guitar midi synthesizer

[DinnerTIME!]

I'm a little confused about the hardware required so I'm able record a signal from my guitar into the computer. Say for example I've got a presonus firebox, which has a mic hooked up to it that is placed in front of my guitar amp. Using a program like fruity loops am I able to digitally mix/synthesize the signal from the mic, or do I need a hardware synthesizer/mixer to achieve this. Similarly is it worth investing in a midi interface for my guitar?

Alot of the remixing seems to be based around keyboard/piano input, especially by the better artists (Big Giant Circles, Sephire, Zircon, DJPretzel) I essentailly want to be able to play on my guitar and have the signal processed to sound like a piano for example.

I'm sorry if I don't make much sense, I'm totally new to this.

Thanks all.

[Zephyr]

Guitar to midi output is difficult and experimental at best, don't go with that, try getting an actual midi keyboard if that's what you want.

[Rozovian]

Don't know how well midi guitars and tone-reading interfaces work, so can't recommend it. Better to learn the basics of keyboard playing and/or the basics of operating the computer mouse. Not sure how possible it is to get a decent sounding piano performance from a guitar-like interface.

A lot of remixing is based around actual recordings, especially by the better artists (Sixto Sounds, pixietricks, Game Over, Harmony). Get a keyboard, or use the mouse. Use the guitar to record guitar. That's my advice.

[Harmony]

Say for example I've got a presonus firebox, which has a mic hooked up to it that is placed in front of my guitar amp. Using a program like fruity loops am I able to digitally mix/synthesize the signal from the mic

You'd be able to record the guitar into something like fruity loops, yes. But it's going to sound like a guitar. You can also skip the mic and just plug the guitar directly into the Firebox and record into FL. Again, it will just sound like a guitar. Of course once you get the guitar sound into FL you can apply whatever effects you want to it...but you still won't be able to easily make it sound like a piano.

Similarly is it worth investing in a midi interface for my guitar?

I agree with what's been said, get a keyboard instead (I'd suggest a midi controller rather than a digital piano or keyboard synthesizer, see below). It's much more precise and versatile for music making, which is why you see a lot of musicians using them. But, a midi guitar would be really fun to play with.

I essentailly want to be able to play on my guitar and have the signal processed to sound like a piano for example.

You'd have to get a midi guitar, or something similar, to do that. Let's clarify though: the sound that you play from the guitar won't be processed to sound like a piano. The sound from the guitar will be used to trigger piano sounds from your computer or synthesizer. I think some of the confusion may be with the prevalence of keyboards. Lots of the remixes here are made using midi controllers, which have keys like a piano, but are not pianos. MIDI controllers make no sound on their own. When a key is pressed, a signal is sent out (MIDI) which basically says "play this note at this volume for this long". Your computer or synthesizer then uses that message to trigger a sound (maybe a sound of a prerecorded piano playing that note, for example). What you're trying to do with the guitar would require the sound from your guitar to be interpreted as digital MIDI messages, and then to have those messages sent out in order to trigger sounds. With a MIDI controller, that first interpretation step is basically skipped, and that's the part of midi guitar that is, as has been said, difficult and experimental at best.

[Yoozer]

http://www.axon-technologies.net/ This does what you want and works like Harmony described.

I don't think there's a software-version of it, though, and a keyboard would be a cheaper option.

[DinnerTIME!]

Thanks for clarifying this for me guys. Looks like I'm saving for a keyboard. I've been a fan of Harmony's, Pixietricks and Sixtosounds for a while but just checked out some of Game Overs stuff. Live Metal Nintendo covers. In a word. Awesome. in another word, Metendo. Cheers.

[Lunarfall]

However, if you're REALLY good with guitar (and I mean it), I think throwing on a MIDI interface would be worth it. Granted, you can get a midi controller for way cheaper.

Here's what you would need if you wanted to go MIDI guitar:

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-GI20-GKMIDI-Interface-?sku=150094

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-GK3-Guitar-Pickup?sku=700379

[Zephyr]

If you were REALLY good I doubt that those interfaces would do the trick to capture all your awesome shredding.

[Lunarfall]

If you were REALLY good I doubt that those interfaces would do the trick to capture all your awesome shredding.

