CONTROLS
Volume (ramp)
Loop will be unity volume at noon, and boosted to roughly 2x
at maximum. If a dip switch is engaged for ramping, you can
set this knob to control any of the five parameters individually
or simultaneously (Layers, Repeats, Mod A, Stability, Mod B),
and have it either modulate (Bounce) or ramp-and-hold (rise
or fall) via dip switches in the back of the pedal. In this case,
this knob controls the ramp time in which this takes place. The
ramp time can be free, or synced to the loop length, for precise
and repeatable movement (activated via the Sync dip switch).
Layers
This is a powerful feature that navigates through the different
layers you’ve recorded. It essentially performs undo & redo
– counter-clockwise removes layers, clockwise adds them
back. This can be a quick way to remove mistakes, but it’s
also a flexible tool for performing your loops. This knob “goes
to sleep” when you aren’t using it, so that you don’t have to
worry about where it’s set at all times. Keep in mind that -
because it essentially performs undo / redo - if you go back to
an earlier layer and record, all subsequent layers will be cleared
out. A new layer is created each time you stop recording.
So, you can allow the loop to play through multiple times,
recording overdub after overdub, and this will all be stored as a
single layer. The number of times the loop resets has no effect
on layer creation, giving you complete control.
The Layers feature adds and removes layers, but it
does not isolate them. You can think of it like a tower,
where each layer is added on top of the next. If you
go back to layer 3, for example, you will be hearing /
editing layers 1-3.
SAMPLER MODE
Tap Left = Record
Recording works differently in sampler mode. There is no
overdubbing. Each time you tap the left footswitch, your old
loop will immediately be cleared and a new one will
be recorded.
Hold Left = Momentary Record
Recording will be engaged as long as the footswitch is held
down, nice for recording little blips.
Tap Right = Trigger / Retrigger
Plays / resets your “sample.”
Hold Right = Activate / Deactivate Looping
Holding the right footswitch will allow you to deactivate looping
in Sampler mode, allowing you to perform a one-shot trigger
of your “sample.” The right LED will turn green to let you know
this is active.
Repeats
Enables you to have layers gradually fade away, at a speed
of your choosing. The further counter-clockwise Repeats is
set, the faster layers will fade away. It’s important to note that
Repeats only has an effect while you are recording. If the loop
is in playback, it will never fade away. This has a number of
advantages you’ll discover as you begin to play around.
MOD A
Controls the A channel of Blooper’s selectable modifiers:
1,2,3. This modifier is activated by a button on the bottom of
Blooper. The exact function changes depending on the mode,
but there is consistency: 12 o’clock is always the “neutral” zone,
with slightly different behaviors on either side.
Stability
Introduces an analog - and increasingly vintage - feel.
This includes: Wow, Flutter, Noise, Filtering. Stability was
specifically tuned for Additive overdubbing, so that you
can gradually wear out your loop over time by recording it
repeatedly. Like a tape reel aging in real-time. In the minimum
position stability is bypassed, for pure clean looping.
MOD B
Controls the B channel of Blooper’s selectable modifiers: 4,5,6.
MODIFIERS
Blooper has two channels of modifiers, activated by buttons
on the bottom of the pedal. These buttons can be used as a
momentary effect by holding them down, or standard on /
off with a quicker press. Each channel has a toggle switch to
select between three possible modifiers. For consistency, all of
Blooper’s modifiers have a “neutral” zone at 12 o’clock on
the knob.
1. Smooth Speed
Allows you to adjust the playback speed and direction of your
loop in a smooth way. This gives a natural feel reminiscent of
adjusting a tape machine. You can go up to double speed, and
slow things to complete stop. Going counter-clockwise from
noon engage reverse playback.
2. Dropper
Causes small pieces of your loop to drop out, failing to play.
These drops will sometimes be smooth and subtle, other
times they will be abrupt and deep. Going counter-clockwise
produces a random stream of drops, while clockwise will
produce a drop pattern: the position and feel of each drop will
be consistent. At maximum you will get granular crumbling.
