# The Great Ongoing Guitar Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [January 31, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172 "2010-01-31T23:20:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 320
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6386 "2024-02-23T14:37:22Z")
> [@rsThump](#): > > With a MIDI-fied guitar, the signal has to be converted from analog to digital, then analyzed for pitch and dynamic information (among other things) before it can be translated to the correct MIDI note and sent on down the chain. Thinking about this from an electronic engineer’s perspective, I wonder how the variax guitars keep the latency low enough? As I understand it, the note information is picked up by piezo transducers in the bridge. But then this has to be converted to digital form, then run through some probably quite complex DSP processing to do the modeling, then converted back to analog to provide the output signal. > [@rsThump](#): > > Add in the guitar’s naturally polyphonic signal, and even more processing must be done to break it down into the individual notes. That’s one problem they don’t have, I think, since there are individual piezos for each string? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6387 "2024-02-23T22:01:16Z")
There have been a couple of true MIDI controllers for guitar, but none of them have caught on. Future Man, best known for his work with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, plays a SynthAxe, but as the Wiki article notes, fewer than 100 of them were ever made. [SynthAxe - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SynthAxe) As noted above, the standard approach involves some fairly complex analog to digital conversion. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6388 "2024-02-24T14:25:50Z")
Things like the synthaxe get round the note identification problem by detecting the electrical contact between the string and the fret, I think. I suspect the playing technique feels very different from a regular guitar, though. If I’m going to use what amounts to a quite different instrument, I’d work on brushing up my keyboard skills instead… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6389 "2024-02-24T20:36:46Z")
I just heard back from The Twelfth Fret, an outstanding Toronto guitar shop. They’re not dealing in Variax or Godin instruments at present. I’m hoping to hit Long & McQuade sometime next week, and talk to them about what they might have. I may just be better off capo-ing the electric, and getting used to the strange feel up the neck… ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6390 "2024-02-24T20:50:05Z")
You may be happy with a Variax. I see them for uncrazy prices on Reverb, and a solid enough following you could just flip it if unhappy. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6391 "2024-02-26T02:04:13Z")
Sorry to steer away from this MIDI guitar/Variax discussion, but I got a proper bass amp and it is so nice to not worry about blowing up my guitar amp/speaker. I can put a drive pedal in front and start getting some fuzz that would definitely harm the guitar amp (or hit the passive circuit on my G&L bass). It’s a very mundane Fender Rumble 500, but it sounds so great compared to my Blackstar guitar amp I’ve been playing through. Can’t wait to bring it to our next band practice! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6392 "2024-02-26T02:09:00Z")
Hehehe, 500W, 2x10, ext speaker output and balanced line out. It knocks the crap out of my first 3 bass amps, at least. 👍 ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6393 "2024-02-26T04:33:49Z")
And, it weighs nearly nothing! Beyond my desktop Yamaha amp, this is the lightest amp I’ve ever owned including my “small” 15W tube guitar amp. Much lighter than the Fender Super Twin 95lb monstrosity I used to carry up and down stairs. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6394 "2024-02-26T05:21:14Z")
My cousin had one of those and I remember it well. It was … very weird if you were used to playing an actual guitar. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6395 "2024-02-29T17:30:19Z")
Wow, if I haven’t found my new guitar and bass heroes (and I may have), I have found my new drum hero. These guys are fucking amazing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/q0lPeQA2hu4/maxresdefault.jpg "Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime (Live on KEXP)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0lPeQA2hu4) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6396 "2024-03-02T19:03:10Z")
That desert blues rock is very cool. Mdou Moctar is something else, but I also like the simpler stylings of Songhoy Blues: > **[Songhoy Blues - Full Performance (Live on KEXP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w-qX0KzO0w%2F)** > > http://KEXP.ORG presents Songhoy Blues performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded April 5, 2016.Songs:Al Hassidi TereiSekou OumarouPetit MetierSoubourHost:... ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6397 "2024-03-02T22:45:39Z")
Nice, especially the solos/leads. Plus any guitarist that pics a SG Special going through a fuzz is going after my heart, tone-wise. From my limited sample set, I’ve decided that every north African drummer is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6398 "2024-03-02T23:21:13Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > From my limited sample set, I’ve decided that every north African drummer is amazing. Can confirm! Band practice today got cancelled so I didn’t get to wow the guys with my sick tones! 🤣 I am disappointed though since I’ve spent a lot of time learning all the new songs. Having a proper bass amp has been inspiring! ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6399 "2024-03-05T03:25:14Z")
