Just bought my uncles G10 rig for $500 he bought in Japan when he was in the Air Force. I was like 13 in 1986 when he had that so It has been a long wait but mine now I enjoyed this video as it makes its way towards me via fedex ground
I hear you Jeff. It's my belief that any guitar player that has an ear for exploring the different tones of the six strings cannot help but to be enticed by the plethora of tones available in the realm of music synthesis.
Well said and inspiring; I am ribbed by purists who suggest I am lured by the costume jewelry of synthesis and even the simple introduction of a light doubler on bass when I played with blues-ish players (not traditionalists) seemed to intimidate some in spite of our reaching into blues similar to Led Zepplin interpretations
POTUS YUUUGE BIGLY wow, you sound like me. I've been play 25 years or so myself and I'm getting in synths now. I've always had a broad taste in music but lately I feel a bit burned out with rock music. I'm digging the retrowave stuff and also the darker stuff... Industrial, gothic and that sort of thing.
tripped across your video this morning while looking for info on some of the newer guitar/synth pedals. Glad I did, very well done. And you've inspired me to blow the dust off my G10 and IVL Pitchrider and get back to work. Thanks!
I know you probably have a life and everything, but I would love to see your videos more often. You are one entertaining guy. Thanks so much for your videos.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE THIS VIDEO....THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING THIS VIDEO...VERY INFORMATIVE AND VERY HELPFUL..
I have a g10 too , back when they came out , They were the best trackers . I use a Yamaha tx 81z for keys, brass, organ ,Rhodes, clavinet,flute and piano .A TX 16 w sampler for strings with two volume pedals for each Tone module to blend the strings in,it worked very well. I had a alesses effects unit with Lesley for the organ that worked with the modulation wheel. A programmable peavey EQ that would change with each sound .I still have it all .
Great video. Most guit/synth guys I know prefer to set pitch bend range to 12 or 24 semi tones, as long as the receiving synth can also be set to the same. It seems to track string bends better. I've had the majority of systems since 1979, ( my fav is the gr 300), including the Yamaha. My real problem with that one was it was too fragile. Please make more vids, this brings back some great memories!!
Thanks for making this video! I've been looking at lots of videos of people demoing these things and most of the videos aren't that good. You really demonstrated what these things could do and how they sound. I'm really looking at getting a triple play pick up now.
First off, you are a musician and you are proficient. You teach and demo very well . We are always our worst critic. And what you call sloppy may just be your interpretation of music being filtered through your heart, soul, and body. Love the demonstration. Thanks
I loved your groove... I have been playing since 1967, I really enjoyed your manipulation of the fretboard never seen a style like your style. I am a retired (26) year US Military Pilot, I flew Blachhaves, I also did a tad of Gulf Offshore oil rig flying and 8 years of civilian EMS flying plus from 1972+ thru Nov 1979 I was a Los Angeles County Emergency Paramedic. Great video...
@@markwelsh9068 oh well that’s just great. I clicked on this video to learn something but let’s all just get out our tape measures and measure each others dicks instead 😠
I actually enjoyed another close up look at the Godin Montreal. My genre is acoustic,folk, celtic, etc. so I am after a guitar with three voices that can mix and interact nicely. This seems to be it. I want to eventually be able to bring orchestration along side an acoustic sound using volume pedals without needing to distract my playing. Thanks for a great demo and and entertaining side as well!
Thank you for taking some time to demonstrate and share your experience with guitars and synthesizers......fascinating stuff and at the same time a bit overwhelming.....very interesting
Great video! The old Rolands are great for chump change these days. I picked up a GR-1, VG-8 & VG-88. Also picked up a GI-20 converter and MKS-30 module (GR-700 sounds but with faster tracking) To top it off I found a GKP-4 parallel box so I can run all four at once. madness! arff!
This is fantastic! If you ever get curious to do a follow up, I think the G10 has some built in patches for the TX802 and TX81Z, and if you can get your hands on a Yamaha G50 it has some patches for the VL70m/PLG150VL.
I've been losing my mind with my GR1 sending incorrect notes to my JX 08. Thanks so much for mentioning the pitch bend issue. Gonna give that a shot. Was about to give up.
"These are words with a "C" this time" . . .great King Crimson reference ( Elephant Talk). Thanks for posting this demo. I'm still looking for a decent guitar synth that tracks well and doesn't sound fizzy like the Boss SY 300.
I was just now doing a google search on the Fishman Triple Play and came across this video. It's nice to see how it stacks up against other synths, especially the old ones you selected. The Korg was totally forgettable. You have a lot of velocity in your playing (Al Di Meola move over!), so you're really able to put the synths through their paces. The Yamaha tracked better than I expected, and I was amazed that the old Roland tracked as well as it did. I own a Roland GR-33 (bought it back in about 2001) and I've always been happy with its tracking. It does handle string bends, by the way. I really like the Hammond B3 with string bends enabled. Add some sweep to it for good measure, and you've got one helluva sound. The GR-33 doesn't have a lot of built-in instruments, but those it has sound really good to me. I've seen several demos of the Fishman Triple Play, though, and I gotta say that I'm tempted by it. I especially like the way it can interface with DAW software. So am I right in assuming that the Triple Play is installed into the guitar by Godin, the way they did with the 13-pin Roland compatible guitars? I used to own one of the nylon string Godins with the GR electronics installed. It was an interesting instrument -- especially handy for fingerstyle and classical arrangements. Now I just use the pickup attached to one of my Strats. So anyway, the big question for me is -- do I really need that Fishman? I think this is more a matter of want than need.
Oh well! I guess in one sense I was close! Would be cool to see you set that up though... :) Meanwhile, what in your opinion would be the easiest way to get a guitar to CV controlling an SH101 and also a PolySix? Got a bit of cool old gear cause I was born a bit earlier than 1989! (Still, that was a very good year for me), Love your work - just found you on the tube tonight - have subscribed and will be in touch! Cheers, Steve in Aus - land of cool snakes and pouched animals...
