midi pick up

sibonobo · #1 01-10-2010, 08:35 AM

I'm looking for a reliable midi converter to control a rack synth via my bass guitar for live shows. Does such a thing exist? What would you recommend?

SebbyNC · #2 01-10-2010, 08:46 AM

You have different possibilities : Roland GK-3B and Yamaha B1D pickups (magnetic pickups which translate into midi signal through a dedicated module) and piezo saddle pickups such as GraphTech's Ghost or RMC's which also translate into midi signal through dedicated modules. All of them should propose a standard 13-pin output jack to be used with standard Midi interfaces (Midi guitar converters such as Roland GR20 or Yamaha G50) which are necessary before the midi synth.

I think piezo pickups are a litlle bit better at tracking bass notes for midi application.

sibonobo · #3 01-10-2010, 08:50 AM

great. I'll look into these. thanks

fast slapper · #4 01-10-2010, 04:47 PM

Good luck, I've read that tracking can be pretty bad for bass. Do a search for other posts with real world experience.

SebbyNC · #5 01-10-2010, 05:26 PM

The tracking is not always perfect, but the effect depends on sound patch I think. Anyways I've listened to a lot of Alain Caron's tunes back when he was playing with the band UZEB, and he used extensively Roland midi pickups and it worked pretty well, although he tended to use midi sounds mostly for choruses, playing higher notes.

This video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjC6ErK2uPk) shows good tracking for low notes with the Roland system. ANd here an example of good tracking with a piezo system for midi application (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITQd2NtbOKA).

gumtownbassman · #6 01-10-2010, 05:43 PM

There is no such thing as an all-in-one "Midi pickup", the type you are looking for is the "Hexaphonic pickup" (with 13 pin connector), which has a seperate pickup for each string.
The analog signal from this goes to one of two types of device.

1.) Pitch-to-Midi converter or midi guitar synth. A dedicated converter is the Roland GI-20, or one with a built in synth sound module like the Roland GR-20. These have issues with tracking delays which get worse on the lower notes.

2.) Modelling Synth such as the Roland V-Bass or VB-99. These don't have the tracking delay found with pitch to midi (unless you are using the pitch to midi function in it) since they use the analog pitch as the synth tone generator (a hybrid system).

The only reliable "pitch to midi" or midibass system to date is a dedicated custom built bass using fret switches. Or a way around the tracking delay of pitch to midi is to use picollo bass strings, and tune the synth down an octave.

There are other options too, like a midi foot pedal note controller (like an organists foot keyboard), to run your synth sound modules.

devilock76 · #7 01-11-2010, 01:06 PM

A while back I remember seeing an ad for this controller that you could adhere to the back of a guitar neck (don't recall if they had a bass version). Anyway it output standard MIDI so there was no need for conversion. It was similar to those piano things you see that can be rolled up. However in this case it went on the back of the neck and you used your thumb that supported the neck to actuate note information from this device. I imagine that if you were not playing root notes on your E string though it might not be the most intuitively musical interface.

I play both keys and bass in the band I play with. Most of the time the bass is just hanging on my shoulder while I play the keys and when I am playing bass at most I am just sustaining a note via the pedal. However there is one song I play both at the same time and basically I play the keys with my right hand and tap the strings on the bass with my left.

It occurs to me that a system could be made that resided in the bridge and inferred string length (based on a knwon scale length) based on impedance from the presence of the finger pressure on the string. As opposed to a just a connection with the fret this might work for a fretless application.

I have also debated finding the lightest midi controller I can find to incorporate into the body of my bass. Not a perfect solution but something that might be interesting. In the end I do have the advantage of I am a competent piano player in addition to being a bass player so I don't view the ebony and ivory as foreign. That might not be for everyone.

Ken

gumtownbassman · #8 01-11-2010, 01:33 PM

There is this little device
http://www.theguitarfiles.com/guitarfile868.html
but only works with guitar, they are designing a bass version. But it is only monophonic.

devilock76 · #9 01-11-2010, 02:43 PM

Nice, here is the bass version:

http://www.sonuus.com/products_b2m.html

I can find the guitar version sold in the states for $99. Nothing on the bass version yet.

Ken