CajunBlues Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 So, I have been invited to play my nylon string guitar for a solo perfromance on a wedding cocktail hour.... Ive seen a lot of guitarist these days using loop stations and/or backing tracks... So what do you think, is this "cheating" ? Any and all opinions are welcome... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 nope. if its just you, and especially if you play, go for it. just don't loop a chord progression then do nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 I'm a solo guitar player in a band and I absolutely depend on the looper. I don't think it's cheating, it's a necessity for some songs at least for me. I use both prerecorded tracks and also on the fly which is scary but fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Not cheating IMHO.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enmitygauged Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Nope all good. It actually can be very hard to do it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Looping isn't cheating. Using prerecorded parts is Karaoke. Lopping takes quite a lot of talent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I actually think if whatever you do in terms of what amounts to computerized assistance sounds good and you don't feel like you look really strange doing it in a performance, no big deal. Personally I've decided not to. At least for now. Mostly that's because I think I'd look a bit odd on stage with a single guitar and mike playing with a bass and rhythm guitar and drum background while I sing three-part harmony with a little computerized stomp box or two and my computer playing those tracks that I recorded earlier. I think once in a while it'd be neat to do for recording, but on stage? I don't think so now. Somebody else may feel differently. I have a friend who's done it and somehow for him it didn't look strange. Years ago a buddy and I did a lotta saloon gigs with a couple guitars or guitar and bass with a Univox drum machine I still have and still doesn't sound that bad for early technology. Somehow it worked and we didn't feel strange using it. I dunno. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
This_Dying_Soul Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I say if you loop a track on the fly and then play over it there's no foul. Also don't think there's anything wrong with pre-recorded intros - especially if it's an obscure instrument that nobody in the group plays or is not worth buying in order to do one or 2 songs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I can't imagine why anyone would think using a looper is somehow 'cheating'. It's multi-tracking in a "live" context. Is multi-tracking cheating? P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I use a looper when I perform acoustic solo quite often and Ive had a few people come up and ask me if it's recorded on a computer. Ive also used a Zen Drum laptop model drum quite a bit and gotten the same question is that recorded tracks on a computer. Ive found the best way to get around it as a solo performance is just tell them what your doing or even show them what your doing. I had one show a few years back where one guy really thought I was faking it and he was very verbal about it, I guess he acted like I was a magic act and he felt it was his duty to explain every trick. It was really starting to bug me enough that I totally messed up on a track that I was trying to loop, my timing was way off with no way to recover it really, so I stopped made a joke about him messing me up and started the song over. From that song on no more comments no problem at all, he was a great audience member and even put a pretty good tip in the jar at the end of the night I jokingly said man you were really grilling me there at first, I thought one of us was gonna have to leave. He smiled and said yeah sorry man I thought it was fake and I'm so tired of live music being fake, it really pisses me off when I screwed you up I realized it wasn't recorded so I shut up and really enjoyed the show thanks. Since then if anybody looks skeptical or confused, I explain the gear and even demo it a little. Ive even gone as far as getting somebody from the crowd involved with a clap or a OOH OOH that i'll then loop and use. That works really great especially if it's a small crowd or a special event like a wedding or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesguitar65 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 WTF??? What is this "CHEATING" mean in someone's music playing anyway? Playing an instrument a sport now? Perhaps, every performing musicians should be tested for performance enhancing drugs, as they maybe "CHEATING" [confused] [confused] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobB Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Not cheating. It's more like laying tracks without a safety net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 I like the sound of it when someone does it well, but one mistake in timing and it turns into a mess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted October 28, 2011 Share Posted October 28, 2011 Loops have been used since the 60s, I think they are great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 Loops have been used since the 60s, I think they are great. Shhhh, it new and hip, don't tell them about Tape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted October 29, 2011 Share Posted October 29, 2011 It's our secret; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 I seem to remember Les Paul was an instigator Of this technique... :blink: V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis G Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Not cheating. As mentioned in various ways, it's a friggin' talent if done right, and Phil Keaggy is the poster boy for that! KT Tunstall also makes good use of loopers. And yeah, I think that Les Paul guy had a lot to do with this stuff (and let's not forget, that Les didn't have the advantage of "do overs". If he flubbed overdub #8, he also lost the previous 7 and was back to square one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyseven Posted October 30, 2011 Share Posted October 30, 2011 Just got a friends RC-2 for the weekend and i have to say wow! Great fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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