Re: OT: StringPort for polyphonic guitars

[Matthias Grob <matilists@gmail.com>]

On 12 Jan 2009, at 09:38, andy butler wrote:

> Warren Sirota wrote:
>> yeah, except that, according to Keith, piezos have more cross-talk  
>> than magnetic hex pickups.
>
> According to Matthias, the opposite is true :-)

gee, I need to talk to Keith and come to an agreement :-)
it depends on the construction of the pickups. on the magnet  
orientation on one side, and on the separation of the bridges of the  
piezo on the other side. I am pretty sure that the RMC and the Paradis  
pickup separate better than the Roland GK.
we tried to build piezos into a Les Paul kind of bridge and it sounded  
horrible and xtalk was bad.
we found separate brass parts for each string pressing on a wooden  
bridge the best.
>
>
> http://www.mathons.com/polysystem.htm
>
> I've measured the GK-2A, it does have significant cross-talk.
> (wish I could find the figures)

I could not either :-(
>
>
>> and, it seems to me, the real game here is a beyond-midi kind of  
>> tight coupling between your playing and whatever synth/electronic  
>> sounds you're controlling.
>
> Yep, doesn't look like it offers the option of using the string
> as a direct sound source. I thought that was the point...but I guess  
> not.

oh, yes, it is mainly made for single string audio processing!
>
>
>
> The downside of that system is that the latency all adds up.
>
> You get audio in and out latency from the computer,
> plus the time it takes to identify the pitch.
> Either of those on their own might me not too bad,
> but add all 3 together it's bound to be noticeable.

usually the in/out latency is constant
while the pitch conversion is quick for high strings and slow for low
but the fret contact MIDI control is very quick
I dont know how easy it is no mod an existing guitar though...
>
>
> Very neat looking system tho'.
>
>
> andy
>
> original link:-
>
> http://www.keithmcmillen.com/stringport/indexb.html
>
>
>
>