hoops is a MIDI looping application implemented using keykit. Tim Thompson did the programming, and the design was a collaboration between Tim and Herb Heinz. It can be used as a single-person MIDI looper, but one of its unique features is that it allows simultaneous but independent loopers to perform together in a coordinated way, using a single computer with multiple MIDI inputs and outputs. Each performer can create independent loops while sharing a common pulse and section control. Also unique to hoops is a graphical display that shows all of the loops in an animated realtime display. An example is shown below. The different colors indicate the different performers, the fixed vertical line in the middle represents time=now, piano-roll graphics represent the loops, and each loop visually shifts to the right as time advances.

The group hoopla - Herb Heinz and Tim Thompson - performed using hoops at the Y2K5 Loopfest. As an extra visual bonus, the output of hoops directly controlled colorful geometric graphics created by ergo, a program written by Tim using Python and OpenGL. During the performance at Y2K5 Loopfest, the graphics of ergo and the animated display of hoops were projected simultaneously on a wall or screen.

hoops is freely available and is included (along with many other MIDI toys) in the latest version of keykit (7.4b). At the moment it is undocumented, but a bit of documentation will be forthcoming. Send email to tjt-hoops@nosuch.com if you have any questions.