What’s a loop? It’s a sample of sound that’s recorded and repeated over and over again, a technique used extensively by hip-hop artists and cutting-edge pop musicians like the Beatles (think of “Revolution 9,” among other tracks). The majority of musicians who use looping make music that can be generally defined as “electronic,” like hip-hop, techno, drum and bass, etc. But there’s a growing movement of acoustic instrument players who use samples and looping to create interesting new soundscapes with the same guitars and cellos and violins that everybody else is using — and changing the art form in the process.
Scottish rocker KT Tunstall is one of these — she plays guitar through a custom loop pedal that she’s affectionately dubbed “Wee Bastard.” There’s a great YouTube video of KT explaining how fun & easy looping can be to a lucky young guitar player — and they proceed to write a song together using loops (and random animal trivia). Witness the flossiness:
The musician who first drew my attention to acoustic looping, though, was multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird. He plays guitar and violin and mainly loops the latter, which he tends to accompany with some very proficient whistling. (I’d like to nominate Andrew as rock’s preeminent whistler.) Here’s a delightful song called “Plasticities,” which he starts off by laying down layer after layer of violin loops (notice he plays the violin kind of like a guitar here, plucking its strings), and then puts the violin down and picks up an electric guitar. After a rocking chorus or two, he even picks up a mallet and plays the xylophone!
Finally, another acoustic looper has recently come to my attention — the prodigiously talented “avant cellist” Zoe Keating. She’s played gigs all over the world and recently toured as Imogen Heap’s opening act, but here’s a nice low-key performance of hers — in the San Fransisco airport.
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Check out Keller Williams, the one-man jam band. Amazing musician who loops everything. Guitars, bass, drums, piano, voice,…even cowbells!!
posted by bob on 9-9-2008 at 8:51 am
We (unknowingly, thought he was a mutt) got a Skye terrier at the Humane Society, and he has been nothing but a pleasure. Like clockwork, every night at 6 he waits at the door for my husband. Even like last night, when my husband was away on business. I had to distract the dog with biscuits to get his mind off waiting by the door. Click my name to see a picture of him.
posted by Lelah on 9-9-2008 at 9:19 am
Sorry, wrong post!!!
posted by Lelah on 9-9-2008 at 9:20 am
Pandas are not marsupials. They are in the bear family. I think Greg may have been thinking of koalas.
posted by 8rustystaples on 9-9-2008 at 9:34 am
MUSE!
posted by jyck on 9-9-2008 at 9:41 am
Thank you bob for suggesting Keller Williams. I was just about to. The man is a mad genius and amazing on guitar. His live shows are hilarious.
posted by Andre on 9-9-2008 at 9:42 am
You could certainly add The Dodos to this list. Saw them live at Pitchfork Fest and their looping threw me for a loop before I could figure out what was going on. They’re an awesome 2-piece.
posted by Todd on 9-9-2008 at 10:31 am
Final Fantasy, aka Owen Pallet string arranger for the Arcade Fire, performs using a loop pedal is unbelievable.
posted by G on 9-9-2008 at 11:46 am
David Ford is absolutely brilliant!
posted by Leigh on 9-9-2008 at 11:50 am
Butch Walker opened his Lollapalooza set this year with an awesome solo-loop song. At first, everyone thought he was just doing a sound check, but he kept at it, and pretty soon he had everyone’s attention. It was brilliant.
posted by frumpiefox on 9-9-2008 at 11:55 am
Howie Day may have some cheesy pop songs on his albums, but live he does entire songs on loops. Some pretty incredible examples can be found on youtube.
posted by Brian on 9-9-2008 at 1:55 pm
No mention of Robert Fripp and Frippertronics? I’m a bit disappointed.
posted by John W on 9-9-2008 at 2:19 pm
I linked to Imogen Heap’s “Just for Now,” which is entirely of looped samples. It’s interesting to watch how organized the whole process is.
posted by adrienne on 9-9-2008 at 4:01 pm
Steve Lawson and Michael Manring are my two favorite bass loopers–they can do so much with so little–I am a huge fan of them both!
posted by pilotcp on 9-9-2008 at 10:53 pm
Great article! And what about the internet phenom, Jack Conte?
Check out his video for the tune “Flavors” on your favorite video site.
posted by Jerry on 9-10-2008 at 6:43 am
Check out live performances by Liam Finn and “Can’t Explain” by Joseph Arthur.
posted by stef-k on 9-10-2008 at 6:05 pm
Inspiring stuff
posted by Matt Stevens on 5-8-2010 at 6:05 pm
These stories are amazing.
posted by Matthew on 7-13-2010 at 8:55 am
… the white zone is for the immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the red zone.
Listen Betty. Don’t start up with your “white zone” shit again.
posted by Mongo Lloyd on 10-9-2010 at 4:10 pm