Nice shootout. I was hoping for the "Mystery Date" to be the Ibanez X-ING IMG2010 + MC1 ... plus maybe a little IFC60, if it was handy ... still, learned some stuff about some controllers, and I like your style!
Excellent presentation and overall demo Sir !! Maybe one of the best videos about this guitar synth 'subject' . In case you ever get your hands on a vintage Blue Chip AXON i bet you''ll love its tracking and string/frets layer 'features' and will definitely hate its awfully done editing parameters menu :^) It was also nice to humor about your level of ''supposed sloppiness ''' as i just see a very talented and musically oriented guitarist who can indeed play ! Kudos Jeff .
Thank you for the kind words! I'll keep my eyes open for an Axon. I'm only vaguely familiar with them. I'm pretty sure that John McLaughlin used to use them.
Honestly, in the years since this video I've kind of given up on guitar synthesizers. The most recent thing that I tried was Fishman's TriplePlay Connect, and it just frustrated me more than anything else.
I have had a roland Gr1 since they came out. I have used the GR20 and Gr30 and Gr33 and GR55. I feel each of those had some improvements and a few nice features, but I feel the GR1 was still far better than the others. I have used the GK2 and 2a and GK3 synth pickups but I prefere those built in like the ones on the Godin guitars. I haven't tried the Yamaha. But right now my go to rig is a Godin SA guitar with GR1. Thanks for the video. You did a great job. I guess I am a fraud and phoney too. I have made a few CDs and people think I can play keyboard, and fiddle and sax and all the rest. But I am "just a guitar player". But I love it. You just have to phrase things like those other instruments to make them believable. And that is the challenge, but a fun one
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm on the lookout for the even older GR50 - it supposedly doesn't track as well as the GR1, but the synth engine is a lot more interesting.
The GR-50 tracks faster than the GR-1, GR-30, GR-09, etc... I just sold mine on Reverb for about $150.00. Pretty easy to find them. I believe you would truly like the GR-50
Been in love with an axe of sorts since I first played an electric in my bedroom as a 13 yr old kid. Been a GR 33 fan and prisoner off n on for 20 on years. Cool jams.
for the last 2 weeks i haven't been able to put it down! .....i've been playing my prs thru "midi guitar 2" software and I'm blown away by the tracking! needs no hardware of any kind ...AND it both hosts plugins and runs AS a plugin. you guys shood really check it out .... its goin into my rig for sure!
The main reason why the GR1 doesn’t track as well with the VST is because of the bend transmit. Set it to chromatic or a pitch range of one (and make sure the VST is set accordingly) and it will be fine.
Are the six knobs on the right of the Yamaha rack unit's faceplate gain controls for each string? Fantastic video, btw; I just picked up the FTP after trying one of those Godins with one built in. I've played guitars with GK2 & 3, RMC piezos, and the FTP; playing changes/improves, but I do prefer the piezos overall.
That's correct - those are individual gain / sensitivity controls. I'll be honest - I haven't played that guitar synth since this video was made 6+ years ago!
Hi. New to your channel and I’m becoming quite interested in guitar synthesizers myself(recently scored a couple Roland G707s). Attempting to setup my own studio too, something like what you have. Do you have a video about that? Did it all just happen piece by piece or one piece at a time?
This stuff is fine and wonderful unless you are playing live. The Fishman stores it's virtual instruments on a computer so you have to have that too for live performances. If you're just doing recordings have fun but if you're playing live the Roland GK and Gr55 on a Strat make the most sense.
tried roland gr55,gi20,vbass.for a bass player the tracking always was a problem, saving up for a industrial radio midi bass, this is now the only option for midi guitar with no tracking problems and a natural playing feel..cant wait....oh and thanks for the video...
My first Guitar Synth was back in the Late 70s ~ It was the 360 Systems Spectre Guitar Synth..made by Bob Easton. I still have it.. & also it's Sequential Circuits Programmer... in one on my racks... I haven't turned it on in many, many years though! I think the Serial # is 012...? The Spectre was a 19" Rackmount unit that came with 2 Oberheim Oscillators with envelops & gates & with hex pickup and of course "Hex Fuzz!!!" But, unfortunately... it was not Polyphonic :((. After that the next advancement in Guitar Synths was from New England Digital > The Synclavier !!! Wow that was nice! That was the top dog.. But it cost $100,000 plus tax... so it was a bit too pricy for most guitar pickers. and more for the studio than Live. My Opinion...the GR-55 Roland (a side from it's limiting layout design issues..) The GR-55 is top Dog in the Guitar Synth arena ~ (once you re-adjust it and tweek it...) Only then...It comes to life... It sounds & tracks as good (if not better) than the Synclavier. at less than 3% of the cost! But, from back then to today.... one thing hasn't changed...... That... all technology has its limitations.... and it is up to YOU.... to always try to work around what it can't do with... what it can do! ~ Lets face it... It's all about creativity! and even more about the expression of creativity into " Sound & into Tone " !!! Thank you for taking your time to post your review! Gerard
enjoyed the video.... seems like maybe you should shorten your guitar strap by a little bit. Like the Godin guitars very much.... nice playing, no doubt. The only guitar synth I own is an old Korg X-911. Even though I've owned a guitar with a built-in GraphTech 13 pin midi p'up for 11 yrs now, I just haven't found a synth worth integrating into my setup/sound so far. I bought it for the piezo output w/ 3 band para eq. Cheers from Montreal! (better late than never?LOL)
Brilliant video, and brilliant playing! Thanks for the great video! Would love if you could borrow a Jammy! Since all the videoes online with the Jammy MIDI guitars only have simple strumming or non-guitarists playing it. Myself owning a G-10, I don't need another midi-guitar, but the Fishman in the Godin really was brilliant! Will look out for that one!
@@TheMusicAddict You talked just the right amount. And you're not blabbering like others do, everything you said was informative, and you have a great sense of humor. Thank you for this video and I'm really sad that it didn't get the appreciation it deserved!
