KVR Audio

maki · Post by **maki** » Thu Feb 16, 2006 3:42 pm

http://www.midisolutions.com/products.htm

luca99 · Post by **luca99** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:44 am

Was just reading your comments on the guitar. I'm trying to find out a bit more about how the guitar works in terms of it's technology, and how up to date this technology is, does anyone know anything about this? I presume there is an internal controller in the guitar but Im keen to find out the science on how it works. if antyone can help that'd be great.
Thanks

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 5:02 am

Essentially there are six rows of on/off button switches (discrete state only: they are not velocity or pressure sensitive, but are polyphonic along the row via sysex). The actual "string" strum controllers merely measure relative velocity/loudness/pluck strength. There is no pitch analysis involved as with traditional guitar synths.

Not much science involved: it's pretty much six non-velocity keyboard runs with six drum triggers. That's old stuff. But their MIDI spec support of sysex info for each "fret" makes many more modes possible through third-party software than a typical guitar synth.

- m

luca99 · Post by **luca99** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 6:03 am

Thanks for that info... I'm not overly techie but what you were talking about is the stuff i'm interested in. I know it's a MIDI system but what exactly does that mean - and i'm not familiar with SYSEX either... Sorry to be a bit technologically challenged. Appreciate your help..!

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 3:32 pm

MIDI is Musical Instrument Digital Interface, a standard created in the 80's to hook electronic music gear from different manufacturers together via low-voltage serial "network" cables. All synth gear needs to talk that language/protocol to "play nice" with everything else. Naturally, when software music systems came into vogue, they needed to speak MIDI too.

SysEx is a part of the MIDI spec meaning "System Exclusive". It allows for a single gear manufacturer to go beyond the regular MIDI spec to implement features specific (or "exclusive", per the name) to their products, or just that one product. In this case, the EZ guitars send out normal MIDI note information for each "string" to control any make or model of hardware sound generator or software synth, but it *also* sends out SysEx data descibing every simultaneous fret-button press and string-pluck sensor independently.

While no other system knows what to do with this extra data, Marc (mbncp) and myself have written script programs to translate it back in standard MIDI data in new performance modes, extending the usefulness of the instrument beyond what is typically capable. For example, typically the EZ-G's only send out one note per "string", but with my software you can send out any number of notes simultaneously on the same "string" as if the neck of the guitar were 6 parallel keyboards.

Does that help any?

- m

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:37 pm

Hi guys!

I've just bought an EZ-AG, and am looking forward to hours of fun!

I'm trying to use it with Tracktion 2 to trigger various vsts (e.g. Manystation, Plugsound etc), but I've noticed that that I can only generate low velocity notes. In other words, it's very quiet. Is there a setting I need to change?

BTW I've got Local Control set to "off", and the volume set to 127 (max) although I presume this only controls the speaker volume.

Any help appreciated.

AlanB

Markleford · Post by **Markleford** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:47 pm

Get one of the EZ script programs mentioned in this thread! Mine is at the link below.

They will let you rescale the velocity settings and add new play modes to the EZ.

Otherwise, can T2 use VST-MIDI modules? If so, you could probably find a velocity-scaler plugin.

- m

spuddle · Post by **spuddle** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:03 pm

Nice that you continue to be so helpful Markleford, i'm sure it is really appreciated by all!

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:09 pm

Thanks Markleford.

I'll look into it.

How come it doesn't generate high velocity notes out of the box? (just curious)

Alan

moono · Post by **moono** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:32 pm

Sorry to cut across a question, but.....

Markleford, would your script solve my problem ? I've just got an EZ AG and I'm loving it. I don't mind at all that I can't bend strings as my playing is, probably, too dependent on that as it is. No, it's great and it responds very well to my technique, sort of classico-folkpick-Portuguese-blues-tango-makeItUpAsYouGoAlong

I'm playing the MIDI output into very good gear, an Emu 1820m and a very fast PC. I have no latency problems with it at all BUTit's crashing my Cubase LE software. It's so frustrating not being a tekky. I'm using the Proteus instruments and , after a minute or so playing, it freezes up, generally with a locked note which I can't 'untrigger'. This doesn't happen with the keyboard controller I've got ( which of course I can't play

)

Someone should make litte hard cases for these. I want mine to last forever.

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:38 pm

moono wrote:Sorry to cut across a question, but......

No problem. I'm sorted now, thanks to mbncp

(see message above).

I'm using his script package with Midi Yoke, and it's working fine.

I discovered it is virtually impossible generate a note with a velocity of 127 (you would have to give the string a real thump), so using the scaling options in EZ-AG/EG makes a lot of difference.

Thanks guys

AlanB

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:15 pm

BUTit's crashing my Cubase LE software.

Some people seemed to have problems with sysex and cubase, using specific midi gear.
You may want to try one of the scripts, as they won't send sysex to the host, and see if this is a problem with Cubase or your MIDI driver.

marc

moono · Post by **moono** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:58 pm

Thanks for the responses.
Well marc, I can't crash Cubase LE with the Roland keyboard controller, no matter what I do, so I figure the problem is with the EZ AG as a controller. What would you suggest I try first ?

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:24 pm

Is your Roland keyboard also sending sysex ?
You could also try to set the EZ clock to external (avoiding sending MIDI clock to the host).
Also, try using another host or one of the script to see if it's a cubase related problem.

marc

AlanB · Post by **AlanB** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:51 pm

Which vst instruments work well with the the EZ-AG?

I've tried M42 and Manystation. Any other recommendations?

AlanB

The Yamaha EZ-EG Guitar Midi Controller Thread