Hello everyone, I’m new on the forum and can’t wait to start experimenting with all the amazing possibilities of Midi Guitar. At first I wanted the VG800 for synth sounds but then discovered MG3 which looks better overall.
So I am at a crossroad to decide how to do it and i can’t decide the cheapest / best result option :
Audio interface with Midi Guitar 3 : Probably the cheapest option with a second hand audio interface but I won’t get the hex capabilities which i heard are the best to gest the most out of midiguitar like being able to strum and get the best tracking. But if i want to get into hex afterward, my audio interface won’t be of any use.
GM800, VG800 or other hex : It would allow me to get the hex function right away but it seems to me that the pedal in itself wouldn’t be of any use since all instrument can be obtained from midiguitar. I would think that the VG800 is better so that i have more out of the box guitars and string instruments and have the more synth things from MG3. I am confused as to it’s of any use to keep using the sounds from the pedal alone or in complement to MG3 or if it doesn’t matter since the pedal is only here for the hex function.
What are your thought on this ? I found a complete bundle of VG800 with GK5 & a control pedal at 680€.
Choosing a starting configuration, with the associated investment, is not easy with the various solutions available to you.
You must first understand the functions of the different hardware:
GM-800:
It has four distinct synthesizer channels with a large number of sounds accessible directly from the device.
It requires a GK5 hexaphonic pickup.
It can output the audio signals from the six strings of the GK5 and send them as USB signals to a computer (Mac or PC).
From these USB signals, the MG3Hex software allows you to control software synths on the computer. It does so with great precision, excellent dynamics, and optimal latency of around twenty milliseconds.
It can also send a MIDI signal to the computer with a latency equivalent to that of the MG3Hex, and in this case, the MG3 is not required. Personally, I prefer the MG3Hex solution, which produces more dynamic results.
VG-800:
It requires a GK5 hexaphonic pickup.
It doesn’t generate MIDI synth sounds, but it does generate guitar sounds from the audio signals output by the GK5, such as acoustic or electric guitar sounds like Stratocasters, Telecasters, Les Pauls, and others.
It can output the audio signals from the six strings output by the GK5 and send them as USB signals to a computer (Mac or PC).
Like the GM-800, it can also send a MIDI signal to a computer with a latency equivalent to that of the GM-800.
So, to get MIDI synth sounds with a VG-800, you need a computer. This can be an obstacle, but not a deal breaker, for live performances.
MG3 only:
Requires the use of a computer and sound card or a guitar multi-effects unit connected to the computer.
The latency in this mode is around 40ms, which can be a problem.
This works very well for adding “Strings”/“Pads” or similar sounds, in addition to the guitar sound.
But it will require very careful playing for sounds like “Plucks,” “Pianos,” etc.
I hope this information will be useful in making your choice. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to ask us on this forum.
I feel as though I’ve written this before, but if you want to dip your toes into the world of hex without spending all that much money, the cheapest option is a used BOSS GP-10 with a GK-3. If you don’t vibe with it you’ll still have a relatively cheap audio interface to run your D.I guitar and an expression pedal to boot. It’s small and you can run it on a power bank with a 5V to 9V adaptor, which is convenient.
But, once you’ve gone hex, you’re unlikely to go back so you might think you’re better off putting your hard-earned cash into a newer option with product support in its future, like the BOSS VG-800.
Ultimately, it depends on your personality and your cash flow.
I can only tell you what I use.
Roland GK3 hex pickup with a direct breakout cable I put together into a MOTU 828.
100% happy with this setup.
Yes I know, it’s not cheap.
I have also used a Scarlett 18i20 3rd generation, you can easily find them second hand for much less, works great but with the MOTU I can get lower latency that stays stable under all conditions.
And then there is the Behringer 1820… cheapest but I have no personal experience with it.
I have mixed feelings because mg3 aims to replace the pedals so the choice of the pedal would be only for when I don’t have a computer.In which cases I may still want synth sounds but which would be inferior and make me miss the ones from mg3
I’m thinking that since I already have a guitar and a multi effect for guitar sounds I might as well go toward the gp10 or GM 800.
I’ve been very hyped because of lofileif videos where he uses direct mg3 without hex and seems to be very confortable with all’ this. I don’t quite see the limitations of strumming, tracking or latency. Could you explain a bit more how hex is just better ?
Also you seem to be saying that my multi effect that has an usb out may be sufficient to try mg3 ?