I be gotta be honest. Everything was wonderful till the surprise came last. Probably I was expecting a different sound... for when that cartoon tickling chirp-chuckles rushed in 😳 I couldn’t stop laughing. You are entertaining to say the least. 😂 Love it. I just lost an auction with that Godin xtSA at $520 on eBay. But there’s a BOSS SY300 who can do most everything GRs can requiring only a regular electrical guitar. What is your opinion of the Boss synthesizers? Thank you. 🍷
I have a G10 in MINT condition and really enjoy its many quarks. For a system that has been out for around 27 years, you have to admit that Yamaha was way ahead of its time. My question though is why you have your string sense knobs maxed out? I thought they were to set just above the threshold. And as a tip, if you keep your frets polished bright, it will improve the tracking. Anyhow, thanks for another great video.
I was wondering if someone was going to comment on the maxed out knobs. :-) To be honest, that's how I set them around the time when I first got the unit (1993! It was my high school graduation present.) and I haven't mucked with them since then. I remember that it missed way too many notes when I had them anything but maxed.
I was too slow to pause the video. MS-20 mini is my main instrument that I play every day but I didn't guess that that was what you were using :-) even though I've tried a similar patch myself! Great work! Interesting and informative video :-)
So glad days of synth guitars and pickups and boards are pretty much gone. Just buy the $100 software from jam origin, download or buy some awesome vsti synths and use any guitar with it and works a lot better than any old school synth pickups or boards or guitars! Great and fast tracking. Can do poly or monophonic too! At least great for studio/home use, not sure about live, so maybe live you still need pickups and synth type guitars.
If I'm being honest, I've really soured on guitar synths over the years. Even with the best ones, I've had to make too many compromises in my playing. At this point, I'd rather use pedals to make my guitar sound not like a guitar. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
In the G10, there must be a way to create or built something so the sound won't bend if you choose not to. Like a switch with some software or electronics. I want to know if that could be done ? A specialist in electronics,computers and instruments may be able to do create that.
Something I didn't mention in my video: when I record something using the G10, I'll often edit the MIDI track after the fact to remove any unwanted bends at the start of notes. It doesn't take too much time, so I've always considered that a reasonable workaround.
wouw...brilliant opening...and for your request about ms-20, it has the plugin option along with the vsti option on its software version. Apart from all may i ask for a performance on the triple play??? like for the "Blink from infected mushroom or for the cover of daft punk that you can find on youtube as tron guitar...i think it will be insanely valuable measuring the capability on previously done, affirmed transcriptions, i mean this way especially through observing it on the live performance one can easily say that i might venture to score out sort of tracks with my midi pickup for real or like oh man i still have to practice on hanon virtuoso volume 1 :) thx a lot.
You are an amazing player and have the tools to have lots of fun. I am wondering if you have tried any of the light wave pickups like the Wilcox hexpro into a synth. I am currently using a gr33 with a couple of godin guitars but find the tracking sure messes up on some patches. I am thinking of purchase a fishman triple play pickup and setup a guitar with it. What are your thoughts on the future of synth given the fact that the light-wave pickups are starting to hit the market now. Thanks for posting your video I really enjoyed your comments.
Thanks, Brian! I don't have any experience with lightwave pickups. The technology sounds intriguing, although I don't know if it'll lead to guitar synth tracking that's any better than what you'll get from a piezo-based system like in my Godin LGXT. I'll see if I can get my hands on one to test.
Thanks. I am very tempted by the fishman triple play. Thanks again for posting your videos on the gr50 and your synth roundup review. I used to have a gr50 but sold it because I had tracking issues with the gk2 pickup but I did notice any tracking problems when you played through the godin guitar. thanks again for the videos and for your reply. Maybe you would like to check out my pictures on my facebook page when I cycled through europe and asia. BRIAN TYHY. cheers
After coming across this this vid it makes me want to get out my LGXT and Roland GR33 also. Last time I checked though some of the synth switching wasn't working too well on the LGXT and because of the electronics involved guitar techs seem to want to steer clear here in Oz.
Maybe you can help me solve one of the great mysteries of (my) life; how the hell do you change the backup battery on the G10? I took mine out of storage after years, and can't figure out where they keep that battery...Anyway, I'm a guitar synth junkie too; have a GR-55 and a VG-99 in addition to the G10. My all-time fave was the Photon controller. Got busted in a move and I have regretted tossing it ever since. Thanks for the great video on a strange passion...
Interesting. I bought the Fishman Triple Play pickup when it first came out. Great idea but I couldn't get it to work successfully with Logic Studio on the Mac. Probably works great if you are using a PC. Retailer did accept return and I got a refund.
Have u had a chance to demo the boss sy-300 guitar synth yet? Kind of exciting that it doesn't need a piezo pick up system just normal 1/4" output. But from what I seen it doesn't allow for midi multi timbral instruments just synthesized sounds. Which is fine but I like the compositional aspect of classic instruments that the gr-1 could leverage. ( some of the sounds could be quite convincing when u altered yer style of play for them like the vibes and some of the wind/reed instruments ) Enough to compose some interesting ideas save for percussion sections for which 6 strings are inadequate. But between Guitar the Alesis D4 drum module ( and homemade radioshack velocity sensitive piezo buzzers repurposed as pick ups ) and the gr 1. I could at least notepad a composition that expressed how the classic instruments would contribute. Got out of recording strangely enough in the mid 90's about the same time I got into computing. But never married the two. Kind of depressing that u had to kill the pitch. Did you try to adjust the pickup sensitivity for each string in combo with a lighter pitch setting ( and an altered style of play? ) to trigger midi on yer computer. I always assumed that as much would work as well as the stock sounds? :( ( I had an emu proteus rack and that use to work with my gr 1 flawlessly ) don't have it but still have the gr 1! soundcloud.com/theuglyman0war/darkmancini-strut?fb_ref=Default
Yes. I too was wondering whether you have tried out the SY-300 yet, and your thoughts ... ? Nice vid and thank you. Just found your channel and sub'd ... Cheers! K
I just picked up a gr-20 at a local pawn for 50 smackers, I have a gr-55 , but I heard the 20 can actually be better on some patches. The 55 sounds great when it tracks right, real fickle on which guitar I equip with hex pickup. I still can’t get it to track pianos decent. Strings , pads are do-able, but I can’t get the pianos to track good unless I install the hex on a certain guitar. Scale length of the guitar seems to affect it quite a bit. I’m interested to see what up with the gr 20, I heard it tracks better, just less instrument and sound tweaking abilities
I found this in a search for midi guitar - as I too have a mental/muscle memory issue with keyboards. (Not a phony though as I'm vey open about it.) The search however, was due to tying in my Roland GR-55 to an Akai MPC, as I was looking to deal with some velocity issues.... Something, I'm working out on my own, but once I do work it out, it may help you as well... In the meantime, I love the the idea of the 'synth addict' (as I too am) who also has an aversion to keyboards (as I) - who has similar hurtles... I feel less alone now... I hope you do too. (We are not going to date....)
