The feature-set is roughly based on that of the EDP (LoopIII and many features from LoopIV)
so reading the
EDP Manuals can be useful.
SooperLooper allows you to have any number
(limited by available RAM) of loops running
simultaneously, and each loop can have an
arbitrary number of channels. Each channel of
each loop will have an input and output port
available for connection under JACK.
Command Options
SooperLooper supports long-presses (from gui, or when commands
are bound from MIDI note message). When a command is held down for more than 1 second,
it becomes a momentary (or SUS) control, so that when the command is released, it ends the
operation (as if you had quickly pressed and released a command twice). In the gui, middle-mouse button
press-releases are always momentary (releases always end the operation immediately).
MIDI bindings have a SUS option, that if set will treat that binding as an immediate
momentary operation (SUS).
Command Reference
RECORD
Start here. If the record threshold is all the way down,
pressing it once will start recording and pressing
again will end the recording.
If the Threshold is set higher the loop recording doesn't start until
the audio data is greater than the threshold. When finishing the loop, the threshold value is ignored.
See the tips in the EDP manual, it works best if you
stop and start recording the moment you hit the downbeat, not
before. Trust them.
Special Endings
- If you end a RECORD with another function (OVERDUB, MULTIPLY, REPLACE, SUBSTITUTE, INSERT, ONCE) it will finish the loop
immediately (threshold ignored) and start doing the new function.
-
Ending with REVERSE stops recording and plays the
loop backwards once then goes into MUTE mode.
OVERDUB
This keeps playing the loop and adds whatever you
play on top until you stop overdubbing. Very useful.... this is the main
tool. The Feedback controls the amount of the original loop that
is used every pass. In actuality, when
Feedback is set to 100%, it uses a
slightly less amount to help prevent clipping on output.
MULTIPLY
This similar to overdub, except the original loop is
repeated underneath you "multiplying" the loop length until
you stop it. Thus it can turn a 1 measure loop into a 2,3,
etc measure loop. QuantizeMode and RoundMode affect how the
overdubbing starts and stops. QuantizeMode affects when the
operation begins, and RoundMode affects if the new audio
continues to be added throughthe end of the current cycle
after hitting the final record.
Keep in mind that the
original loop length is a "cycle" and the loop length will
be a multiple of that. You can actually make an already
multiplied loop have fewer cycles when using Multiply on
loops that have already been multiplied.
Special Endings
- If you end a MULTIPLY with a RECORD press it ends the loop
immediately and resets the cycle length to the whole loop.
- The MultiIncrease function is implemented which allows you to
increment the cycle count ahead of time, without needing to wait
until the exact time to finish the multiply.
Basically, press Multiply as if you
were finishing it, then before the current cycle plays out, press Multiply again
repeatedly to add cycles. The multiply will resume and automatically go into
playback after the specified number of cycles.
INSERT
It inserts new input in place, but always one "cycle" length...
QuantizeMode and RoundMode have effects similar to Multiply.
Special Endings
Ending with a RECORD press it ends the operation
immediately and resets the cycle length to the whole loop.
REPLACE
Replaces the audio in the loop for the duration of the command. The existing loop audio is not
heard during the operation.
When Quantize mode is set, this operation will be
quantized on start and finish with the current sync and
quantize parameters.
SUBSTITUTE
Is like Replace except you still hear the current underlying loop audio
as it records new audio into the loop. On the next time around, only the
newly recorded audio will be heard. This helps maintain the groove
when recording a replacement section, because you can play with what was there.
When Quantize mode is set, this operation will be quantized on start and finish.
REVERSE
Reverses playback direction. Can be used in play mode, and even
during an OVERDUB, which makes for some pretty interesting stuff.
Can also be used in DELAY mode. If Quantize is on, the reversal
doesn't happen until the next sync boundary, thus keeping the
loop in time.
UNDO
Restores the playing loop to the state before the last operation.
It maintains the current time position if the current loop was based
on the previous loop (eg, not newly recorded). You can go all the way back to
the first one still intact within the loop memory. As more operations are done, more of
the available loop memory is used, and it will eventually
start reclaiming the oldest versions.