I’ll look into the other gear option that you mentioned that I don’t know
it will be helpful to you to explore mg3 at least a little before you decide to go for the hex version. i’d guess that 90% of guitarists will be perfectly satisfied with the way it works.
if you use a slide, independent string vibrato or alternate tunings those are arguments for mg3hex.
regardless of hex or not, ‘real’ guitar has certain challenges. one issue is that many of the virtual guitars are designed to be played with a keyboard. some details here will be helpful - do you want specific acoustic sounds, or blues/jazz, or ???
i don’t know if the gk5’s analog output is filtered, if so, some of the other choices (uber, cycfi, subsix) may be a better choice future-wise as mg3 acquires even more features.
I can’t wait to try it “vanilla” first when I settle down in 3 weeks, I’ll keep you updated here of what wonders or limitations may arise. Per string instrument mapping does sound very interesting to accompany oneself.
For guitar sounds I was hoping a broad variety really, nylon, 12 string, blues, jazz, energized rock. Of course I want it all
per string instrument mapping, or even partial string zones are definitely a reason to go with hex over standard.
but, with standard you can assign note ranges to different instruments.
you’d have to go with virtual guitars for the nylon and 12 string, but the rest are probably achievable without modeling. a reason to avoid models is that they tend to be heavy on the memory.
I think @kimyo and @Vaultnaemsae mixed together are the combined answer needed.
I have a GP10. I do not think it will make it to macOS 26. Boss did support GP10 since 2014 and beyond. My feeling is that in any case it won’t support it anymore. It’ll be interesting to see what they will do with SY1000 as that is not that old… so maybe having to deliver macOS26 USB Drivers for that they will give us a gift.
In any case Sequoia is supported and it makes sense to stop over it until the successor of macOS26 comes next 2026 fall. So your decision has to be based on what OS you are using for doing Music (Windows 11 vs MacOS) how much you want to invest (get a GP10 now and use it for at least two years on macOS by delaying mayor OS changes) or invest in a technology at its peak as VG800. I would stay away from GM800 simply because with VG800 and MG3HEX you’ll have an impressive combo (as well as GP10 + MG3HEX) but as @kimyo suggested, why don’t you get your hands dirty with MG3 first? There’s a lot that can be done with a standard guitar! I am a fan of both MG3 and MG3HEX but lately I am using MG3 more because I use it mainly for solos and some backing chord writing in the DAW. I use Gp10+MG3HEX only for parts that benefit from it and some ALT Tunings. As you can see yourself all depends on your ability as a guitarist (I am a disaster at finger picking and tapping) and needs in your musical expression.
Hope it helps.
Whatever path you’ll choose, Ole’s fantastic job on this software will open your musical expression like no other!
The support aspects does make sense, I am on windows 10 and would surely like to have my setup to go through the years. I guess the GP 10 may become outdated on it too ? The GP 10 looked nice because of the price and the pedal (is it usable in mg3 ?)
For the choice between GM 800 or VG 800, I don’t really know. Why do you say to stay away from the GM and that the combination with VG would be better ? Maybe the guitar sounds from VG are better than what mg3 can do ?
Why do you not use directly mg3 with hex all the time and return to mg3?
Thank you for your advices, I think I may be able to invest in one solution or the other in the end, with an added expression pedal.
I use both because my SY-1000 isn’t always on and sometimes I don’t need full hex power. Like @pasha said, it’s not entirely necessary when playing single-note line content (“solos”).
The VG-800 probably gives you access to more things that you’re interested in, compared to the GM-800 – i.e. actual guitar sounds. At the very least they’ll form a good point of comparison once you start driving virtual instruments. FWIW, MG3 doesn’t “do” guitar sounds; it generates MIDI to enable control of guitar virtual instruments. If you’ve watched any LofiLeif vids on the subject, you are likely already aware that the instruments themselves can be a limiting factor. While, it’s possible to get decent results from plugins, it’s a bit harder work than using the BOSS unit.
My main machine is still a VG99 because is more powerful as a guitar tool but it lacks USB 8 channel audio out. Hence where GP10 comes in. I got GP10 in 2014 to play live as VG99 is fragile (plastic shell). So… GP10 is not permanently installed in my little home studio.
GM800 does not support MPE the way that MG3 does. I skipped it because I already invested in MG2 and MG3 beta came about at the same time or a little later so it didn’t make sense for me.
GM800 is a great machine IMHO to perform live with guitar and MIDI. I am older and I do not play live anymore and I never used MIDI to play live.
In any case Windows 11 supports GP10 fully and that support will go on until WIndows 11 will be there (unless Microsoft won’t change some internals that will affect the GP10 driver).
Hope this helps
Pasha
PS : I am sorry if my answers have more of the OS stack consideration sometimes. I worked in Information Technology 30+ years and it’s a dimension I have learnt to consider.