The tracking and latency on any of these is no better than the one I had in 1990. They're just not ready for prime time. Electronics are so much cheaper now It's a real shame they can't make something like the SynthAxe today....
incredibly clean technique, inspiring! I see how Yamaha solved the lower-pitched-string tracking issues back in the 80s, all 6 strings are ultra-light gauges on the G10, aren't they? too bad it's useless as a regular guitar. I have a Roland GK3 pickup mounted on a custom guitar tuned down to CGCFAD (56-10 gauges) going into a GR20. While the 1st to 4th string track fine, the 5th/6th strings are nearly unplayable, their latency is outrageously high. I suppose that's the tradeoff, the GK3/GR20 rig cost me $350, the fishman seem way better but it gets prohibitively expensive; is it even possible to drive a hardware synth/rom-module with it?
Thanks very much for the kind words! The strings on the G10 are all .016s. They all need to be tuned to approximately G-ish in order for the unit to track properly. :-)
that figures. You mentioned the Godin has Roland electronics, but I see no GK3. why is that? I also hear no latency when you play 5th & 6th strings, can you do staccato or fast picking on those?
Sorry I'm late to reply to this. The Godin takes the signal from its piezos (one per string) and uses those for its Fishman TriplePlay connectivity. It doesn't need a separate bulky pickup, which is nice.
Jeff, thank you for the. Vid; especially teaching me a out the G10. Two questions: do you know of any LAP STEEL guitars with built in synths. Then, what do you think of the YAMAHA EZ-EG for a rank beginner like me. I am not Django, but I do have partially crippled hands from a NASTY table saw accident. Thank You.
Just bought my uncles G10 rig for $500 he bought in Japan when he was in the Air Force. I was like 13 in 1986 when he had that so It has been a long wait but mine now I enjoyed this video as it makes its way towards me via fedex ground
I hear you Jeff. It's my belief that any guitar player that has an ear for exploring the different tones of the six strings cannot help but to be enticed by the plethora of tones available in the realm of music synthesis.
well said!
Well said and inspiring; I am ribbed by purists who suggest I am lured by the costume jewelry of synthesis and even the simple introduction of a light doubler on bass when I played with blues-ish players (not traditionalists) seemed to intimidate some in spite of our reaching into blues similar to Led Zepplin interpretations
POTUS YUUUGE BIGLY wow, you sound like me. I've been play 25 years or so myself and I'm getting in synths now. I've always had a broad taste in music but lately I feel a bit burned out with rock music. I'm digging the retrowave stuff and also the darker stuff... Industrial, gothic and that sort of thing.
@@TheMusicAddict the last part sounds like Yoko Ono singing LOL
Finally. this video has everything every other guitar synth video lacked. Reference, proficiency, musicality. etc
Thanks a lot!
thank you. that was awesome. i've had the roland guitar toys for coming up to 30 year, so i get the fascination with these devices.
Thanks so much! I really appreciate the kind words.
tripped across your video this morning while looking for info on some of the newer guitar/synth pedals. Glad I did, very well done. And you've inspired me to blow the dust off my G10 and IVL Pitchrider and get back to work. Thanks!
I know you probably have a life and everything, but I would love to see your videos more often. You are one entertaining guy. Thanks so much for your videos.
Thank you, and I will try!
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE ❤️ LOVE THIS VIDEO....THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING THIS VIDEO...VERY INFORMATIVE AND VERY HELPFUL..
Yo Ono's reincarnated energy is trapped inside the strings. Because that womans life is art.
I have a g10 too , back when they came out , They were the best trackers . I use a Yamaha tx 81z for keys, brass, organ ,Rhodes, clavinet,flute and piano .A TX 16 w sampler for strings with two volume pedals for each Tone module to blend the strings in,it worked very well. I had a alesses effects unit with Lesley for the organ that worked with the modulation wheel. A programmable peavey EQ that would change with each sound .I still have it all .
Очень красиво работает мизинец! Звук прекрасный!
Great video. Most guit/synth guys I know prefer to set pitch bend range to 12 or 24 semi tones, as long as the receiving synth can also be set to the same. It seems to track string bends better. I've had the majority of systems since 1979, ( my fav is the gr 300), including the Yamaha. My real problem with that one was it was too fragile. Please make more vids, this brings back some great memories!!
merman93 I'll give that a try!
I knew you were a real guitar player by the faces brother. Cool vid
Johnny Sins really CAN do anything
Like a mule 🐎 😝
Hahaha
Hahaha I'm dying 🤣🤣🤣🤣
That's his brother. Lloyd the Love Log
I came looking for modern comparisons, and left with the exact name of the Korg Synth I borrowed over summer break from my high school!!
Thanks for making this video! I've been looking at lots of videos of people demoing these things and most of the videos aren't that good. You really demonstrated what these things could do and how they sound. I'm really looking at getting a triple play pick up now.
To any other content creators of this genre, this is how its done. Respect!
