It looks like a small tape loop device used to create echo effects before the time of digital echo.
It worked by having one record head and three four or sometimes five playback heads placed at arbritrary incriments.
The volume of each playback head could be controled inipendantly, allowing the user to create a faded echo with each repat being quieter than the last. Furthermore the streangth of the erase head (placed after the last playback head) can be adjusted to give a gradual fade (with each loop of the tape) or an indefinite sound loop with the erase head turned completely off.
There is usually a control knob to ajust the speed of the tape. This has the effect of controling the speed of the echo.
If you run these devices at top speed with 2 or more of the playback heads at full volume this would also give a chorus effect (two or more of the same voices together each one ever so slightly out of synch). This effect is what gave John Lennon his trade mark deamy sounding voice and the Cure their really big guitar harmonies.
Although these devices were design for echo they can be used as very basic ever repeating sample machines by switching of the erase head completely. I think that is what he is doing.
I guess my next question (seeing as I couldn't find the answer yet) is how long is the "memory" ... in some of his vids it sounds like he can sample up to 10 seconds ... but that might just be him adding as he's beatboxing along.
BTW ... how many sample banks does it have? 1 or 4? Does he just add stuff on top of whatever he's sampled ... as opposed to having separate sample banks?
I think the DL4 is a sngle track machine. I could be wrong though.
In the old machines, the length of the loop depended on the speed of the tape. Though obviously lower speeds would result in lower quality reproductions.
Is for how long thr DL4 support that answer is I do not know.
Google: Line6 DL4 and take a look at the specifications.
I do know that you can get computer based emulations of the tape loop system. For example one came with Cubase VST in 2001 and was quite good.
I guess the daddy of these machines is the Roland Space Echo. They were used loads in the 70's, mainly by the dub reggae producers. They (Boss) have recently brought out a pedal to emulate one, its ok but there is nothing like that warm fluttering tape sound running over five recording and playback heads. Great reverb effects too, they go for a small fortune now.
Comments
It worked by having one record head and three four or sometimes five playback heads placed at arbritrary incriments.
The volume of each playback head could be controled inipendantly, allowing the user to create a faded echo with each repat being quieter than the last. Furthermore the streangth of the erase head (placed after the last playback head) can be adjusted to give a gradual fade (with each loop of the tape) or an indefinite sound loop with the erase head turned completely off.
There is usually a control knob to ajust the speed of the tape. This has the effect of controling the speed of the echo.
If you run these devices at top speed with 2 or more of the playback heads at full volume this would also give a chorus effect (two or more of the same voices together each one ever so slightly out of synch). This effect is what gave John Lennon his trade mark deamy sounding voice and the Cure their really big guitar harmonies.
Although these devices were design for echo they can be used as very basic ever repeating sample machines by switching of the erase head completely. I think that is what he is doing.
An early one of these devices was known as the Watkins Copycat and was mainly used to gituar effets (See video).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJCRtW3ih7Y
However, the one that Reggie is using is a a DL4 tape echo by manufacturer Line6. A video is found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1eXytdDaRY&feature=related
I beleive this to be a modern day emulation of the old tape loops and is infact made up of solid state digital components.
I hope this answers your question.
I guess my next question (seeing as I couldn't find the answer yet) is how long is the "memory" ... in some of his vids it sounds like he can sample up to 10 seconds ... but that might just be him adding as he's beatboxing along.
BTW ... how many sample banks does it have? 1 or 4? Does he just add stuff on top of whatever he's sampled ... as opposed to having separate sample banks?
In the old machines, the length of the loop depended on the speed of the tape. Though obviously lower speeds would result in lower quality reproductions.
Is for how long thr DL4 support that answer is I do not know.
Google: Line6 DL4 and take a look at the specifications.
I do know that you can get computer based emulations of the tape loop system. For example one came with Cubase VST in 2001 and was quite good.