Here we've rounded up the best looper pedals available today, including some buying advice to help you understand what looping is, and where to start. Thank you for signing up to Guitar World. With the Sidecar Controller (an optional extra), you can expand this further. TC Electronic’ Ditto is among the simplest looper pedals out there. We’re going from left to right here – after the loop type selection panel is the first track. You’ll see three lights on the right side of this button – the rec, dub, and play. The Boss RC-300 is the monster, the beast, the pedal which casts a shadow upon all other pedals…literally. It's not mentioned in their top-line specs, but like the RC-30 the RC-1 is 16bit, which shouldn't be an issue for live use. At its right stand the loop mode knob and the loop phase indicator screen. : Assignable | A/D/A conversion: 24bit. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy or subscribe through our links. On the brighter side, there’s the undo/redo button to clear any possible mistakes you’ve made, as well as the reverse button which substantially improves the level of versatility of this looper pedal. If you have a bit less available real-estate on your pedalboard and don't mind the lack of a dedicated stop switch, then the TC Electronic Ditto+ is worth a look. This little feature allows you to simplify the pedal-switching process, solve certain chain-based problems, and reduce the “bleeding” effects from noisier effects in your signal chain. The simple-but-effective TC Electronic Ditto was a pedalboard staple, both for live use and for writing at home or in a practice room. Enjoy the lowest prices and best selection of Looper Effects Pedals at Guitar Center. It pays to not overcomplicate things. That said, if you're playing over backing tracks you can synchronise the loop with the backing track via MIDI. : No, but includes an external footswitch jack, so you could add one | A/D/A conversion: 32bit. : Stop all | A/D/A conversion: 24bit. It doesn’t come with a vast array of switches and buttons, hence you’ll be able to figure out how it works in no time. : No | A/D/A conversion: 24bit. A loop pedal is a guitar effect that allows you to record a passage and then play it back on an infinite loop. Like the name suggests, this pedal is pretty small, and with its features, it’s probably the best looper pedal for practice sessions. There’s only one track, however, but it should do fine if you want to record your music or perform live. The Ditto Looper is the perfect pedal for guitarists who want something simple and inexpensive. With some practice, it's as powerful as they come, and the lack of quantization is a bonus if you're playing in different time signatures or using polyrhythms. Some people jam out on their guitar and once a solid riff pops up, they work on it and write it in their notebook, others work on tablature software (e.g. You’ll love it! As one of the lower budget products in this article, the NUX Loop Core Guitar Effect Pedal is a great product for those looking for something worth the money that is not worth that much money. Three models：1/2 Speed Mode: Provide 1/2 speed playback recording, NORMAL Mode: Provide normalloop speed.Reverse Mode: Reverse play (Recording function disable). The first thing that comes to mind when we take a look at Bosses RC-30 is that it’s a loop station, not your average loop pedal. It features a neat little slider that works in the same way as Ditto’s “loop level” (the second track is the same). In addition to parallel operation, the loops can be set to series: the one starting after the other for more streamlined transitions between sections in a song. Now, imagine putting that to the test on stage. The “saved loops” can be used when triggered to overdub even the newly recorded passages, allowing you to play with music as if it were a toy. We are a professional review site that receives compensation from the companies whose products we review. Tech specs; Electro Harmonix 720 Stereo Looping Pedal. Zoom G1 is the best looper pedal you will find in the market. