Re: "Instrument" vs "Effect"

["nick@12testing.net" <nick@12testing.net>]

On 12 Sep 2006 at 9:46, mark sottilaro wrote:

> > just to clarify, the above comment was made by Nick
> > Robinson,  who carries more gear around than I do.

It's not that excessive - in fact I'm forever trying to simplify
things. The current system is

guitar into zoom G2 providing distortion, compression, echo, panning
& 5 second loop if I want it. I also use a GR30 if the set time is
long enough to warrant bringing it along.

This stereo feed is split between a "proper" rack jamman and my old
powertran analog delay, giving me two loop options - a long "clean"
one and a shorter lower-fi loop that I can pitch-shift & modulate.

The powertran then feeds an alesis AirFX for "mangling" and both
loops go into a small mixer where I use the fx send to feed in an old
zoom 1201, bought on ebay for the sum of £15. It's used solely to
provide deep lush reverbs.

So by & large, I like to keep things moving by letting the loops fade
as I add new material, but now and again the loop is so "right" that
I let it have its head for a while and slowly bring in filters etc
from the airFX. You can hear this approach on recent additions here

http://nickrobinson.info/music/audio.htm

specifically this file

http://www.hursthouse.net/audio/leeds06.mp3

About 1.10 in, I've got the ambient loop in the jamman and a shorter
one which is being "fiddled with" on the powertran and airFX at the
same time - that's the beauty of "hands-off" processing! It does
become a "thoughtful" business trying to decide where the sound is
coming from when I want to change the mood!  At around 5 mins the
loop is frozen and the interest (well, I find it interesting) comes
entirely from the airFX filter. As the right hand controls this, the
left hand slowly fades in the jamman.

I must set my digi camera to stun and actually record one of these
sets.






All the best,

Nick Robinson