Using Loops

In the last ten years, hard-disk recording and editing techniques have revolutionized the way music is produced. These capabilities go far beyond the simple audio recording and mixing of a musical performance, to the extent that they now have become an integral part of the recording and editing process. One of the most obvious manifestations of this is the use of audio loops in music production. Although we’ve explored the basics of editing and using loops here, their use goes far beyond simply spicing up an arrangement. Programs such as Acid, Live, and now Apple’s Soundtrack enable producers to construct entire productions from loops.

What are the benefits of using loops and what are the "undesirable" side effects?

In your response consider the following:

* Does the use of loops add to the musicality of a production?
* To what extend is interaction between musicians needed to create a compelling musical production?
* What are the musical considerations in using loops? Melody? Rhythm? Harmony?


My first sampler was the Roland S-50 sampling workstation. It's a dinosaur by today's standards, but it taught me a lot about sound design and loop contruction. It plugged into a TV via an RCA cable so you could see the sample as you worked with it.

Samplers like this one and the AKAI really helped define the sound of the late 80s and early 90s. I still drag that keyboard out every now and then just to make sure it works and to keep my old floppy discs from decaying to the point of being unusable.

Because I had the experience with actual samplers, I feel like I have an advantage when I work with sample editors like the one found in Logic. The layout makes sense and it seems very intuitive to me. It is so much easier to work in Logic and it is capable of so much more than was available in the 80s.

I enjoy working with loops as long as they are extensions of the musician, and not a replacement. I cherish the cats I play music with, and I don't think anyone can be replaced by machines.

My colleague, Shueh-li Ong, is an expert at what she calls "extended synthesizer techniques"; one of these techniques is the use of loops being triggered as part of a live performance set-up. Visit http://www.electricmuse.com/extkbtech_thesis_08.htm to read more about her concept.

One undesireable side effect of using loops may be that it may cause young musicians to become lazy performers, writers, and producers. I liken it to the use of Photoshop and In Design. These are great tools, but they are no substitute for learning the rudiments of drawing and photo composition. Using loops may help us produce cool music, but there is no substitute for learning theory, harmony, orchestration, arranging, etc. The importance of education, talent, and experience can not be underestimated, replaced, or bought with money.

There are no short cuts.

When Should You Use Effects?

Although there are no rules in music production, we can get some clues by listening to what’s already been done. Consider how effects have been used:

* Does the use of effects improve the mix?
* Does the use of effects distract from the music?
* Are the effects used appropriate to the musical style of the production?

Your responses to what others have done will undoubtedly reflect your own personal taste--adding distortion to the tuba may not be everyone’s cup of tea--but we should be able to get some general sense of what works and what doesn’t.

Effects like EQ and compression may be used in subtle ways that aren’t always apparent, but there are plenty of examples of effects that are easy to identify. For example, the opening guitar part in Queen’s "Keep Yourself Alive" is a great example of flanging.

When choosing whether or not to use effects on a mix I ask myself what it is I am trying to accomplish by using them. Understanding what it is I'm trying to achieve helps to keep me from overdoing it.

I try to avoid using effects to "fix" a performance and I concentrate on recording the sound I want to hear before adding anything to it. The effects then act as slight adjustments and not repairs. In this regard, I think of the dry signal as my main color, and the wet signal as "hues" or variations of that color.

If I do decide to use an effect to make something sound "larger than life", it is because I am doing it on purpose, akin to using metaphors and similes in writing. Just as figures of speech are used to draw the reader's attention to a particular phrase, the effect is used to draw the listener's ear to the musical phrase or part.

In the end, it all comes down to personal taste. If we study the mixes that some of the master producers and engineers that have come before us have made, we can learn a great deal about what works well for particular styles. We can begin to develop guidelines and parameters that we can apply as good starting points while experimenting to discover our own methods for using effects.

- John Anthony Martinez
Fingerfoot Music Productions