MIDI acoustic?

dreamsinger · #1 02-08-2019, 03:45 PM

The frustration of changing tunings between songs has always bugged me and since I don't have a cadre of techs handing me different guitars between songs I opted for the Joni Mitchell solution; hexaphonic pickups driving a Roland VG8. I always blanched at the look of quasi-acoustic music coming out of her Parker Fly and the Godin SA wasn't a good fit. I had a guitar built that looks and feels like a legitimate acoustic guitar but with suppressed acoustic qualities. I've programmed the VG8 with a variety of tunings, some of them oddball Hedges tunings that I can barely remember how to spell never mind the time it takes to get in and out of them manually. The guitar isn't quite wired up yet but it should be done soon. I'm curious if there's anyone else using a similar approach whose brain I could pick..

Steev · #2 02-08-2019, 07:28 PM

I installed Tronical systems on an acoustic and an electric of mine. 36 tuning presets, very accurate, works without being plugged into anything and it still sounds exactly like my guitar.

dreamsinger · #3 02-08-2019, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steev

I installed Tronical systems on an acoustic and an electric of mine. 36 tuning presets, very accurate, works without being plugged into anything and it still sounds exactly like my guitar.

I'm impressed at the speed it operates at. Some of the tunings I want to use require heavier or lighter strings which is why the MIDI works for me plus it's as fast as tapping the pedal. By the time my acoustic guitar goes through mics, pickups, signal processing and speakers it doesn't sound like my guitar anyway (huge bummer when you play a big $$ boutique guitar). The added bonus is that there are patches for different types of guitars. I have some 5 string banjo, dobro and 12 string programmed in.

Sonics · #4 02-09-2019, 05:06 AM

Why don't you affix the Roland GK pickup to your acoustic? If you want a more permanent and invisible solution install the graphtech hexaphonic pickup.

Nymuso · #5 02-09-2019, 06:09 AM

I installed a GK-2 to one of my acoustics in the mid 2000s. I installed it to a wooden tongue depressor (so I could adjust height) which I then affixed under the strings near the bridge with double faced tape. This made it completely reversible. Good thing too, since after initially fooling with the set up for some time, I decided it just wasn’t for me.

KarenB · #6 02-09-2019, 07:04 AM

The Tronical systems looks very interesting. Years ago I tried a Variax. It drove me nuts because at low volumes you could hear the guitar strings in standard tuning, and the alternate tuning came out of the amp. Very disconcerting.

The tronical could be really interesting on the new Fender Acoustasonic. Oh, or on a baritone. Or any guitar.

dreamsinger · #7 02-09-2019, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonics

Why don't you affix the Roland GK pickup to your acoustic? If you want a more permanent and invisible solution install the graphtech hexaphonic pickup.

The GK pickup, being magnetic, doesn't track so well. I installed one on my Tele when I was exploring the possibilities. The build I had done has the GraphTech Ghost setup. I just don't have it wired up yet.

dreamsinger · #8 02-09-2019, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenB

The Tronical systems looks very interesting. Years ago I tried a Variax. It drove me nuts because at low volumes you could hear the guitar strings in standard tuning, and the alternate tuning came out of the amp. Very disconcerting.

The tronical could be really interesting on the new Fender Acoustasonic. Oh, or on a baritone. Or any guitar.

That's one of the reasons I had this guitar built. I wanted the look and feel of an acoustic but didn't want its acoustic properties interfering with the MIDI output. It should be OK at performance volumes but I may have to feed the MIDI into my IEM's to practice.

Steev · #9 02-10-2019, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenB

The Tronical systems looks very interesting. Years ago I tried a Variax. It drove me nuts because at low volumes you could hear the guitar strings in standard tuning, and the alternate tuning came out of the amp. Very disconcerting.

The tronical could be really interesting on the new Fender Acoustasonic. Oh, or on a baritone. Or any guitar.

I had the same problem with the Variax and the Roland hex pickup systems, plus the strings don't change tension so it feels "wrong" as well.
I'm really happy with the Tronical.

Steve

dreamsinger · #10 02-11-2019, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steev

I had the same problem with the Variax and the Roland hex pickup systems, plus the strings don't change tension so it feels "wrong" as well.
I'm really happy with the Tronical.

Steve

The last thing I want is for the strings to change tension. Some Hedges/Wilcox tunings are so far off from standard tuning that they require heavier or lighter strings. Besides, increasing or decreasing string tension too far boogers up intonation.

Steev · #11 02-11-2019, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreamsinger

The last thing I want is for the strings to change tension. Some Hedges/Wilcox tunings are so far off from standard tuning that they require heavier or lighter strings. Besides, increasing or decreasing string tension too far boogers up intonation.

Well I'm not looking for an argument, I was really replying more to KarenB.
I use a 13 - 53 hybrid set and tune down to low A sometimes. Tension shouldn't alter intonation, only pitch. We all play differently (luckily) and what works for me won't necessarily work for everyone else...

cheers