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices, Instantly switch between two song sections, Stretches the limits of what a looper can be, Requires quite a bit of time investment to get the most of it, Reassigning footswitches not possible yet, The rise, fall and rediscovery of the Fender Jaguar, How to set up a Les Paul: 7 essential tips, (Image credit: TC Electronic/Boss/Pigtronix/Boomerang), 7. If price is no object, and the smaller units are not cutting it for you in terms of features, or number of loops, then the Boomerang III is our recommendation. You get five minutes of looping memory built-in, though you can stack, undo, and redo, as many times as you’d like. $109.99. Bosses RC-3 comes with a similar set of features when compared to the RC-30. With a versatile and easy-to-use design, the looper has a solid grey colored aluminum alloy construction. Zoom G1X FOUR Guitar Multi-Effects Processor with Expression Pedal, With 70+ Built-in Effects, Amp Modeling, Looper, Rhythm Section, Tuner, Battery Powered. Just like any other loop pedal, this one operates on 9V Alkaline batteries (alternatively, you could use an AC Adaptor). Previous versions of the smallest looper in the Boss range have felt difficult to use live, but despite the RC-1's single-button operation, the huge glowing ring to denote the loop length and playback position somehow turns this around. Basically, the RC-30 is comprised of two main clusters. This is a fascinating guitar-only looper similar to the TC that we reviewed above. A looper pedal is also more portable - particularly if you have an ever-growing pedalboard - and far cheaper to replace if it gets damaged or stolen. These can handle multiple channels of synchronized audio, quantizing and different time signatures, as well as foot-controls dedicated to each loop. The Boomerang III may be the size of a bridge console on the starship Enterprise, and it may not have modern affordances like loop saving and loading via either SD card or USB – and there's no quantization, although it can be sync'd to a midi clock –but there's got to be a reason so many pros use it, right? Electro-Harmonix’ 720 Stereo Looper is quite good for the buck, but it’s certainly not perfect. It features numerous little hardware pieces, and you’d feel as if you’ve been shipped on board a space shuttle if you’re an immediate beginner. Red Panda have always been at the cutting edge of firmware in boutique pedals, and with the Tensor they set themselves a pretty tough challenge. Guitarchords247 is supported by our readers. : Yes | A/D/A conversion: N/A. Most loopers above the basic entry-level models will have this, but at the cost of a larger pedal. A loop pedal could bring you one step closer to knowing what it feels like to record your guitar – these sessions are (almost always) comprised of numerous rollbacks, edits, and repetitions, so you might as well start off learning early. Ground zero for guitar looping, its powerful, expressive looper earned the Line 6 DL4 legendary status as one of the most important guitar effects ever made. Without further ado, let’s get straight to it. Extra features, such as quantization, can be useful, but we've found that these often require changes in your live set-up; for example, your drummer playing to a click. “Guitar Pro”), and some of the most committed musicians use every piece of their gear to make the perfect songs. Price: $299/£335 | Bypass: Buffered | Footswitches: 2 | Dedicated stop control? In essence, it was designed in a plain and straightforward fashion, boasting a modest feature outfit. In this article, we’ll talk about what looper pedals are, what makes the best looper pedals, review some of the finest models, and put together a small “buying guide” for newbies. Newer pedals allow you to alter the tempo of “loops”, the direction, and other aspects of sound waves that other pedals can’t. If you're looking primarily for a songwriting tool, then the hybrid drum machine Boss RC-10R could be worth trying. Even though this magnificent looper pedal is quite complex, it’s among the best looper pedals on the market. Most musicians who’ve used Ditto say that it works like a charm for home practice, although you’d feel a bit restrained in terms of options should you use it during a live show. The last looper pedal in this review comes from Electro-Harmonix. Chorus effect on guitar channel, delay/echo effect on mic channel, and independent reverb on both channels . Of course, the Boss won't do you any good if you can’t figure out how to use the thing. As much as it's as intuitive as Red Panda can make it, it's got so many features that it's an inherently complex pedal. Many loop pedals allow you to then record overdubs and incorporate them into the loop as well. It’s also a great beginner looper pedal if you just want something simple, without too many advanced options to learn. Why? Made in China and then assembled in the US (NYC), it is a solid box with plenty of intrigues. That said if the price isn’t a … 17 Best Looper Pedal Reviews and the Best Looper Pedal Brands 1) TC Electronic Guitar Ditto Looper Effects Pedal TC Electronic is an old and reliable audio equipment company that was established in 1976. Like the TC Electronic Ditto X2, the Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper