actualize the loop. After I layer it until I acheive a desired result, I stop adding and then play over the loop, often in a very minimal fashion, which can give the effect that the loop itself is changing. When I do actually want the loop to change, I open the loop for additional layering and then send a fade message (via midi) and begin adding new stuff. In this way I can totally transform my loop over time, basicly "morfing" my loop into a new loop. If you choose a long fade time this can be very sublle and beautiful. If you don't have a looping device, I more than recommend the JamMan in it a 32 second configuration for a cheep, down and dirty way of looping. The problem is that they're out of production and hard to find. If you've got some cash and patience, wait until they start producing the Oberheim Echoplex again. I hear that they are great. Mark Sottilaro. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 16:03:59 -0800 (PST) From: Ken Fletcher To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: Hello and RE: DOD FX-98 Message-ID: Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hi everyone, my name is Ken Fletcher, and I've been lurking for over a week here and enjoying all the conversations. I'm more of a tape artist and audio collagist than a live-gig-type musician. I took some guitar lessons during the summer, and got to play with my teacher's Echoplex. What an experience! Right now my looping gear consists only of a Yamaha SU-10 sampler and an ART DXR Elite with a mere 2-second delay (with hold button). But that's better than what I was doing two years ago: using a dual cassette deck and constructing loops tediously with the dub, pause, and rewind buttons! That was also before I bought my 4-track, when I was using multiple cassette players joined with Y-connectors, feeding into a target recording deck. (Actually I was able to make some pretty cool pieces with that rather brute-force, primitive set-up.) Anyway, I'm really glad to have stumbled onto the Loopers web page and this mailing list! Two more items: 1) Does anyone here have experience doing tape loops on a single reel-to-reel recorder? I would be interested in any anecdotes or tips. Also, I'm curious about a two-deck setup I've heard of--something Brian Eno experimented with? 2) I was in a local music store (I live in Eugene) today and asked one of the clerks about the DOD FX-98. He let me play with a DFX-94 while he called his rep, and he found out that a) the rep was surprised anybody had heard of the 98 because it was still supposed to be a secret (right!), and b) the unit has not started production yet--it won't be on the market until January. When the music store guy pressed, the rep confirmed that it has an 8-second sampler/delay and that its SRP will be $119.95. He didn't know about a reverse-sample feature. I pass this on for whatever it's worth.... Loopingly, Ken Fletcher ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 1997 23:36:06 -0500 (EST) From: Drumworker@aol.com To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Subject: JamMan $ Value? Message-ID: <971117233429_1469736285@mrin85.mail.aol.com> What is the street value of 2nd hand, upgraded JamMans these days? I have a friend who is thinking of selling his and doesn't know what to ask for it. Thanks, Paul ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Nov 97 21:46:27 MST From: "Bret Moreland" To: Subject: re:Hello and RE: DOD FX-98 Message-ID: Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Ken wrote: Hi everyone, my name is Ken Fletcher, and I've been lurking for over a week here and enjoying all the conversations. I'm more of a tape artist and audio collagist than a live-gig-type musician. -------- Welcome Ken. Audio collagist, I like that phrase. I never heard it put so succinctly. I do this also, but never realized how to describe it. Sorry I can't give you advice about the single tape machine loop. The 2 deck looping arrangement you describe I can describe. The tape goes from machine 1 - supply reel, through the entry tape guides, across the heads (erase, record, & playback), through the exit tape guides across the room to machine 2 which is aligned to allow the tape to go across the tape entry guides, across the heads, through the exit tape guides to the take-up reel. Support the spanning tape with pencils (held horizontally), coat hangers or whatever else you can find around the house (that isn't magnetic). The tape feeds from machine 1 to machine 2, distance provides the loop (via delay and regen) length. The loop quality degrades as regenerated, the feedback to machine 1 can be controlled with volume pedal to allow fading out old loop. Machine 1 records, machine 2 playback. Feed some of the playback from machine 2 to input of machine 1, mixed with your input to machine 1. Thus you get a long loop, and regeneration of input to machine 1. You probably want to mix some of the input to machine 1 to your monitor so you can hear it as it occurs (not just delayed). Thanks to modern inventions like the plex and jamman (and to their brilliant creators!), we don't have to struggle with the above Rube Goldberg methods to get looped. regards, bret ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Nov 1997 00:54:43 -0500 From: "Jesse Kudler" To: Subject: Re: JamMan $ Value? Message-ID: <01bcf3e6$779df700$224c8581@jkudler.stu.wesleyan.edu> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I paid about $250, I think. -Jesse -----Original Message----- From: Drumworker@aol.com To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com Date: Monday, November 17, 1997 11:46 PM Subject: JamMan $ Value? >What is the street value of 2nd hand, upgraded JamMans these days? >I have a friend who is thinking of selling his and doesn't know what to ask >for it. > >Thanks, >Paul > > --------------------------------