How well does Midi Guitar cope with instruments tuned differently than the usual standard tunings? I noticed that the software seemed to be struggling a little with the Chapman stick on one of the demo videos, so that made me wonder what might happen if the input was coming from an instrument with a very different tuning, such as an augmented chord? Or would it not matter?
I ask because I have a number of patches stored on my VG-99 with some very strange tunings, and unless there is some way of duplicating them via midi, in order to use them with midi sounds from other virtual instruments I would have to find a way to do it via Midi Guitar, which would be ideal for me, since I could then notate these compositions using a DAW in the midi domain.
Depends on the range of the tuning and playing style. Close voicings work better with the VG-99’s pitch-to-MIDI conversion but single note playing is pretty much on par. See your other post replied to.
the VG-99 has its own midi converter, and it most likely has a transpose per string feature. If it hasn’t got that function, you can set a multichannel patch in a synth, each of the 6 layers having its own transpose: the VG-99 sends each strings midi on its own midichannel as afaik.
Alternatively you can make a script in e.g. Logic to do the transpose per string. Also in MG it is possible to make such a script actually, but you most likely want to use the VG-99 midi, since that has the tunings in it, MG can not do tuning per string with its own midi.
Well, thanks to help from the VG forums I managed to actually get my VG-99 interfaced with my iPad Pro so I could try this out for myself, and I must say that I was very surprised to find that the software did seem able to cope with the altered tuning.
The downside was the audible latency produced by using the VG-99 as an audio interface - far too slow to be usable with Guitar Midi 2.
I am looking at purchasing the new Steinberg UR22C - will this make it possible to achieve the sort of zero latency I’m hearing on some of your videos?
zero latency is not possible: a “can’t feel/hear latency” affect can be achieved though, especially when you dont mix in the original guitarsound.
A normal Steinberg ur22 works fine (got one myself here).
I’m suprised your VG99 is so slow as an interface: did you check which buffersettings you used? on windows ASIO the buffer is mostly set in the ASIO controlpanel.
DSCB57, V-Guitar forum is a great source of info. I think I saw your post over there.
As I said before, one of the dependencies will be on your range of tuning but you seem to have that handled.
Another thing to consider is that (at least on my iPad Pro 10.5") the VG-99’s buffer is locked at 256 in MG2’s setting so you’ll almost certainly have trouble getting the kind of ultra-low latency performance you seek with direct USB connection. The interface will surely be a better option depending on how you plan on routing it.
Seriously, If you have a VG-99 and you only wanna use the iPad for synthesis you don’t need MG2. Get a host (AUM, Audiobus 3 or ApeMatrix) and some synths you like. Connect the MIDI out from the VG and go for your life…much easier and more powerful. You could likely even route it back into the VG (in mono) through the analog guitar input so you could make use of the VG-99’s considerable I/O.
I guess you already know that if you if you actually want to get the most out of the VG-99 you’ll need to use a laptop with the Roland driver for maximum control…
Anyway, it certainly is fun to figure out what is and isn’t possible since there’s no proper manual for any of this stuff.
For the moment I am deliberately trying to steer clear of Windows. The attraction of making music with the iPad Pro is the immediacy - something which just isn’t there for me with Windows. By the time I get everything set up to get an idea down, the inspiration is either gone or there is not enough time left.
When I saw some of the demo videos showing how well Midi Guitar responded to real guitar techniques and even subtle nuances in playing, I found it really inspiring. Especially the idea of being able to just plug the guitar into an iPad OS based DAW and be able to play any of the soft synths or virtual instruments without having to worry about connecting a midi interface.
I have the same iPad Pro as you, only limited by the 64GB HD. The reason I want to use Midi Guitar 2 is in order not to be tied to the VG-99 and my PC (I chose the iPad Pro over a laptop).
I really only use it for those specific patches I already mentioned with the altered tunings, but in all honesty I have never been convinced by the amp or speaker simulations, and on the other hand I am finding several iPad apps very easy to use, with a wealth of downloadable matched amps and effects to help expand the range of available sounds. I really enjoy the immediacy of the touch interface as opposed to working with a mouse for everything.
I have spent the last two years unable to play due to serious illness, so what I am most looking for is inspiring sounds and a simple means to get ideas down. I created some excellent layered instruments using the VG-99 which can be really inspiring, and excellent compositional tools, but to be honest the same cannot be said for the soloing instruments, and believe me I spent years programming sounds in the VG-99, but never came close to getting the sort of amazing tones Bill Ruppert was getting from the unit (and I wasn’t the only one who tried unsuccessfully). Eventually I gave up trying, and started to look elsewhere for my electric guitar and lead sounds. I still think some of the acoustic guitar simulations are excellent in the VG-99, and I would certainly continue to use the VG-99 for those.
Although I lack the amazing skill and virtuosity of Allan Holdsworth, the idea of being able to improvise using similar sounds and technologies to those he used to coax his amazing expressive lines out of the Synthaxe is really inspirational for me, and some of the video demos I’ve seen recently have shown me that it just might be possible using MG2 in combination with other software.
There was one demo using a saxophone sample in combination with a midi breath control module that really blew me away, and that device is something I’m considering acquiring!