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Recommend a good AU tape delay that does this specific thing...
I used to own a real Echoplex EP4 and you could hit it with a hot signal to create a bit of white noise distortion. I play steel guitar and use a volume pedal and it was nice to have that natural envelope controller for distortion. The unit had a nice input meter which helped set it up for this effect.
Do any of the various AU tape delay apps let you play "dirty" in this way? I most interested in the re-creation of the beautiful flaws that were inherent in those devices than things like tempo-syncing or using it as a sampler.
The tape delay in BIAS FX does the input distortion thing decently and I would be happy with it if was available as an AU.
You can hear the effect here, starting at about 20 seconds in and getting more pronounced with more volume, on a real Echoplex.
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Maybe the Mixbox: Tape Echo
A spot-on emulation of one of the classic tape echo units of all time. To go along with its cool vintage sound, we added some great modern features, like stereo operation, separate delay times on L&R, and syncing to host tempo.
Looking at the screenshot of that one, it doesn't look like there's an input meter or any indication that I can "overload" the input.
Yeah that sound where it goes at twenty seconds is proper under control feedback overload loveliness...
Klevgr REAMP as a 1/4 tape réel émulation with drive control.
https://klevgrand.se/products/reamp
I put a lpf + saturator in the feedback loop of Drambo's delay rack for a quick and dirty tape echo. Can get as crunchy or distorted as you want. If you have the app, try that combo to see if it scratches your itch.
Drambo is one complicated app not everybody is gonna want to get into.
Modley by Klevgrand is a very versatile and complex delay. Perhaps it could work for your purposes.
Yeah, that's why I only recommended it if he already had it ✌️
I like the feedback in Kai’s apps https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/italizer/id1133091743 and https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/re-1-tape-machine/id1407764053
I see an input control and peak meter on that one. Is the peak light simply on/off or does it grow brighter the more you push it? What happens when you peak out?
I guess I should ask if there's any envelope controlled distortion effects out there? If none of the available tape delay apps fit the bill, I could try to put an envelope-controlled distortion app in front of any delay.
I know there's the "FAC Envolver" which could be used to control a distortion app, but I'm not sure I can do that in Auria. Seems like it's made more for AUM.
@Sabicas your wish list for that delay seems to be rather specific. Drambo could be a good solution. The more I know about the delay (most importantly including various dry/wet audio examples), the more I can help building your dream delay.
No helpfulcomment sorry but, wow, all hell really breaks loose a few seconds before the end there! Very cool track.
I did a quick scan and discovered this little bit of EP3/4 history. Apparently Eddie Van Halen was a fan:
The EP-4 was introduced around early 1977 and I think these EP-4's were the main reason for the new wide "Maestro Echoplex" logo and the EP-3's also got the new wide "Maestro Echoplex" logo at the same time as the EP-4.
They were selling EP-3's and EP-4's together for a while.
What's interesting about the EP-4 and EP-3 in early 1977 when it seems that Ed bought his EP-3 is that the EP-4 and also the EP-3 had compressor boards installed for a while.
These Echoplex compressor board circuits are based on an engineer hooking up a compressor stompbox to the Echoplex record circuit for testing purposes.
The compressor stompbox that was used looks to have been a MXR Dyna-Comp judging from the Echoplex Compressor board schematic because the Echoplex Compressor board and the MXR Dyna-Comp schematics are just about identical, same chip etc.
The Echoplex compressors output setting is adjusted by a trim pot and the sensitivity value is fixed to a certain setting.
The compressor boards were apparently incorrectly installed (maybe) and the compression ended up not just on the Echoplex wet record signal but also on the Echoplex dry signal due to a misunderstanding of the engineers plans.
After the EP-3's and EP-4's had been shipped with the compressor for a while, the compressor board being installed on the dry signal mistake was realized and the engineer tried to have the compressor installed just on the record wet signal for further Echoplexes but I think the Echoplex owner lost interest and scrapped it.
Not sure if that helps. I haven't found it yet, but as I recall some units had a distortion in them that kicked-in as well. I will keep searching...
Just of interest https://www.gearslutz.com/board/gear-shoot-outs-sound-file-comparisons-audio-tests/1278417-blind-shoot-out-maestro-echoplx-ep-4-vs-10-tape-delay-plugins-pedals.html
K7D delay. Really great tape emulation with preamp, wow/flutter and filtering similar to EP3.
I was in a hunt of replacing Strymon El Capistan pedal for fully soft synth workflow and this is it.
