Looping vocals and applied effects in contemporary vocal studies

Since the advent of sound capture and replication, the contemporary singing voice and applied technology have developed symbiotically. At a rudimentary level, the technological facility to capture and reproduce sound has enabled the contemporary singing voice to be heard in live and recorded contexts; the development of applied effects on the singing voice has facilitated the creative crafting of vocal aesthetics and production options within these contexts. While a variety of contemporary instruments have implemented 'looping', the more recent development of vocal looping and loop stations designed for vocalists has furthered a myriad of vocal creativities. This article outlines the practice of looping and documents the introduction of vocal looping as a pedagogical practice in contemporary vocal studies.