How to use Looper pedals for practicing Blues - Guitar Lesson

#loopers #looperpedal #bluesguitarlessons
TC Electronic Ditto, Boss RC-3 Loop Station, Donner Beltway all used in a lesson giving tips on how to use a looper pedal to help you practice playing.
This is not a shootout, or even a demo of these pedals, so they are not compared side by side, but rather each is used at different points of the video and showing how each have different features which can help you.
Which is best?
My personal favourite is the Ditto. It usually lives on my acoustic pedal board. It's really simple, quiet and really easy to use. It doesn't do what the others do, but it just does one thing really well and takes up minimum space on my board. I love it.
The BOSS RC-3 lives on my electric guitar pedal board. I prefer the design of the Beltway and the Ditto, over the traditional BOSS design as I find those switches more immediate and it feels like the BOSS needs a harder 'stomp'. However, the built in drum machine is fantastic. It doesn't sound great, but its really useful for practicing. This is why this is the pedal that lives on my main board.
The Donner Beltway is the cheapest by far. It's solid, and like the Ditto only takes up a minimum space on the pedalboard and has a more responsive switch than the BOSS. The Reverse and 1/2 speed features are curious, but I don't use them. It's not quite silent like the Ditto and the BOSS, but if you are only using this at home, this would not be an issue.
As a practice tool at home, for helping you develop your blues playing, any of these pedals, or indeed any other looper pedal, would be really useful.
I wish looper pedals existed when I started playing, because practicing against a loop will really help develop your playing.
The Ditto Looper and th BOSS pedal are pretty easy to find in any music store or online, however if you are interested in the Beltway, it's only available through Amazon:
www.amazon.co....
I am not affiliated to the company and I don't make any money from purchases.
Marc Guitar’s Facebook page:
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Patreon supporters get access to additional lessons, as well as mp3 backing tracks and all the tabs.
Marc’s band - Northbound:
Website: www.northbound....
Facebook: / northboundblues
Spotify: "Northbound Acoustic Blues Band"
Album available as mail order CDs from northbound.org.uk and downloads from all the usual download stores (iTunes, Google Play, CD Baby etc)
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[@will-lloyd]

Thank you, that first tip is a game changer!

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Fantastic! Really pleased to hear that

[@jamieb7799]

Just bought my first looper today and you’ve given me some great & simple ways to get started. Thank you👍

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

That's great to hear

[@graemero5532]

Great video Marc. These tips will save looper newbies a lot of time and cursing.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Hi Graeme - I hope so!

[@P0RTUGEEZA]

Thanks Marc, I like your teaching style, you were spot on with the common mistakes starting out with a looper, that's how I came to find your channel, much better now :)

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks very much - Glad it was helpful!

[@jackcompton8752]

Excellent! Thanks, brother! I've a tc electronic flashback that I've been trying to use. This will help a bunch. ✌❤🎸

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Excellent! Glad to help!

[@jimjamarch]

More great stuff. Thanks Marc.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

My pleasure! Glad you like it

[@rustysguitar1]

Great demo! Learned a lot. Thanks

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Cheers Rusty! Much appreciated

[@johnw4659]

Thank you for this, Marc. I was thinking of treating myself to a looper pedal for Christmas for just this purpose so your video came at a perfect time for me. Cheers!

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Excellent! I'm glad it's helpful. There's loads of great loopers on the market now. They take a little getting used to, but once you get it, they are great practice tools.

[@sbwilliamson2]

I’ve watched several looper pedal videos but found several new, useful ways to use it. Thanks Marc. Now if you can find a cure for lack of coordination.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks for the comment

[@thomasfarley7322]

Very good experience for me. Very well done.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Many thanks!

[@MiguelJimenez-ow5bx]

Always good lessons, thanks Marc

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks, Miguel - comment is much appreciated

[@danmcnamara7782]

this is great info!!! thanks so much MARC. Before I saw this - Already had a BOSS RC3. your detail here was so helpful!!!!! I like what you do! thanks for your help and guidance here!

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks Dan, I'm glad it was helpful!

[@kennypriest7434]

Love yer Groove at 12.06, just love it ! Great video Marc very useful that practical info that you just passed on to us, Stay Safe....

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks Kenny, just a simple E7 but glad you liked the groove. I'm glad you found it useful. Hope you keep safe too.

[@MustafaBaabad]

There is also looper pedal with different switch for on and off. It will be good to record multiple rhythm. Acoustic guitar can be used as drum and snare drum and on top of it can record guitar rhythm. Anyway thank you for thr lesson, especially the last message about keeping the looper pedal at the last link so that the effect / distirtion will not effect the recording. Cheers from Indonesia.