I saw this box > **[sonuus - Music Products Designed in the UK](https://www.sonuus.com/products_g2m.html)** > > Awesome music products designed in the UK. From the world's fastest pitch-to-MIDI converters to the most incredible guitar FX. which will convert a _monophonic_ pitch to MIDI (with 5 to 36 ms latency, depending on how low the pitch is). ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6400 "2024-03-05T15:04:35Z")
There is also a software product which does essentially the same thing. Works as a VST plugin for your DAW: ‘[https://migic.com/](https://migic.com/)’ I have played around with this a bit. The latency seems rather better than I remember with the Casio guitar I used to have. To the point where it is - marginally - useful for certain things. Though still perceptible. Same limitation though: it is strictly monophonic, so a rather specialized tool. Apparently some time ago they were talking about a polyphonic version, but it seems nothing ever came of that… ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6401 "2024-03-06T03:12:37Z")
> [@xtenkfarpl](#): > > I have played around with this a bit. The latency seems rather better than I remember with the Casio guitar I used to have. To the point where it is - marginally - useful for certain things. Though still perceptible. Do you have to tweak your audio driver settings (buffer size, period, …) to minimize any extra latency due to software? Then there is, including in those pre-built boxes, a tradeoff between latency and being able to accurately detect low frequencies. Seems like there is room there for some “creative” algorithms. Same for polyphonic music. NB there is some pretty old code eg here > **[GitHub - musicmichaelc/PolyPitch: The PolyPitch extension for SuperCollider...](https://github.com/musicmichaelc/PolyPitch)** > > The PolyPitch extension for SuperCollider by Nick Collins - musicmichaelc/PolyPitch but latency there is really, really bad if your goal is real-time analysis. On modern hardware and using novel techniques it may be possible to do somewhat better. ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2024, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6402 "2024-03-06T13:34:42Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Do you have to tweak your audio driver settings (buffer size, period, …) to minimize any extra latency due to software? I’m on Windows, using an ASIO driver for the audio interface. I more or less did the buffer optimisation when I installed the DAW (Reaper, by the way). I haven’t done any additional tweaking specific to the Migic plugin. Mind you, all I’ve done with it so far is play around a bit; I haven’t tried to use it seriously on an actual project yet. As and when I do, I expect I’ll report experiences to the audience here. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2024, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6403 "2024-04-24T22:41:22Z")
Wow, most classic guitars have a special story. Vince Gill’s story about his brother-in-law dying and selling his to Vince is incredible. A 59 Les Paul is a collectable. This one only had one owner and now with Vince’s name attached would be extremely collectable. > **[“I bought my ’59 sunburst Les Paul from my first wife’s brother... he’d...](https://www.guitarplayer.com/news/vince-gill-59-sunburst-les-paul)** > > In a 2017 interview with Guitar Aficionado, the country-rock six-string ace revealed how a sad and deeply personal twist of events brought a prized '59 Les Paul into his life > [@](#): > > Vince Gill – best-known as one of the all-time Nashville guitar greats – similarly felt that, given his somewhat infrequent Les Paul use, a 'Burst was unnecessary. A sad and deeply personal twist of events, however, would end up bringing one into his life. > “I bought [a] ’59 Les Paul from my brother-in-law from my first marriage [to country singer Janis Oliver],” Gill told _Guitar Aficionado_ in 2017. “We were great friends, and he owned this great ’59 sunburst since 1959. He’d played it his whole life but got sick a couple of years ago. He called me and said, ‘There’s not much they can do for me. I’m probably not gonna make it. You’ve always been my favorite guitar player. Will you buy my Les Paul? > “I didn’t have a sunburst Les Paul in my collection, and I previously couldn’t justify the expense because I don’t play a Les Paul that much, But this one came along and I said, ‘There you go,’” Gill continued. “I got the one I was supposed to have. My friend played it for 40 years, and now it gets to live on and still make music. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2024, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6404 "2024-05-04T12:49:55Z")
I’m still lurking around. I was a drunk asshole in the past, got liver disease, defeated that devil on my shoulder and then I got HNCC cancer from smoking. I’ve had Reynaud’s in my fretting hand in my middle finger that’s really complicated playing as it’s swollen to half again its normal size so it mutes strings when I make chord shapes by accident as its difficult to pin the string perpindicularly, so to speak, so it lays on it. Anyway, I’ve been trying to make time to play, I’ve accumulated some gear, but I’m just not very good. This is about the best I’ve managed so far (I’ve lost a lot of weight too): [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m97iqr0yv73t4oqw193tc/Reverby.mp4?rlkey=icyqz5i42y9oiwsnui9x0fhqx&st=oqbkntvq&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m97iqr0yv73t4oqw193tc/Reverby.mp4?rlkey=icyqz5i42y9oiwsnui9x0fhqx&st=oqbkntvq&dl=0) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172/6405 "2024-05-06T00:55:10Z")
I see a video box, but it won’t play. I’m OKish with guitar, and maybe a step above OKish with bass, but I’m having a great time playing with a couple guitarists. We have dreams of playing live if we can find a drummer (a singer would be great too). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=319) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-guitar-thread/527172.md?page=321)