Ambient Talk #2: 2 Loopers In Parallel (CBA Blooper, Hologram Microcosm, Strymon Volante, Iridium)

Another chattering about ambient live looping techniques.

[@juanandresgomez2731]

More of this :)

[@wintermute101]

Beautiful! It’s nice to see how you build these loops! 👌

[@willswitchcraft]

loving these sounds...................so dreamy and ethereal...............the parallel set up (instead of Series) is a brilliant approach.............................and I love the swaying of the headphone cable when you disappeared.............

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Yes, this cable is something I always try to keep swinging in view)))

[@DocRossi]

Really interesting, and a puzzle I’ve been trying to solve, so thank you.

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Wow, glad to hear that!

[@DocRossi]

@@MikhailMedvedev I'm just wondering whether there's a way to run multiple stereo effects chains in parallel using a mixer rather than the Iridium so that I can run a single stereo out. If not a mixer, then what?

[@MikhailMedvedev]

well, the Iridium in my chain was a splitter that can (if you use a headphone output) give you 2 identical stereo outputs... but there are those problems with mixing them back - 1) phase shifting, 2) mixing itself... If a mixer is not an option - a multichannel audio interface might be the case... From time to time I use my 8in/8out RME FireFace to make crazy routings with splitting a signal to 3 mono (or even stereo) outputs and sending them back to 3 stereo inputs. It has a sophisticated mixer where every input can be send to any output with any volume.

[@DocRossi]

I'm sorry to keep bugging you about this, but do you think an Art SplitMix4 might work? www.thomann.de/intl/art_splitmix4.htm

[@MikhailMedvedev]

I don't believe you can get any clear and decent result with a cheap and PASSIVE device. This is a tricky thing - mixing. Good preamps always matter. Cross interference. Levels. Noise. And all those electronic issues. There were some send-return-mixing solutions from Old Blood Noise Endeavors, but in mono.

[@subradial]

Beautiful sounds and great pedals! I often process my signal in parallel chains as well, love how different effect chains create very different versions of the same audio source, it's also fun to experiment at splitting the signal at various points in the chain (I use analog heat mkii to split stereo signal and then send it through headphones out and main out further into two different chains of effects) perfect for ambient soundscapes and ever-changing textures...

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Agree. Parallel chain might be a very interesting way to construct the sound. I love to skip sending my delay pedals into any reverb, but leave reverb in parallel thus keeping everything clean and readable with a lot of ambience at the same time.

[@maxcuthbert100]

Fascinating look into your process,so well explained.Seems like the combination of pedals is it's own musical instrument(?) Excellent spoken English,by the way !

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Thanks, Max. I think of the pedals and the instrument as one thing - a complex, but well integrated unity. Just like an electric guitar and a valve combo amp in blues. Difficult to control my spoken language mistakes when making videos) too many filler-words and all the articles were forgotten immediately... Well a good practice on the other hand.

[@maxcuthbert100]

Too many 'English speakers' use filler words ! i'd have to listen agasin to hear any such mistakes.@@MikhailMedvedev

[@MADRIGOMD]

Прикольно

[@ypjobin]

Hi Mikhail. Really love your music. Thank you for the tutorials. I have a Hologram Microcosm and a Meris Hedra pedals that I would like to sync together via the Meris MIDI i/o. I believe you are doing that as well. Just want to confirm that the Meris I/O will work with other MIDI pedals such as the Microcosm before purchasing one. There is no clear information about this on the Meris website. Thanks in advance for your help!

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Thanks! They will work together. You can connect Microcosm via 5-pin DIN (midi out of meris i/o) and 1/4 TRS for Meris pedals. Another question is what device will be the midi clock master... I use MorningstarFX MC6 MK2 for that. You can use any other midi source. Microcosm is also capable of sending midi clock - you can try it as a master clock.

[@ypjobin]

@@MikhailMedvedev Thank you so much for your help. Much appreciated. Keep up the good work. Your music is awesome!

[@benitolopez3624]

Hi Mikhail, fantastic video. I have a quick question. I also have MorningstarFX MC6 MK2, but if I send the MIDI message to start and then play the record (at the same time) on both pedals (Microcosm and Blooper), they go out of sync after a few minutes. The problem is on the Blooper side. Microcosm doesn't have such a problem. It is always correct. I had the same issue when I tried to send the CC messages using my DAW (so automatically with MIDI clips). Blooper was never in sync after a few minutes. To solve it, I need to anticipate the messages by about 1/128. So, I need to positionate the clips just before the beat. Note divisions on Blooper are set to 1/16th. However, I still want to be able to sync both pedals manually without using the DAW. How did you solve the issue?

[@MikhailMedvedev]

I don't think I ever used Blooper for long synced loops... The best way to solve it would be to write directly to the Chase Bliss - they are really good with the support. Any pedal will go out of sync if it has no constant sync signal - midi clock in this case. I guess the Blooper has issues with time clock at least I remember there was a number of topics on FB user groups about the Blooper sync problems...

[@iibrimusic]

@@MikhailMedvedev it's still me, just a different account. Thanks for the response. Actually, you can tell after a few seconds that it is not synchronised, especially if the loop is short. No need to wait a few minutes as I wrote. If I record in both pedals, it goes from a tight sound to a Haas effect in a very short time. Then it becomes a delay, basically. In short, Blooper is always a few milliseconds late. From what I've read, it records in the next subdivision of the beat. Nothing changes if I ignore the midi clock. Knowing that I was able to fix it by anticipating the midi messages in my DAW. I only wanted it to work in a DAW-less setup. I was hoping you had a solution since you use them in parallel. Obviously, if you use them the way in the video (2x slower, reversed and with swells), you don't notice it. Perhaps it is time to abandon the grid and embrace some imperfections! I wish you a Happy New Year, and thank you again! I love your music and what you do!

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Happy New Year!

[@mikemyles4916]

Thanks, nice demo! Lot's of possibilities with a parallel configuration. I've been using a setup for a couple of years with a pair of two channel stereo loopers in parallel. Currently using a Pigtronix Infinity and Ditto X4. I don't midi sync the two pedals and each pedal is set to not sync their loops. That results in 4 completely independent stereo loops that I control signal inputs to with a pair of volume pedals and a stereo A/B box. I mix both rhythmic and ambient sounds. Since no loops are synced, the timing shifts against one another in unpredictable patterns. This is a early example (audio isn't great - room recording that picked up pedal switch sounds) kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZPLo5SaqbqSr5osi=zt1Ho8tWeBur76iN

[@MikhailMedvedev]

Yes, I understand what you sre talking about and I love this kind of looping either. Three Boomerang looper's phrases can also by unsynced and play in its own time. Used it a lot!

[@joeymc5272]

Are you running some of your fx after amp sim?

[@MikhailMedvedev]

most of them in this case... but I often change pedals order - there is always something benefit form this or that structure... Iridium in the end of the chain has benefits of overall sound shaping and volume control, on the other hand if you Iridium in the middle you can use it as a splitter or use some specific stereo effects like Mood or Microcosm - they can loop, cut, make "cab" sound richer and wider...

[@mrthingamabob8117]

Absolutely stunning

[@joeymc5272]

@@MikhailMedvedev just awesome man