Sending MIDI to my MIDI Guitar?? How??

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:07 am

what's an atheist?

thesmallisbeautiful · Post by **thesmallisbeautiful** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:16 am

it's a new VST plugin Athey, it sends midi information out to various things. The users are called Atheists. I use it to control the microwave when I want some popcorn. The manual said that it can't control midi guitars so I was going by that. Typical noob mistake.

Linz · Post by **Linz** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:27 am

Pickle Sprocket wrote: Yes, that makes things a bit clearer. But the battery casing on my guitar will not accommodate a CR2032 for the first string, I believe it is actually a CR2025 battery, perhaps this is something they have modified since the original 1983 Gibson Telecaster MIDI guitar model. Mine is one of the reissues. Also, my 12V may need to be recharged. I will verify that my guitar batteries are all correct before attempting to get MIDI playback to work again, no use wasting my time fiddling with other variables until I'm sure this one is correct.

To smallchildrenarebeautiful, I am definitely not wasting my time, this is very possible as witnessed by me by this amazing Christian music artist that recently had a show at my local community center, he had 2 MIDI classical guitars playing back while he played the Conga's, it was really quite lovely. What makes it so great is that you can have the reliability of a MIDI performance (obviously the computer isn't going to play back wrong notes!) with the real acoustic sound of guitars playing through amps, which you aren't going to get by just playing back software synths or samplers with your MIDI clips. I really, really wish I had asked him how he got it all set up.

Wow - you managed to get the re-issue? I'd have gone for one of them but I just love the feel of my '83 - not the neck or playability but the actual texture - particularly the trem springs...they're velvety but it kind of hurts to touch them - I love it!

Anyway, with the re-issue you're laughing - just fit a CR2025 at each end of the strings (except the 4th of course!). I'm 101.6% sure that'll solve your problems.

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:08 am

Sounds to me like you accidentally the whole MIDI connection.

Homebelly · Post by **Homebelly** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:29 am

Pickle Sprocket wrote:
Tone Deft wrote:what string gauge are you using? maybe it's too heavy and the pickup can't drive it (assume they're wired correctly.)
Gosh, this may be another issue. The gauge's I am using are as follows:

8-16-24-32-40-48

I thought that using string gauge's that were all divisible by 8 would create the most even tone across the audio spectrum, as has been suggested by the guitar magazines that I read. Is this creating an issue with the 14 bit MIDI requirement? What gauges of strings need to be used? Does Ableton or Gibson have suggestions for which guitar strings to use with Ableton Live MIDI clips?

I think this might be a contributing factor.
as Tones pointed out here the system is based on 14 bit...

Tone Deft wrote:which midi guitar converter are you using? is it 14 bit compatible?

Bare in mind that i have hardly any experience with MIDI guitar.
But it seems to me that if your running a 14 bit system, then surly any information needs to be transmitted in divisions of 14?
So, if your using divisions of 8 for your strings then your sending 2 bits of information extra that your system can't read, so it will round down the extra bits?
Maybe these are the bits that are needed to play back the midi and have the guitar respond?
Perhaps try doping your string gauge down to
7. 14. 21. 28. 35. 42. ?

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:39 am

Are those 14bits dithered or truncated? IF they are truncated, you're going to get interpolation errors that could cause phase cancellations, thus no string vibration. I just plugged a midi cable into my ibanez, and using dithered 14bit, it was pretty easy to get some very nice tone. I quickly programmed Back In Black by AC/DC in Live, and via the guitar it DID sound very convincing. Now, this isnt the same as classical Christian rock, but I think in theory it sould work without requiring a school boy outfit.

You have to be very sure the intonation on the guitar is set correctly too, midi signals are pretty weak, and any interference in the the string is going ot make it really hard to get this working. A pain I know, but there's a reason not everyone is using a midi guitar this way. It take practice and dedication, but I think you're getting closer.

pepezabala · Post by **pepezabala** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:30 am

I believe the main mistake here might be that the midiguitar isn't capable of duplex-mode - meaning that it either plays or it gets played but not both at the same time. But I might be wrong. Is there a switch to set ingoing versus outcoming midi on the guitar?

Maybe you should have a look at the guitar's manual.

Pickle Sprocket · Post by **Pickle Sprocket** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:36 pm

pepezabala wrote:I believe the main mistake here might be that the midiguitar isn't capable of duplex-mode - meaning that it either plays or it gets played but not both at the same time. But I might be wrong. Is there a switch to set ingoing versus outcoming midi on the guitar?

Maybe you should have a look at the guitar's manual.

Hello pepetheballa, I appreciate your suggestion, but as I have stated, I am trying to get my MIDI clips inside of Ableton Live to play back to my guitar while I am doing something else, so I am clearly not trying to send MIDI and receive MIDI at the same time, that is really just a crazy thing to suggest and doesn't make very much sense, really. I don't know why anyone would try and do that on a MIDI guitar.

I have read the guitars manual, and I have spent the last evening messing around with these settings.

I have determined that the 14bits are not dithered, but they are being truncated. This could be the main reason for my strings not being played back when receiving MIDI from Ableton Live.

I have also changed the string gauges to conform to the 14bit requirements, so I am no using the 7-14-21-28-35-42 gauge set of MIDI guitar strings. I have made sure they are very in tune, so this variable should be corrected.

Is there a separate Plug-In or hardware box I need to purchase to make sure the 14bits of MIDI are not being truncated when going to my MIDI guitar? I did not see that in the manual, and I assume the guy that sold me this guitar would have told me that I need another piece of gear if that was true, but you can never be to sure with those Guitar Center employees.

Thank you for all of your suggestions, I believe a solution is close at hand.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:10 pm

I know for a fact that midi CAN vibrate the strings of your guitar. To verify, perform this simple experiment which I did last night with Mike@Trackteam:

First, set up a new Live set with an assload of midi clips. The more complex the better. Lotsa midi cc and notes and velocities. Program changes and sysex are a bonus.

Next, get some highly conductive copper. Attach a midi cable to your midi interface. Now here's the tricky part...You'll have to do some trial and error. Connect the copper to the second or fifth pin of the midi cable. Now attach the cable to your left nipple. Your will feel a warm tickling feeling. When the midi cc kicks in, the sensation can start burning. At this point, I suggest transferring the cable to your nuts.

UKRuss · Post by **UKRuss** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:16 pm

nebulae wrote: Attach a midi cable to your midi interface. Now here's the tricky part...You'll have to do some trial and error. Connect the copper to the second or fifth pin of the midi cable. Now attach the cable to your left nipple. Your will feel a warm tickling feeling. When the midi cc kicks in, the sensation can start burning. At this point, I suggest transferring the cable to your nuts.

No Midi mouthparts actionz?

I like the mouthparts, they play good midi guitar.

Like this:

Smoke on The Water:

Nuts Nuts Mouth Nut Nuts Nuts Mouth.

see?

dom · Post by **dom** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:22 pm

Is it friday already?!

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:28 pm

dom wrote:Is it friday already?!

What are you implying?

.m

dom · Post by **dom** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:38 pm

either fun fun friday in disguise or heavy trolling.
both definitely forbidden on tuesdays.
ha!

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:20 pm

dom wrote:either fun fun friday in disguise or heavy trolling.
both definitely forbidden on tuesdays.
ha!

Norhing in your "rules" says that we are not allowed to discuss nipples and scrotums on Tuesdays.

acroberts · Post by **acroberts** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:36 pm

Unfortunately, I cannot explain the cause of my hyena-like laughing whilst reading this thread to my co-workers...

Except for the nipples and scrotum stuff.