Pro Tools Sessions with Simon Philips at The Loop Loft

The Pro Tools Session with Simon Philips at The Loop Loft is an amazing experience of real drums being played in different loops, by one of the best drummers in the world. In this custom designed template of multiple sessions a wide range of rock styles can be listened to. The sessions which suit the composer the best can be easily dragged and dropped into his own sequence. Let’s have a look at the special features of this session.

1. Easy addition

The pro session includes 34 different assemblies of drums in different tempos. The performances range from Hard rock to Texas Blues. Each session is ideally divided into the verse, chorus, fills etc. A composer can choose a session based on the feel and tempo and decide to add it to his track. Simply drag and drop the parts you like into the sequencer software and re arrange them. The composer can also match and mix loops from different sets and add them together to make his own collection.

2. Inclusions

This is the first in a collection of drum sessions in multi tracks that have been custom designed for Pro Tools. The 34 sessions templates in .ptf have already been mixed by using native plug-ins and are inclusive of tracks of keys and vocals, guitar, reverb, chorus and delay. They are ready to use and give a creative jump start to the composer. It also includes loop versions in stereo in-

·         REX2

·         AIFF

·         WAV

·         Stylus RMX FORMATS

·         ReFill for Reason

3. Loops

The session is inclusive of Bass Loops arranged in WAV, REX2, AIFF for Apple Loops and Stylus RMX formats. The drum loops sessions are in complete stereo singles library that includes kicks, toms, snares and cymbals.

4. Equipment and Recording

All tracks of the sessions have been recorded in Los Angeles in the Woodcliiff Studios. The drums that Simon used were Tama and Pro Tools was used to track all performances. The mastery of the sessions was done in the record release quality, making sure that there was no over processing and stress was laid on the kit and the drummer.

5. Simons gear

Simon used the following equipment for the recording-

·         Tama Star Classic Maple kit

·         Kick drums – 16”by 24”

·         Toms - 7" x 10", 9" x 12", 10" x 13", 11" x 14", 12" x 15", 13" x 16"

·         Snares - Drum Paradise "HitMaker" 5" x 14", 1939 Leady 6-1/2" x 14", 1974 Ludwig 402 6-1/2" x 14", Tama Star classic Piccolo 3-3/4"x 14", Tama "Pageant" 5" x 12"

·         Zildjian "A" Custom cymbals - 14" HiHats, 22" Ride, 19", 18" & 17" Crashes, 12" Splash, 10" SR Hats, 22" Oriental China & 22" A Custom China.

6. Signature sticks in Pro mark

Simon used the following microphones for the Pro Tools Session-

·         Shure SM57 for Snare

·         Shure KSM27s for the Toms

·         AKG 414 for Hats

·         AKG 460s for Overheads and Yamaha

·         NS10/20 Subkick mics

·         Shure Beta 52 for the Kicks.

Tips on how to get more from Your Drum Loops

A drum loop is basically that section of the music which is cut in such a way that it seamlessly plays the sound of drums indefinitely or in a loop. It can range from a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the composer. They are usually created to work as a convenient underscore on which the composition is built. They can be combined with bass line loops. The following tips have been suggested keeping Ableton Live in mind but can also be used with DAW.

1. Chop the loop

Try and change the arrangement of the loops after chopping them. This comes very handy when you want to create your library drums.

2. Audio channels

After rearranging plan a scheme for placing chopped slices in their independent audio positions. This will enable you to add different effects to various parts and it wont effect the drum hits at all. The only problem with drum and guitar loops is that when you want to add an effect it affects the kick and the hi hats. The overall sound can be effected by it.

3. Return channels

Always try to put all your different effects in to the return channels instead of loading them into your audio channels. This will save a lot of space in your CPU and let you add more instruments later. Most Ableton Live users find that effects in return will help in mastering the audio drums. In other words with all of it in one return all the effects for the snare will be in one channel  and have no loads effect on layered hit of snare.

4. Multiply your drum hits

You dint need to stop at one kick or snare. You can try it innumerable times. The more the layering the bigger the sound that will be created. Most people have come to expect this with genres of bass, drum and dubstep. One layer might work once but layering is always more impressive.

5. Adding drum patterns

Be creative with drum patterns and don’t hold back when using them. The option of DJ the Prodigy will provide complexity to the underlining drum sounds in your track.

For eg- Fire Starter has a drum beat as main, but it can also be used a abreak beat loop in the back.

This technique is commonly used in Glitch and Break Beat

6. Use of transposition

When the drum hits are chopped up the glitch effect can be added very easily using transposition. When using Ableton Live always remember that transpositions can be done only in multiples in increasing order. Or else they will not sound in sync.

For eg- if a drum hit is transposed three semitones then the next one should be -6 or -9 or +6 or +9. This is just a tip not a rule.

7. Conversion into a MIDI track

The audio sample can be converted into a MIDI track very easily using Ableton Live. The arrangement can be changed of the loops and you will end up getting your own unique loop. It just not limits you here, sustain decay; release and attack can also be added for alteration.

