What's the best way to control DAW synths with guitar?

[suckamc]

Wouldn't the Roland Hex pickup make me able to control synth software (like Native Instruments stuff) in my DAW? If so, is that the best pickup to do it with? Is there some better pickup or entire guitar to use? I wouldn't use it live, fwiw.


OR, by any miracle is there a program that can accurately turn audio into midi data?

[AndrewSimon]

A Ztar?
Always perfect tracking because... it doesn't really track.

[Mincer]

The hex pickup is just the start- you need a midi converter as well, like a Roland GI-20 or GI-10, or an Axon. Currently, there is no USB-to-midi built into a guitar, but I am sure a few companies must be working on it.

[re-animator]

second the ztar

[suckamc]

Originally Posted by AndrewSimon

A Ztar?
Always perfect tracking because... it doesn't really track.

Wow. Those things are expensive. Okay, never mind the BEST one. Give me a bang for the buck choice.

[tomaburque]

Godin Freeways with built in midi pickups can be found fairly inexpensively. Here's the business end of mine:



The Roland GI-20 in my rack:



From the Roland it's USB to computer. I use it with Pro Tools on Windows just fine and have tested it with demos of FL Studio and Reaktor and the setup works fine with Garage Band on my Mac notebook.

John McLaughlin has used the same guitar and Roland box setup in recent years into Logic Pro. His guitar amp has been a Mac Notebook for most of the last decade.

[RobRowland]

Originally Posted by tomaburque

Where abouts in the signal chain are you running teh kitteh?

Any tonal difference with black as opposed to tortoiseshell?

[tomaburque]

Kitty is an evil demon who torments me when I don't practice.

[tomaburque]

Almost forgot...

http://soundcloud.com/tomaburque/kitty-vomit-1

The bass in this is the guitar above and the Roland box controlling the Vacuum synth on a B3 sounding preset in Pro Tools.

[GTRICH]

Hey, the Sonuus G2M Universal Guitar to MIDI Converter is only $99 bucks... it's mono only, though. Still, it could be way fun to play your wailing solos into a killer vintage synth patch that would sound like an old Emerson Lake and Palmer tune.

[re-animator]

the carvin synth access stuff will hit the spot in the 1000-1500 range.

[razorbladeSD]

Originally Posted by GTRICH

Hey, the Sonuus G2M Universal Guitar to MIDI Converter is only $99 bucks... it's mono only, though. Still, it could be way fun to play your wailing solos into a killer vintage synth patch that would sound like an old Emerson Lake and Palmer tune.

I'd pass on these, they don't really work.

I run GK3 > GI20 > Reason 4/5 + Live 8

[suckamc]

Man, unless someone talks me out of it, I'm prob gonna get this:
http://www.inspiredinstrumentsinc.com/default.asp

I know it's not really a guitar, but I don't need it for that. I want to be able to control my synths with ease (and I'm not a great keyboard player).


Or would the Yamaha EZ Guitar be better?

[GTRICH]

Originally Posted by razorbladeSD

I'd pass on these, they don't really work.

I run GK3 > GI20 > Reason 4/5 + Live 8

Thank you, I thought the Sonuus looked too good to be true. Has anyone had success with it?

[suckamc]

Just bought a Yamaha EZ-EG.