Continuous sound

[TheMysteryGuest]

Hi,
I play cello and I'm trying to create a loop that is a continuous drone on one note but there is always a bit of a drop out between the end and start of the loop. Just wondering if I have to live with this or if there's any tricks to minimise it.

Here is my set up:
Mobius vst in Live, slave sync, 'Host Bar'. Start host transport (has drum clip playing) click record in mobius and start playing the long bowed note before the end of the bar. at the start of the bar mobius starts recording, I continue the same long note, click record on footswitch before the end of the bar and mobius stops recording after the bar finishes.
The result is ok but as the loop plays just at the beginning there is a noticable dropout, almost like I'd started playing slightly late, but I didn't because I was playing before record kicked in.

Firstly does that make any sense whatsoever.... Secondly anyone got any tips on making the loop as continuous as possible?

Thanks,
Tim

[Stephen Kemp]

The simple solution I use is to start recording, fade the note in with a volume pedal, hold the note, then end record with overdub mode, fade out the note with the volume pedal and exit overdub mode. Hey presto, seamless sustained drone.

Stephen

[glynndub]

Spot on Stephen!
That’s exactly what I do to achieve a seamless sustained drone.

Glynn

[Jeff]

Stephen has your answer. What you are hearing is what we call a "fade bump".

When you start recording a loop a looper must always apply a fast fade up from zero and when the recording is closed the looper normally applies a fast fade down to zero. If this didn't happen, then the loop would start with a instant
jump in level from zero to whatever the level of the input signal is and this would sound like a sharp click. Similarly if the loop just ended without being faded, the audio wave form at the end of the loop will not match exactly to the wave form at the start of the loop causing a similar clicking noise.

When the edges are faded, you can avoid the click but depending on the signal
you may still hear a much softer but still audible "bump". To avoid that, end Record mode with Overdub and we will avoid the fade-to-zero at the end and continue recording seamlessly over the loop point.

[TheMysteryGuest]

Nice,
Thanks for the tips - have been playing around with your ideas and overdub will definitely work for me.
Also, thanks a lot Jeff for the explanation - makes perfect sense, especially about the waveforms not meeting up.
Tim