I want to see how well MG2 interacts with Geoshred, since some of the sounds and patches are amazing - especially now it has GeoSWAM instruments available - but I don’t have much idea how to set it up to work correctly, since most of the patches use sliding. How does the midi control data relate to that? Is it controlled by vibrato or aftertouch?
Have any of you been successful with this?
My idea would be to do this in AUM, using MG2 as an AUv3 plugin to control Geoshred, but I see that this might also be possible using the standalone version of MG2, since there is an option to output to AUM.
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Yes, i am using it with Geoshred SWAM Tenor Sax. Check a quick and dirty demo i did on Youtube and a brief explanation on how i set it up. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SNgLGUFmL2U&t=9s
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Did you manage to set it up.? Did it work? I improved the Mozaic plugin. You can download the script to make it work at https://patchstorage.com/converts-midiguitar-2-to-play-swam-geosax/
Hi, although I haven’t had a chance to try your script yet, I did try MG2 again with some external sounds, but was really disappointed. i really don’t understand how some people seem to be achieving such good results.
I compared the tracking and response to that of a faulty Artiphon Instrument 1 which required me to literally slam my fingers down just to get the notes to sound (regardless of the adjustments within the app), but the I1 still blew MG/ out of the water for expressiveness and tracking. I must be doing something wrong, or maybe my expectations are too high. But I need something that works out of the box with no faffing around to cause me to lose the inspiration, and sadly as it stands, MG2 doesn’t meet that challenge.
When you find yourself with new pedals or a new multi-effect, you will first have to learn how to use this new equipment and acquire the automatisms to stop thinking about technique so as not to lose inspiration. You know that can not work out of the box.
It is the same for MG2 as well as for your rig, whether hardware or software.
Moreover, even if MG2 converts the guitar notes to MIDI, wanting to play any other instrument on a guitar neck requires a “transcription” of the playing skill with the specific instrument, i.e. no glissando for a piano or it will sounds like a guitar with a weird sound, one note at a time with monophonic instruments, and so on.
If you still want to try to play with MG2, read this post which will steer you in the right direction and do not hesitate to look for answers to your questions in this forum.
Believe me, today I am having a gas playing live with MG2, but after having spent significant time in tweaking MG2 and even more in the way to make my guitar sounds like the instruments I want to imitate.
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Thank you Herold. I take your point, but I am no stranger to the world of midi guitar, having played on many systems from the Stepp midi controller to the Roland VG-99 and now including the Artiphon Instrument 1. So I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to coax the response I need from MG2 by tweaking everything possible. But I am still experiencing significant latency unless I restrict myself to the onboard sounds. But that is defeating the object for me, since I want to use orchestral samples and other virtual instruments. The problem is not that I am expecting to be able to translate guitar technique directly to the use of these sounds - as I know many guitarists try to do - but rather the sense of disconnection I experienced when trying to use MG2 in this way.
I also know that many users improve the perceived latency by layering MG2’s own sounds with an external sound source. Unfortunately that won’t work for me, since I want to use SWAM virtual instruments and other very realistic virtual models in my compositions.
Now I have watched many videos showing precisely this approach, so these players seem to have achieved this. I have read all the material I could find on several forums and watched all the instruction videos I could find on Youtube, but I still don’t see how these users have managed to get the app to respond so well.
I understand that in the case of a mounted hex pickup the setup is crucial and really difficult to get right, and I suppose the parameters inside the app are quite similar, but once we are dealing with a guitar with light enough strings and a good low action that should be half the battle - as well as the necessary clean technique, obviously. But for me there still seems to be a missing ingredient.
Glad to know that you are a regular user of guitar midi systems, this should facilitate the integration of MG2. 
Concerning latency issue, it should be fairly easy to settle.
I use a basic audio interface Steinberg UR22 and an optimized PC computer 8 years old with only intel i5 / 8 Go RAM, MG2 is loaded as a plugin in the vst host Gig Performer amongst many other plugins (up to 30 at the same time) including synths and effects.
My cpu is around 50% with a 128 samples buffer size, latency is not annoying at all, it is glitch-free and
I never had any problems when performing live.
Using a guitar with 11-56 strings gauge I can deal with ghost notes and get accurate pitch.
I also used different hardware guitar midi systems before (I first started in the 80’s with Shadow) and I
can say that MG2 has its own specificities to deal with, and overtime it is my favorite system (unless you need separate midi channels per string).
. A few things you should consider when using MG2, particularly with Geoshred SWAM instruments.
I assume you are using MG2 version for iPad…since you mentioned the Geoshred sounds.
MG2 takes the sample rate/ buffer size from whatever sound app you open first. You cannot change the buffer size from within MG2. So you need to setup the buffer from another app beforehand.
