Loop frenzy

Good Secret CDs gig with Ms Fi on Wednesday; I'd been concerned about how we'd all fit into the performing space, let alone whether we'd hear each other and be organised, but in the end it went like a breeze, and the band band - Fi on guitar, Karen on backing vox, Les Makin on piano, the G on drums and me on bass - was as tight as, well, a tight thing. I was pleased that such good songs got the performance they deserved. An enjoyable night among friends and familiar faces.

Last night I had the choice of taking part in a similar occasion - Out of the Bedroom's 300th night - or practising for Saturday's gig. After swinging from one to another all day I elected for practice. The first aim was to see whether I could get everything I needed - electric guitar/synth/loopers, mic, acoustic guitar - effectively routed through my mixer into my guitar amp. Eventually I could. Then to check whether I could monitor it on headphones while performing (it may look ridiculous but the occasions when I've 'lost' a loop-based performance have been when I couldn't hear what was playing, but the audience could; that scared me off using them until now). Then to create a basic drum track loop to use for reggae songs. Then getting the correct amp setting so that everything was there without distortion. Then to practice the guitar-to-synth-and-back changes and stomping on the looper at the right points. So now the process that started with Nicole (documented on YouTube) has expanded to nine songs. And I might throw in an ambient instrumental if the audience look like they won't kill me. And if it all fails I'll still have have my trusty acoustic!