Loopers have been a very hot item for a few years now: Thanks to the impressive YouTube performances of countless artists from all over the world, these devices have become something of a “must have” for guitarists and bassists. The ability to successively layer multiple tracks on top of one another opens up entirely new avenues for solo artists and those who aspire to be so. The only thing that can sometimes be a drag is the lack of intuitive operation, and that is precisely where TC Electronic’s Ditto looper comes into its own: The Danish company, which is famous for its innovations, has reduced the pedal’s user interface to one switch and one control knob, thus eliminating any unnecessary obstacles standing in the way of artists’ creativity.
Thanks to its mini-pedal format, the Ditto Looper will fit into pretty much any gap on a pedalboard, and its robust metal housing means it is ready for the rigours of everyday on-stage use. The Ditto boasts an unlimited number of loops as well as a total of five minutes’ recording time, and the pedal delivers uncompressed sound quality with a 24-bit resolution. The central control knob adjusts the volume of the loops that have been recorded, while all of the pedal’s other functions – such as recording, playback, stop, start, delete, undo, and redo – are activated by pressing and holding the footswitch in the required manner (long, short, etc.). To avoid colouring the tone of the instrument, the Ditto Looper features true bypass when switched off and an analogue dry through when active. To help protect the environment, TC Electronic has dispensed with the option of battery power here, meaning that the Ditto Looper will require an external power supply.
TC Electronic’s Ditto Looper is aimed at guitarists and bassists who want to create multi-layered soundscapes and effectively become their own one-man band – something that can be done at home, on stage, or in YouTube and Instagram videos. The Ditto makes it possible for everybody to deliver a complete performance without needing any other musicians to do so. And the simple and intuitive user interface with which TC Electronic has designed this pedal is aimed squarely at players who want to get started right away without having to read endless instructions or work their way through complicated sub-menus.
The Danish company TC Electronic has been known for its innovative products for many years. It was founded in 1976 by brothers Kim and John Rishøj in Aarhus. The company first made a name for itself with the SCF, a stereo chorus/flanger pedal for guitar. Studio equipment followed during the 80s and 90s, notably the legendary TC2290 digital delay in 19-inch rack format. Since the 2000s, TC Electronic has greatly enriched the guitar and bass scene with amplifiers, cabinets, combos, and effects pedals. Here too, TC's innovative spirit is in evidence, for example with its TonePrint technology and the first polyphonic guitar tuner. TC Electronic has been part of Music Tribe since 2015.
Loopers are generally associated with players who superimpose several tracks on top of one another to create complex, multi-layered musical pieces – impressive and inspiring examples of which are on display on video platforms like YouTube. But loopers can do a lot more: Among other things, they can be a helpful tool in players’ day-to-day practice routines and make certain other auxiliary devices obsolete. For example, a looper can be used to record a short, percussive guitar or bass loop that serves as a metronome or drum machine. Chord sequences can also be looped in order to provide the necessary harmonic context for getting to grips with note theory or for improvising. These are just some of the many ways in which a looper can help players to practise more easily and more effectively.