June 1st... Dude where's my YRG???

Started by MCK-fgn, June 01, 2010, 04:49:00 AM

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Elantric-fgn

Eureka!

I got an email from Kevin at Inspired at 2PM Pacific time

I DO have a Fedex tracking number!!!
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

MCK-fgn

Amazing. Finally. Good luck with the unboxing soon.
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Elantric-fgn

I'm Customer 73, Order # 118

Back on January 26,2010 when I placed my YRG order, it stated "free early bird shipping".

On Tuesday - i spoke on the phone to John Evans and he said he would sort it out. He also stated on the phone that the Wii Gameflex Cartridge will be shipping at a later date. (perhaps in July)

Yet today I check my bank, and my Inspired Invoice and see that i was charged for the Gameflex cartridge and $10.64 for shipping, and of course California Sales Tax.

$227.05 total.

But I have been waiting so long, I'm not going to bitch too badly!

But I thought I would point this out to those who are still waiting.
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

MCK-fgn

Just got my shipping notice. Should be at ShopUSA next week and then another week to a month depending on what ShopUSA does this time... Oh well. We'll see.
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Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
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Now_And_Then-fgn


My "Order Status" on my account page on the Inspired Instruments site now (i.e. some time on Friday) has been changed to "Shipped".

On a side note, the "Unboxing" video shows the guy who ordered the very first You Rock Guitar. Not only did he not get to open the box himself, but he will not be getting You Rock Guitar serial number 00001. If I were him, I would not be too happy about it....

mac wilson


" but he will not be getting You Rock Guitar serial number 00001. If I were him, I would  be too happy about it...."

WTF?  ;D

mac wilson

#31
Quote from:  MCK on June 07, 2010, 06:23:01 PM
Quote from:  Elantric on June 07, 2010, 05:29:58 PM

"We called the accidental pre-paids (PayPal) guys first."


I'm an "accidental" PayPal prepaid and no one called me or emailed me so far...

I had to call them to get the ball rolling. It doesn't seem like they are going in a any order. I also had paid with Paypal and called tuesday and talked to Kevin for a while (he was very nice). He said it would ship that night or Wednesday. The problem is that Doug handles the shipping, so I had to call them Friday to actually get it shipped.  ::)

Also, this just came in from Facebook page

"Thomas Moore: I received you rock guitar Friday. I have been testing using it as a midi controller with Finale scoring software and Pro Tools recording software. Using it for jazz and R&B music. It works extrememly well in tap mode. I am having problems with a few missing notes when not in tap mode.
51 minutes ago"

this is the first unbiased review and it's terrible?
Lets hope that this is isolated.

If it misses notes easily, then it's going to be useless for anything but a toy.
But if this is true, then i'm not surprised one bit. I didn't expect much at all. YMMV

edit: review #2 (ain't getting better :D )

"Michael Zhu: My YRG is from this shipment, it also missing note when I play. I think it is related to string's sensitivity. It fine when I pick the string harder. Fingerpicking misses almost half of notes. Also sliding from lower note to higher note requires extra pressure, from high to low works fine. In Kelly's YouTube video, YRG string is very sensitive. Any other new owners experience same issue?"

Yikes

MCK-fgn

Quote from: mac wilson on June 12, 2010, 08:02:31 AM
Whatever.

Glad to hear you got sorted out too. All that ends well. Guitar Hero here I come!!!  ;D
Dark Fire Initial Check Out  - Q/A
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Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31707.0

Now_And_Then-fgn

Quote from: mac wilson on June 12, 2010, 07:54:58 AM

" but he will not be getting You Rock Guitar serial number 00001. If I were him, I would  be too happy about it...."

WTF?  ;D

I saw this post and was not really able to understand its intent. Perhaps you would be so kind as to explain it to me.
Thanks.

Elantric-fgn

I have not has a lot of time to spend with my YRG, which arrived yesterday. First of all it's never going to replace a real stringed instrument. Only been able to use the internal sounds. I experience zero velocity curve when picking strings. If you pick too lightly, no sound. You pic a little harder, no sound, then eventually you reach the threshold of response - but you trigger the full force sound of whatever the sampled sound is currently selected. No dynamics. No palm muting. No ability to manipulate individual string to string volume level. High E always sounds lower volume than the rest. About as satisfying as playing a 1980s Casio Keyboard with no velocity. The two buttons below the bridge change the current alternate tuning.

