MIDI Guitar app for Mac, a tipping point...

[CSeye]

...in the evolution of MIDI guitar converters has finally arrived.

Free beta version here: http://www.jamorigin.com/midi-guitar/vst.html

Extensive discussion of the beta testing to date: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewt...&start=0&sid=ebd74844ee410a7bd2b11fa6dfacb1e9

In Logic, it seems like it has to be used in Stand Alone mode. No problem! Here's my set up:

MOTU Track 16 Cue Mix Guitar 1 channel Muted.
- After initial tests with Audio Output set to Test Piano, I changed the MIDI Guitar Stand Alone Audio Output Instrument to No Instrument.
- MOTU Track 16 as Input and Output Device. Input Channel: Only Channel 3 which is the first Guitar input.
- Buffer Size: 128
- MIDI Output Route: "MIDI Guitar Virtual MIDI Out"

As a result of the last step above (- MIDI Output Route: "MIDI Guitar Virtual MIDI Out"), "MIDI Guitar" appears in Logic's Physical Input object in the Environment without any additional work. That's it. It's just there.

Keyboard players have had the luxury of using cheap plastic USB controllers for years. The Fishman Triple Play offered hope for a diminutive wireless MIDI guitar converter set up but it has yet to see the light of day.

This MIDI Guitar app, previously an iPad/phone app, allows the guitarist to use any electric guitar of their choice to trigger and record MIDI inside Logic and other DAW with no external hardware except for the audio interface which are generally getting smaller in size these days. This is nothing short of amazing.

The tracking accuracy and sense of latency, is equal to if not better than what I'm achieving with my Godin LSX-SA/Roland GI-20 set up.

I snagged the full licensed version (on sale until the end of December) even though it's still a beta version. Velocities values are high (easily remedied in Logic with an Environment Transformer) but the developer will most likely add a velocity curve in the final version.

 

[Orren Merton]

Interesting that you mention this now-I just picked up the "free to evaluate" iPad version of this yesterday! I don't have a way to get my guitar into my iPad however, but there are a number of cheap options. From what I understand, the underlying pitch detection technology is the same in the iOS and plug-in version.

I've owned the GI-20, the Axon AX-50, and currently have the GR-55. I think that the GR-55 is slightly better than the GI-20, maybe not quite as good as the AX-50 (over USB; the GR-55 isn't that hot over 5-pin MIDI cables). So you say that this is better than the GI-20? How about for polyphonic chords? False Triggers? Ghost notes?

Nice to see that we're finally getting to a complete "in the box" solution!

Orren

PS-I follow vguitarforums.com where there's a lot of discussion of the Fishman. It just keeps getting delayed and delayed, the latest release date is February 2013, which probably means show the "final" at NAMM 2013 and then go to market.

 

[Doug Zangar]

Cool beans! I've been a frustrated MIDI guitarist since the late 80's. I just downloaded it and will try to squeeze in some time to check it out in the next few days. I still have the dream of playing MIDI guitar without the tracking errors like a keyboard player.....

 

[Doug Zangar]

OK - just a quick test. Setup is no problem. Tracking is OK, probably not as good as my AX-50, but no time to A/B.

Hmmm, this does have potential....


Orren - minimal ghost notes or false triggers upon quick test. I get an open string to trigger from sloppy playing. I'm getting none of the note stuff well above or below the pitch I'm playing. If that's consistent, that alone is worth something. Plus playing the guitar of your choice......

 

[CSeye]

So you say that this is better than the GI-20? How about for polyphonic chords? False Triggers? Ghost notes?

Orren

Yes, I am.

What you see in the attachment is totally unprocessed e.g. no quantization or short note removal, just chords as they were recorded. In my case, there would be a few false triggers here and there with the GI-20 and other hardware converters. False triggers will happen with the MIDI Guitar app but are noticeably less frequent.

Velocities are high so I need to explore use of an exponential curve in the Transformer to process input velocities.

But the results of this app are so stunning to me that my GI-20 has been figuratively "shelved" from any recording duties for the time being.

Thanks for the heads up on the time line for the Fishman.

 

[CSeye]

OK - just a quick test. Setup is no problem. Tracking is OK, probably not as good as my AX-50, but no time to A/B.

Hmmm, this does have potential....


Orren - minimal ghost notes or false triggers upon quick test. I get an open string to trigger from sloppy playing. I'm getting none of the note stuff well above or below the pitch I'm playing. If that's consistent, that alone is worth something. Plus playing the guitar of your choice......

Doug,

The Axon probably tracks more quickly than the Roland GI-20 but I'm better able to tame the Roland.

The tracking of the MIDI Guitar app to me is at least on par with the Roland.

The fact that it performs as well as it does and that it's in the box has made this app my MIDI guitar converter of choice. One less piece of hardware, one less electrical plug, one less MIDI or USB cable...

 

[CSeye]

I still have the dream of playing MIDI guitar without the tracking errors like a keyboard player.....

This app must have some built-in filter that prevents falter triggers to an amazing degree. My Piano Roll has never looked so tidy.

Also, it boosts sustain (delays note off due to natural string vibration decay...) which is very desirable as I like to play triads over open E,A, and D strings.

 

[Excluded]

If I play my guitar a step down will it find the midi notes exactly the same as standard tuning ?
I'm new to midi

 

[CSeye]

Good question!

I can be a bit out of tune and the app (or other converters I use) read it as standard pitch.

But tuning down a full half or whole step will result in the MIDI converter accurately reading the pitch: Eb or D.

Of course in Logic, you can Transpose +1 or 2 accordingly in the inspector before your record (MIDI Thru) and the notes will come out as standard pitch.

Or you could record your parts, then transpose after the fact.

 

[Excluded]

Cool thanks for your quick reply.
I will definitely be using it as I think it will be valuable
to me as I mainly write vocal & acoustic guitar.
Composing under my original ideas in logic will become easier with
all midi notes to play with.