Boomerang Boomerang III Phrase Loop Sampler Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm updating this review after updating the firmware. It now is fully functional. If you want a basic easy looper, get one of the simple Boss or Digitech pedals. If you want a POWERFUL and FLEXIBLE looper, get this one. The company is small (this is no mega corporate schtick), the looper sounds fantastic, built like a tank, and it has a surprisingly small footprint. You can read the manual on the company website to read about how many incredible and innovative features this looper has, but I personally love the ability to customize the buttons, play separate loops of different lengths, and set up a master loop (usually one measure "click" track) and then slave other loops to it. You can set it up to do about whatever you want. The only drawback is that it won't record loops within the unit, but thats isn't what it is designed for; its designed for serious live looping and flying without a net. I laugh in the face of danger! Ha! Ha! Ha!
This is a pedal designed by guitarists for guitarists. But I use it for guitar, sax, and vocal (you can use the Rang's stereo as two mono split channels!).
Five stars!!
Highly recommended!!!

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The Boomerang® III chassis is the same wedge shape as the original but smaller. It's footprint is 6" (front to back) by 9" (side to side) by 2" tall, and weighs less than 3 lb. The III is easy to operate and as intuitive as the Plus, but it will be deeper if you want to explore the new features.

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Boss SL-20 Slicer Effects Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)
What it does:
The Boss SL-20 is a Panner/Gater with 50 rhythmic patterns some of which have a fair amount of pitch shifting. It really shines in stereo where you can get some pretty interesting panning effects including several "3D" effects where the sound seams to move around you in 3 dimensions (duh). The panning is synced to the rhythm which you can adjust through either; tap tempo, a dial or a midi clock (such as those found on drum machines)
You can adjust the attack, how fast each "slice" rolls on and the duty how long each "slice" lasts.
Additionally rather than a wet/dry mix you have separate volume controls for both the dry (unaffected) tone and the wet (effected) tone.
You can also use a separate expression pedal to control the different parameters such as attack and duty.
O.K. so now we know what it does. Let's talk about how well it does it and how useful the effect is.
Playing through it takes a little getting used to. It works well with creating a groove type rhythm with long sustained notes. It also sounds cool when you "play to" the rhythm as in you strike the note/chord just as the attack is swelling. Poorly timed notes/chords are noticeable even when playing through a compressor. This can getting kind of tricky as I don't believe all of the patterns are in 4/4 timing and there can be several (or many) "slices" per beat.
I think that the patterns sort of lend themselves to techno style rhythms, but certainly open the doors for creative expression as long as you have an open mind. I tend to play pretty heavily distorted tones which really lend themselves to this effect. I don't think it works nearly as well with clean tones. Though I am sure with enough experimentation, you could get some pretty cool sounds out of it even with a clean tone.
The coolest thing about this effect is that it will get you jamming. Between all the variables, you could spend hundreds of hours experimenting with riffs.
It is not the type of effect that you will have on in every song, but there are definitely sounds to be discovered that would be impossible without this effect.
As far as I am concerned it is a keeper.
Aaron
I almost forgot to mention. There is a sound on sound feature that allows you to record a short phrase and then play over the top of it. I rarely use this feature because I have a dedicated looping pedal but it is definitely cool bonus.

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Inject a shot of high-octane fuel into your music with the Boss SL-20 Slicer Guitar Pedal. Instantly transform a guitar, bass, keyboard, or vocal into a pulsating groove instrument. Choose from 50 onboard Slice patterns or experiment with the SL-20s innovative Harmonic Slicer feature, which generates percussive melodies, Loop Record, and unique 3D Panning.Groove and Melody MakerThe SL-20 effect pedal transforms your music into percussive "chopped" grooves. Fifty rhythmic patterns are onboard, with adjustable note attack and duration, plus amazing Harmonic Slice effects. Create high-energy patterns onstage in real-time, or use the SL-20 as a songwriting and recording tool. Play the sliced sounds in realtime while capturing them with Loop Record.Flexible ControlAn internal tap-tempo feature is included, as well as the ability to sync to external MIDI clock. Sound characteristics of the SL-20 such as attack, duration, effect level, and direct level can be controlled by the onboard knobs or from an external Expression pedal.Universal FXThe SL-20 is an addictive effect that inspires creativity. Its great for guitarists, but its equally useful for other instrumentalists as well. Plug in a bass, keyboard, iPod, or any other instrument or music-playback device. DJs and dance-music artists will also love the SL-20 as a rhythmic-performance tool.

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DigiTech JML2 JamMan Stereo Looper Phrase Sampler Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)I play with loopers a lot, and wanted to like this looper, but found it lacking. If you just want to store pre-recorded loops and recall them to play along with, it may be one of the better loopers out there. But for live performance looping, I find myself going back to my Boomerang III. The JamMan requires too much bending over, so its not optimized for hands-free operation. You can't play independent loops that are of different lengths. But it is easy to use and provides the ability to record and recall loops, so I could recommend it for folks who want a simple, easy, but inflexible looper. Also, why did they add an XLR mic input with no phantom power option? Silly! And you can't use a microphone in one channel and guitar in the other for split channel stereo voice and guitar. Silly! Back to my Boomerang, people!

