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I'm getting booked for gigs where there's no bass player or piano. Like duo type gigs with a singer or horn. Comping a singer or horn is no problem. When it's time for a guitar solo, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do. Single note solos with no bass or comping is something I'm not a big fan of. I guess I could sort of comp a few chords as I go, but it's not the most amazing thing to listen to. I've seen people do it, Joe Pass is great. I'm not Joe Pass and I don't see myself becoming Joe Pass anytime soon. I'm pretty good at comping and single notes, I have not studied "solo jazz guitar" as it's not something I'm interested in. I don't love the sound of it. I'd rather listen to a quartet.
I've seen people do these with a loop sampler. Sounds pretty good. However I'm hesitant to go this route myself, because it's not really "real jazz" or "real live music" at that point. Well I don't know what my issue is really, I can't put my finger on it. You get the idea, right?
The gigs are cafe/restaurant background music type gigs. Obviously I would not do this at the Village Vanguard. On the other hand, the Village Vanguard wouldn't hand me a minuscule budget that only covers 2 musicians.
Has anyone done it? Does the venue notice, do they care? Does the public notice? Do people like it or hate it?
Any general opinions? Are the guys using loop samplers phony POS players in your opinion? I haven't tried one yet but it looks temping cause I could grab a few more gigs here and there.
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04-19-2023 03:08 PM
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I would think, in those types of venues, would anyone really notice the difference? No. Is it pure? No. Do the diners/drinkers care? Probably not. Personally, I see no reason to not loop your comp/rhythm part then solo over it for a couple choruses. Definitely better than using full blown backing tracks which, I am ashamed to say, I've been guilty of doing on rare occasions (only bass/drums - no piano/vocals/horns, etc.). But that's just me - I'm not a purist by any stretch of the imagination and, in my world of scarce gigs, you do what you gotta do.
Now, let the worms crawl out of their cans..........
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Go for it. You are the rhythm section. I think the options are looper, don't solo, or mix in the chords. The looper isn't a bad solution in my opinion. I use a looper for practice and it sounds really good once I get the arrangements down.
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Forum member Lionelsax does it and has videos.
If you want unaccompanied single note solo inspiration check out Joe Diorio. He just goes for it.
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I use a looper. I am on a gig right now where I am using a looper.
Originally Posted by JazzIsGood
When do I use it ? I use it when I am playing a gig on my own or playing a gig without a pianist or bassist. That is, a duo gig with a sax or singer. I don’t use pre recorded loops. I record the loop “on the spot”.
( I also use tracks for some solo gigs )
I know that some players will look down their noses to this but unfortunately the alternatives are either to split the money from these low paying gigs or not take the gig at all ( and someone else will ).
I have plenty of videos of this on YouTube and Facebook. Let me know if you would like to see them.
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OK so good to know I won't be jumped in the parking lot by jazz guitarists after the gig if I use the LS.
I'm finding I can probably cover solos decent with tunes I know REALLY WELL. But if a sax player calls something I don't know, then I should probably use the loop sampler. And maybe for a few tunes that are more difficult. I'm OK on ballads, if someone requests Cherokee at 300 bpm it's gonna be time to hit the LS.
I am leaning towards bringing a LS and then I'll feel it out when I get there. If I happen to spot Peter Bernstein or Ron Eschete in the audience I'll leave the looper in my guitar case. "LOOP SAMPLER? WHAT ON EARTH IS A LOOP SAMPLE? My doctor once asked me for a poop sample but I've never in my life heard of a loop sample."
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Looper is great for solo gigs.
Looper has a lot of possibilities - you just need to know them.
I started with a simple looper Ditto Tc electronic and now Ii use Boss Rc-300 loop station.The newer Boss models are already on the market.
I've already played a few gigs with looper and I'm planning another one in May.
I often use recorded waves on bass and import them to the looper.I also have pre-recorded guitar chords.
All this to focus on improvisation and not to mix things up too much.
