Concept

Sync Loop

In ShoopDaLoop, the sync loop plays an important role in looping. Any new project starts with an empty sync loop.

Actions on loops are synchronized to triggers of the sync loop. A trigger is emitted when the sync loop restarts. Examples:

  • A requested transition (e.g. to recording, playing or stopped mode) will usually happen on the sync loop’s next trigger.

  • When a loop finishes playing, it will restart on the next trigger (which is usually instantly, as loops are typically multiples of the sync loop’s length).

The sync loop may itself hold audio and/or MIDI data. A typical use is a click track. However, it is also perfectly fine to leave it empty and use it for synchronization only.

Synchronization to the sync loop.

Synchronization to the sync loop (note the picture needs updating, as at the time it was called “master loop”).

The global n cycles control determines how many sync loop cycles recording will be executed for. For example, with n cycles set to 4, if the sync loop represents one bar, recording on a loop will automatically progress to playback after recording 4 bars. The default setting for n cycles is 0 (infinite), meaning the loop will be recorded until manually stopped. If recording using the always-on recording feature, grabbing the always-on recording will also grab the specified amount of sync loop cycles.

N cycles control

The N cycles control.

Tracks

tracks in ShoopDaLoop

Example of three tracks in ShoopDaLoop.

ShoopDaLoop’s loops are divided over tracks. Loops in the same track share their input/output port connections, gain/balance and effects/synthesis. Therefore, typically a track per instrument/part is used.

Composition and Sequencing

Any loop slot in ShoopDaLoop can be used as a composite loop. This is ShoopDaLoop’s way of providing concepts that may be familiar from other software, including:

  • scenes;

  • sequences and songs;

  • pre-scripted recording and looping.

For more information, see Composite Loops.

Effects / Synthesis

FX / Synthesis using plugins.

Signal flow when using internal FX/Synthesis in plugins.

FX / Synthesis using external program.

Signal flow when using external FX/Synthesis.

ShoopDaLoop supports two track port connection modes: regular and dry/wet.

In regular mode, there is simply an input and an output.

In dry/wet mode, an effects and/or synthesis chain can be inserted for the track. When recording loops, the dry and wet signals are simultaneously recorded. This enables tricks such as re-playing the dry loop through live effects, playing back the wet while disabling the effects for CPU savings and re-synthesizing with different virtual instruments.

Note that the dry channel can be MIDI, audio or both. However, the wet channel can only be audio.

Dry/wet mode can be configured in two ways: using external JACK send and return ports or hosting plugins directly inside ShoopDaLoop via Carla.

There are advantages to using plugins if possible:

  • Dry, fx/synthesis and wet are all processed in a single audio process iteration. This saves one period of latency w.r.t. external, where the back-end will usually take two cycles to pass the signal back into ShoopDaLoop and out again.

  • Internal plugin state can be remembered by ShoopDaLoop and saved with the session. With external FX/synthesis this would only be possible with e.g. NSM.