Daryl Shawn - Live looping (w/ cassette tape loop)

Live looping with a Tascam four-track (loaded with an endless loop tape) and a microcassette dictating machine.

More stuff like and unlike this at http://www.swanwelder.com.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• live
• looping
• four-track
• tape
• loop
• cassette
• lo-fi
• improvisation

[helpcomputing]

Hey i read your article, and bought looping cassettes from ebay but they have leader part in them, Where can i get leaderless ones!!! Will you sell me one!! thanks

[swanwelder]

Actually, I've been making my own and haven't bought new tapes in a long time. (I prefer straight loop tapes which can be flipped over for reverse effects). If you can't find leaderless tapes, you might try either splicing tape over the leader, or else spooling out a bit more of the tape, cutting out the leader, and splicing it back together. Be aware that you have to get decent tension in your loop. Hope one of these solutions work for you, if you can't find the tapes.

[BrianKe3]

do you need anything besides endless tape and a punch in mechanism? What is the microcassette machine doing in this loop?

[swanwelder]

No, you don't need anything more than the tape and a punch-in pedal. On Loopers-Delight dot com, in the "Tips and Tricks" section is an article I wrote about the technique.

The microcassette (using a regular cassette, not a loop) is in the effects loop of the 4-track, so some bits of the main loop and/or live playing were sent over there then recorded. I use it for special effects, altering the tape speed or using the rewind and fast-forward controls during playback for the high squealy noises.

[overdrivethree]

sweet. where'd you become inspired to experiment w/ loops?

[swanwelder]

David Torn was probably the first looper I heard, and Douglas Baldwin the first I ever saw. I subsequently discovered Brian Eno, bought a Digitech PDS-2000 and would echo for hours on end. I left it behind for years as I focused on playing in bands, but while doing some home recording on a four-track in 2002 or so, it struck me that the cassette machine itself could become a performance instrument, with a unique fidelity I much preferred to digital.

[jahblaz]

@swanwelder hey! I got a Portastudio myself too. But everytime i put in a loop tape

(DIY one) it plays for like 7 seconds then stops. everytime. I've tried with an answering machine tape and it does the same thing (i'm guessing it's the leader). But I don't know why this is happening with the DIY ones too. any thoughts?

[pencildives]

What exactly is happening here? I'd like to try that!

[s3rris]

Are you just recording on the same tape over and over again? this is so amazing! i'd really like to do stuff like this in the future :).

[garrettanderson983]

how is this set up to play and record at the same time?

[garrettanderson983]

@sdutango not really. i read the manual and made something amazing with it the first day i got it

[minifox13]

mikeys all rossed up

[LemonTartProductions]

This is fucking awesome.

[themasterofmovies]

@sdutango

It would take me mabye 10 min to learn how to use it, and mabye a couple days to master it

[hiphopsucks96]

I want one of those!

[scratlin]

Now i see why Autechre are such big advocates for tape!