Using a Looper Pedal for Recording

[Worblehat]

I have been thinking about getting a looper pedal for practice purposes for a while now. I liked the EHX 360 Nano Looper for its simplicity. But then another use for a looper pedal came to my mind: Recording.

Let me explain...
I am a beginner and from time to time I like to record songs I've been learning. It's quite a motivation for me and also a good way to be self-critical and find things to improve. My setup for recording looks like this:
Amp -> Focusrite Audio Interface -> Notebook. In addition I need to connect a monitor or headphones to the interface to hear what I play and of course setup the DAW on my Notebook.

As I don't have enough space to keep this configuration on my desk all the time I need to set it up everyt ime. This and the resulting cable spaghetti is annoying and holds me back from recording more often or spontaneously during a practice session.

So my idea is:
Why not buy a looper pedal with multiple recording slots, lots of memory, an USB connector (I have the Boss RC-3 in mind). I could keep it in my signal chain all the time and activate it any time I want to record something without any additional setup.
Then I could connect the amp to the audio interface and notebook later, replay the loop and record it in the DAW. I also can tweak the amp settings at this point (as the looper is in front of the amp) and don't have to think about it too much when playing.

Recording often or even always when practicing might also help with the "red light syndrome" I suffer from.

What do you think of it? Is a looper like the Boss RC-3 the right tool for this?
Are there any other pedal like devices that are intended to be used as on-the-fly recording tools?

 

[donepearce]

Just about all recording software will let you create loops during tracking. That is probably a better way to do this, as you don't have to try to manipulate a looper pedal while playing other stuff.

 

[Worblehat]

My goal is not to create loops, but to record stuff without any software and audio interface any time on the fly.

 

[donepearce]

Then a looper would appear to be your best option.

 

[DFLCC]

This is your best bet for what you want; Digitech Trio+ Band Creator plus Looper. All you need in a box. Used a SD Card for storage. Just plug in your guitar to the pedal and the pedal to the amp, and let the fun begin. Although you could use the provided additional out puts to separate the bass and drums from the guitar when recording or during play back. An effect loop is also available. I like it a lot. Man is a band in a stump box. Great practice and creative tool. Fairly easy to use with a small learning curve.

 

[Col Mustard]

my latest one is the TC Electronic "Ditto" pedal.

here's a video that lays it out. simplicity is the key.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/TC-Electronic/Ditto-Looper-Guitar-Effects-Pedal-1355159346048.gc

 

[Layne Matz]

This is your best bet for what you want; Digitech Trio+ Band Creator plus Looper. All you need in a box. Used a SD Card for storage. Just plug in your guitar to the pedal and the pedal to the amp, and let the fun begin. Although you could use the provided additional out puts to separate the bass and drums from the guitar when recording or during play back. An effect loop is also available. I like it a lot. Man is a band in a stump box. Great practice and creative tool. Fairly easy to use with a small learning curve.
View attachment 32016

Let me get this straight. So you plug rught into that pedal, from the pedal to the amp, put an sd card in and it will record what you are playing through the amp to the sd card?

 

[Worblehat]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

This is your best bet for what you want; Digitech Trio+ Band Creator plus Looper.

Yes this one looks great. But a bit more money than I want to spent. I looked into the Digitech JamMan Solo XT which can do everything I need. But I still prefer the more expensive Boss RC-3 for one reason: Digitech requires software to transfer tracks from the pedal to the PC. Boss does it the right way: The pedal plugs in as external storage device and you can just drag-and-drop the files. No need to be dependant on some proprietary software.

simplicity is the key.

100% agreed. I like simplicity and therefore preferred the Dito or the EXH 360 Nano Looper first. But as I want more than the pure looping functionality now (extensive recording and transfer of tracks to PC) I may need to step up a bit.

 

[DFLCC]

Let me get this straight. So you plug rught into that pedal, from the pedal to the amp, put an sd card in and it will record what you are playing through the amp to the sd card?

It will record the amp as long as it is on the amps FX loop.

 

[El Mike]

I have written and recorded extensively using the ditto looper. It works great. My chain went like this: guitar/bass into Beatbuddy mini into Ditto out to what ever you want. This way you don't loose the sync between the drums and the loop. Then once I was ready to lay down the track, I would record the loop into garage band and then the lead or vox or anything else. Works great. But now I'm using Logic Pro X on a iMac on my computer desk so I don't have any of the clutter associated with most computer recording setups. This works best for me.

 

[Worblehat]

I eventually got the Hotone Wally+ Looper with 11 banks, lots of recording time and USB for transfer to/from a PC. I like it. Works well for my purposes.

 

[Girl_Rock]

My goal is not to create loops, but to record stuff without any software and audio interface any time on the fly.

Worblehat, I had the same thought. I've been recording songs for a couple of years and to loose too much time on recording pieces of song is really terrible. I use Audacity, which if you have the right hardware, it can be a great loop and recording software. You can also create drums or metronome loops, which are good, but I'm embracing the idea of buying a loop pedal to record rhythm guitar - lead guitar or bass - guitar.

 

[Worblehat]

Worblehat, I had the same thought. I've been recording songs for a couple of years and to loose too much time on recording pieces of song is really terrible. I use Audacity, which if you have the right hardware, it can be a great loop and recording software. You can also create drums or metronome loops, which are good, but I'm embracing the idea of buying a loop pedal to record rhythm guitar - lead guitar or bass - guitar.

I've been using audacity before. Indeed a nice tool. But I haven't used it since I got Reaper, which is another great inexpensive DAW.
My goal with the looper pedal though was to do looping and recording without a PC. Works like a charm :)