First off, you are a musician and you are proficient. You teach and demo very well .
We are always our worst critic. And what you call sloppy may just be your interpretation of music being filtered through your heart, soul, and body. Love the demonstration. Thanks
I loved your groove... I have been playing since 1967, I really enjoyed your manipulation of the fretboard never seen a style like your style. I am a retired (26) year US Military Pilot, I flew Blachhaves, I also did a tad of Gulf Offshore oil rig flying and 8 years of civilian EMS flying plus from 1972+ thru Nov 1979 I was a Los Angeles County Emergency Paramedic. Great video...
And what the hell has your resume got to do with a guitar synth video?
@@markwelsh9068 yeah that’s what I’d like to know. I think he’s just taking the opportunity just to say he thinks he’s better than everyone else 🤨
@@jessihawkins9116 That's how it appears. I've seen that sort of thing before.
@@markwelsh9068 oh well that’s just great. I clicked on this video to learn something but let’s all just get out our tape measures and measure each others dicks instead 😠
I actually enjoyed another close up look at the Godin Montreal. My genre is acoustic,folk, celtic, etc. so I am after a guitar with three voices that can mix and interact nicely. This seems to be it. I want to eventually be able to bring orchestration along side an acoustic sound using volume pedals without needing to distract my playing. Thanks for a great demo and and entertaining side as well!
Thank you for taking some time to demonstrate and share your experience with guitars and synthesizers......fascinating stuff and at the same time a bit overwhelming.....very interesting
Thanks so much for watching!
I was literary about to make a new playlist for gear and your rig just made me smile.
Great video! The old Rolands are great for chump change these days. I picked up a GR-1, VG-8 & VG-88. Also picked up a GI-20 converter and MKS-30 module (GR-700 sounds but with faster tracking) To top it off I found a GKP-4 parallel box so I can run all four at once. madness! arff!
Finally!....somebody about the synth guitar...equipments, set ups, sounds, performance..
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
This is fantastic! If you ever get curious to do a follow up, I think the G10 has some built in patches for the TX802 and TX81Z, and if you can get your hands on a Yamaha G50 it has some patches for the VL70m/PLG150VL.
Oh gosh...I tried a G50 a long, long time ago. I wasn't too impressed with it at the time, but now I'm curious again.
that first guitar jam had a sorta steve howe vibe about it! great playing!
Great video! Very entertaining and great playing as well!
Whouw you got a lot of stuff. Nice stuff. Nice guitar and I want it all.
I've been losing my mind with my GR1 sending incorrect notes to my JX 08. Thanks so much for mentioning the pitch bend issue. Gonna give that a shot. Was about to give up.
"These are words with a "C" this time" . . .great King Crimson reference ( Elephant Talk). Thanks for posting this demo. I'm still looking for a decent guitar synth that tracks well and doesn't sound fizzy like the Boss SY 300.
It's about time somebody got that reference!
the old guitarists handicap: wanting to play a synthesizer but only having only 4 fingers out of 10 at disposal ;)
I've never gotten the Fishman to track that quickly and cleanly.
I was just now doing a google search on the Fishman Triple Play and came across this video. It's nice to see how it stacks up against other synths, especially the old ones you selected. The Korg was totally forgettable.
You have a lot of velocity in your playing (Al Di Meola move over!), so you're really able to put the synths through their paces. The Yamaha tracked better than I expected, and I was amazed that the old Roland tracked as well as it did. I own a Roland GR-33 (bought it back in about 2001) and I've always been happy with its tracking. It does handle string bends, by the way. I really like the Hammond B3 with string bends enabled. Add some sweep to it for good measure, and you've got one helluva sound. The GR-33 doesn't have a lot of built-in instruments, but those it has sound really good to me.
I've seen several demos of the Fishman Triple Play, though, and I gotta say that I'm tempted by it. I especially like the way it can interface with DAW software. So am I right in assuming that the Triple Play is installed into the guitar by Godin, the way they did with the 13-pin Roland compatible guitars? I used to own one of the nylon string Godins with the GR electronics installed. It was an interesting instrument -- especially handy for fingerstyle and classical arrangements. Now I just use the pickup attached to one of my Strats.
So anyway, the big question for me is -- do I really need that Fishman? I think this is more a matter of want than need.
Oh well! I guess in one sense I was close! Would be cool to see you set that up though... :) Meanwhile, what in your opinion would be the easiest way to get a guitar to CV controlling an SH101 and also a PolySix? Got a bit of cool old gear cause I was born a bit earlier than 1989! (Still, that was a very good year for me), Love your work - just found you on the tube tonight - have subscribed and will be in touch! Cheers, Steve in Aus - land of cool snakes and pouched animals...
The tone of all the synths are excruciating
Outstanding feedback! Thanks!
Impressed by the Triple Play.
Nice shootout. I was hoping for the "Mystery Date" to be the Ibanez X-ING IMG2010 + MC1 ... plus maybe a little IFC60, if it was handy ... still, learned some stuff about some controllers, and I like your style!
Excellent presentation and overall demo Sir !!
Maybe one of the best videos about this guitar synth 'subject' .
In case you ever get your hands on a vintage Blue Chip AXON i bet you''ll love
its tracking and string/frets layer 'features' and will definitely hate
its awfully done editing parameters menu :^)
It was also nice to humor about your level of ''supposed sloppiness ''' as
i just see a very talented and musically oriented guitarist who can indeed play !
Kudos Jeff .
Thank you for the kind words! I'll keep my eyes open for an Axon. I'm only vaguely familiar with them. I'm pretty sure that John McLaughlin used to use them.
Jeff have you got any of the newer MIDI controllers / Synth units?
Honestly, in the years since this video I've kind of given up on guitar synthesizers. The most recent thing that I tried was Fishman's TriplePlay Connect, and it just frustrated me more than anything else.
I so enjoy your videos! Thanks
!
Awesome video man. You occupied 24min of my free Friday night evening. That's saying something. Push up brother.
