Rock Band 3 MIDI Controller!!!

[mitsu13gman]

Okay, I have NO idea why this isn't completely blowing up this forum, but there is new awesomeness in the field of MIDI guitar controllers.

 

For the ADHD-types, the short story is, go buy this:

 

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Squier%26%23174%3B+-+Rock+Band+3+Game+Guitar+-+Black/1601028.p?id=1218272665437&skuId=1601028

 

Sadly, Best Buy has a one-month exclusive for sales on this at the moment, but for $280, can you go wrong?

 

 

And the answer is, NO, you can't go wrong! Here are 2 videos (not mine) of the normal mode of operation for this thing:

 

[video=youtube;l94mfexaki4]

 

[video=youtube;k9DDmifDqDI]

 

 

 

Now to be honest, I think this guy chose some of the WORST sounds to demo this out to, but it does show that the tracking is 100% flawless, and there is ZERO lag from string-pluck to MIDI note event. I used this with my MacBook and a cheap little Hosa MIDI-to-USB converter, and even with that and using the internal sound system, the latency is so close to zero that I really didn't have any feeling of playing "ahead" of the synth engine.

 

So the good? Once you set it up and adjust the sensitivity, it's like playing a keyboard with a guitar in your hands. If you pluck a note and have it fretted, you get that note out of your synth. End of story, no fuss, just guitar-as-synth bliss. And while he doesn't seem to mention it above, you DO get velocity-sensitivity in response to your playing.

 

The bad? No vibrato/bends, but a piano/trumpet/flute/insert instrument here/ doesn't have bends either. Add an expression pedal and you're there. Also, the dynamic range of its response is considerably narrower than what you can do with a normal guitar. So there's a minimum plucking force to get a note at all, and it runs out of headroom before you'd expect playing hard. It just takes a little adjustment, it's nothing huge. And the last thing (he points it out in the video) is that you need to somehow mute open strings once they sound. This ONLY applies to OPEN strings, though - the rest mute as soon as you un-fret a note. Pressing the two large, circular buttons (the up/down) together will mute all notes, which is fairly efficient. If you know which string is still sounding, just fretting it will mute it. A gentle barre-mute will also kill all currently sounding notes.

 

I know it seems like the "bad" is a lot more than the "good," but if you realize how significant it is to get zero-lag, perfectly-tracking MIDI guitar, then it's so much good in one place it takes a lot to overshadow it. Then price it all at $280 and I don't understand why everyone isn't lined up out the door to get one of these! It makes the iPad look silly!

 

 

I have, of course, saved the best for last. In the video, he mentions there's an alternative input mode that he found "practically useless." I posit that it's his playing that's the problem. The guitar has two modes of MIDI output. The first is the one he demos - fret a string and pluck it, get MIDI out, profit. This is excellent when you need extremely precise control over all sounding strings and need to be able to barre some muted notes.

 

The second mode is the "tapping" mode. I will concede - if you have sloppy technique, it's going to sound like doggy-doodoo. In fact, even if you have very good technique, but you occasionally barre two adjacent strings in the root of a given position while fingering the other notes in that position, you'll get mis-triggering on whichever string you're not actually playing. Focus a little bit on one-string-at-a-time, and play SUPER legato, though, and you'll be rewarded with shredding on any synth sound you like! If you've ever run a guitar rig with so much gain that you really don't need to pick, then you're prepared for what you'll get in this mode, save for the inability to palm-mute. It's not perfect, but it's SO fast that, when you can keep the wheels on it, it sounds stunning.

 

I just don't have time to do a video tonight, but I'll try to put one together on Saturday showing the tapping mode in all its glory. In the mean time, scoot over to Best Buy and hook yourselves up. Even adding in the $60 for the USB-MIDI interface I bought, it's STILL under $350, and that for me is a STEAL!

