Art of Live-Looping in the Classroom

The Art of Live-Looping (A.L.L.) has been taking off in recent years. You may have seen artists like K.T. Tunstall, Andrew Bird or Keller Williams using this digital technology to enhance their solo performances to create their own virtual one-man band.  Art of Live-Looping is the art of recording, layering and mixing instruments and sounds in a live performance using an electronic looping device that plays them back in continuously repeating loops. Click here to see a video of A.L.L. in action - http://www.youtube.com/hulooper

As a performing artist I have been refining this 21st century art form for over 8 years at my live shows around the country. In the last 4 years I have developed a character education assembly program called Musical Life Skills that uses the Art of Live-Looping to teach Listening as a life skill that creates harmony and helps kids find their own melody and rhythm in life. Through visiting schools and talking with music teachers I have discovered that the A.L.L. offers incredible potential for music teachers to use it in the classroom to help them be more effective in reaching their national standards for music education.

Ever try to teach your students a round like Row, Row, Row Your Boat only to have it fall apart as soon as the second part begins?  If you said YES, then imagine mesmerizing you’re students with digital technology in the form of an electronic looping device on the floor that you operate with your foot to initiate recording. It's connected to a small sound system. You sing into a microphone, the first round of Row Your Boat and then as soon as you're done, you press the pedal again on the downbeat and it starts repeating back what you just sang...over and over and over through the speakers. Then you press the pedal again, and sing the second part. Now that part repeats over and over following perfectly in sync with the 1st part. Then you can repeat the process one more time as you add the 3rd part of the round. Now you have a full demonstration of all 3 parts of a round repeating endlessly that your students can sing along to until they get it into their bodies and can own their parts. At that point you can stop the Looper pedal and let your students sing with confidence all 3 sections of the round. If they get lost turn on the Looper again and they'll be back in the pocket in no time. This is just one small example of how the Art of Live-Looping can be used in the classroom.

Some of the benefits of A.L.L. In the classroom are:

1. Engaging & fun for students and teachers
2. Efficiency: Faster learning for students
3. Immediacy of on-the-spot-recording for assessments and evaluation.
4. Kids think it's cool! (teachers too!)
5. Create practice loops so you never have to play a part over & over for your students to learn it
6. Foot operated so you can conduct at the same time!
7. Simple way to implement technology into your class without a computer

It's actually very simple and relatively inexpensive to get started with A.L.L. in your classroom. If you already have some kind of a sound system with a microphone and mic stand then you are more than half way there. The main piece of technology you will need is a Live-Looping device. The most affordable and logical unit for the classroom in my opinion is the Digitech JamMan Looper/Phrase Sampler.

If you have no sound system then I recommend the very portable and inexpensive Fender Passport 150 or P80. It includes with it a microphone, mic clip and cable, so all you'll need is a mic stand and two 1⁄4 inch instrument cables, one to connect the JamMan Looper to the sound system and one for a keyboard or guitar to go to the Looper. If you are a vocalist or woodwind/brass player then a mic is all you will need.

The basic operation of the Digitech JamMan Looper pedal is pretty simple and straightforward. Here is an overview of using the JamMan Looper:

1. Make Connections
   1. Start with your JamMan turned off and the mixer faders on the amplifier or PA at their minimum position.
   2. Connect a keyboard or guitar to the INSTRUMENT INPUT jack and/or a mic to MIC INPUT on the JamMan’s rear panel.
   3. Connect the JamMan’s OUTPUT to the input of an amplifier, a channel of a PA, mixer, or to headphones.
   4. Connect the power supply to the POWER jack on the JamMan.
   5. Connect the other end of the power supply to an AC outlet.
2. Basic Sound Levels & Other Adjustments
   1. Turn up the amplifier or mixer’s faders to a nominal level.
   2. Select an empty memory location using the SELECT knob (the LOOP and SINGLE LEDs will be off).
   3. Select INST/MIC as the recording mode using the RECORD MODE button.
   4. Play or sing and adjust the INST LEVEL or MIC LEVEL knob so that the PEAK LED lights only occasionally.
3. Start Recording
   1. Press the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB (left) footswitch to start recording. While recording, the RECORD LED remains lit. (Optional) If you would like to perform to a click track, you must first set a tempo. The rhythm guide track will not be heard until a tempo has been set. You can set a tempo by tapping the STOP/TEMPO button at the tempo you want to play. Adjust the RHYTHM LEVEL knob to a suitable volume.
4. Stop Recording, Start Playback
   1. Press the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB (left) footswitch while recording to stop recording and start playing back from the beginning. The PLAY LED lights. Adjust the LOOP LEVEL knob as needed. The main thing is you want the same level of sound going into the looper as what comes out through the PA.  In other words the "looped" sound volume should be the same volume as the original part you play live.
5. Overdub More Loops
   1. Press and release the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB footswitch again to begin overdub recording. When you have an overdub you are happy with, press the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB footswitch to end the overdub session and continue playback, or press the STOP/TEMPO footswitch. You can continue adding overdubs by continuing to press the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB footswitch. Each time an overdub is added, the last overdub is merged with the original loop and it can no longer be undone using the Undo feature.
6. Erase Loops
   1. You can erase and clear your loop by pressing the STOP/TEMPO footswitch for two seconds.
7. Undo an Overdub
   1. Press and hold the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB footswitch for two seconds to undo your last overdub. The OVERDUB LED flashes when the undo takes place. NOTE: The Undo feature only works on the last overdub.
8. Redo an Overdub
   1. Press and hold the REC/PLAY/OVERDUB footswitch to redo the last undo; the OVERDUB LED flashes to indicate the action has been performed.

I believe the Art of Live-Looping will open up new possibilities for teachers to interact with their students and help them meet the national standards in an innovative and engaging way. As teachers get inspired and start having fun with the A.L.L. they will inevitably invent new methods by which to teach their curriculum and will inspire students to explore and learn as well.

Watch SoundTree.com for a lesson plan using the example given above where teachers will learn how the A.L.L. can facilitate student learning of all three parts for the round “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” Students will also assess and evaluate their performance in regards to pitch, rhythm and blend.

For more info on the A.L.L. go to http://www.artoflivelooping.com to view instructional videos to help you get started with the right gear and show you how to revolutionize the way you teach your music curriculum with the Art of Live-Looping.

About the author:

Arthur Lee Land is a global expert in the Art of Live-Looping and a professional musician, recording artist, songwriter, educator & originator of Afrograss Folk Rock. Touring as a “A One-Man Afrograss Folk Rock Ensemble,” he utilizes digital technology via the Art of Live-Looping to create a full band sound by layering African percussion, bass, acoustic & electric guitars, guitar synth, vocals and talk box.

Since 2007 Arthur's Musical Life Skills K-12 Assembly Program & Looping Clinics have been presented to over 30,000 students in more than 24 states. Arthur's latest CD Dragonfly, was produced by Grammy Award Nominated songwriter and producer Wendy Waldman. The CD consists of 14 original "feel good" songs co-written with his wife and lyricist Carol Lee. For more info visit http://www.arthurleeland.com.