[@daveallsopp4394]

Excellent Marc, cheers mate. I’ve got a bunch of pedals in a boss case and need to set them all up properly. Going to start by practicing with the looper pedal 👍🏻🇬🇧🎸

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Excellent!

[@walterredaelli7507]

Thanks Marc. You should have recorded this lesson a year ago 🙂 I have made all the errors you are reporting 😬 I have a boss rc2. A bit confusing to use but the drum machine that is embedded is really useful for practicing. I use an octaver to overdub a bass track using lower octave. Excellent video as usual, thanks

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks Walter. Using an octave to add bass is a great addition

[@nicolasmaurin182]

Excellent. Thanks

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Glad you liked it!

[@morgannilsson8062]

Thanks Marc, and very well explained. Sure, I have made all those errors and almost gave up on it :-) but I think I finally got it right. Thanks again 👍😊

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks Morgan! Much appreciated

[@xsbaggage2666]

Nice Liver bird on the blackstar 👍

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Thanks 👍

[@davebell3369]

Thanks. Have you been watching me, because I think I've made ALL those mistakes in the past. I found making loops was very useful to practise/improve my timing. Also have a Line 6 Spider Jam (like that behind you?}, which I find good for practise over the loops/drum beats. Although I'm only a beginner, I don't really understand the dislike some people seem to have for them. Surely if something is useful. it doesn't matter what name is on the label.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Hi Dave - I think we've all made those mistakes. Yes, it's a Spider Jam. It was my first introduction to looping. It's a fantastic tool. Originally I was going to include it in this video, however technical issues made it a little difficult getting the audio and video, so I just focused on the pedals instead. I love the looper in it, I just wish we could add more drum patterns because most of these weren't really my style. It's great that it's so easy to add bass, acoustic guitar etc to make up a really rich loop

[@ubertwerpify]

much appreciated lesson - but holy treble batman !

[@Chip_57]

Marc, this was a great lesson and very useful. I live close to you and would love to see the band sometime. Thanks!

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Maybe one day!

[@orlandoidris9726]

I realize I'm quite off topic but does anybody know of a good site to watch newly released movies online ?

[@jedidiahpablo4311]

@Orlando Idris Flixportal

[@orlandoidris9726]

@Jedidiah Pablo Thank you, I signed up and it seems to work :D I really appreciate it!!

[@jedidiahpablo4311]

@Orlando Idris No problem xD

[@philbaugh6076]

Thanks Marc, I’ve had a looper for ages, but got scared to use it! I could never get the loop to sound right, ;)

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Glad I could help! They are tricky beasts, they do take a little getting used to. I also had issues when I first got one. Now I couldn't live without it. So handy for helping practice

[@johnmcdermott6333]

Hi Marc, I have a comment and a question for you. As an aged technophobe who is mesmerised by my 11 year old grandson, this lesson is beyond words in its usefulness to me. As an exiled Scouser, I noticed that you have added a Liverbird to the front of your Blackstar amp. Can I ask you where you got it please? (the Liverbird I mean :-)

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Hi John - it was a prezzie from my wife last Christmas she bought it from a market stall, but she's sure it's this: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/X3-Lasercut-Wooden-Liverbird-Shapes-Crafts/303706652306?ul_ref=https%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-53481-19255-0%2F1%3Fcampid%3D5338365712&customid=EB9222796&toolid=20006&mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fitm%2F303706652306&srcrot=710-53481-19255-0&rvr_id=2710281980144&rvr_ts=1fb3e18b1760a9b12452aeddfc1b0b1b&_mwBanner=1&_rdt=1&ul_noapp=true&pageci=baea782c-bc76-433a-9015-72554548f5b2&fbclid=IwAR3W219zFEVRBPvIr1wWwq1K0axU8X7GgplE1eMEr_truVrnxdwjbSQriBk

[@garyfohs4212]

Yeah !

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

I appreciate your enthusiasm!

[@garyfohs4212]

@@MarcGuitarVideos ya man. Thank YOU .

[@johnny6148]

nice instruction but i can tap the button all day and can't get it to delete or record.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

Check the manual and check that it's not faulty

[@tbone2451]

Sold my Boss , way too confusing Ditto is the way to go.

[@MarcGuitarVideos]

I still haven't figured out all the features, in fact in putting this video together, I looked at the list of features on the BOSS website and I didn't even realise it did some things! I like having the drums as an option, but the Ditto is my fav