From the latest retro pop and alternative sounds, to cutting edge electronic dance and indie bangers, today’s musicians have more recording tools at their disposal than any generation before them. And the spontaneous nature of these genres means that high-tech tools like loop pedals are becoming increasingly more attractive when it comes to creating tracks, building arrangements and taking music in exciting new directions.
The loop pedals are anything but new tech for guitarists, though. For more than half a century, guitarists have been using them for everything from developing new chords and melodies during jam sessions, to practising and perfecting old ones when they’re playing solo. The current era of loop pedals, however, is more advanced than ever. They allow bands to construct entire universes of richly layered sound with only a single guitarist. That makes them one of the most valuable, and ultimately most cost-effective bits of gear that they’re likely to invest in.
Taking Musical Creativity to the Next Level With Looper Pedals
Let’s be honest: when it comes to creating signature sounds, a modern multi-effects looper pedal is easily one of the most versatile pieces of equipment on any band’s or musician’s wish list. That’s because no other piece of audio processing equipment offers a more straightforward learning curve, or more simplified recording and playback functionality than loopers do.
Brands like Zoom, Joyo and Rowin are behind some of the most durable, feature-rich and affordable looper pedals on the market. And from their space-saving size to their ability to combine even the simplest chords into multi-layered masterpieces, these hard-wearing loop pedals are superbly suited for guitarists who are serious about:
- Making songs and tracks entirely from scratch. No matter if it’s hard head-banging riffs, or slow overflowing crescendos, looper guitar pedals make it possible to create tracks and single-handedly compose and perform entire songs that might ordinarily require an entire band to play.
- Experimenting with different sounds and ideas. Some melodies sound better in a musician’s head than when they first get played. Loop pedals allow guitarists to experiment with and fine tune their ideas before taking them to the rest of the band.
- Increasing their dynamic variety. The amazing sound quality that’s available with modern loop pedals allows guitarists to create, play over and add effects on top of loops up to 10 minutes in length, offering endless varieties of ambient harmonies and contrasts.
- Practising and perfecting their timing. Consistent tempos and spot-on rhythm are the keys to making and playing beautiful music, and a looper guitar pedal is the definitive tool for a guitarist to practise with when perfecting their timing.
- Optimised audio track management. Premium looper pedals for sale give musicians a wealth of import/export options that allow them to easily transfer loops to a computer, to another instrument, or directly to a DAW for final mixing and processing.
Invariably, the intuitive operation of today’s loop pedals means that first time strummers can effectively wield the same creative control that rock and roll royalty would. A looper’s ability to effectively record and store hundreds of unique loops gives any level of guitarist the freedom to compose one-of-a-kind tracks of painstaking complexity with only the press of a pedal.
Letting Looper Pedal Effects Shape the Sound of Music
While speed control and reverse track functionality are fairly common features on most loopers, it’s the range of built-in effects that sets great guitar looper pedals for sale apart from the average ones. Effects are used to add shape, as well as texture and depth to a guitarist’s music.
And because creativity knows no limits, effects can be added either before or after a loop to achieve maximum artistic impact. The effects available with today’s loop pedals can vary from mild to wild, but the most common ones include:
- Reverb and delay. The reverb and delay effects add depth and dimension to a loop, allowing it to sound the way it would if played in a large hall or auditorium.
- Pitch Shifting. Pitch shifting enables guitarists to raise or lower the pitch of an already recorded loop, allowing them to create a multi-part harmony when they play back in unison.
- Harmonising. With a harmonising effect, guitarists are able to blend and layer vocals or additional instruments on top of the original loop.
- Modulation. Modulation effects alter the time, pitch and phase of a loop, giving it the feeling of lush, dynamic motion.
- Distortion. The distortion effect adds an abrasive, gritty feeling to a loop, helping create a signature sound that’s most easily noticed for its harmonic overtures.
Ideally, every premium brand guitar looper effects pedal is engineered to deliver a set of core sound enhancements that’ll let guitarists put their most creative foot forward. And while a loop effects pedal is generally regarded as a guitarist’s tool, even percussionists can use it with an external mic to record drum patterns.
The result is virtually unlimited possibilities when it comes to practicing drum solos or creating backing tracks. And in turn, guitarists have the ability to invest in stomp boxes which, while not a substitute for a proper drummer, allow them to add powerful percussion sounds to their repertoire behind the loop.
Stomp Boxes: The Perfect Complement to Any Looper Pedal
Make no mistake: when it comes to building the ultimate “one man band” setup, or putting in solo practices that are as dynamic as any jam session, stomp boxes are irreplaceable. They’re designed to deliver the deep bass and crisp snare sounds that musicians need to add a rich, percussive feel to their music. And for guitarists in particular, a stomp box is the perfect complement to a loop pedal when they want music to genuinely feel as good as it sounds.
Australia’s own Peterman Acoustics are the makers of some of the fullest and richest sound stomp boxes on the market, and they’re proudly recognised for a solid core of features that include:
- Superior production quality. Peterman stomp boxes are designed to simulate bass, snare and hi-hat drum sounds with the clarity of a live drum kit.
- Uncompromisingly durable construction. Whether it’s in the studio or on the road, Peterman stomp boxes are built to withstand years of gentle taps and hard stomps.
- Compact size, and plug n’ play convenience. There are no setup headaches with Peterman stomp boxes. Chiefly, they don’t require an external power source, giving them straight-from-the-pocket simplicity.
- Unmatched connectivity and compatibility. Peterman stomp boxes can be connected directly to a guitar, amp, preamp or a looper, allowing them to take maximum advantage of standard XLR outputs.
Whether it’s practising, creating or soloing, a fully functional loop pedal and a stomp box are the optimal combination for guitarists. They’re packed with everything that’s needed to successfully create the most complex chords and counter melodies they can imagine without calling up the band.
The Final Word
At the end of the day, today’s musicians are more accustomed to and comfortable with incorporating technology into their creative processes than they’ve ever been. That’s why it’s no surprise that as they’ve evolved, some tried-and-true technologies have actually become cutting edge tools for truly original productions.
No matter if it’s time for practice or time for the big show, a modern, looper multi-effects pedal has everything guitarists need to take their music to the next level. And together with a rugged stomp box, they’re two of the best investments that a guitarist will ever make.