Thanks, Patrick!
I have had a roland Gr1 since they came out. I have used the GR20 and Gr30 and Gr33 and GR55. I feel each of those had some improvements and a few nice features, but I feel the GR1 was still far better than the others. I have used the GK2 and 2a and GK3 synth pickups but I prefere those built in like the ones on the Godin guitars. I haven't tried the Yamaha. But right now my go to rig is a Godin SA guitar with GR1. Thanks for the video. You did a great job. I guess I am a fraud and phoney too. I have made a few CDs and people think I can play keyboard, and fiddle and sax and all the rest. But I am "just a guitar player". But I love it. You just have to phrase things like those other instruments to make them believable. And that is the challenge, but a fun one
Thanks so much for your comment. I'm on the lookout for the even older GR50 - it supposedly doesn't track as well as the GR1, but the synth engine is a lot more interesting.
Can you use any of these on an acoustic?
Yes! I had the GK-2 pickup mounted on my Adamas acoustic and it worked great.
The GR-50 tracks faster than the GR-1, GR-30, GR-09, etc... I just sold mine on Reverb for about $150.00. Pretty easy to find them. I believe you would truly like the GR-50
I've been actively searching for a deal on while for a while. I'll post a video if and when I finally pick one up.
Been in love with an axe of sorts since I first played an electric in my bedroom as a 13 yr old kid. Been a GR 33 fan and prisoner off n on for 20 on years. Cool jams.
for the last 2 weeks i haven't been able to put it down! .....i've been playing my prs thru
"midi guitar 2" software and I'm blown away by the tracking! needs no hardware of any kind ...AND it both hosts plugins and runs AS a plugin. you guys shood really check it out .... its goin into my rig for sure!
Yep it's really good- I do a lot of my Bass Parts into The Ik Modo bass -which is one helluva plug-in.
Just found out about it recently fly. So far I can say it tracks considerably better than my Roland GR33 with the pickup mounted on my Strat
I used to have an Ibanez IMG2010. It worked about as well as your Roland does.
i've been looking for such hack for a long time
Awesome, thank you. Came onto this while considering purchase of a Multiac. Very useful. PS, you sound great!
Thanks so much!!
The main reason why the GR1 doesn’t track as well with the VST is because of the bend transmit. Set it to chromatic or a pitch range of one (and make sure the VST is set accordingly) and it will be fine.
Great video man, think my favourite was the GR-1, the response on that thing sounded great!
Thank you, Joel! I'm sorry to say that my GR-1 is long gone. I traded all my Roland guitar synth gear a couple years ago to help pay for a new guitar.
Are the six knobs on the right of the Yamaha rack unit's faceplate gain controls for each string? Fantastic video, btw; I just picked up the FTP after trying one of those Godins with one built in. I've played guitars with GK2 & 3, RMC piezos, and the FTP; playing changes/improves, but I do prefer the piezos overall.
That's correct - those are individual gain / sensitivity controls. I'll be honest - I haven't played that guitar synth since this video was made 6+ years ago!
Great video, I've been thinking of picking up a tripleplay myself. What I'd really like to know is, how is it installed on that Godin?
Incredible playing, loved the Rhodes patch.
Thank you very much!
Hi. New to your channel and I’m becoming quite interested in guitar synthesizers myself(recently scored a couple Roland G707s). Attempting to setup my own studio too, something like what you have. Do you have a video about that? Did it all just happen piece by piece or one piece at a time?
This stuff is fine and wonderful unless you are playing live. The Fishman stores it's virtual instruments on a computer so you have to have that too for live performances. If you're just doing recordings have fun but if you're playing live the Roland GK and Gr55 on a Strat make the most sense.
Blimey! Starts off at lightening speed!
tried roland gr55,gi20,vbass.for a bass player the tracking always was a problem, saving up for a industrial radio midi bass, this is now the only option for midi guitar with no tracking problems and a natural playing feel..cant wait....oh and thanks for the video...
Thank you for watching!
You got some mad skills there man! Trying to imitate some of your licks
My first Guitar Synth was back in the Late 70s ~ It was the 360 Systems Spectre Guitar Synth..made by Bob Easton. I still have it.. & also it's Sequential Circuits Programmer... in one on my racks... I haven't turned it on in many, many years though! I think the Serial # is 012...? The Spectre was a 19" Rackmount unit that came with 2 Oberheim Oscillators with envelops & gates & with hex pickup and of course "Hex Fuzz!!!" But, unfortunately... it was not Polyphonic :((.
After that the next advancement in Guitar Synths was from New England Digital > The Synclavier !!! Wow that was nice! That was the top dog.. But it cost $100,000 plus tax... so it was a bit too pricy for most guitar pickers. and more for the studio than Live.
My Opinion...the GR-55 Roland (a side from it's limiting layout design issues..) The GR-55 is top Dog in the Guitar Synth arena ~ (once you re-adjust it and tweek it...) Only then...It comes to life... It sounds & tracks as good (if not better) than the Synclavier. at less than 3% of the cost! But, from back then to today.... one thing hasn't changed...... That... all technology has its limitations.... and it is up to YOU.... to always try to work around what it can't do with... what it can do! ~ Lets face it... It's all about creativity! and even more about the expression of creativity into " Sound & into Tone " !!!
Thank you for taking your time to post your review!
Gerard
:-)
enjoyed the video.... seems like maybe you should shorten your guitar strap by a little bit. Like the Godin guitars very much.... nice playing, no doubt. The only guitar synth I own is an old Korg X-911. Even though I've owned a guitar with a built-in GraphTech 13 pin midi p'up for 11 yrs now, I just haven't found a synth worth integrating into my setup/sound so far. I bought it for the piezo output w/ 3 band para eq. Cheers from Montreal! (better late than never?LOL)
Jesus, watched for 5 seconds before realising this isn’t Devin Townsend.
Mum can we have Devin?
Mum: We have Devin at home
Devin at Home:
Good eye...now that u said that I too agree. I need to look David up
Brilliant video, and brilliant playing! Thanks for the great video!