I open AUM first, then set the overall buffer size at 128 , then i open one instance of a Geoshred AU on an Audio channel with the audio out to my interface speakers, then one Audio channel with the guitar input and I add MG2 as an AU effect, then one Midi Channel where I load Mozaic with my script.
Then I go to AUM’s Midi Routing page and I connect MG2 to Mozaic , and Mozaic to Geoshred .
Finally I start playing and adjusting MG2 settings ( Noise Gate, Gain ,Tone,Curve, Pitchbrnd, Legato and Aftertouch…and Polyphony or Monophony).
You have to bear in mind that the SWAM Sax sounds ( and all SWAM sounds by that token ), are driven through Midi Channel 2… whereas MG2 outputs Midi data on Channel 1 ( that is one reason you need the Mozaic plugin ).
Also SWAM sounds are driven by Channel Pressure, which MG2 does not output ( MG2 outputs Aftertouch which is a different beast ) so you need to convert Note On Velocity to Channel Pressure ( this is the second reason why you need the Mozaic plugin with the conversion script ).
Lastly, MG2’s success in providing a good conversion of audio to midi depends on the output of your guitar and the audio interface you are using. If your audio input to MG2 is too low or distorted you will get bad/ inconsistent results. I use a single coil ( Fender type) on the bridge as a source, 0.9 - 0.42 string gauges played with a medium strength pick fairly close to the bridge.
If your audio output is not that good , you can try placing a clean amp plugin on the AUM audio channel before the MG2 plug, and adjusting the audio volume from the plugin amp before it is received by MG2.
My audio interface now is a Focusrite iTrack Dock ( which has a gain knob ) , but I have used this setup with a Line 6 Sonic Port with equally good results.
I have really no latency whatsoever with this setup, and I even had to lower the MG2 quite a bit so I could play the Tenor Sax sounds smoothly.
One of these days I will try to make a YouTube video so that the non-latency can be appreciated, because the current one I hanged in YouTube has only the audio ( aside of being a very quick and dirty demo just to show the possibilities ).
The setup is so precise in converting to Midi, that if the guitar is slightly out of tune… the Tenor Sax sound will also be out of tune, and the sax pitchbend responds to the slightest finger wiggle.
I am now working in modifying the Mozaic script to be able to play the SWAM Cello, which has slight differences with n the Tenor Sax in the CC assignments. So far it also sounds very, very good. It’s as close to playing a cello without having to play one ( which would take ages…).
Thx for the detailed instructions … it would all be unnecessary if MG had a simple setting to set the midi output channel. I can’t believe they did not put this in, and now it needs rocket science to circumvent this … and this even though many people (all the Geoshred swam users) are asking for it. Any chance for an update soon with this feature added?
I wonder why geoshred swam sounds do not use midi channel 1 just like nearly every midi apps… and MG 
Agreed :). It looks like they don’t want midi users to control the swam instruments, probably because they would miss all the extended control possibilities
Hey Bonanote,
That was a very useful explanation !
I have a question,
Im trying to use the Geoshred Swam Violin and MG2 using AUM and Mozaic in the routing order as you described.
Will the same script “preset” that you have developed for Tenor sax work with geoshred swam violin as well ?
Im not a coder or a programmer so any assitance would be deeply appreciated !
Thanks,
Anupam.
Hello Anupam, I cannot tell you with certainty because I did not buy the Swam violin, I do have the Swam Cello and I had to slightly modify the Mozaic script so that it han play more accurately the Cello. Basically I droped the output by one octave, and I routed tha Aftertouch from the MG2 to the “cello bow position” paraeter son that it ads a little bit of dynamicas, also it takes MG2 pitchbend infho and sends some additional Vibrato ( CC107 in the Cello ). I have the script but did not publish it in Patchstorage. I think it should work with the violin. Let me know if you want to trry it out and I’ll see if I can upload it here.
Hey Bonanote,
Thank you for that very helpful reply !
Somehow i did not get that patch you shared with me.
Id very much like to see if it works with the Violin swam sounds on Geoshred.
Could you perhaps email me the swam cello Mozaic script/patch here at my email-
Thank you !
Anupam.
SWAM receives note information on channel 2 in MPE mode because channel 1 is reserved for global parameters in MPE, right?
But I think SWAM is configurable. LoFiLeiF explains how to use AT and the Seaboard preset with MG2 without any plugins:
Hi @mojozart! While it is true I use AT for expression with SWAM instruments and their ROLI Seabord presets, it is also worth noting that the Seaboard work in two modes - MPE and Non-MPE. The latter one uses aftertouch/channel pressure which it can receive from MG2’s AT on channel 1. So what I am presenting is merely a way of using the MG2 AT to satisfy the demand for something/anything coming in. Even when using the SWAM MPE Default preset
the SWAM instruments still take the MG2 AT for expression (on ch.1)
so I am not doing anything to change the data being sent on channel 1. Just adding this for clarity, so as not to chase after some solution that isn’t. 
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