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When Digitech reinvented loopers in 2005 with the original JamMan, over 6 hours worth of material could be stored on a removable media card. Now, DigiTech has raised the bar with the newJ ML2 JamMan Stereo Looper Phrase Sampler Pedal with the ability to store 35 minutes of CD-quality loops in 99 internal memories as well as having an SD memory card expansion slot giving you the ability to store up to 16 hours of material in an additional 99 slots. Digitech JML2 JamMan Stereo Looper Phrase Sampler Pedal Features: Store over 35 minutes of stereo, CD-Quality loops in 99 internal memories Optional SDHC memory card can store over 16 hours of CD-quality audio in 99 additional memories (198 total). Reverse Playback 4 Heavy-duty metal footswitches for looping and loop selection Connect to your computer via USB and use the JamManager™ Loop Librarian software to organize and archive your loops. Aux Input lets you import music from CD and MP3 players 3 Stop modes (Stop, Finish, and Fade) Load up the JamMan with bass lines, drums, harmonies, and more; create an entire backup band, take it with you, and perform anywhere! Slow down or speed up any loop without changing pitch Balanced XLR mic input with dedicated gain control is perfect for dynamic and self-powered microphones Metronome with multiple rhythm sounds and time signatures Rugged metal chassis Automatic recording Power supply included Optional footswitch adds additional Hands-Free functionality The JamMan Stereo also features true stereo looping, reverse playback, and a mic input making it perfect for backing tracks or DJ applications. The JML2 JamMan Stereo Looper Phrase Sampler Pedal features USB connectivity and will sync to DigiT

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Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai Delay Looper Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)Although all the rest of my pedals are analog, I thought I would go for this little puppy for the following reasons: 1) I was looking for a delay with tap ability to create a nice shimmering sound that would complement the other guitarist in our band. This has tap functionality and up to 3 seconds of delay time. 2) It comes with the ability to modulate your sound to some extent, creating chorus and flange-like effects. 3) It has a boat load of other functions, like loops, reverse effects, etc. 4) It's programmable. 5) I like Electro Harmonix products in general. 6) It's relatively inexpensive for what it has. 7) It has stereo-ins and outs. 8) It doesn't suck tone and signal strength. 9) It looks great.
I guess you could see this as a list of the pedals "pros." Thus far I've tested in out for only 2 hours or so, but it's lived up to my expectations. It actually has way more functionality than I wanted, but I'm looking forward to exploring and creating new sounds. For about two hundred, this is a great deal.
There are a few "cons" and they are: (1) It takes a while to learn how to use. The manual is _essential_ here. Right off the bat it tells you how to get a simple delay. I demo'd it in the store (Guitar Center) and I couldn't figure out how to get it to work. It was creating all sorts of crazy loops and I couldn't even shut the loops off! It was totally going crazy! So, if you don't know what you're doing, you shouldn't mess with this pedal. Fortunately, the manual looks very clear and although long (10 pages or more?) I think after I read through all of it I'll be clear on things. Actually, the fact that the pedal was going crazy when I demo'd it was cool, because now I know I can do all that crazy stuff (not that I'd really use that in a gig).
(2) It's only adaptor-powered, no possibility of battery use.
(3) It's digital. If you absolutely must have an analog delay, then you might check out the new MXR Carbon Copy, which is a bit cheapter, is smaller and is analog. Everyone says it's a great pedal. However, it can't do any of the other cool jazz this baby can do, and doesn't have tap tempo. Or for more money -- about three hundred -- you can get the analog Memory Man which everyone raves about. Or a Maxon delay. But the sound on this is close enough for me, and the analog delays don't have the features this one has.
(4) You can't switch presets with your foot. You have to bend down and turn the Hazarai (white) knob. You could raise the pedal to where you could reach it with your hand, but then you can't stomp on it (for the tap tempo). I'm not sure what to do with this conundrum just yet. Probably I'll only have 2-3 presets that I'll use in a gig and I'll just have to reach down and turn it when I have to?
In conclusion, I did a fair amount of research on delay pedals and demo'd a few in stores. For the money, I think this is a good pedal. It has 2 extra knobs more than a usual delay pedal (not counting the Hazarai knob) and that lets you adjust your sound to make it more analog-like or add some reverb-like effect, which is neat. It's functional, wacky if you want it to be, and it looks great!
* * *
Edit: I have now owned this pedal for about three months. It is great, and has loads of possibilities. Only thing I miss about it, is that it lacks an easy way to switch presets (you have to bend down and turn the Hazarai knob and push it, which you can try to do with your feet, but it's pretty hard!). No regrets about buying it though.

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It's an echo, a multi-tap delay, a reverse echo, and a performance looper with up to 30 seconds of loop time, all in true stereo! Featuring tap tempo, vintage tape echo filtering, and eight programmable presets... it's got all the Hazarai. Designed for the performing musician and destined to be one of the most creative tools on your pedal board. A one pedal tour de force.