 

Oh and I suppose the usual caveats apply here - if you have a tendency to muff notes, or not-quite-fret your barre chords correctly, it's going to show GLARINGLY in your MIDI data. This thing WILL school you on your technique. Also, unless you can already play a Bach arrangement for guitar, don't expect to suddenly sound like you're playing Bach on piano. You will still sound like you, just on whatever instrument sound you've elected to emulate. But seriously, this thing doesn't mis-track. If you get a wrong note out of it, it's 'cause you played it wrong!

 

Overall, I cannot say enough bad about this to discourage ANYONE who's got a reasonable interest in controlling MIDI equipment with a guitar. Why we've waited so long for this (and yeah, I'm aware Peavey and Gretsch had similar systems years ago,) is beyond me. Indulge folks!

 

Oh yeah, in before CSB/TLDR/etc.

[poserp]

Do you _have_ to pop up the neck pickup/mute in order to play in midi mode? I ask because I'd like to do a dual-output setup: both midi and audio from the guitar running through the same device (for instance, a Moog little phatty), maybe put a pedal or two in the audio signal path before the synth/computer/whatever.

[mygolfcart123]

This sounds cool, but I think I will stick with my axon ...able to split the fretboard 12 ways or have six different sounds on six different strings and have lightning fast tracking and be able to bend strings. Add to that my yamaha Motif XS and I have excellent tracking and sounds already!

 

Oh and you are wrong on bending....a keyboard CAN bend, it is called a modulation wheel, it is there for a purpose. When you are playing a sax for example and want to bend up a half step like you do on guitar, you simply use the modulation wheel. It comes in very handy for mimicing a real sax. Which is what MIDI instruments are supposed to do, mimic the real instrument.

[mitsu13gman]

 

Do you _have_ to pop up the neck pickup/mute in order to play in midi mode? I ask because I'd like to do a dual-output setup: both midi and audio from the guitar running through the same device (for instance, a Moog little phatty), maybe put a pedal or two in the audio signal path before the synth/computer/whatever.

 

 

Yes, you do have to use the mute to play in MIDI. It uses the attack of the note (near as I can tell a half-wave-rectified peak detector,) so if you run it without the mute, you get recurring note-on messages at the frequency of the note you're playing. It WOULD be cool to be able to do what you suggest, but I'll take the perfect tracking as it is. The legato playing style is REALLY growing on me for soloing, and the "normal" mode works great for chords.

[mitsu13gman]

 

This sounds cool, but I think I will stick with my axon ...able to split the fretboard 12 ways or have six different sounds on six different strings and have lightning fast tracking and be able to bend strings. Add to that my yamaha Motif XS and I have excellent tracking and sounds already! Oh and you are wrong on bending....a keyboard CAN bend, it is called a modulation wheel, it is there for a purpose. When you are playing a sax for example and want to bend up a half step like you do on guitar, you simply use the modulation wheel. It comes in very handy for mimicing a real sax. Which is what MIDI instruments are supposed to do, mimic the real instrument.

 

 

I'm glad to hear the Axon works well for you. I've heard of so many issues with the HEX pickup, even with the Axon, that I wasn't willing to take the higher-dollar and unsupported plunge at this point.

 

And since you're calling me on a technicality, I can only return the favor. A modulation wheel controls modulation - vibrato, tremolo, or any other means of modulating the carrier to achieve the desired sonic effect. The control to which you are referring is called a "bend" wheel as it controls bends. But I stand by my original statement - acoustic pianos, flutes, horns, etc (with the exception of trombones and the tuning slides on some brass instruments) lack the ability to bend.

 

My greater point was that, in approaching this insanely budget-friendly entry into MIDI guitar control, you have to realize that you're controlling a different sound entirely, and play accordingly. I'm only on my second night with it and I'm already far more proficient with this controller than I ever thought I'd be. As always, Your Mileage May Vary...

[Mike-Mat]

It's amazing what they can do with plastic these days. The fact that the fret board has sensors is kind of like a Guitorgan (google it) that used a divided fret as a contact for each note, and played an organ or other electronic sound. I already have a nice Midi Guitar (Ibanez IMG2010) and wouldn't find the need for one of these. I like being able to bend the strings and use the wammy bar. I will agree for $280 it does seem interesting.