Would love if you could borrow a Jammy! Since all the videoes online with the Jammy MIDI guitars only have simple strumming or non-guitarists playing it.
Myself owning a G-10, I don't need another midi-guitar, but the Fishman in the Godin really was brilliant! Will look out for that one!
I'm very curious your review of an Artiphon Instrument 1. Have you plan to review it?
I can't for the life of me understand that huge dislike to like ratio. This is such an awesome video
Thanks so much, Ron! I kinda get it; I talk a lot in this video, and some people don't like that. But I'm very thankful for the people who do like it.
@@TheMusicAddict You talked just the right amount. And you're not blabbering like others do, everything you said was informative, and you have a great sense of humor. Thank you for this video and I'm really sad that it didn't get the appreciation it deserved!
That was very nice playing
Nice video. I use a GR-55 with a LGXT which works well for praise rock.
I be gotta be honest. Everything was wonderful till the surprise came last. Probably I was expecting a different sound... for when that cartoon tickling chirp-chuckles rushed in 😳 I couldn’t stop laughing. You are entertaining to say the least. 😂 Love it.
I just lost an auction with that Godin xtSA at $520 on eBay. But there’s a BOSS SY300 who can do most everything GRs can requiring only a regular electrical guitar. What is your opinion of the Boss synthesizers? Thank you. 🍷
it not as good as gr
I have a G10 in MINT condition and really enjoy its many quarks. For a system that has been out for around 27 years, you have to admit that Yamaha was way ahead of its time. My question though is why you have your string sense knobs maxed out? I thought they were to set just above the threshold. And as a tip, if you keep your frets polished bright, it will improve the tracking. Anyhow, thanks for another great video.
I was wondering if someone was going to comment on the maxed out knobs. :-) To be honest, that's how I set them around the time when I first got the unit (1993! It was my high school graduation present.) and I haven't mucked with them since then. I remember that it missed way too many notes when I had them anything but maxed.
Excellent Ep...The GR-1...is 25 Years OLD?! Yikes! It’s a reminder that a LOT of old gear is still...AMAZING
no it’s almost 30
Exceptional ....
could you do this test with midi guitar 2 or GiMiC? It would be very cool!
Thanks! I'll see what I can do!
Hi this is Tom ...Junkie XL oh wait :P (great video mate )
I was too slow to pause the video. MS-20 mini is my main instrument that I play every day but I didn't guess that that was what you were using :-) even though I've tried a similar patch myself! Great work! Interesting and informative video :-)
Thank you! I'm glad that you liked the video. I might do a full video on the MS-20 at some point if there's any interest.
So glad days of synth guitars and pickups and boards are pretty much gone. Just buy the $100 software from jam origin, download or buy some awesome vsti synths and use any guitar with it and works a lot better than any old school synth pickups or boards or guitars! Great and fast tracking. Can do poly or monophonic too! At least great for studio/home use, not sure about live, so maybe live you still need pickups and synth type guitars.
Just subbed, I am also known as Jedi Jingle Maker.
Last one is a cat with a kazoo stuck in its craw, and his whammy bar (tail) caught under a rockin chair, serenely swaying back and forth.
Close enough.
I caught that Zappa orchestra crash at the beginning!
Yes! Thank you! I can't believe that it took this long for somebody to notice. :-)
The Synthesizer Addict yeah what ever happened to all the fun in the world?
Larry's not with us...
He bit the big one,
very nice review ! tnx
Hi. Thanks for your vidéo. But i don’t see how your Godin Montreal os outfitted with thé triple play. Could you explain me. Many thanks
The Triple Play system was built into the guitar at the factory. There's no visible pickup required for it.
brilliant
What sound modules, or VSTs would you recommend, particularly in conjunction with the FTP?
If I'm being honest, I've really soured on guitar synths over the years. Even with the best ones, I've had to make too many compromises in my playing. At this point, I'd rather use pedals to make my guitar sound not like a guitar. Sorry I can't be more helpful!
In the G10, there must be a way to create or built something so the sound won't bend if you choose not to. Like a switch with some software or electronics. I want to know if that could be done ? A specialist in electronics,computers and instruments may be able to do create that.
Something I didn't mention in my video: when I record something using the G10, I'll often edit the MIDI track after the fact to remove any unwanted bends at the start of notes. It doesn't take too much time, so I've always considered that a reasonable workaround.
wouw...brilliant opening...and for your request about ms-20, it has the plugin option along with the vsti option on its software version. Apart from all may i ask for a performance on the triple play??? like for the "Blink from infected mushroom or for the cover of daft punk that you can find on youtube as tron guitar...i think it will be insanely valuable measuring the capability on previously done, affirmed transcriptions, i mean this way especially through observing it on the live performance one can easily say that i might venture to score out sort of tracks with my midi pickup for real or like oh man i still have to practice on hanon virtuoso volume 1 :) thx a lot.
Bravo
Great vid!
thumbs up for the ms-20 awesomeness
You are an amazing player and have the tools to have lots of fun. I am wondering if you have tried any of the light wave pickups like the Wilcox hexpro into a synth. I am currently using a gr33 with a couple of godin guitars but find the tracking sure messes up on some patches. I am thinking of purchase a fishman triple play pickup and setup a guitar with it. What are your thoughts on the future of synth given the fact that the light-wave pickups are starting to hit the market now. Thanks for posting your video I really enjoyed your comments.
Thanks, Brian! I don't have any experience with lightwave pickups. The technology sounds intriguing, although I don't know if it'll lead to guitar synth tracking that's any better than what you'll get from a piezo-based system like in my Godin LGXT. I'll see if I can get my hands on one to test.