I do like Tap Mode as this removes the poor string triggers from the equation. Had not time to try YRG as a MIDI controller yet.
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

Now_And_Then-fgn


Well I have a tracking number which gives me an estimated delivery date: Thursday 17 June.

While the initial reactions here are not encouraging, I am more than willing to assume that finding a good setup can take some - or possibly alot - of trial and error.

Also, upon first reading about and deciding to order a You Rock Guitar in January, I immediately thought that this would turn out to be "not a guitar"; I bought it expecting to get a serviceable "guitar-like controller". I will be happy to have something that will replace my Axon AX-100 in most circumstances.

I am accustomed to tailoring my playing to various instruments and/or fx boxes, guitar synths, etc, and so the You Rock Guitar's performance will have to be egregiously error-prone to be unusable. Especially considering that what I really want it for, is to be able to record directly to tablature. Turning music into tab is not, as far as my experience goes, an easy matter. Transcribing by ear it very tedious and so requires the Axon, and having the Axon set up and ready, permanently. There is not really room for this here! I am hoping that the You Rock Guitar will make this part of my life easier.

Time will tell!

Elantric-fgn

#36
Update - External MIDI Test

As a quick test  - I just connected the YRG to my Macbook Pro and Garageband '09.

I Fired up the Keyboard "new song" template 
Much Better experience!!!


A much wider velocity response range is observed  - pretty decent actually! - and Full  Dynamics at last!!

And zero latency!

Now I'm very happy! :)



---

More insider details:


The YRG has 12 bit A/D range on the strings and uses complex aalgorithms to determine triggering and sensitivity.  Editor applications will give the YRG user a wide variety of control over trigger and sensitivity in addition to 8 velocity tables assignable to each of the internal GUITAR and SYNTH voices as well as the MIDI output. MIDI velocity output is only 7 bit.

To adjust String Velocity:
"Try the OPEN button: when ON the trigger sensitivity is lower and when OPEN is off the trigger sensitivity is higher. There will be many apps that will allow you to fine-tune your YRG to your own playing style.




-----
I already own most all my favorite guitars, and I'm just an "ok" keyboard player.
My Prime reason for getting the YRG is to trigger synths, and capture MIDI notes/events for creating Tabulature in Guitar Pro 6 - So I can easily make Tab charts for members of my band of my songs.
The YRG is Well worth $200! Nothing comes close at this price point (well ask me next week after the E3 show)

Here's my score card for You Rock Guitar (1st day of use) : (1-10)

YRG as MIDI Controller: Score 9

YRG's internal guitar sounds: Score 4

YRG's internal synth sounds: Score 5

YRGS Neck feel/fretboard Playability: Score 8

Side mounted control panel (Brilliant) : Score 9


Other info

The Volume knob generates MIDI Volume commnads

The adjacent Mushroom 4 way control generates MIDI Mod wheel data.
The "Whammy Bar" defaults to MIDI Pitch Bend Data - Up/Down one whole step,

The "Mute bar" - is actually two small metal rails at the rear of the bridge. you rest your hand there and all sounds Mute and MIDI Note Off events are sent.

The two buttons below the bridge generate nothing ( and they should IMHO be user definable for MIDI CC# data)
----
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

Elantric-fgn


This is a new manual - 25 pages in several languages - but it is already 'stale" as the firmware keeps being updated bi-monthly with adding features. I see a history trail of 3 past firmware versions on the YRG site.

I'm discovering new things here every hour - including usable internal sounds - i dig Music preset #47 - with just my Sony MDR-7506 headphones directly connected to the YRG Headphone output and running on batteries. Great way to improve your chops and experiment with new scales.

So far its the straight up guitars that fall short in my opinion.  Yesterday, i assumed it had a MONO output only, but today I'm stumbling around and finding nice stereo backing tracks and when I play I have multiple internal sounds I'm triggering - a pizzicato plucked string with a 2 octave lower synth pad, all in stereo - all built in.

Where's the gig bag! I could bike to the nearest park and practice under a tree and record it all with the onboard recorder (which works very well too!)

This thing is like a swiss army knife  -  sure some features are weak, but the other features are soo strong it more than makes up for the weak features.  Its a definite keeper.

I might order a 2nd one and build a custom double neck, as I graft the YRG onto a custom strat with a warmoth neck and a YRG at the top ! This thing is that good today, and only getting better each month.  If these sell well, the YRG Pro version with wooden body is very likely to come, but not until 2011 NAMM at earliest. 
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

Now_And_Then-fgn


Would it be possible to... attach a GK pickup to it? I am sure there will be times when I want to transcribe to tab a guitar part that is based on some bizarre VG patch, and would not be easy to play without that specific patch.