Note that to undo all existing state, do a long-press of Undo.
Pressing Undo when an operation is waiting for sync or quantization will
cancel the pending operation.
REDO
Redoes the loop if it can (if you haven't done a new operation since
your last undo). Taken together UNDO and REDO allow you to do some
neat things: record a verse part, then hit record to do a chorus
part. To get back to the verse, press UNDO... to get to the chorus
press REDO.
MUTE
Press to mute loop output. Dry passthough audio will be unaffected.
To continue playing the loop in time press MUTE again. To continue playing
the loop from the top press TRIG. To play back the loop once and
return to mute, press ONCE.
TRIGGER
this immediately restarts the loop
playing back from the beginning.
ONCE
this immediately restarts the loop
playing back from the beginning, and goes into
MUTE mode at the end of the loop.
PAUSE
Press to pause loop playback. Dry passthough audio will be unaffected.
To continue playing the loop from the paused time press PAUSE again. To continue playing
the loop from the top press TRIG. To play back the loop once and
return to mute, press ONCE.
SOLO
Pressing SOLO will mute all other looper instances. Pressing it again will revert to the previous
state before solo was pressed (eg, loops that were muted before the first press will stay muted). Pressing solo for
a different loop will cause that loop to be the new soloed loop, only one loop may be soloed currently.
LOAD/SAVE
These commands allow you to load a loop from an audio file.
The file becomes a new loop, so it must be
shorter than the available loop time, or the
operation will fail. Many audio file formats are supported, but the sample rate should
match that of the current loop, as no resampling is currently done on load.
Save will save the
current loop to an 32bit float WAV file. The loop playback is not
interrupted when saving.
DELAY MODE
Pressing the Delay control triggers Delay Mode. The time between the
most recent two presses is the new delay time. While in DELAY mode,
you can toggle Hold Mode (by pressing Replace), or Reverse at any time for a cool effect.
To get out of delay mode press any other function or UNDO. You will
probably want to adjust Feedback down from 1 before you enter delay
mode or you'll build up a nice cacophony fast.
Rate Adjustment
The rate can be adjusted anytime (even during Recording) and will affect both the
underlying loop and any new incoming audio recorded onto the loop, reminiscent of
tape delay systems. Altering the Rate during recording/overdubbing, etc can result
in interesting recorded audio. The GUI has buttons for easy access to 1/2 speed, double speed, and
normal (1x) speed. MIDI bindings can be created to act like these buttons by specifying the range
min and max to equal the target rate.
SCRATCH MODE
By default the Scratch Rate Active is toggled off which means it
ignores the Scratch Rate parameter. Changes in the Scratch Position
parameter over time define the rate of playback (position unit
is ratio of current loop length). The implementation is still pretty rough sounding.
I've personally used a
theremin
(the PAIA Theremax) with CV output through
my MIDI pedal, although the scratching code needs some work.
Control Reference
main in mon
The main in mon control sets the level of any incoming
audio for passthrough monitoring to the common outputs.
main out
The main wet control sets master level of all loop
audio being sent out the main output ports. It does not
affect the passthrough level from the main inputs, use the
main in mon control for that.
input gain
The input gain control sets a gain attenuation of the incoming
main input audio. This affect the input into the loops only, not the main
passthrough monitoring.
xfade
The xfade control sets the length in samples that
is used to crossfade the audio on loop
operations. Useful to prevent unwanted clicks caused by
waveform discontinuities. However, if you want them set
this value to 0. The control in the GUI affects all loops.
pan
The pan controls sets the panning for a given channel
in a loop to the common outputs. Note that the panning does
not affect the discrete output ports for each loop, it only
pans the signal to the stereo common outputs. A mono loop
will have a single panner, and stereo and multichannel loops
will have one stereo panner for each channel to allow full
control of signal width and panning.
main in
The main in control toggles the use of the main
inputs for audio input to the loop. This option only shows up with the loop
also has discrete inputs.
Please see the documentation on Sync for a description of other
important controls.