The Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper is a versatile and feature-rich looper pedal designed for guitarists and musicians who want to create and manipulate loops in their performances and practice sessions.
It’s a compact pedal that offers a wide range of looping capabilities, making it a popular choice among musicians looking for a reliable and powerful looper.
Main Features
Here are some key features and information about the Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper:
The 720 Stereo Looper supports stereo inputs and outputs, allowing you to capture and play back your guitar or instrument in stereo. This feature can create a more expansive and immersive soundstage when used with stereo amplifiers or recording equipment.
The pedal provides up to 12 minutes of high-quality, uncompressed stereo loop recording time. This ample recording time enables you to create longer and more intricate loops to suit various musical styles and compositions.
Loop Management:
- You can store and access up to 10 independent loops, making it easy to recall and switch between different musical ideas during your performance.
- The pedal offers a dedicated footswitch for loop selection, allowing you to seamlessly switch between stored loops.
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Looper Functions
The 720 Stereo Looper features a straightforward interface with essential controls, including a dedicated footswitch for recording, overdubbing, and playback, as well as separate volume controls for your dry signal and looped signal.
Undo/Redo Function: This function allows you to undo your last overdub or redo it if you want to bring it back. This feature is particularly helpful for correcting mistakes or making changes to your loops.
Built-in Metronome: The pedal includes a built-in metronome with multiple rhythm patterns and tap tempo functionality. This helps you stay in time and create precise loops that sync with your music.
External Footswitch Support: The 720 Stereo Looper is compatible with an external footswitch (sold separately), which can be used to control functions like loop selection, clear all loops, or toggle the built-in metronome.
Other Features
Here are some additional features:
True Bypass: When the pedal is bypassed, your dry signal passes through the pedal without any alteration, ensuring that your original guitar tone remains unaffected.
Electro-Harmonix is known for building rugged and reliable pedals, and the 720 Stereo Looper is no exception. It’s designed to withstand the rigors of live performance and heavy stomping.
The pedal typically operates on a standard 9-volt DC power supply. Ensure that you have a suitable power source available.
Using the 720 Stereo Looper
Using the Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper pedal involves several straightforward steps, allowing you to create, manipulate, and play back loops. Here’s a basic guide on how to use the pedal:
Setup:
- Connect Your Guitar: Plug your guitar or other instrument into the input jack of the 720 Stereo Looper.
- Connect to Amplifier or Mixer: Connect the pedal’s output(s) to your amplifier or mixer. If you’re utilizing stereo operation, connect both the left and right outputs for the full stereo effect.
- Power: Ensure the pedal is powered with a suitable 9-volt DC power supply.
Basic Looping:
- Record a Loop:
- To record a loop, tap the footswitch labeled “REC/PLAY/OVERDUB” once. The LED indicator will turn red, indicating that you’re in recording mode.
- Play your musical part (e.g., a chord progression, riff, or melody). The pedal will capture this and begin looping it. The LED indicator will continue to flash red while the loop is recording.
- Overdub:
- While the loop is playing, you can add overdubs (additional layers) to it. Tap the footswitch again when you want to start overdubbing. The LED indicator will turn green, indicating overdub mode.
- Play any additional parts or melodies you want to layer onto the loop. These overdubs will be added to the existing loop.
- Stop Playback:
- To stop playback, tap the footswitch a third time. The LED indicator will turn off, indicating that the loop is not playing.
- Undo/Redo:
- If you make a mistake or want to undo your last overdub, tap and hold the footswitch for about 2 seconds. The pedal will undo the last overdub.
- To redo the overdub you just undid, tap and hold the footswitch again for about 2 seconds.
Loop Management:
- Select Stored Loops:
- The 720 Stereo Looper can store up to 10 independent loops. To select a stored loop, use the footswitch labeled “LOOP/STOP.”
- Tap the “LOOP/STOP” footswitch repeatedly to cycle through your stored loops. The LED indicator will show which loop is currently selected.
- Clear a Loop:
- To clear the currently selected loop, hold down the “LOOP/STOP” footswitch for about 2 seconds.
Metronome:
- Activate Metronome:
- To use the built-in metronome, press the “METRO ON/OFF” footswitch. The LED indicator will show whether the metronome is active.
- Adjust Metronome Tempo:
- Use the “TAP” footswitch to tap in the tempo you want for the metronome. The LED indicator will flash in time with the tempo you tap.
External Footswitch (Optional):
- If you have an external footswitch connected, you can use it to perform various functions, such as clearing all loops, toggling the built-in metronome, or selecting specific loops. Refer to the pedal’s manual for details on the specific functions and how to use the external footswitch.
Advantages of the 720 Stereo Looper
The Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper offers several advantages that make it a popular choice among guitarists and musicians looking to incorporate looping into their performances and practice sessions.
The 720 Stereo Looper provides up to 12 minutes of stereo loop recording time. This generous recording time allows for the creation of longer and more intricate loops, making it suitable for various musical styles and compositions.
With stereo inputs and outputs, the pedal can create a wide and immersive stereo soundstage. This is particularly useful for guitarists using stereo amplifiers or for recording in stereo for more spatial depth in their music.
The pedal can store up to 10 independent loops. This feature allows you to switch between different musical ideas or backing tracks seamlessly during your performance.
The 720 Stereo Looper includes an undo/redo function, enabling you to quickly correct mistakes or reintroduce overdubs that you may have removed.
The pedal features a built-in metronome with various rhythm patterns and tap tempo functionality. This helps you stay in time while creating precise loops that synchronize with your music.
Additional Advantages of the 720
If desired, you can connect an external footswitch (sold separately) to control various functions of the pedal, such as loop selection or metronome toggling, further expanding your control options.
When the pedal is bypassed, your dry guitar signal passes through it unaffected. This ensures that your original guitar tone remains pure and unaltered.
The 720 Stereo Looper is designed with an intuitive interface, making it accessible for both beginners and experienced loopers. Its straightforward controls make it easy to record, overdub, play, and manage your loops.
With its generous recording time, stereo capabilities, and undo/redo functionality, the 720 Stereo Looper offers a wide range of creative possibilities. Musicians can use it to layer guitar parts, create ambient textures, practice with backing tracks, and experiment with live soundscapes.
Considering its feature set and capabilities, the 720 Stereo Looper is often considered an affordable option in the looper pedal market.
The pedal maintains high audio quality, ensuring that your loops sound clean and clear, without any unwanted degradation in sound quality.
Conclusion
The Electro-Harmonix 720 Stereo Looper is a versatile tool for both live performances and creative studio work. Whether you’re layering guitar parts, creating ambient soundscapes, or practicing with backing tracks, its ample recording time, stereo operation, and user-friendly interface make it a valuable addition to your pedalboard.