I would like to download a manual so as to get a head start on learning how it functions; even if any pdf I download would be inaccurate in some particulars, it would still be helpful. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any link to such a pdf on the official site. Is there one available anywhere?

Elantric-fgn

QuoteWould it be possible to... attach a GK pickup to it?

No - the strings do not provide any pitch information


QuoteI would like to download a manual so as to get a head start on learning how it functions;

I will post one here at FGN in 24 hours.
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

Now_And_Then-fgn

Quote from:  Elantric on June 13, 2010, 05:01:22 PM
QuoteWould it be possible to... attach a GK pickup to it?

No - the strings do not provide any pitch information

Right. I should have remembered that. Also, I assume that the strings of different gauges, as on a real guitar; are they, in fact?

Quote from:  Elantric on June 13, 2010, 05:01:22 PM
QuoteI would like to download a manual so as to get a head start on learning how it functions;

I will post one here at FGN in 24 hours.

That would be great!

Elantric-fgn

#41
 
QuoteI assume that the strings of different gauges, as on a real guitar; are they, in fact?




All "strings" are same gauge - these are used strictly as velocity triggers - just like the old Synthaxe


http://www.hollis.co.uk/john/synthaxe.html

They are not  guitar strings , but more like "Piano Wire" (0.030" gauge) and are mounted with rubber dampers at each end, the transducers that read the string velocity are located under that large Black cover at the "Neck PU" location.
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .


MCK-fgn

Pre-orders get best price. Yeah right! Nice one YRG
Dark Fire Initial Check Out  - Q/A
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31267.0

Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=31707.0

Now_And_Then-fgn


Although I did not look at the prices on all those links, every price that I did look at was lower that what I paid back in January - by as much as $20 on a sub-$200 item. That is a pretty substantial discount. I wonder if the prices shown on those links were based on the old $199 MSRP, or the new $219 MSRP. That would be a possible explanation, but all the same, it really is kind of disappointing.

At any rate, my You Rock Guitar is scheduled for delivery tomorrow, and I am looking forward to it.



MCK-fgn

I'm really disappointed because in some ways our orders funded part of the manufacturing costs for the first batch that we had to wait for a number of months and we get stiffed with the full price while all new buyers will get this discounted retail price. Frankly I don't care about the few dollars I could have saved if I ordered now. Its the principle that hurts me. I will write to YRG and of course expect no replies but at the very least they could apologize and refund using part of the $1.25Mil in funding they just secured!

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Now_And_Then-fgn

Quote from:  Elantric on June 14, 2010, 06:08:54 AM
QuoteI assume that the strings of different gauges, as on a real guitar; are they, in fact?

All "strings" are same gauge - these are used strictly as velocity triggers - just like the old Synthaxe

http://www.hollis.co.uk/john/synthaxe.html

They are not  guitar strings , but more like "Piano Wire" (0.030" gauge) and are mounted with rubber dampers at each end, the transducers that read the string velocity are located under that large Black cover at the "Neck PU" location.

I remember reading about that when the SynthAxe was actually in production.
I myself have never played a guitar (or guitar-like instrument) strung in such a manner. Do you, personally, find that it requires you to adapt your playing technique to it? I am wondering how, for example, hammers and pull-offs on the low frets of the E and A strings would be effected by the lighter gauge strings. The Hollis page seems to indicate that this is not a problem, but as I am by no means a technically-advanced guitarist, I worry about these things!

  I also wonder if the mooted "professional model" would have a "realistic string gauge" feature, instead of all strings being the same gauge.

(Incidentally, the Hollis page makes the following statement concerning the conversion of guitar pitch to midi: "It's very hard to do well and is always subject to delays. (The processor has to measure at least a whole cycle of audio.)" The first two assertions are correct but the third, that a whole cycle of audio is required, is no longer correct, as current Roland technology requires only half a cycle (if I correctly recall) and the Axon can extract pitch information from the initial burst of white noise that is produced when the pick strikes a string.)
(Pedantic, carping, captious? You bet!)

Elantric-fgn

Provantage (1st link above) has the You Rock for under $152
. . . the future ain't what it used to be . . .

Now_And_Then-fgn

 And here it is, courtesy of those nice people at FedEx!

MCK-fgn

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Caig DeOxit - Buy now before you need it !!!
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