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MIDI pickup/controller question

OriginalCrash

OriginalCrash

Apr 5, 2007
1,007
10
Metro Atlanta
#1
Not sure if this belongs here or in Effects, but here goes... As far as using MIDI to control an external synth, what is needed? Just a MIDI pickup? A pickup and separate controller? Will any pickup worth with any controller or any synth? I'm just trying to learn (just the very surface, I'm sure) the ins and outs of MIDI... Thanks.

Brian
 
#2
You'll need both a midi pickup and a controller. The Invalid Link Removed is the best on the market at the moment, because it detects notes with the pick transient, which (provided you are using a pick) is a lot quicker than the Roland units. It also has a software editor and a lot more options when it comes to zones, splits and layers of midi data.

There's always going to be some latency with midi bass (especially when using the lower strings) but you can simply play an octave higher on the bass, and then set your synth an octave lower to solve this. All of the midi pickups are basically the same design, and will work with any guitar to midi controller. There's also custom piezos that you can install into the bridge which are even better than the external pickups.
 
#4
We have had issues with tracking with the axon. Any bass with moderatley low action wouldnt track right and you had to have some crazy settings and tunings for each string.
One thing that bugged me, was there was no global style control...you had to go into each preset and change it to get the tracking better. Sorry, set the tracking to the bass, and then the presets should alter. OR the tracking should not even be part of the preset.

The new roland is a little bit better but notice that all demo basses with midi pickups have stupid high action...theres a reason..the technology is not quite there yet.
 
#6
chicago_mike said:
We have had issues with tracking with the axon. Any bass with moderatley low action wouldnt track right and you had to have some crazy settings and tunings for each string.
One thing that bugged me, was there was no global style control...you had to go into each preset and change it to get the tracking better. Sorry, set the tracking to the bass, and then the presets should alter. OR the tracking should not even be part of the preset.

The new roland is a little bit better but notice that all demo basses with midi pickups have stupid high action...theres a reason..the technology is not quite there yet.
Click to expand...

That's incorrect. The action should be low because the pickup needs to be about 3 mm away the strings for it to work. It sounds like you didn't set your bass up properly, because I haven't had any tracking problems with the Axon at all.

Have you tried the latest firmware and editor versions? They have recently added a lot more features, such as the option to apply a change to all presets etc.

Invalid Link Removed
 

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