Those who like imaginative pedals and have no problem with complexity and seriously BIG stompboxes, should already be familiar with French builder Glou Glou, a company that has embraced the idea that pedals can be full-fledged synths (without keys).
They just announced a new pedal and, once again, it’s an exciting one: a creative Stereo looper called Loupe` that promises both regular looper functions and a series of innovative and creative features.
Here’s a list of the functions this pedal’ Looper section can perform:
- Record, Record BPM (preset tempo): Record a first loop
- Overdub, /B, /Q: Add layers to your loop
- Replace, /B, /Q: Replace part (or all) of your loop
- Substitute, /B, /Q: Same as Replace except that new material is played on the following cycle
- Insert, /B, /Q: Lengthen your loop by inserting new material
- Instut, /B, /Q: Copy part of your loop and instantly insert it
- Multiply, /R*, /B, /Q: Change loop length (shorter or longer) by multiplying it while overdubbing
- Stack, /R, /B, /Q: Spread your overdubs out over several cycles
- Pause: Pause playback (and sync out)
- Mute, /B, /Q: Mute audio output (sync out still runs)
- Mutrig, /B, /Q: Mute then Trigger your loop (sync out stops on mute, resumes on trigger)
- Start, /Q: Set your loop start point,
- Trig, /Q: Trigger loop from the start point
- Undo: Erase the latest function, (up to 127 levels)
- Reset: Puts loupé in ready state, to start a new loop from scratch
- Scroll: Shift the loop-window back and forth in increments from whole to sixteenth notes
Each one of these functions can be assigned to any switch, and for each switch, you can choose between Toggle and Sustain behavior. Some functions can be quantized with settings for whole note, half, quarter, eighth, or sixteenth notes.
The Loupe` also features an Effect section that includes these functions, which can be combined to create complex textures with subdivisions including triplet, dotted, quintuplet and septuplet modifiers:
- Toggle/Sustain: Set switch behavior
- Dry/Wet: Set the volume balance of the effect in relation to the dry sound (10/0 to 0/10)
- Feedback: ReadFX can be fed into the feedback path letting you record the result (0 to 10)
- Pitch: Change playback speed in semitones (-12 to +12)
- Reverse: Read loop backward. Either stay in the loop or use infinite mode
- Stutter: Create mini-loops of rhythmic* length or micro loops at pitch intervals (E1-E4)
- Auto-Follow: Automatically retrigger Pitch, Stutter and Reverse at rhythmic* intervals
- Drift: Set speed at which Stutter-loop start-point shifts over time, either backward or forwards
- LFO: Affects pitch. Set Shape (sine, random), Rate and Amount
- Redux: Change the playback sample rate for a lo-fi sound
Looper and Effects program combinations can be stored into 100 Preset slots called “Games.” These are the following global parameters that can be edited on the fly:
- QuantDiv: Set the Quantize-Clock (1, 2, 4, 8, 16)
- Sync: Set Pulse Per Quarter note output (off, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48)
- ScrollDiv: Set the increment of loop-window shifting (1, 2, 4, 8, 16)
- LPF: Low-pass filter (20hz – 24khz)
- HPF: High-pass filter (20hz – 24khz)
- ForceDry: Distinct mode suited to looping with continuous sources (radio, video…)
- Exp: Choose between three modes for the expression pedal (Feedback, Swell1, Swell2)
Any function can be assigned to any of the 5 footswitch or 6 “tactswitch” on the pedal for full personalization.
The pedal will be shipping later this year. Check out the first videos of the Glou Glou Loupe`, below.
