Reproducing traditional instruments digitally in Ubuntu

[Veerstryngh Thynner]

I think the effort is about equal (or less) to the effort required to make the combination of Guitar, audio interface, audio-to-MIDI-converter, sequencer, synth and hardware recorder to work together.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I think you are trying to say that MIDI keyboard/USB MIDI interface/PC source will be a whole lot more practical. And I agree, to some extent.

My home studio contains a small Gem keyboard and an enormous M-Audio Keystation Pro 88. Both have MIDI capabilities; the latter even to an intimidating degree.

With the Gem, string, brass and woodwind sections have successfully been reproduced, in the past - using Sibelius as source - and mixed with live instruments. The Gem is also perfectly fine for adding solo trumpet, clarinet, trombone, sax, flute and the like. I have no problem with this methodology: it's the one I have been using most of the time, so far.

However, replicating ukulele/mandolin/tenor banjo/guitar attack & chord flow credibly (i.e. as if it were really live), on a digital piano, has never worked for me.

I believe that recording ukulele/mandolin/tenor banjo/guitar on a computer convincingly can only be done with the genuine article - namely a real ukulele/mandolin/tenor banjo/guitar. And yes, this usually causes a lot of head-scratching. For ukuleles/mandolins/tenor banjos/guitars happen to be staunchly polyphonic. Yet modern USB guitar-to-MIDI converters (including those integrated in Rakarrack and Guitarix) appear to be predominantly monophonic (i.e. only one note at a time accepted). So how to wed instrument with IT?

This is what I'm facing with respect to my electric tenor guitar.

I just discovered tenor banjo samples to die for. I want my electric tenor guitar to sound like those. So with my instrument in my hands and the right software in the CD-ROM, what exactly should go in-between?

You guys are excellent in helping me defining this.

tnob

[AnthonyCFox]

I just discovered tenor banjo samples to die for. I want my electric tenor guitar to sound like those. So with my instrument in my hands and the right software in the CD-ROM, what exactly should go in-between?

Guitar > Fishman TriplePlay > LinuxSampler (I suggest using Carla as a host for LinuxSampler. It has a better UI than LinuxSampler and the best Jack patchbay).

I understand you'd like a software guitar-to-midi converter, and so would I. I think someday it may exist but it will still require a special pickup because of the complexity of the signal.

I've been following guitar synth development for 20 years, it's a dream of mine, and the Fishman TriplePlay is the dream come true. The price will come down a bit I'm sure and there will be competitors to ensure that happens. I expect that 5 years from now you'll be able to get something like it in the range of $150-$250 but for now the TriplePlay stands alone.

[briandc]

Hi tnob,

if I'm understanding you correctly..

from your external keyboards, you can just send the midi signal to the computer, and have the actual sounds coming from the computer's application (such as a sampler or softsynth). Or, if you can get the samples from your keyboard into your computer, you can play them directly by loading them into something such as linuxsampler or Qsynth. (It just depends on the audiofile you choose.)


brian

[raboof]

I think the effort is about equal (or less) to the effort required to make the combination of Guitar, audio interface, audio-to-MIDI-converter, sequencer, synth and hardware recorder to work together.

If I'm understanding you correctly, I think you are trying to say that MIDI keyboard/USB MIDI interface/PC source will be a whole lot more practical.

For the instruments that you don't master physically, yes.

With the Gem, string, brass and woodwind sections have successfully been reproduced, in the past - using Sibelius as source - and mixed with live instruments. The Gem is also perfectly fine for adding solo trumpet, clarinet, trombone, sax, flute and the like. I have no problem with this methodology: it's the one I have been using most of the time, so far.

Right, I think this is a fine approach (though you could probably make your Linux workflow easier/simpler by replacing Sibelius with some native Linux software).

I believe that recording ukulele/mandolin/tenor banjo/guitar on a computer convincingly can only be done with the genuine article - namely a real ukulele/mandolin/tenor banjo/guitar.

Well, yeah. If you have one available and you can play it, then by all means just use that one .

For ukuleles/mandolins/tenor banjos/guitars happen to be staunchly polyphonic. Yet modern USB guitar-to-MIDI converters (including those integrated in Rakarrack and Guitarix) appear to be predominantly monophonic (i.e. only one note at a time accepted). So how to wed instrument with IT?

This is what I'm facing with respect to my electric tenor guitar.

I've been less than impressed by guitar-to-MIDI converters so far, but perhaps technology has improved...

[AnthonyCFox]

I've been less than impressed by guitar-to-MIDI converters so far, but perhaps technology has improved...

If you take a few minutes and look https://www.youtube.com/results?q=Fishm ... a=N&tab=w1 you'll see it has, it's called the Fishman Triple Play and it's been available for retail sale for about 6 months now after being introduced at the '12 NAMM convention. It was created by the same man who was behind the Axon; the quality of which, after all these years, Roland still struggles to match.

It will be interesting to see if Roland simply drops midi conversion or if they reverse engineer the Triple Play and bundle it with their synth sound module technology.