Re: Infinity Guitar

[Paulpop@ssnet.com (Paul Poplawski, Phd)]

>> additive/resynthesis techniques being developed at cnmat. Naturally, it
>> used the ZIPI network/musical desciption language protocol that we were
>> also developing.
>
>ZIPI sounded like something with a lot of potential. What a shame it
>will probably never see the light of day.
>
>> Personally, I hate guitar synthesizers. It's fun for two minutes while I
>> play a note and say "golly, it comes out sounding like a digiridoo!" But
>> then I notice myself getting bored and losing interest. The problem is 
>that
>> no matter how I play the note, the digiridoo, or tamborine, or whatever,
>> sounds EXACTLY the same. All of the expressive techniques I've spent my
>> whole life learning to do on guitar strings are totally filtered out. No
>> thanks. The infinity was to actually use all the expressive control of 
>the
>> guitarist to control the synthesis, which I found quite exciting.
>
>The only product I know of that fits that description today (access to
>cool non-guitar-like sounds yet with allowance for expressive guitar
>techniques) is the Roland VG8.  It's  a shame there really isn't a 
>competing
>product.  The folks on the Digital Guitar list said that while the VG8
>lives up to the hype as far as being responsive to expressive techniques,
>they found it somewhat lacking in programmability.
>
>Since most of the synthesizer sounds that have caught my interest can be
>duplicated by guitars equipped with today's signal processing technology
>(effects, volume pedals, breath controllers, Ebow, looping devices, etc.)
>I'd probably be more interested in getting a good sampler than a 
>synthesizer,
>mainly for cataloging percussion and guitar noises for cut-and-paste.
>
>
>Paolo Valladolid



I've been using the GR1 for a couple of years and I certainly find it
wanting.  Since I also use an Akai S1000 sampler, I am using it more the
anything in the GR1 system ... it ends up being an expensive trigger.  I
agree that the sounds treated with guitar effects etc. and samplers are
more agreeable.  The guitar as a data entry device into synthesis modules
is a good idea in concept as long as we are willing to play according to
the inherent limitations of the devices.  I have problems with that however
... would rather shape technique and have devices add rather than subtract
from it.  Oh well

Paul