Intermediate · step 8 · Not started · Electric guitar only
The looper: jam with yourself
A looper records what you play and plays it back in an endless loop. You become your own backing band. Goal: record four tight bars and improvise over them.
This lesson is for electric guitar: it doesn’t count in your acoustic course, but you can still read it.
- Time:
- 15 minutes.
- Before you start:
- Effects pedals.
- You’ll be able to:
- Record a loop and improvise over it.
How it works
A looper is a pedal (or a feature of your amp or multi-effects) that does three things:
- Record: one press starts recording, a second press stops it. The loop starts playing back right away, over and over.
- Overdub: you add a layer on top of the loop, such as a bass line on the low strings, or some high notes.
- Undo and erase: undo removes the last layer; erase clears everything. Usually you hold the pedal down to erase: check your pedal’s manual.
Put the looper at the end of your chain, after your other effects: that way it records exactly the sound you hear.
The trap: your first loop
This is where almost everyone slips up. The length of the loop depends on your two presses. Press a hair too early or too late, and the loop limps: every time around, there’s a small gap or an extra beat.
- Count out loud before you play: “1, 2, 3, 4”, at a relaxed tempo.
- Press exactly on 1, as you strike the first chord. Not before, not after.
- To close the loop, press on the next 1, the one that would start the progression again. Not at the end of the last chord: on the beat after it.
- Practise the move on its own: count and tap your foot on 1, guitar muted, until it feels natural.
If the loop limps, erase it and start again. Nobody nails it first time.
The exercise
1. Record the rhythm. Four bars, one chord per bar: Am – G – F – G. Four downstrokes per bar, clean tone or a light crunch. You already know all three chords.
If the barre F still slows you down, use power chords instead: A5 – G5 – F5 – G5.
2. Listen for two rounds without playing. Check that the loop runs smoothly. If not: erase, start again.
3. Improvise over it with the A minor pentatonic in position 1, between the 5th and 8th frets. Add a bit of gain if you like, or switch to the bridge pickup. Keep it simple: a few notes, some space, and end your phrases on an A.
4. Bonus: overdub. Add a layer, for example one low note per bar (A, G, F, G). If you don’t like it, undo it.
No looper?
No pedal? The backing track below plays a loop in the same scale: improvise over it the exact same way.
High E at the top, just like in tab.Neck seen from the front, headstock at the top: low E on the left, just like a chord diagram.
Play the scale notes over it. Open in the Studio
You can also build your own chord progression in the Studio and let it run as long as you want.
You’ve got it when…
Lesson complete. Every goal is checked: you’re ready for the next one.
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