Alternate tunings with GK-3 on Yamaha APX Acoustic

Started by chrisizonvg, November 12, 2017, 11:18:58 AM

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chrisizonvg

Hello

After many time reading this forum (thanks to all of you for how it helped), i got a GP-10GK and mounted the GK-3 on my APX700 Electroacoustic Yamaha.

My goal is to plays things like EEEDAE, DADACD  in electroacoustic ... and weirds "Sonic Youth" like tunings (AAEEAA ...)

It-s rather OK with normal tuning EADGBE (except low E and A, that has not enougt level but i think know why), not so much drones and buzz, seems possible to handle it
In alternate tuning i find the sound quite poor and i have many "ghost notes". I tuned the GP-10 regarding "Guitar Feel" and such things but no major change.

So my question is, did you  with GK-3, with an electroacoustic or in othercase electric guitar, managed to have usable sound for alternates tunings.


Chris
DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

admin

#1
Recorded yes

Live performance no
In most situations the audience will be distracted by the unamplified string pitches anytime you engage DSP ALT Tunings

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=670.msg157778#msg157778

chrisizonvg

Ok for acoustic simulations i understand
What about using electric guitar simulations (LP...), did you experienced it ?
DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova

Majiken

Hi, as a primarily acoustic guitarist I can say you will run into problems using any different modeled tunings other than what your acoustic guitar is tuned to. It won't confuse only your audience, but you as well- sounds like a catfight.  Even using a solidbody electric you have to amplify the modeled sound hugh enough to drown out the standard tuning.  Bedroom level amplification is not enough.

What can be done is to add a 12-string or a different model like nylon; with the switches you can switch between or mix the normal and modeled tones, or use the expression pedal to morph between them. I personally like adding some acoustic ting to an electric tone sometimes for more bite.

The trick for me is that my playing style is noticeably different between acoustic and electric, acoustic takes more physical energy... still working on getting an authentic acoustic tone from a solidbody electric how to shape the tone without thrashing.

But I digress... given the unusual tunings you are looking for I would suggest you get a solidbody electric ( or a Yamaha silent acoustic) and turn the amp up.  Good luck!
Take what you need, put back a bit more, leave the place behind you better than it was before :-)

www.majiken.rocks

admin

Or stuff the acoustic guitar with sound absoption material to kill the sound of the strings

GuitarBuilder

I ran into the same issues years ago.  I like using a lot of different alternate tunings, on both acoustic and electric guitar.  I experimented with Roland GR and Antares ATG; ATG is superior in my opinion, but both suffer from the "cat fight" Majiken refers to.  I could not find any good way to lower the guitar's natural string volume compared to the modeled sound - even headphones were not adequate - particularly for the acoustic guitar.

I ended up installing Tronical tuners on one of my acoustic and two electric guitars, a Roland GC-1 and Gibson R9.  Mine are already two generations old (now there's TronicalPLus and Powertune), but they work very well.  Retuning typically takes 10-15 seconds; you do have to learn a good "tuning" strum (easy to do, BTW) - most folks who complain about Tronical do not follow the tuning instructions correctly.  I have 18 presets total; the new models have 36.  Over the years I had one tuner failure (kept hunting) and it was replaced very quickly by Tronical (their customer support is excellent).  No other issues beside that and very good battery life.

The combination of Tronical and GK is a very good one IMHO.  No warbles, no funny ghost notes, happy audience, happy guitarist.
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

chrisizonvg

Thank you all for your rich feedback.

"For the story" and with the risk to be "out of subject" I posted
i already experienced before Variax 300 and Tronical is mounted on my Jazzmaster

Tronical seems a good solution to me for many alternative tunings
... except for extreme ones
(ex : AAEEAE) where for somes cords you request more than 2 tones as it is out of the sound recognition range.

DAW  Logic, Reaper, GarageBand -  Lova Nova 4 all https://soundcloud.com/lova_nova