A few years ago on the SZ, there were a few guys who were doing some pretty impressive things with their guitars. I'm not sure if they were working with straight MIDI files or if they were using a guitar arranger of so kind, but I remember I liked it. It was tasteful, it was fun to watch...

I don't remember who they were or what their set-up was. Does anyone know who I might be thinking of?

I'm toying with the idea of adding an acoustic guitar component to my shows for certain younger clients. I still want a full sound and flexibility in arranging the tunes on the fly.

Any thoughts, advice, suggestions would be appreciated..

Thanks!

Bill -- The later Roland arrangers use their FC7 pedal which facilitates changes. The PK5 midi bass pedals can be used to send all kind of midi signals to sound modules or keyboards. I've seen guys use the pedals with their guitars and arrangers/drum machines. Check this guy out: http://www.owenpoteat.com/ I heard and watched him a few times; he is outstanding. He plays the guitar live and uses his feet to do some drumming, but also has some electronics going on. We talked for a while about making music and he was very informative. Maybe he would have some pointers to share with you.

Since guitar is my main instrument, I've been looking for a system that will do, with guitar, what my arranger will do.

Haven't found it yet.

I have a friend who has a roland synthesizer for his midi guitar. He can produce various voices as does the right hand of my arranger.

As near as I can tell, to get the same results with my guitar that I do with an arranger I would need:

(1) Synthesized midi guitar
(2) Drum machine
(3) Some sort of backing tracks or styles
(4) Vocal harmonizer

And the problem with #3..backing tracks is that like Karoke, I would have to follow the pre-recorded backing tracks unlike the keyboard that changes chords when I do...more spontaneous.

Truth is, for a couple of years, I tried to figure out how to do with a guitar what my arranger does...since I'm first and foremost a guitar player.

I couldn't find anything simple so that's the reason I started to learn keyboard...it's not like I'm a talented keyboard player or anything like that.

If someone could come up with an arranger that follows guitar, hey that would be great. Does such a thing exist?

guitpic1,

I used a Goden through a Roland GR-20 connected to my Tyros keyboard for a while and was able to control a style and play a upper voice on the keyboard, but it was a lot of hard work and not the normal way to play the guitar.

Thom Bresh did some thing similar for a while long time ago, but he didn't use a sound module like the keyboard.

It is very easy to play the upper voices on the keyboard by way of your guitar MIDIed through the Roland, but it takes some work to get the sound you want due to the continued string vibrations, especially open strings.

Bill G

There is a nice new guitar, fender strat with a wireless midi included for 1000$ :

http://www.fender.com/series/deluxe/fend...gerboard-black/

I think I will buy one !


This can be used plug & play with the vArranger software

vArranger has some cool features for guitarists

You play the guitar as usual, the arranger change the chords when it detects that you play 3 or more notes together

You can save a chord sequence with the style that you can activate when you want

I have just started a new page with the vArranger feature list

http://www.varranger.com/features/

guitpic1,

If (to answer your question) you are looking for a system that will do what your arranger will do, and you want to control this using a Guitar, Ketron makes the following Arranger Modules:-

* KETRON SD3 (Midi based unit).
* KETRON Midjay Plus (Midi based unit with Grooves).
* KETRON Midjay PRO (Midi and Audio based unit with Mp3 and Wave player)

If you are heavy into style tweeking and creation, the SD3 is highly recommended. With the new USB SD Card reader and Audio Player, you can also play along with Mp3 and Wave files.

Here are some small demonstrations of both an acoustic and electric guitar players using it live:-

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qFV_Z9olsQ

In this case, the player plays lead voices (sax, piano, strings ... etc) using the Midi in his Casio Guitar. The sounds and styles are all from the XD3 (predecessor to the SD3).

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_sbkdj8lPY

And here is Ron using it in a live setting (gig):-
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyDAHiSCLgc

Contact us if you are further interested at KetronUSA@Ajamsonic.com

Thanks
*

Bill, when I first got out of the Navy, I worked the bar scene around Baltimore, just a kid with a six-string guitar, and singing country songs in a smoke filled bar room. When drum machines became available at the local music shop, I purchased a Roland, which was fantastic at the time. It really added a lot to the performances, and it was readily accepted by the audiences.

When I got my first Yamaha keyboard, a PSR-500, I tried playing with midi files as backing, but to be honest, the audiences really didn't seem to accept it very well. I did it for about a year, then went back to just the keyboard and singing, which seemed to put a lot more folks on the dancefloor. Now, there is a due here, Norm & Carlos, that has been very successful. One plays a fantastic guitar, while the other plays the keyboard, and they both sing very well. They are in high demand, and command a fairly good rate of pay. However, they only work weekends, and when they play the nite club jobs, the rate of pay is, as usual, lousy. They do best with private parties, and usually have at least one a week.

Good luck,

Gary

Interesting stuff and good videos.

I guess I'm a bit like Gary, I probably would continue to use the keyboard vs. a guitar/footpedal combo...seems easier?

Thanks all for sharing.

On another note...Gary might be on to something re: the piano/guitar duo he mentions.

Seems my wife and I can get gigs together a lot easier than I do alone...even though the two of us cost more than twice what I charge as a single.

I still have an Auto Orchestra that I used for years. It is a module, plus pedals (13 note bass pedals). You use the pedals to key the bassline; use your right heel and toe to trigger minors, 7ths, etc and get the rhythms (including bass variations off the root note) from the unit itself. Breaks are accomplished with buttons on the unit.


You can do the same thing with a Midjay and proprietary pedals.
The Midjay Plus sounds just like the SD-5, I believe.

Sounds complicated, but pretty easy to get used to. the changes are triggered with your left foot, so you're not using the midi portion of the guitar, unless you want to access midi sounds for the lines you're playing.

I still have Don's old Midjay, untouched by me since I go it.
Take a look at the Ketron literature. The pedals are around $500.00, I believe.

Works GREAT!


Russ