Pedal offers some effects as well, with reverse and half-time modes. Just plug it in and go. What exactly is a loop pedal, and what does it do? Starting with the build quality and design, you’re getting that well-known Electro-Harmonix sturdiness. That helps you to avoid any frustrating mistakes if you're using this looper as a composition tool. It’s clear that the brand focused on functionality rather than aesthetics when they made it, as can be seen by simply taking a look at what it comes outfitted with. Coming from the very bottom, the first cluster is comprised of two-loop pedals with the nicely lit control screen standing in between them. Although scrolling between these on the fly live is definitely in the 'flying by the seat of your pants' camp, you can attach an external three-button footswitch to access the undo/redo functionality and the bank up/down controls. If you’ve tried out anything we’ve mentioned in the sections above, you already know how powerful a looper pedal might sound. The second cluster is what makes RC-30 so complex. The pedal also supports up to five passages that enable you to move through the component parts of a song. When you think of the string instrument, probably the first one that comes into... We’ve reviewed 4 top guitar lesson courses targeting kids, beginners, intermediate and experienced players. . The Boss RC-1 Loop Station is intuitive to use and the display is very clear as to where you are in your loop or capture, meaning that we made fewer mistakes. Price: $449/£199 | Bypass: Buffered | Footswitches: 3 | Dedicated stop control? Even though the latter might lack in certain departments of performance (versatility mostly), it’s still a great pedal for all kinds of musicians. In other words, it's a no-brainer. When using quantized loops, you can sometimes end up avoiding 'organic' compositional tricks, like changing time signatures, or song tempo. “The Ultimate looper, massive in size and functionality” Feature-rich, the ultimate looper… but very expensive. This best looper pedal contender isn't aimed at being a compositional tool, or playing back pre-canned backing tracks. There are two effect modes too, which offer reversed playback and half-time playback of your loops, stereo I/O, and the ability to load and save loops via USB. So it goes with the Ditto X2. The minimalistic design is practically ideal for beginners who are yet to get accustomed to this pedal type but don’t let that give you the wrong idea-it’s strong, reliable, and quite versatile. Below we have listed and reviewed the 5 best guitar looper pedals you can currently buy online. An endless source of inspiration. It essentially replaces the RC30 with its two available loop tracks and various rhythm patterns, though it should be said that the drum machine functionality does detract slightly from its focus as a looper. With true-bypass, 10 minutes of stereo looping, Silent Clear, and JamSync the Express XT is a perfect looper for your pedalboard. The Tensor not only can cover some of the tape warping effects of the XP-300, but also the micro-sampling of ultra-rare pedals like the Hexe Revolver. Guitarchords247 is supported by our readers. If we’re to compare NUX Loop Core with some of the best looper pedals on the market, it would appear as a mediocre one. A looper pedal is a powerful creative tool, whether you need one to finally get underway with your ambient prog project, or to give your band a boost by layering guitar parts live. Though for our money, it's still better seen as a compositional aid rather than a reason to never help your drummer pack down his stands again. One of the reasons why some musicians refrain from using loop pedals on stage is because these pedals pose a nasty risk – “you” could fall out of rhythm (it’s virtually impossible for a perfectly designed piece of machinery to be “wrong”, per se). The only difference with this pedal is that you’ll see “phrase” instead of “modes” – these buttons are below the light indicators. For the most basic but effective live option, it's hard to beat the TC Electronic Ditto X2. With essentially only two controls - start and stop - it's hard to mess up loops live, unless your timing is off. The Infinity Looper features in our best looper pedals guide because it has some useful bells and whistles too, with a reverse function, variable speed and stutter modes. The best small looper pedal for home practice At number 5, we have the Nano Looper 360 by Electro-Harmonix. Simple functionality, 360 seconds of loop recording time, and a low price all make the Electro-Harmonix Nano Looper 360 one of the best looper pedals for guitar, bass, and mono synths. