Guitar Effects Loop Pedal

Guitar loop pedals record a musical phrase of passage and then play it back repeatedly. The guitarist can then add other passages on top of the original, or perform live as the pedal continues to play the recorded passages for accompaniment.

Loop Length

Loop pedals come with widely varying amounts of internal memory. Some will hold musical passages no longer than 20 seconds, while others will hold up to 24 minutes of music.

Inputs

Many loop pedals only have inputs that accept quarter-inch jacks, like guitars and keyboards use. Others connect to a microphone.

Memory Slots

More elaborate loop pedals have up to 11 memory slots where different patterns can be stored and recalled for playback at a later time.

Drums

Built-in drum patterns are included on some of the more expensive pedals. Others may have a simple metronome or no rhythm playing function.

Connectivity

A USB computer interface is included in some units, which allows you to store more patterns than can be held at one time in the pedal's internal memory. Some pedals also accept memory cards that increase storage and playback time.

WAV File Playback

Units with a computer interface, or that accept memory cards, will often playback audio WAV files. This lets the guitarist create full accompaniment tracks that can be used during a live performance.

Resources

• Loopers