How I Create Live Loops (Russian Circles' Mike Sullivan)

[@SergioDuFont]

One of the most interesting guitarists around right now.

[@BlueeyesofSkye]

He’s kinda a heavy, modern version of the Edge when it comes to creating unique tones with pedals.

[@honkylips01]

Taparoo is my new favorite technical term

[@corosta]

You changed my perception of guitar playing sir ! Im so glad i was introduced to you through the album "Station". It is simply therapy 👌

[@zbamzbamzbam6617]

+1

[@simaojoseph]

There’s more important tips in this one video than 90% of KZbin.

[@mitchellchurch3385]

Such an amazing guitarist. Mike you truly inspire me with your loops and tapping. Can’t wait for a new record.

[@sen-te8oq]

they working on new stuff

[@msanders777]

Back in April '06 saw them open for ISIS at a small bar in Cleveland called the Grog Shop. I'd never heard of them. This was a month prior to the release of "Enter." I remember before they started I thought 'this guy looks like he's 12 years old' (didn't have the beard or the long hair at the time.) Anyway, their performance really blew me away. Particularly Mike Sullivan and the drummer. ISIS performed three new songs that night. Absence was still six months away at that point, and what I had the privilege of hearing were early versions of Dulcinea, 1000 shards, and Holy Tears. I feel like 2006 was a watershed year for "post rock." Just off the top of my head: Russian Circles debut, Red Sparowes every red heart, In the absence of truth, 10,000 days, Cult of Luna somewhere along the highway. All 2006 releases. What an amazing year as a fan of the genre. Almost forgot: Mouth of the Architect's The Ties that Blind was also 2006. Goddamn.

[@dale8809]

I was just literally front row at an RC show....I could have touched his pedal board. Freaking amazing show and super fun to watch! Hey Mike, I was the fat bald guy smiling my ass off the entire time....oh yeah...doesn't narrow it down.

[@palmtreecorpse]

Russian Circles are undoubtedly the best live band I've ever seen

[@imoldcraig]

I love how Mike has always embraced the low end in heavy guitars. The whole “tight” metal craze is essentially “scoop out the lows” for a ubiquitous “modern” sound. Since he gain stages using pedals, there is a little low end loss, but that’s made up with his choice of pickups and amps. This is a heavy, low tone that works well in a mix.

[@imoldcraig]

@Toxic Potato True, but a three piece that overdubs a lot of loops with different gain structures and a bass player that also plays synth lines. Certain parts definitely need to cut more than others.

[@bloodySunday77]

I agree completely except what you say about gain staging with pedals being responsible for little low end loss. In fact most gain pedals can very easily be responsible for low end loss, and someone has to be very picky to find some that don't do that. The heavy bass+low mid guitar sound of Russian Circles comes from a careful combination of every link in the chain, including very resonant 4x12s, big heads and solid bassy guitars. After these you just pay attention to your pedals, and if you need some that cut some bass then you also use them (like the old+very popular trick of treble boosters or tubescreamers in front of vintage British heads like Laneys, Marshalls etc).

[@imoldcraig]

bloodySunday77 I think you misread my meaning. “Little” might have been a poor choice of words, because my intention was to point out that the other things he does compensates for the low end loss of the pedals. I basically meant what you articulated in a different way. And I know Mike has infamously used Ampeg 8x10 cabs instead of a typical 4x12 to retain the low end. I would be interested in the choice of speakers in his Tyrant cab for the current rig.

[@silverjaw138]

@@bloodySunday77pedals add compression, compression steals that low end

[@BonzoBanzai]

It's not the sound but the energy the three lads bring to a live show. I said it before, but if you have to, sell the family plot to catch them live!

[@T-Hawkeyes]

Thanks Mike. You may not have any idea how awesome this is for us.

[@GothicXlightning]

i could kinda see a little bit of Kurt cobain hidden behind Mike's back playing his NEGATIVE CREEP but only a little bit much love SULLIVAN your Russian circles will always great a great inspiration for me since i also compose similar type of instrumental music but with a little of that goth doom Metal touch to it

[@davidslattery6750]

thanks for this! some great tips regarding keeping your tone different for every loop and also keeping an eye on volume levels post loop.

