Guitar to MIDI state of the union...

Started by musicman65, August 10, 2010, 05:14:18 PM

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musicman65

2 years ago...

Axon is the technological leader with midi converters that have the lowest latency and best midi performance on the market.

Roland leads the market with number of devices available and longevity. Roland also models instruments with analog (VG Technology) through the hex pickup. The VG99 is the latest device with VG and guitar to MIDI capabilities.

Yamaha has a midi device. They aren't a significant player.

No other players where making significant efforts...


Now....

Axon is out of business.

Roland has not released updates to it's VG99. It appears they have no intentions any time soon.

No other developments have made it to market...I can here the crickets chirping....


The future...

Maybe Roland will buy Axon and implement their technology to improve tracking in a nextgen product.

Maybe Line6 will embed their guitar modeling in a pedal...and buy Axon's technology. Now that would be an awesome product!

Until then, we wait.

bd in tn


paults

The newest trend is video game guitar controllers with MIDI out. 


Kevin M

For now guitar-to-MIDI seems to be a niche market.   Not a mass-clamoring for them like there is for smart-phones. 

A2theT

Quote from: kmaus10 on August 10, 2010, 07:39:58 PM
For now guitar-to-MIDI seems to be a niche market.   Not a mass-clamoring for them like there is for smart-phones. 

nothings changed, midi guitar always was a niche market. this is where the VG-99 comes along and transforms guitar as we know it.  the vg provides functional features such as custom tunings and COSM instrument models which make for very useable features.  midi was not always useable with the guitar (and still isn't great).  although the vg does midi with the best of its ability, it is still looked at by many as a "midi guitar thingy" that only midi enthusiasts would enjoy. 

this is not the song that should be sung but unfortunately midi guitar got this bad rap and so the vg-99 is like the dream child birthed from the loins of a questionable father......
HEAVY on the METAL
Axe-Fx II, Roland VG-99 + FC-300, Roland GR-55, Digitech Jamman Stereo, Ibanez/ESP/Jackson Guitars

Rhcole

I think you also have to acknowledge that the worldwide economy has been in the dumpster the last two years. I know of many music industry companies that have downsized or are barely making it. A large local music retail store in my area is shutting its doors this month after 22 years. This is not the time when most companies would develop complex new products for a small audience such as the MIDI guitarist.

Vic1iful

Call it intuition, But I believe Roland has something up their sleves and just haven't anounced it yet. Also There is StringPort by Keith McMillan. It will Be great when he brings it to PC and works out a few bugs.

musicman65

I saw the Stringport on Youtube...not worth mentioning yet, slow tracking but may get better, we'll see.

I realize the vg99 is a breakthrough but it doesn't replace the functionality of midi, it complements it.

The midi functionality in the vg99 is "good enough" to use except Roland left a bug in the box and wont fix it. The volume wont follow ANY expression pedal connected to the vg99 or fc300 through a vg99 patch change. (unless you use poly mode which really sucks). Every time I switch patches, my synth volume goes to 100 (0-127 range).

The vg modeling is the only thing keeping me with my current setup...c'mon Roland....FIX YOUR PRODUCT!

Ask yourself....WWL6D? lol...

bd in tn



paults

If CC07 is used to control volume, does it still reset to 100 at patch change? 



musicman65

Yes, when the vg99 is setup in omni mode so it can send CC07 to all six channels (strings), the vg99 sends a 100 on patch change. There is no workaround except to use mono mode but pitch bends sound terrible that way. This has been discussed many times on this forum and is well documented.

All I can do is make sure my synth patches all blend with volume at 100...what a pain! I use thevg99 with a synth live and sure would like Roland to step up and fix their bugs.

WWL6D? (What Would Line 6 Do?)...based on my years of experience with them...they'd have a patch for it. Two years and no firmware is ridiculous

bd in tn
!


musicman65

oops...my terminolgy may be backwards. Mono mode has 6 midi output channels and poly is all on a single channel. The volume bug is in mono which is necessary for any sound that has multiple notes with bends....which is pretty much how a guitar is played.

bd in tn