SooperLooper -- Live Looping Sampler Jesse Chappell jesse@essej.net Copyright 2005
SooperLooper is a live looping sampler capable of immediate loop recording, overdubbing, multiplying, reversing and more. It allows for multiple simultaneous multi-channel loops limited only by your computer's available memory. The feature-set and operation was inspired by the impressive Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro (EDP). When used with a low-latency audio configuration it is capable of truly realtime live performance looping.
The application is a standalone JACK client with an engine controllable via OSC and MIDI. It also includes a GUI which communicates with the engine via OSC (even over a network) for user-friendly control on a desktop. However, this kind of live performance looping tool is most effectively used via hardware (midi footpedals, etc) and the engine can be run standalone on a computer without a monitor.
SooperLooper is currently supported on Linux/Unix and OS X platforms.
Macintosh OS X packages are available, and are usable with the newest
release of JACK-OS X or as an AU.
Future plans include a VST plugin version for both Windows and Mac.
This software is licensed under the GPL, thus the source code is free, open and available. It is fully functional, no nagging, no activation keys, nothing to waste but time if you find it doesn't suit your needs. Best of all, because the source is open, there will always be someone around who can fix any problems, or add new features. You are welcome to copy it, give copies to your friends, and modify it. But if you find it useful, then please consider making a donation via PayPal at http://essej.net/sooperlooper/donate.html .
The feature-set is modeled in the spirit of the Echoplex Digital Pro (EDP) LoopIII and LoopIV. Detailed descriptions of these features are found in the Documentation pages.
SooperLooper's primary features are listed below:
- Multiple simultaneous multi-channel loops limited only by available RAM
- Record, manually triggered, or via input threshold
- Overdub for adding more audio on top of existing loop
- Multiply, allows increasing loop length by repeating the initial loop beneath
- Feedback control allows gradual loop fading, active during overdub/multiply and optionally during playback
- Replace audio in loop with new material
- Insert new audio into existing loop
- Substitute audio in loop with new material, while hearing existing material
- Reverse loop playback (even during overdub) at any time, or quantized to loop or cycle boundaries
- Trigger loop playback from start at any time, also supports OneShot triggering which will play the loop once then mute.
- Mute the loop output at anytime
- Undo/Redo allows nearly unlimited undo and redo to previous loop states
- Rate Shift allows arbitrary rate change of loop from 1/4 to 4x normal. Works anytime, even during loop record.
- Save/Load loops in WAV format
- Scratch feature allows DJ-like position scratching (work-in-progress)
- Tempo syncable to MIDI clock, JACK transport, manual or tap tempo, or existing loops.
- Sync Quantize operations to divisions defined by the tempo, and/or existing loops.
- Sync Playback can retrigger automatically to maintain external sync during playback
- SUS (Momentary) operation available for all commands for easy realtime granular
- Crossfading applied to prevent clicks on loop or edit operation boundaries (crossfade length is adjustable)
- MIDI Bindings are arbitarily definable and can be configured to emulate existing setup (EDP, etc)
- Key Bindings are arbitarily definable for the GUI
- OSC Interface provides the ultimate network-transparent control of the engine
- Timestretch and pitch shift
Complete documentation on the operation of SooperLooper can be found on the website at: http://essej.net/sooperlooper/
The main engine is the executable 'sooperlooper'. Either the GUI 'slgui' or the console based test client 'slconsole' can be run which will communicate with a running sooperlooper engine. slgui will attempt to start an engine if none are detected running already.
Run 'sooperlooper -h' for command line option help. Note the midi binding file option -m and take a look at the examples oxy8.slb and midiwizard.slb for the format to write your own.
The engine can be controlled with MIDI via the ALSA sequencer interface on Linux and CoreMidi on OS X. Do learn-style control binding by choosing the learn option from the context menu's of a button, slider or control. Control-Middle-clicking on the button or slider is a shortcut to start learning. You can edit, load, and save the midi bindings through the MIDI Bindings window in the GUI.
For the OS X package, a double-clickable application is provided that starts the GUI and and engine for you. Before starting SooperLooper, be sure to start the JACK system using the JackPilot application that came with JACK-OSX. Then use the Routing features of JackPilot to connect the inputs and outputs of SooperLooper to the desired places. To connect your MIDI device, you need to use a MIDI patchbay.
| Package | URL | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| JACK >= 0.80 | http://jackaudio.org/ | |
| wxWidgets | https://www.wxwidgets.org/ | It should work with the 2.6.x, 2.8, or 3.x versions. For OS X you will want at least the 2.6.1 version of wxMac. |
| liblo >= 0.18 | http://liblo.sourceforge.net/ | Lightweight OSC library |
| sigc++ >= 2 | https://libsigcplusplus.github.io/libsigcplusplus/ | You probably already have it.... |
| libsndfile | http://www.mega-nerd.com/libsndfile/ | |
| libsamplerate | http://www.mega-nerd.com/SRC/ | |
| ncurses | https://invisible-island.net/ncurses/announce.html | you probably already have it |
| libxml2 | http://xmlsoft.org/downloads.html | same here |
| RubberBand | https://www.breakfastquay.com/rubberband/ | |
| fftw3 | http://www.fftw.org/ | (needed by rubberband) |