So, I’m looking into getting separate strings’ breakout cable for use with MG2/MG3, here’s a link for those unfamiliar… https://separate-strings.co.uk/
What audio interface(s) would you recommend? My set up is Windows 10 at the moment, and I use Reaper for my DAW. I have a MOTU M4 https://motu.com/en-us/products/m-series/m4/ now, but would like to be able to plug in at least 8 slots (1 or 2 for vocals, 6 for guitar, and preferably another for plugging in bass guitar). I have been looking at the MOTU Ultralite mk5. https://motu.com/en-us/products/gen5/ultralite-mk5/ Is that specific one overkill? Should I keep using the MOTU M4 and switch between two different ones (the second being 6 slots just for guitar)? Thank you in advance! Hope everyone is having a great day!
The Motu M4 and the Ultralite mk5 have only 2 inputs accepting signals from a guitar, bass or vocal mic, all other inputs are designed to receive line-level signals such as keyboard, synth, etc.
You’d be better off with, for example, a MOTU 8 Pre USB, whose inputs are adaptable to all types of input signals.
Thank you! I’ll admit some ignorance for sure regarding stuff like line vs guitar input signals! I almost always use the front inputs currently which is why I probably didn’t notice the difference!
Is http://separate-strings.co.uk/ still in business? Wrote them on the 11th to get one and haven’t heard back from them and today their site is down
¯_(ツ)_/¯
a Boss GP10 is by far the most convenient way to get 6 strings separately into your computer. Drivers for all computers are there. The GP10 is affordable secondhand.
thank you! I’ll take a look at it!
the site was working earlier this morning, but i’ll admit i haven’t contacted them just yet to try to buy anything.
Interesting that it has an audio/midi interface! Very cool!
yes, the GP10 audio interface is very cool, it’s midi is very meh though… 
seems nearly all the MIDI I’m using currently is USB anyways. maybe that will change with MIDI 2.0? who knows i guess!
The site is back up. Hopefully Bill will reply soon.
one argument against the gp-10 is that the filters on the gk pickup are designed to enhance pitch detection.
this is probably not an issue for mg2 midi output, but it does color the audio.
if part of op’s goal is to do six string audio processing, this is something to consider.
There are many such guitars out in the marketplace, primarily geared towards creating synth-like sounds, such as the GK system by BOSS/Roland and Fishman Triple Play (FTP).
I’m afraid none of the above are ideal for single-string processing. The reason is that the GK and FTP pickups have been designed to provide a signal for pitch detection and have a very poor natural audio sound. No equalization in the world can make them sound as good as your traditional guitar pickups (believe me, I tried!).
an example of synquanon’s six string hex fuzz:
Yeah, I’d imagine I’d use it for MG2 and MG3 but also with normal guitar signal. I need to look into some of that link still kimyo (thank you) bigger rabbit hole than I’ll go down tonight but will take a better look tomorrow. Seems interesting. I have a lot of VST effects but also neat stuff like Frostwave Sonic Alienator, Zvex Fuzz Factory 7, and Digitech Whammy DT that might be fun to try separate string tech with!
The gk2 / gk3 does not sound unnatural: it only is placed very close to the bridge, and is low impedance.
There a no filters in these pickups ( I build my own hardware for hex pu’s and modded several gk2/3s)
The internal GP10 emulations don’t sound that bad, it is only that Roland for a long time kind of neglected proper IR algorithms, while relying on older COSM practices. So the cullprit is not the pickup, it is Roland algorithms.
Line 6’s Variax had better IR-based hex processing and that blew away Roland at the time.
The GK2/3 pickups do not filter anything, they are however meant to be precise and have lower colorisation: the closer a pickup is mounted to the bridge, the lesser the comb effect deletes certain tones.
If a pickup is placed closer to the neck, the comb effect will make some notes very hard to detect in a pitch to midi converter.
A high impedance pickup has internal capacities which colours the sound (high roll off), this together with the comb filter caused by placement, delivers the “natural” sound we associate with electric guitar.
If you try make a high impedance natural sounding hex pickup, you will encounter several problems in a hex setting:
a) if you place the pu closer to the neck for natural sound, MIDI detection becomes harder. MG2 does some harmonic interpretation to counteract this.
b) if you use higher impedance pickups, the string to string crosstalk becomes more and more a problem. Though not explicitly a higher impdenace problem, higer impedance pu’s tend to be bigger and have less focussing on the string.
Note that for a pu to work correctly, the string movement should retain within its pole. The string deviation at hte neck is way higher, asking for a bigger pole, and making it harder to have proper string separation.
The GP10 delivers both normal pickup and hex pickup to your computer.
Due to issues I mentioned above, old school guitarsound will work best with the normal pickup and MIDI like stuff will work best with the hex pu.
BTW: I did try a GK2 with Variax electronics, that sounded a bit too warm but glorious, ofcourse because Variax expects a piezo sound without any comb effect.
Guessing not, but there aren’t any Sustainiac-ish pickups that would work with string separation, right?
not that I know off, I actually bought some parts to try build something like that. I had a bunch of mini amps and coils for the purpose. never came to it, just one of my abandoned projects…
I did however test MG2 hex conversion with GP10 and that works very well.
and I ofocurse had the normal pu signal for normal sounds. Used Gigperfomer for testing that.
oops, I forgot: the Moog guitar actually does have hex feedback circuitry… the designer of it also sold a kit for mounting on an acoustic guitar. How clean it can sustain without colorisation, I dont know
interesting! I think someone on these forums was saying they owned a moog guitar
googling briefly looks like theres some for sale on reverb and some description of the sustaining effect MOOG Paul Vo Collectors Edition Prototype (6 of 8!) Sustain | Reverb