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Namely, you’ll be able to utilize only 12 minutes of total runtime (whereas most loop pedals allow you to record hours of musical passages), and there are only ten loop phases (again, most high-quality loop pedals come with at least 50 or more). Bosses RC-30 costs twice as much as RC-3, but it’s safe to assume that both models are fairly great. As a looper, it can very much hold its own, with features like one-shot loops, speeding up and re-triggering that many other loopers still don't have. At the top you’ll see two buttons – the “save/delete” and stop modes, both of which are quite self-explanatory. Click Here to Jump to The 5 Best Guitar Looper Pedals. … Now, the RC-30 has set quite a standard, so it’s safe to assume that this particular model has a lot of proving to do if we’re to label it as one of the best looper pedals. At the bottom of it you’ll see a little “type” button which switches through them, the on/off button standing right next to it. © Guitar players can greatly benefit from purchasing a loop pedal. It doesn’t cost a fortune, and it holds a great value for the money. You can experiment with your recorded music and see which beats and tones will sound best. Although it lacked a dedicated stop control, halting a loop was relatively foolproof, and crucially the pedal's form-factor was small. The best looper pedals provide you with tons of overdubbing ability. We may earn an affiliate commission if you buy or subscribe through our links. It’s incredibly easy to use with dedicated LEDs and just one knob. TC's new Ditto+ packs in all the things that made the Ditto great - sound quality, form factor, intuitive design - and adds a large screen. Well, pedals like the RC-30 offer backing tracks, but the power of the Trio+ is its ability to play in a loop and then instantly generate a bass and drum backing track that can be modified to fit a number of styles. You will receive a verification email shortly. As always at Sustain Punch, we will firstly explain the function of a loop pedal, also known as a repeater pedal, and why you may want one to place on your guitar effects pedalboard. TC Electronic Ditto Looper Pedal – Best Guitar Loop Pedal. Even though they’re quite easy to use, some musicians have never developed a habit of using them, others think they’re too “risky” for their style (you have to be very precise when using them in most cases) while there are some musicians who never even got to try one. TC Electronic’ Ditto features five minutes of total loop time – that might not be too much, but you’ll be able to overdub, redo, or undo your looped passages indefinitely. Please read our COVID-19 temporary Return Policy HERE. Meanwhile, even if those are of interest, you're going to have to take the time to learn how to use the Tensor. This brand is fairly impressive for a low-budget effect pedal, and it comes outfitted with an impressive feature outfit. Ditto works on 9V batteries (the ones that can provide 100 mA, at the very least), however, these do not come with the package. Boss RC-3 bares the same outward appearance as their usual stompboxes – the plain construction is adorned with a single pedal switch, two inputs, two outputs, a single level knob, two “memory” switches, rhythm, write, and tap-tempo buttons. BA1 1UA. In terms of both cost and its power, our number one choice for the best multi-effects pedal is the Line 6 Helix LT. : Yes | A/D/A conversion: 24bit. A guitar looper pedal has many utilities other than using as simple overdrives. The NUX Loop Core features a plain design, much like TC Electronic’ Ditto. Get creative with our pick of the best looper pedals; Best multi-effects pedals: Our top picks. Weighing in around 20 pounds, this is a giant when it comes down to loopers. Here we have another amazing product from Boss – the RC-3 loop station. Bath Meet the looper pedal that started it all, Price: $299/£195 | Bypass: Buffered | Footswitches: 4 | Dedicated stop control? The Pigtronix Infinity Looper isn't quantized, so you have to be precise in laying down your initial loop. 3,088. The simple answer is that it's stacked with features for live-only use. Truth be told, TC Electronic is a remarkable brand and their reputation as such is only further cemented with the development of Ditto Looper. The Lekato loop pedal is mainly designed for loop effects in an electric guitar. Like Ed Sheeran ) its right stand the loop as well, with the big like... When using quantized loops, you ’ ll see two buttons – RC-3! No, but it ’ s among the best looper pedal is that it can store 10. 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