A New Age Music Instrument in Song Production

The advantage of using loops to create compositions is that you don’t have to be a pro in playing instruments. Loops are created using a virtual (software) sampler. Computer based looping software allows one to make changes, add delay effects and modify existing song libraries to create different tunes.

Anyone from a DJ to a simple musician can make use of loops to enhance the quality of their music. Since loops containing replicas of famous songs are readily available on the internet, anyone can use them for music compositions.

This and many more reasons have earned loops the status of being new age music instruments. Let’s take a look at some of the most astonishing features of loops given below.

Digital Library of Loops for Nascent Musicians

A large number of loops are stored in repositories and available online with creations from famous musicians.

Digital library provides flexibility and high quality music samples to nascent musicians. Just download a sample and play it using the loop software installed on your computer.

Musicians can also create new riffs using drum and metal guitar sounds for composing a new song. Loop libraries contain largest styles of sounds from different music instruments, available in ubiquitous formats for use in all range of devices.

Loops Help Create a Personal Repository of Unlimited Musical Notes

Loops require some knowledge about computer programming on the user’s part. A computer program stores the loop in a digital library, once it is constructed. Looping software provides a handful of comparison between sounds, you just created. It helps in choosing the correct hardware or software solution for playing a specific sound sample in HD. Programming a Synthesizer (Synth) appropriately helps create and store an unlimited number of tones in your personal repository.

Loops offer Flexibility to Create Unique Tunes Much Faster

Most people in the present times are comfortable with using software and technology, more than playing instruments. Loops provide them a practical platform to show their creative abilities without having to learn instruments or investing money in them.

Loop software allows users to create unique and personalized tunes. Large pool of loops provides them with an option to play music they want. Synthesizers provide music tones in a digital format similar to the sound from an original instrument. Loops can also be used to create off beat accents using software experimentation.

Loops helps in Expand one’s Musical Horizon

Loops help to expand the musical horizon of a nuance musician. Amateur artists with no professional background in music can try to create their unique songs with loops. A loop provides helps sound designers by allowing them to remix several sounds in a single file.

Building creative and innovative songs with shoestring budget and a little amount of time in one’s hand, is only possible through loops. Musical loops help in creating new lead lines and copyright your unique work under an author name.

Author Bio :-

I am Ryan Gruss loves to play with music. I am in this industry from many years. I am continuously serving my customers all over the world with the music loops. I create Drum Tracks and with different varieties and have gained very good fame and name of my organization Thelooploft. I love writing also and I write blogs and articles related to music.

What are Some of the Best Professional Live Looping Tips?

No matter how much time you spend jamming and practicing in the studios, there are several areas where things can go wrong when it finally comes out to looping in live performances. Fear of addressing huge audiences and pressure of delivering the best can always cause looping difficulties for even professional, most experienced artists.

Keeping that in mind, we discussed all these issues with experts and listed the following tips that will help you become a flawless performer:

How to Build the Energy?

One of the biggest and most effective secrets for staying bouncy in the midst of the audience is to continue mounting your energy. There is no doubt that looping while playing a track can be a bit challenging, but if you follow a rhythmic pattern, you will be able to do it quite effortlessly.

As the volume of the first loop drops, you need to trail it with another drum/guitar loop of the same intensity, making it almost impossible for the audience to contrast between the two. Moreover, the momentum can even be maintained with a significant drop or rise in the sound.     

How to Avoid Drops with Assist?

This might be a well known fact for professional band members who spend hours jamming together and are suitably aware of imperfections and attributes of each other. Even when performing live you can adjust the drum and Guitar loops while taking assistance from your band member. If you aren’t sure about the loop change and think that you can drop it down, don’t hesitate to ask your band members to play a little louder to cover the distortion up.                      

Why have an Exit Strategy?

The biggest concern that can bother professionals about live performances is the failure with overdub or wiping loop. As a suggestion, you need to have proper exit strategy in such cases.

You can get the purpose served with a kill switch, volume pedal or plug-ins.         

Check the Volume:

When looping, it is important that you have a proper check and control over the volume. The control becomes more a necessity than a technicality during the last layers where overdubbing is needed. Volume direction is also required when soloing over the guitar or drum loops, so that you maintain a proper volume level throughout the performance.       

Practicing Beforehand, is it Important?

Unlike the jamming sessions, live performances require a professional guitarist to maintain fine contact with the audience in order to keep everybody engaged with his guitar tracks. This is can be possible only when you are practicing regularly and are able to memorize the guitar/ drum loops or sequences in the rhythmic pattern. If you don’t have enough practice, you might end up twisting tempos and even merely gazing at the pedals during a live performance!     

Author Bio :-

I am Ryan Gruss loves to play with music. I am in this industry from many years. I am continuously serving my customers all over the world with the music loops. I create Drum Tracks and with different varieties and have gained very good fame and name of my organization Thelooploft. I love writing also and I write blogs and articles related to music.