 

Mike

[mitsu13gman]

 

It's amazing what they can do with plastic these days. The fact that the fret board has sensors is kind of like a Guitorgan (google it) that used a divided fret as a contact for each note, and played an organ or other electronic sound. I already have a nice Midi Guitar (Ibanez IMG2010) and wouldn't find the need for one of these. I like being able to bend the strings and use the wammy bar. I will agree for $280 it does seem interesting. Mike

 

 

Actually, it does use divided frets, probably exactly like you described. But with a little microcontroller running to handle the MIDI, the lag is effectively zero, so it tracks remarkably quickly. I'll try to get a video up of the tapping mode over the weekend to show you what it can do - it's stupid fast if you want it to be!

[mygolfcart123]

 

I'm glad to hear the Axon works well for you. I've heard of so many issues with the HEX pickup, even with the Axon, that I wasn't willing to take the higher-dollar and unsupported plunge at this point. And since you're calling me on a technicality, I can only return the favor. A modulation wheel controls modulation - vibrato, tremolo, or any other means of modulating the carrier to achieve the desired sonic effect. The control to which you are referring is called a "bend" wheel as it controls bends. But I stand by my original statement - acoustic pianos, flutes, horns, etc (with the exception of trombones and the tuning slides on some brass instruments) lack the ability to bend. My greater point was that, in approaching this insanely budget-friendly entry into MIDI guitar control, you have to realize that you're controlling a different sound entirely, and play accordingly. I'm only on my second night with it and I'm already far more proficient with this controller than I ever thought I'd be. As always, Your Mileage May Vary...

 

 

 

 

Well when they make one that can bend notes and be on a good quality guitar you can play at a professional venue...make another post and I may try it, but I KNOW what I am talking about when it comes to the axon and how well it tracks.

 

Oh, and as far as I know there ARE SOME keyboards that only have ONE wheel and it does do BOTH modulation and bend! You can split hairs over what I called it all you want, but I think you knew what I meant.

 

And you are wrong on this MIDI guitar OR ANY OTHER midi SYSTEM having zero latency.

 

NOTHING...not even a keyboard (Which is the fastest MIDI controller by the way) ....has ZERO Latency! That is just a fact.

 

A keyboard has way less latency than other MIDI controller systems, but still has some milliseconds of it.

[mitsu13gman]

 

Well when they make one that can bend notes and be on a good quality guitar you can play at a professional venue...make another post and I may try it, but I KNOW what I am talking about when it comes to the axon and how well it tracks. Oh, and as far as I know there ARE SOME keyboards that only have ONE wheel and it does do BOTH modulation and bend! You can split hairs over what I called it all you want, but I think you knew what I meant. And you are wrong on this MIDI guitar OR ANY OTHER midi SYSTEM having zero latency. NOTHING...not even a keyboard (Which is the fastest MIDI controller by the way) ....has ZERO Latency! That is just a fact. A keyboard has way less latency than other MIDI controller systems, but still has some milliseconds of it.

 

 

Ahh, I see - when you call me out on a technicality, I'm supposed to cut you slack, but when I call you out, I'm just being obtuse. K...

 

Regarding latency, I'd actually argue that it's possible this has lower latency than even a keyed instrument, depending on when you define the note-on event. But unless you understand assembly opcodes and execution cycles, I doubt I'd be able to explain it. I can positively guarantee it has faster tracking than any GK-series pickup, though, especially on the lower strings.

 

 

Regardless of all of that, though, is the fact that you get a guitar with a MIDI output for WAY less than any other solution, and despite its apparent quality, it really does work. I'm still having a blast with it, and I hope more people learn about it before it dies what will likely be a silent death due to lack of interest.

[mygolfcart123]

 

Regardless of all of that, though, is the fact that you get a guitar with a MIDI output for WAY less than any other solution, and despite its apparent quality, it really does work. I'm still having a blast with it, and I hope more people learn about it before it dies what will likely be a silent death due to lack of interest.

 

 

Again, I would like to see PROOF of this. I sincerely doubt it would have less latency than a keyboard, but if it works for you, whatever.