You have to be able to change parts of songs in the looper and be able to end the loop.
It is a very creative device.
You have to learn to control the looper that's all.
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If I were in the audience, I would respect a guitarist who made ad hoc loops, but pre-recorded loops would seem phoney.
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You obviously didn't understand what I wrote. Originally Posted by Litterick
I don't mean to show how I make loops, but how I improvise on the backing track.
Of course, there are also moments where I do it live.
There are guitarists on you tube, who show one by one how to add instruments and often make mistakes... I prefer to be sure of what I'm doing.
have you tried it or are you just an observer?
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Ed Sheeran Originally Posted by Litterick
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tbh I find it more trouble to play solo gigs with a looper. It’s a real art form. One mistake, like clipping a loop a little short and you have to live with it again and again. I’ve ended up frantically tap dancing on gigs to try and fix mistakes haha. I’m poorly coordinated at the best of times so this seems like a recipe for disaster… Originally Posted by JazzIsGood
respect to accomplished loopers
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On small gigs, I prefer using loopers to pre recorded tracks, but of course use what works best for your gig and playing!
I just loop a bass line or a cycle of rhythm while someone else is singing or soloing, and play on top of it afterwards. I mostly use it cause I think that, for my playing, hearing some tunes like that is more entertaining to the audience than playing everything one guitar Joe Pass style.
Sounds like this:
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Even worse when this "machine" suddenly stops playing. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
With Ditto, I couldn't stop it on one of the gigs.
Simply, the device went crazy.
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Yeah, haha, the Murphy Law will be waiting, the more gear you use, the more chances of something weird happening..
I actually would practice mulfunctions, pressing wrong things,etc when I first started playing with looping.. You have to know the gear well, and have a backup plan without it. A duet gig is simple, imagine a 15 dancers theatre gig where you do all the music live with a triple looper! That's why I haven't got the new Boss 6 track looper yet, too many bugs I read..
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I was not responding to anything you had written. I could not care less what you do. Originally Posted by kris
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There are good loopers nowadays that avoid that thing. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
The best is to have a 2 track looper, it works very well.
I've got the Boss RC-500, it's very consistent.
At first I used a lot the inner drum machine but Alter gave me indirectly advice to use it in another way.
At first, I played alone but other musicians came to me so I don't use it anymore.
I should use it again, it was my personal project.
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That's good. Originally Posted by Litterick
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A looper used creatively can be very cool, but maybe not what a restaurant crowd is expecting.
I actually find the most boring application of a looper--just laying down chords to solo over--to be the hardest to pull off in real time. So I'd be nervous about fucking that up and I'd probably be playing stiff and distracted. But that's me.
A passive audience probably won't notice if there's a consistent backing for your solos or not, really.
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I use the JamMan looper. It does take some practice and it’s perfect but neither are we. For most gigs, it is sufficient. Originally Posted by JazzIsGood
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I also have of these that I use mainly at home. Originally Posted by Doublea A
I use the JamMan looper. It does take some practice and it’s perfect but neither are we. For most gigs, it is sufficient.
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well the thing that would make it better is practice, but I’d rather practice or other things. I’d rather not rely too much on devices on gigs like metronomes and drum machines either. The more of that stuff there is the further it gets away from what I want to do. Originally Posted by Lionelsax
id rather just get better at playing the guitar
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I think you're wrong, a looper is the greatest tool to improve. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
For me it changed all the shit I used to play.
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I'm trying one out, and the biggest issue I'm really having is that I forget to clear the loop from the previous song!
Then I cant do anything on the new song except play solo guitar. If I can fix this brain fart I think I will try using it for a few tunes and see what happens.
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Nobody learns without making mistakes. Originally Posted by JazzIsGood
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+1 Originally Posted by Lionelsax
Skillful use of the looper is a matter of knowledge and practice.
As with everything.
More complex loopers have great potential for playing on stage.
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