Thanks. I am very tempted by the fishman triple play. Thanks again for posting
your videos on the gr50 and your synth roundup review. I used to have a gr50 but sold it because I had tracking issues with the gk2 pickup but I did notice any tracking problems when you played through the godin guitar. thanks again for the videos and for your reply. Maybe you would like to check out my pictures on my facebook page when I cycled through europe and asia. BRIAN TYHY. cheers
After coming across this this vid it makes me want to get out my LGXT and Roland GR33 also. Last time I checked though some of the synth switching wasn't working too well on the LGXT and because of the electronics involved guitar techs seem to want to steer clear here in Oz.
Maybe you can help me solve one of the great mysteries of (my) life; how the hell do you change the backup battery on the G10? I took mine out of storage after years, and can't figure out where they keep that battery...Anyway, I'm a guitar synth junkie too; have a GR-55 and a VG-99 in addition to the G10. My all-time fave was the Photon controller. Got busted in a move and I have regretted tossing it ever since. Thanks for the great video on a strange passion...
So where’s the actual pickup on that godin with the tripleplay in? I couldn’t see the usual little mag hex one the tripleplay normally has?
There are Fishman piezo pickups on each string; the TriplePlay gets its signal from them.
Interesting. I bought the Fishman Triple Play pickup when it first came out. Great idea but I couldn't get it to work successfully with Logic Studio on the Mac. Probably works great if you are using a PC. Retailer did accept return and I got a refund.
Guitar synths...world's best doorstops
GR-50 and GR-55 here, plus a GI-20, used with Godin xtSA and a GK3 on an Ovation.
Very cool!
Have u had a chance to demo the boss sy-300 guitar synth yet? Kind of exciting that it doesn't need a piezo pick up system just normal 1/4" output. But from what I seen it doesn't allow for midi multi timbral instruments just synthesized sounds. Which is fine but I like the compositional aspect of classic instruments that the gr-1 could leverage. ( some of the sounds could be quite convincing when u altered yer style of play for them like the vibes and some of the wind/reed instruments )
Enough to compose some interesting ideas save for percussion sections for which 6 strings are inadequate. But between Guitar the Alesis D4 drum module ( and homemade radioshack velocity sensitive piezo buzzers repurposed as pick ups ) and the gr 1.
I could at least notepad a composition that expressed how the classic instruments would contribute.
Got out of recording strangely enough in the mid 90's about the same time I got into computing. But never married the two.
Kind of depressing that u had to kill the pitch. Did you try to adjust the pickup sensitivity for each string in combo with a lighter pitch setting ( and an altered style of play? ) to trigger midi on yer computer.
I always assumed that as much would work as well as the stock sounds? :(
( I had an emu proteus rack and that use to work with my gr 1 flawlessly ) don't have it but still have the gr 1!
soundcloud.com/theuglyman0war/darkmancini-strut?fb_ref=Default
Yes. I too was wondering whether you have tried out the SY-300 yet, and your thoughts ... ?
Nice vid and thank you. Just found your channel and sub'd ... Cheers! K
I just picked up a gr-20 at a local pawn for 50 smackers, I have a gr-55 , but I heard the 20 can actually be better on some patches. The 55 sounds great when it tracks right, real fickle on which guitar I equip with hex pickup. I still can’t get it to track pianos decent. Strings , pads are do-able, but I can’t get the pianos to track good unless I install the hex on a certain guitar. Scale length of the guitar seems to affect it quite a bit. I’m interested to see what up with the gr 20, I heard it tracks better, just less instrument and sound tweaking abilities
I found this in a search for midi guitar - as I too have a mental/muscle memory issue with keyboards. (Not a phony though as I'm vey open about it.) The search however, was due to tying in my Roland GR-55 to an Akai MPC, as I was looking to deal with some velocity issues.... Something, I'm working out on my own, but once I do work it out, it may help you as well... In the meantime, I love the the idea of the 'synth addict' (as I too am) who also has an aversion to keyboards (as I) - who has similar hurtles... I feel less alone now... I hope you do too. (We are not going to date....)
The tracking and latency on any of these is no better than the one I had in 1990. They're just not ready for prime time. Electronics are so much cheaper now It's a real shame they can't make something like the SynthAxe today....
Peavey Profex2 Batterie Chance
The tracking on the G10 is pretty damn good.
Hey thanks for the video for sharing your opinion....
Japanese company really know how to make quirky stuff....
Hello. i would like to have Guitar riffs in midi files to use in my styles that a create in cubase to put in my korg pa3x. Can you help me? Thanks
incredibly clean technique, inspiring! I see how Yamaha solved the lower-pitched-string tracking issues back in the 80s, all 6 strings are ultra-light gauges on the G10, aren't they? too bad it's useless as a regular guitar. I have a Roland GK3 pickup mounted on a custom guitar tuned down to CGCFAD (56-10 gauges) going into a GR20. While the 1st to 4th string track fine, the 5th/6th strings are nearly unplayable, their latency is outrageously high. I suppose that's the tradeoff, the GK3/GR20 rig cost me $350, the fishman seem way better but it gets prohibitively expensive; is it even possible to drive a hardware synth/rom-module with it?
Thanks very much for the kind words! The strings on the G10 are all .016s. They all need to be tuned to approximately G-ish in order for the unit to track properly. :-)
that figures. You mentioned the Godin has Roland electronics, but I see no GK3. why is that? I also hear no latency when you play 5th & 6th strings, can you do staccato or fast picking on those?
I was hoping you might also have an MG-510, or one of its siblings.
Hi Why there's no pick up on the Godin? I'm trying to find a solution of midi guitar without adding midi pick=up. Someone have an idea ?
Sorry I'm late to reply to this. The Godin takes the signal from its piezos (one per string) and uses those for its Fishman TriplePlay connectivity. It doesn't need a separate bulky pickup, which is nice.
@@TheMusicAddict Thanks for the answer. What is the exact name of the kit? Thanks
Jeff, thank you for the. Vid; especially teaching me a out the G10. Two questions: do you know of any LAP STEEL guitars with built in synths. Then, what do you think of the YAMAHA EZ-EG for a rank beginner like me. I am not Django, but I do have partially crippled hands from a NASTY table saw accident. Thank You.