Re: Guitar synth..take it (or leave it ) for what it is

[Phaedebk@aol.com]

John,

    I know that Andy Summers was using a Roland GR-707 and GR-700 for a 
long 
time and then he went over to the Ibanez MIDI 2010 system, and from there, 
I 
think he's gone with the Axon system, but I could be wrong.  For a MIDI 
pickup, I'm not sure what he's using anymore...

    The RMC's are going to work out a bit better than the Hex as they are 
going to be set directly on the string, and they aren't going to have to 
deal 
with the amount of crosstalk which is normal for the Hex (magnetic, GK-2a) 
pickups which are out there.  This is extremely true if you are using a 
Bass 
as your controller.  Another thing which helps out is to have the nut on 
the 
instrument you are using intonated as well.  For my Gene V with RMC's to 
my 
GR-30 (soon to also be a Yamaha G50) I've noticed that the lower strings 
are 
tracking substantially better with the RMC's and the new nut.  Still, it 
is 
not as quick as I pluck the string and INSTANTLY the synth makes an 
appropriate sound, there is still a little lag and always will be!  

    As for problems with fingerstyle vs. pick(s), I can say that the Axon 
systems tend to work a little better with picks, as do the Roland, and 
there 
is after touch information sent out on both the GR-30 and the Axon 
AX-100SB 
both internally and externally.  
    One thing I noticed immediately is that the Axon systems are much 
faster 
at sending out MIDI information than the Roland units, though I have not 
had 
a chance to try out the new GR-33.  On my GR-30, I notice that it does a 
real 
happening job with different finger styles out there.  Also, playing 
lightly 
helps out drastically.

    Have to agree with a few other posts out there that you'll spend a bit 
of 
time getting used to how the conversion brain is going to react to what 
you 
are doing on the instrument.  Just as I also have to agree that a bad way 
to 
go into this is to think that you'll be playing a guitar for the effect of 
playing a piano.  Just doesn't happen.  'tis better to think of it as 
playing 
a synthesizer with a guitar interface, and then also have the ability to 
switch back to guitar, again.  Another slight plug towards the RMC's are 
that 
they also offer one of the best acoustic sounds I've had the pleasure of 
using.

    Hope this helps a bit.

        Lee-ohki.

"We are all connected, even outside the Wired."