Echoplex Digital Pro
The Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro originated in 1994 from a license of the first dedicated live-looping tool, the Paradis LOOP delay, developed by Matthias Grob in Biel/Switzerland in 1992.[1]
It is often called the EDP to distinguish it from the very different analog tape delay Echoplex EP.
Its design took 13 years, and the product retained its value on the used market, since many of its functions were never copied.[2][3][4]. This is because:
- The EDP works with one infinite memory, imitating a tape echo: The recording and playback addresses keep cycling through the whole memory. The playback address jumps according to function calls. Some functions, like Undo or Reverse, also make the record address jump. Usually, loops are organized like samples (glued Tape loop), which defines start and end and organizes the music in rhythmic units, while the EDP user can easily change loop length and start point at any moment with many methods—which makes it especially suited for ambient and granular music and creates a feeling of flowing freely.[5]
History
1984, Matthias Grob discovered the use of live looping (this name was coined 15 years later) because he needed to create relaxing sounds for his back problem. He gained experience with the Roland SDE 3000 and t.c. 2290 digital delays, which did not have sufficient delay and very limited control over loop length. Nevertheless, by calculating and typing display times while playing, it was possible to create dense and rhythmic music[6] in real time.
1987, Matthias contacted Roland, t.c.electronics, and Lexicon, asking to modify their delays to suit live looping demands, including a concrete proposal for the Record and Multiply command.[7][8] Gary Hall of Lexicon liked the idea but doubted reaching Lexicon's minimal sales with such a product. (In fact, in 1994, Lexicon created the JamMan with similar functions, but production stopped after a year). So he helped with his own personal PCM42 and explained its functionality to enable Matthias to replace the internal processor with TTL logic and thus verify the musical use of the functions.[9].
1990, playing two musicians into the same delay line was too limited, and Matthias decided to create his own live-looping tool with a BrotherSync function. Starting with a Mac IIcx and becoming a Digidesign developer, he then realized that a hardware tool was needed and chose the simplest and least expensive processor that could still do the job: Motorola 68000 – which later proved problematic for software development, but worked.
1992, fortunately, Eric Obermühlner, who had just finished his software engineering diploma, moved into the chalet in Biel, and within only three months, the two engineers made the first prototype work—then called The LOOP machine.[10]
1993, the finished Paradis LOOP delay was featured and demonstrated at the Musikmesse Frankfurt and gained attention, including visits from Lexicon employees and Keith McMillen, who immediately requested a license for Gibson. The same year, a prototype with additional ideas by Keith was built at G-WIZ in Berkeley. So, after only 100 units, the expensive LOOP delay manufacturing ceased.
1994, Promotion problem: Initially, it was difficult to explain why live looping was useful, and later why the EDP was superior to the small loopers emerging. Gibson hoped a brand name would help and launched it as Oberheim Echoplex Digital Pro – two brands they had acquired from Oberheim and Maestro years before. The reuse of the Echoplex brand was delicate because many expected a digital version of the famous tape echo, while the Oberheim brand suggested a synthesizer product. The Swiss roots of the invention were hidden instead of highlighted.[11] Since the EDP didn't quite fit into Gibson's product range, it wasn't prominently displayed at fairs and was scarcely promoted. Internally, it gained recognition for "selling itself" due to promotion on Kim Flint's site Loopers-Delight.com and a few music stores, like Alto in NYC, where a passionate salesperson knew how to demonstrate the new kind of tool.
1997, Kim Flint, the EDP's primary developer at G-WIZ, left Gibson and founded the California company Aurisis Research LLC with Matthias and Eric, maintaining contact with Gibson, manufacturing, and testing. Gibson changed the EDP manufacturer several times with the acquisition and closure of Opcode and Trace Elliot and others, and Kim repeatedly provided support.
2004, The last manufacturer: Gibson closed Trace Elliot, and Aurisis insisted that production continue only if Andy Ewen remained in charge. Consequently, Gibson contracted Straight-Edge Ltd in Burnham, GB. Part supply became difficult, and Andy purchased all available stock. However, in May 2009, the Straight-Edge factory burned down, and all parts were lost. After approximately 3,500 units, EDP production ended.
2004, Jeff Larsen created the "EDP emulator" Mobius, a VST plugin and audio app that contained 8 virtual EDPs.[12]
2008, Kim Flint left Aurisis and allowed the publication of the EDP's computer version, the Mathons Echoloop VST plugin.
2009, Matthias started a successor to the EDP, called Evoloop, but needed a partner for its completion.
Special features
- 'Record' – the most basic tap-play-tap function in any looping tool did not exist before the LOOP delay!
- 'Multiply' – allows starting with a short (rhythmic) loop and at any time multiplying its length, rounded or unrounded, to either place longer (harmonic, melodic) sequences over the same rhythm or cut to create a different rhythm. This is still a rare function.
- 'Brother-Sync' – a unique function that allows connecting several EDPs, so that any player can adopt the timing of the others at any time and stay in time forever.
- 'Feedback' is always available like on a tape echo and controllable by foot. This allows morphing from one musical scene into the next.
- All other features like 'Overdub, Undo, Reverse', which are common in other loopers, appeared in the EDP for the first time.
- Many special functions like 'Move Startpoint, Resync, Replace' are unique to the EDP due to its tape echo memory structure.
- Multi-tracking is not possible due to processor power, but the 'Next' function allows parallel loops and switching between them.[13][14]
Early LOOP delay users
Willy Strehler, Ljubo Majstorovic, Michael Peters, Wito Wietn, Mich Gerber
Expert users
Andre LaFosse, Michael Schiefel, Andy Butler, Claude Voit, Bernhard Wagner
Best known users
David Torn, Eberhard Weber, Arild Andersen, Keller Williams, Brian Eno, Paul Dresher, Robert Fripp, Battles, Randolf Arriola, Martin O, Dosh
References
- ↑ "Echoplex DP". livelooping.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ David Torn (1996). "Loop Guru" (PDF). Guitar Player: 57–63. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ Andre LaFosse. "The Echoplex Analysis Pages: Acknowledgements". altruistmusic.com. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ Barry Cleveland (2006). "Looping" (PDF). Guitar Player. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ David Torn (2015-02-11). "Open letter to FX manufacturers". Effects, Pedals, Strings & Things (Mailing list). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "Early Livelooping duets - Rio 1987". Matthias Grob. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "MultiplyTimeChart". matthiasgrob.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "MultiplyPseudoCode". matthiasgrob.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "PCM42RecMultiMod". livelooping.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "LOOP delay Story". matthiasgrob.org. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "Oberheim Product Catlog" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ Jeff Larsen (2004-08-12). "Mobius, an EDP emulator". Loopers-Delight (Mailing list). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ "Aurisis Research -- LOOP IV Featurelist". aurisis.com. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
- ↑ Kim Flint & Warren Sirota (2002-12-01). "Echoplex Digital Pro Plus – User's Manual" (PDF). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
External links
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