The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer

The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer Richard Repp, Ph.D.

Association for Technology in Music Instruction Conference San Antonio, Texas September 15, 2006

[email protected] Complete paper available at http://richardrepp.com

Abstract

The guitar synthesizer allows a guitar player to interface with a computer in a way that is more natural than using a keyboard or mouse. The presentation begins with a short discussion of the history of alternate controllers, highlighting the guitar synthesizer. Then a Roland GR-20 connected to a Brian Moore iGuitar i9.13 serve as a tool for demonstrating functions such as patch selection and editing, and accessing software such as Band-in-a-Box, Finale Guitar, and GarageBand. For guitarists, the presenter gives suggestions on how playing style needs to be adapted to avoid common synthesizer glitches. Several short pieces help to showcase these features.

References

Christian, Joel. MIDI Guitar Unofficial Internet Homepage. http://www.midiguitar.net/ Guitar Synth and MIDI: A Collectors Edition. Special edition of Guitar Player magazine, 1987. Links zu Hyper-Instrumenten, alternativen Keyboards und MIDI-Controllern http://www.stoffelshome.de/alt_controller/alt_midi_controller.html MIDI Guitars: A nearly complete roster. http://jpsongs.com/troubadortech/mgtr.htm Pete, L. The man-machine interface. http://www.ibiblio.org/mcmahon/emusic-l/rms/man-machine.txt Using MIDI Gutiars. http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/tutr/midigtr.htm

The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer Richard Repp, Ph.D.

Early Electronic Music The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer • New palette of sounds • Technological limitations in Richard Repp, Ph.D. performance • Lacked visual element Association for Technology in Music Instruction Conference San Antonio, Texas September 15, 2006

Early Controllers Pete (1987)

• Keyboard • Ribbon “The guitar and its cousins are, in comparison to keyboards and drums, huge pains in the • Theremin anatomy to use as control devices. Why? Because they violate both the Switch • Produce sounds characteristic of the Proposition (each note is not an event in itself) and the Keyboard Proposition (There's no controller logical layout for pitch reference in a mechanical way).”

Early Guitar Synths Operating Principles

• Fret Tracking • Pitch Tracking Korg X911 • Latency ElectroHarmonix MicroSynthesizer

SynthAxe Axon AX100

Some images from http://www.stoffelshome.de/alt_controller/alt_midi_controller.html

Association for Technology in Music Instruction Conference San Antonio, Texas September 15, 2006 1 The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer Richard Repp, Ph.D.

Casio DG-20

Yamaha EZ-AG

Lonestar Key

Korg Ztar

Starr Labs Mini-z, Mini-zx Yamaha G10 Casio MG 500, MG510

Roland GR Series Modern GRs

GR-20, GK3 pickup

GR-33, GK2 pickup

Built-in Pickups Brian Moore iGuitar Series

Fender Roland-Ready 13 pin RMC pickup (not MIDI) Stratocaster Traditional pickups

Now with USB for audio out Starr Labs Doubleneck Z2

i9.13 Godin Synth Access

Association for Technology in Music Instruction Conference San Antonio, Texas September 15, 2006 2 The MIDI Guitar Synthesizer Richard Repp, Ph.D.

Connections Demos

• Sound bank • Editing • Pedals • Playing techniques

Famous Players True MIDI

• I am not demonstrating true MIDI • Pat Metheney • Possible for • Allen Holdsworth use with software • Robert Fripp • Not great results • Steve Morse • Use dedicated • Adrian Belew converter (GI-10) • Al Di Meola • Filter out pitch • Andy Summers bends • John McLaughlin • Notation 6 different MIDI channels

References

Association for Technology in Music Instruction Conference San Antonio, Texas September 15, 2006 3