[@ToxygenRecAll]

I have been playing like this for many years just in my room (also add drum samples), it’s a lot of fun and meditation if you wish

[@31ユーザー]

I love how Jesus can do all this with some loops. Very nice

[@KJ7409]

Looks like he's still using the Akai E2 Headrush. He talks about it in his rig rundown.

[@deaf_mark]

I see no reason for change this pedal. Great thing

[@ferndawg1111]

nice demo. saw them last nite.

[@Mamo878]

Well, he didn't actually "walk us through it." Still don't know what pedals he's using and how to use those pedals to create the loops. :-/

[@maxupp]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I think he's using 2 loopers, one of them being a Jam Man Stereo.

[@harijsijabs2420]

Record chug with a wee bit of reverb, overdub a pretty dry tapping part, then switch on a digital delay, chorus and booster to cut with the octave chords. If you watch the video, it's all in front of you.

[@brendanbrown1204]

An Akai Head Rush E2 for live loops A Digitech Jam Man for the samples etc

[@serdiezv]

This is how he creates loops. Each one depends on the riff, you're not gonna use chugging with a huge wash reverb (or yes, maybe). The thing is how he adds layers, and how he shapes the sound he explains that. Practice a lot to nail the loop without cuts.

[@mikowl5713]

tldr; do a chuggy chug followed by a little taparoo

[@azngoku666]

hmm never noticed this before, in the final chugging section he's holding a power chord on the 5th/4th strings.. maybe so that any sort of mistake in picking ends up sounding good? sort of an adam jones thing?

[@IanTolmay]

Thanks for the vid PG. Any notes on the pedals on the board and their respective signal path?

[@Mr_Beagle]

Some info here... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIeuaWquepiBeKs

[@flowregulator]

Is part of this video missing?

[@noborder7681]

what is the tuning????

[@BretHalford]

weird. i think it's C#-A-D-g-a-d

[@thisaintmuhname1579]

Loopholes for looping

[@JackTheSmith]

What kinda guitar is that?

[@demantoid418]

Ok..... Who makes that guitar? I can see the headstock but i cant tell what it says.

[@Betweendillinger]

its a Nik Huber Orca

[@demantoid418]

@@Betweendillinger Thanks

[@richardaaron4454]

What is that chord you’re playing? Are you muting the 4th string?

[@toby1kenobe]

i think your talking about the octaves, so yes hes muting the 4th. Octaves on thicker 4 strings are i string and one fret apart so fret 5 on 5th string and fret 7 on G.

[@Nightshade1881]

Oh damn it’s telly From “kids”

[@azaz...]

i love "chugg"

[@jonshoegaze6032]

akai looper is so trickyyy

[@alifchief]

The curves on that guitar! What make/model is it?

[@alifchief]

@@kylemcdaniel1780 Thank you!

[@andrewtkach3838]

Am I the only one who gets Tom Green vibes?

[@spiroskaravalakis9358]

Andrew Tkach tool vibes ?

[@andrewtkach3838]

@@spiroskaravalakis9358 absolutely agreed

[@hunterfitch5951]

To check out one of their masterpieces live... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJ6yg2R_Z7Zghas

[@azaz...]

taper-ooo

[@MrShitfire420]

Damn,

[@nimblittleminx]

Report them to the police

[@Astaroth_Belial]

Jesus on guitar

[@deaf_mark]

Sometimes Mike's performance looks like more pushing pedal buttons than playing the guitar :)

[@greasygoblin3541]

Cool guy and cool sound, but this video taught absolutely nothing about how to do this aside from conceptual tips on tone diversity.

[@azngoku666]

the other part is just using a looper that overdubs.. >ON, chugging riff, OFF, repeat, ON, tapping riff, OFF, repeat.. add octaves over top, done this is actually the easy part, trying to get the 3 parts to stack together and sound good is much more challenging

[@nimblittleminx]

Stay out of my life.