A simple way to look at HRM/Harmonic Restructure Modeling

[baranger1]

The Roland V-Guitar systems use a unique form of processing to create new sounds from the guitar that is not well understood by the average guitar player.

HRM/Harmonic Restructure Modeling or "Remodeling" as is generically called is just what the name implies.

When you remodel the kitchen of bathroom in a house you keep the same room but change things with in it.

Its much the same thing with digital guitar remodeling.

 

Many other popular guitar synthesizers use a system of producing sound called "pitch to voltage".

The circuit analyzes the note or notes you play on the guitar and extracts information about what you are playing.

Information about what pitch you played, the volume you are picking and when the note starts and stops.

 

The connection to the guitar ends there as the information is passed on to other devices to produce the final sound.

To me its much the same as if I plucked a E note on my guitar and then picked up the telephone and called you and said, hey I just played a E note pass it on. Then You call Roland and tell them to go over to one of their synthesizer Keyboards and play an E note. The end result feels removed and seconded handed to me. On top of that there is a delay as it takes time for all of the process above to happen.

 

Remodeling is another way to produce new sounds from the guitar with out pitch to voltage conversions and without removing the guitar from the signal.

When you plug into any digital device whether it be a Line6 POD a EHX HOG or the soundcard in your computer, your guitar signal is broken down into a stream of numbers so the processors inside the device can effect or record your sound.

Every thing you play is turned into digital streams of numbers comprised of 1,s and 0,s.

 

Remodeling is taking the order of the 1's and 0's and switching them around.

To keep it VERY simple, hypothetically lets say when you play an E note on your guitar, the processor reads your guitar as 1001. By changing the order of the numbers to say 1110 the sound would change drastically from the original.

Its still your signal its just jumbled up a bit! "Its been remodeled".

The end result is a different sound but it is still your guitar with all the nuances of your playing.

Its as natural feeling as a overdrive pedal.

Even with the VG set for a synthesizer sound I can run my finger nail down a low string on the guitar and hear every winding on the string. Its still the guitar string producing the sound.

In real life your guitar amp cranked up to ten or a fuzz box is a form of remodeling by distorting and changing the waveform of your guitar.

I have always looked at "harmonic remodeling" as the ultimate effect device for the guitar.

 

The VG systems use a hexaphonic pickup and is able to remodel each string separately, creating even more sonic possibilities.

Combined with individual pitch shifting of +/- two octaves for each string the possibilities are endless!

 

Bill Ruppert

[aliensporebomb]

A good explanation, Bill.

 

If you want to hear some examples as "guitar string as oscillator" here's some of my ambient guitar pieces:

 

http://www.myspace.com/ionospherecastingshadows

 

There is no guitar-to-midi, pitch-to-voltage or other conventional synthesizer type equipment here.

 

Just guitar and "extensive signal processing".

 

[MIDIme]

Thank you for the explanation. Completely understand it. Even better, I really love all your patches and other work posted here and VG-99 forum. Thanks for sharing your talent and knowledge.

[baranger1]

MIDIme

Thank you!!

 

This is the stuff I think about from the minute I wake up to the minute I wake up.

I hope to have more to follow.

 

We are so lucky we play guitar!

 

Bill Ruppert

[rackvax]

This is a must-read for all guitar players. This misconception needs to be dealt with big time! Although you might want to hint that a *little* math is involved in the whole part about rearranging the 1's and 0's.

 

Thanks for writing that up.