So it wasn't a distortion, per-se, but it's probably the preamp that was on the unit:
"Calling the Dunlop EP101 Echoplex Preamp a preamp/gain boost pedal doesn't do it justice. Based on the legendary Echoplex EP-3 used by icons like Eddie Van Halen and Eric Johnson, the EP101 gives you the sweetened sound of the EP-3's preamp stage. You get a vibrant boost for most of the gain range, and guitarists love the warm overdrive you get when you really crank the gain. We know that sometimes your guitar tone could use a little extra something that traditional tone-shaping tools can't provide, and for that we can highly recommend the Dunlop EP101 Echoplex Preamp"
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EP101--dunlop-ep101-echoplex-preamp-pedal
Ssssshhhhhhhhh, don't share the secret! This is a big part of my secret sauce. And definitely don't mention that one can start with the "Distorted" preset and tweak to taste.
You guys are on the right track with your echoplex research. Most of the tape delay emulations concentrate on the actual delay repeats and miss out on how special the pre-amps were. It's not just a delay unit. The guy who made the track I posted told me he would use the EP4 (and sometimes EP3) as a preamp even when the delay effect wasn't being used. It was basically the foundation of his sound and was constantly on.
A lot of EP-4 owners modded their units to bypass the compression issue. My EP4 was modded this way before I purchased it.
I'd consider the Dunlop EP101 pedal but I'm looking to keep this in the digital realm with re-amping, etc. I've downsized after owning a lot of gear and am not looking on building up a new mountain of hardware.
Um, I'm looking at the K7D app and it does list "modeled microphone input and pre-amp saturation" but doesn't show any kind of adjustment parameters in the screenshots. Sounds like they went the extra mile though. This could be the ticket. Are you able to get sounds similar to what I posted in the clip, based on a volume envelope?
ToneStack’s EchoRex is something I loved playing with when I used TS a lifetime ago. Not sure but might even be included in that free version of the app. Not AU though but works.
I'm looking at Drambo and am intrigued. However, I'm not an "electronic" musician. If I could build this delay effect, that might be the only use I have for it. I mostly play acoustic instruments and use effects for electric guitar and lap steel. Traditional effects, such as tape delay, reverb, tremolo, etc.
How are the quality of the individual effects in Drambo. I mean, how is the foundation reverbs vs something like the TB Reverb (which I own) or Eventide Spring Reverb, etc?
How does it perform as far as processor spiking if f I use this complex app for one effect,?
It says it's a "complete music production environment", but I see nothing about tracking and editing audio.
Yeah Sabicas, I totally understand.
I was thinking of @rs2000.
I'm not a Drambo user and have no idea what kind of data one could input into a Drambo pedal. Hopefully he can get a schematic of the Dunlop pedal (or the original EP4 unit) and design a similar preamp.
Just a thought.
You'd need Envolver to do the volume envelope (I own both apps but haven't tried it, mostly because I'm lazy.) You might just try K7D first though as it does have that "bloom" to my ears. I'm a fan of Friends of Dean Martinez, btw. It was nice to be reminded of that band/album as I hadn't listened in many years.
There’s Preamp adjustment (kinda Input gain) and Wet/dry mix. Preamp is always active, even on full Dry mix.
@Sabicas, @SNystrom, @lukesleepwalker
I wouldn't call Drambo a complete music production environment. You can record, edit and arrange audio and MIDI to some extent but it's not a DAW in the classic sense, I'd rather call it a modular groovebox that doubles as a very powerful diy effects platform, including many necessary building blocks, and also including tools for detecting and applying volume envelopes just like FAC Envolver etc.
If that delay would be your only use for Drambo @Sabicas then I'm not sure if I would suggest you to purchase it. There's RE-1 from Kai Aras, maybe that would fit your purpose already?
No worries I was just warning the OP
I’m SUPER interested in this topic. I used to have an early RE-101 with an incredible sweet overdrive beautifully woven into the echo that I really miss. The closest replica I have gotten is the Belle Epoch Deluxe pedal lol.
I don’t often use my iPad for guitar (more synths and drums etc) but I do have most of these apps already. I’ll try to check them out and see and let you know. Maybe I’ve been sleeping on a great guitar delay the whole time.
I do have to say as a side note the Nembrini Delay 3000 sounds huge like a real life live guitar. Early Roland digital.
Not a delay, but Saturn can add distortion with an envelope follower, I made a quick video:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l18hsrw1f6qwyaw/2021-03-17 08.45.44.mp4?dl=0
This should work with Saturn 1 in Auria, or Saturn 2 as an AUv3 in any host. Saturn 1 doesn't have the Transformer type distortion though.