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DigiTech Jamman Looper and Phrase-Sampler Pedal Review

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(More customer reviews)Sorry folks...the JamMan just isn't quite ready as a reliable, live performance tool. Using a high-capacity compact flash card (1GB), my loops were consistently corrupted after about the 4th or 5th overdub (especially on loops of faster tempos). I tried several brand new cards and even exchanged the JamMan for another one. Same problem. The thing is built like a tank. Unfortunately, the problem with corrupted loops means that it's just not dependable enough to use in live performances. Believe me, you don't want to find yourself in the middle of a live performance and suddenly have an extra 1 or 2 beats magically show up in the middle of your loop. Probably not a good impression on your audience. :-) I've been in contact with DigiTech but no fix yet. Let's hope they find a fix to this problem soon.
You can check out the discussion on Yahoo's JamMan discussion group, for more details and examples of the problem. I would strongly recommend holding off on getting a JamMan right now. Give DigiTech some time to work out the bugs first. I realize not many people have reported this problem but it's there. As more people experiment with it, the glitch is making itself known.
I give it 2 stars for effort. If you don't intend to loop more than 3 or 4 layers, on smaller-capacity compact flash cards, you're probably okay. Even so, I wouldn't risk it in a live performance though.


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The DigiTech JamMan Looper - The Return of a Legend!Nearly 20 years later and 6 hours, 29 minutes, 52 seconds longer, DigiTech does it again with the JamMan Looper. When DigiTech developed the PDS 8000 looper pedal almost twenty years ago, it stored eight seconds of audio. Now theyve reinvented it using removable CompactFlash® memory to store up to 6.5 hours (with optional 2GB card)! A wide range of features combined with ease of use make the DigiTech JamMan the perfect looper/phrase sampler for practicing, composing, and performing.DigiTech JamMan FeaturesSave up to 99 independent loops.Store over 24 minutes of looping time on the included CompactFlash card. Upgrade to a 2GB card to store up to 6.5 hours of audio!Connect to your computer via USB and never lose another loop ever again!Record rhythm loops and solo over them on the fly, completely Hands-Free.Load up the JamMan with bass lines, drums, harmonies, and more; create an entire backup band, take it with you, and perform anywhere!Slow down or speed up any song without changing pitch.Removable CompactFlash Type I memory card with over 24 minutes of capacity included (up to 2GB of storage or 6.5 hour* capacity)USB port to transfer loops to and from your computer. Create a library of all your loopsBalanced XLR mic input with professional-grade, low impedance input with dedicated gain control. Perfect for dynamic and self powered microphonesCD quality 44.1kHz sampling rateMetronome with multiple rhythm sounds and time signaturesRugged metal chassisAutomatic recordingPower supply includedOptional footswitch adds addidtional Hands-Free functionalityThe JamMan opens up new horizons to your musical explorations. The possibilities are literally endless, endless, endless.!DigiTech JamMan DetailsBALANCED XLR MIC INPUT:Professi

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Line 6 JM4 Looper Review

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(More customer reviews)The JM4 Looper is way more than just a looping pedal. It's really a "band in a box" type of product. There are 200+ different custom guitar tones and over 100 backing tracks of various styles: rock, metal, blues, country, funk, pop, you name it. As with usual Line 6 gear, it's got built-in amp modeling for typical Fender / VOX and Boutique amp tones. As well as built-in reverb, flanger, echo, phaser, chorus etc. Its darned easy to just start jamming to the backing tracks. You can change the guitar tone, the amps etc. Even better, you can change the tempo and key. (however, if you change more than 2 half-steps some tracks distort weirdly.)
If you use the Line 6 JM4 Looper, you will no doubt get better in your playing. But if you're looking for "just" a looper, consider something else as you might get frustrated with all the features.
--Zack
guitarvibe

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The Line 6 JM4 Looper combines sound-on-sound looping with thrilling jam tracks and a full arsenal of legendary Line 6 tones. JM4 Looper features over 100 Endless Jam tracks and drum grooves in more than 10 styles performed by top LA and Nashville session players. These tracks are not rigid and robotic; these are actual recordings laid down by A-list drummers, bass players and guitarists. The real-world chemistry from these dynamic rhythm sections is here for you to explore your creativity in writing songs, trying out solo ideas or just honing your chops between gigs. With up to 24 minutes of recording time, and storage for up to 100 recorded jams, JM4 Looper lets you capture all your riffs and musical ideas. Plus, store more jams, export your jams to your computer's recording software and post jams online all through the SD card slot. The looper has dedicated footswitches for Record/Overdub, Play/Stop, Half Speed and Undo for super-easy practicing, songwriting and creation of an entire backing band on the fly. Layer guitar tracks, bass tracks, keyboards-even vocals with the balanced XLR microphone input. Complete with a comprehensive collection of brilliant modern and historic guitar tones, JM4 Looper gives you access to 200+ artist-created presets, 150+ song-based presets, 12 Line 6 amp models and a stunning array of effects for guitar and vocals. There's even room for 36 presets of your own creation. AmericanMusical.com is an authorized dealer of Line 6 products.

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