The Looping Revolution: A Dive into the History and best of Loop Pedals

What is the history of looping sounds in music?

Looping is the process of recording and playing back a sound so it repeats.

Before loop pedals existed, musicians and composers were experimenting with tape loops. Back in the 1950s, early pioneers like Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen used tape loops to create soundscapes that would have sounded completely strange and new at the time.

In the 60s, Terry Riley’s Time Lag Accumulator and the Frippertronics work of Robert Fripp and Brian Eno helped bring looping ideas into live performance.

The first loop-style device sold to people was not a small pedal like we know today. It was more tied to tape delay systems. The Echoplex, which came out in the 1950s, helped push the idea forward and paved the way for the digital loop pedals that would arrive later.

That is the interesting thing about looping. It started as something experimental and studio-based, then slowly became something regular musicians could carry around and use live.

When Did Looping Transition Into Pedals?

In the late 80s and early 90s, looping started moving from big tape machines and rack-style gear into the foot pedal format we recognise today.

The technology still had a way to go, but the idea was becoming more practical. Instead of needing a studio setup, a player could control loops with their foot while still playing an instrument.

The DigiTech PDS 8000, released in the mid-1980s, is often pointed to as one of the early true loop pedals because it allowed recording, overdubbing and playback of loops.

That was a major shift.

Once looping moved into a pedal, it became much easier for guitarists, singers and live performers to build layers in real time. You could record a chord progression, add another part over the top, build a rhythm and then play or sing over it.

That is where the loop pedal started becoming more than just a clever effect. It became a performance tool.

How Do Loop Pedals Work?

A loop pedals function can be broken down into 5 easy steps. Although some now have different features that can add color and shape to the sound, these are the basics. 

1. Record: Pressing the pedal once begins recording the audio input.

2. Overdub: Pressing the pedal again adds another audio segment over the first loop without erasing it. (1 and 2 can happen over and over on some of the more expensive pedals)

3. Playback: Another press stops recording, and the loop will play back automatically.

4. Undo/Redo: Most loop pedals now allow the removal of the last layer added.

5. Stop: A long press or double-tap stops the loop playback entirely.

What is the effect of a looping pedal?

Loop pedals enable musicians to create multi-layered soundscapes live, allowing for a richer, more complex performance. They can even mimic a full band by looping rhythmic backing tracks, solos, harmonies, and vocals. The audience hears a song that is built layer by layer with the same or different instruments.  

This is something to be seen (and heard) and shows off the crazy talent of the performer. It really does show how a song can start with 1 instrument and be turned into a fully formed piece of music.