I can see it now. Godly fast shredding, with piano coming out of your amp instead of normal guitar tone.

Actually, I've used a midi guitar at guitar center once and it actually worked much better than I thought, it easily picked up some quick riffs as if it wasn't a problem. Though I didn't try shredding.

[Harmony]

Actually, I don't think it would be the speed that would be the problem. If you were "really good" then most of the techniques that make for awesome guitar playing (artificial harmonics, standard harmonics, palm muting, scrapes, choice pick alignment, even simpler stuff like hammer-ons) don't have obvious equivalents in the MIDI specification so they wouldn't get transferred well or at all.

[Kanthos]

MIDI guitar is quite useful in certain contexts and to trigger certain sounds. Trying to translate the nuances of guitar playing to other instruments won't work that well, as you said, and trying to capture the nuances of playing piano on a guitar isn't that effective either, but there is a place for MIDI guitar. I believe Pat Metheny uses a MIDI guitar for one of his signature sounds, a bright guitar synth solo, although I could be wrong.

Still, trying to remix in a DAW using a MIDI guitar isn't a good idea.

[TheCheese]

I believe Pat Metheny uses a MIDI guitar for one of his signature sounds, a bright guitar synth solo, although I could be wrong.

Still, trying to remix in a DAW using a MIDI guitar isn't a good idea.

Yes he does - a Roland GR-300. They're very cool, if you like analog synthesis (who doesnt). It isn't MIDI though. I have it and a GR-700, and while the 700 is MIDI, the tracking isn't nearly as good as the GR-300 so it isn't really worth it. They're both still pretty cool.

I can imagine it being useful for remixing if maybe you were using it to get a rough track down quickly which you would then edit with the mouse. Could be faster for some people.

[big giant circles]

Guitar to midi output is difficult and experimental at best, don't go with that, try getting an actual midi keyboard if that's what you want.

This pretty well sums it up. Except you forgot expensive, too.

I know it requires something like a 13 pin midi cable connection to some sort of synth module (Roland makes one). Carvin makes a guitar that does this, along with a couple other companies.

You'd be better off (IMO) simply recording your guitar (slow down the tempo and then just use timestretching if you need to) or otherwise get a program like MusicLab RealStrat/RealGuitar and an amp modeling FX plugin like Guitar Rig or Amplitube.

[audio fidelity]

You'd be able to record the guitar into something like fruity loops, yes. But it's going to sound like a guitar. You can also skip the mic and just plug the guitar directly into the Firebox and record into FL. Again, it will just sound like a guitar. Of course once you get the guitar sound into FL you can apply whatever effects you want to it...but you still won't be able to easily make it sound like a piano.

I agree with what's been said, get a keyboard instead (I'd suggest a midi controller rather than a digital piano or keyboard synthesizer, see below). It's much more precise and versatile for music making, which is why you see a lot of musicians using them. But, a midi guitar would be really fun to play with.

You'd have to get a midi guitar, or something similar, to do that. Let's clarify though: the sound that you play from the guitar won't be processed to sound like a piano. The sound from the guitar will be used to trigger piano sounds from your computer or synthesizer. I think some of the confusion may be with the prevalence of keyboards. Lots of the remixes here are made using midi controllers, which have keys like a piano, but are not pianos. MIDI controllers make no sound on their own. When a key is pressed, a signal is sent out (MIDI) which basically says "play this note at this volume for this long". Your computer or synthesizer then uses that message to trigger a sound (maybe a sound of a prerecorded piano playing that note, for example). What you're trying to do with the guitar would require the sound from your guitar to be interpreted as digital MIDI messages, and then to have those messages sent out in order to trigger sounds. With a MIDI controller, that first interpretation step is basically skipped, and that's the part of midi guitar that is, as has been said, difficult and experimental at best.

wow harmony - that's the clearest i think anyone could have put into words all the different variables going on here - good work

but if you want a piano - play a piano - the problems with a guitar controller are 1st, the piano is going to sound like it was played on a guitar (not like two handed parts with 5 notes finger patterns and such) - and 2nd, it's not as natural as you think to play midi guitar - every little extra sound is recorded - you have to play it in such a precise manner that you lose the whole feel of playing your guitar how you naturally do so