Quote Originally Posted by Conan
But your imagination cant even be nearly realised if your using loops. You can layer a loop of two tracks that are playing but you need a break or a change/melody/groove to come into the mix in order to grab attention and make it effective. Throwing in another loop on top of another loop on top of another loop is just boring and not powerful or attention grabing at all.

Needless to say I dont really see the need for loops at all. I think they are the bane of techno and a bit lazy really.
well i think the point that is being missed here is that they are not meant to be a substitute for good tunes. they are like spices in a good hearty DJ soup.

use them for layering over tracks to make interesting textures, use them as bridges between tunes to set up a killer tune with a crazy breakdown (just don't let loops ride for a long time or they DO get boring), use them to work effects over (i.e. make your OWN breakdowns and groove changes), use them set offtime to cut into breaks in a tune or at the end of a measure, double them up for a little tricky fun to really get things shaking...whatever...they are versatile and only as limiting as your imagination. and frankly, to say that any of the above uses is somehow boring or not "attention grabbing" is really kinda unimaginative, INMNSHO.

just kinda throwing out some of the ways i use lock grooves to spice up a mix. i don't RELY on them, i just season with them... you wouldn't make a soup out of ONLY salt and pepper, but a dash of it can really add to the flavor of food, yanno?