yrg thread

[torque138]

I was sure i read on their site(s) that the strings were velocity sensitive. Now I can't find that info which makes me a bit nervous.

It could be the internal sounds are just straight triggered.

I have not has a lot of time to spend with my YRG, which arrived yesterday. First of all it's never going to replace a real stringed instrument. Only been able to use the internal sounds. I experience zero velocity curve when picking strings. If you pick too lightly, no sound. You pic a little harder, no sound, then eventually you reach the threshold of response - but you trigger the full force sound of whatever the sampled sound is currently selected. No dynamics. No palm muting. No ability to manipulate individual string to string volume level. High E always sounds lower volume than the rest. About as satisfying as playing a 1980s Casio Keyboard with no velocity. The two buttons below the bridge change the current alternate tuning.

I do like Tap Mode as this removes the poor string triggers from the equation. Had not time to try YRG as a MIDI controller yet.

[Elantric]

Try adjusting the strings

There is no adjustment for strings on the YRG - that i see or find - it seems to be "factory set" - no user settings.

[glokraw]

Try adjusting the strings

There is no adjustment for strings on the YRG - that i see or find - it seems to be "factory set" - no user settings.

Ignoring warranty for now, if they got the strings on there, you can get the strings off,
and then its a science lab for finding a string you like better.

[Elantric]

Actually its a factor of factory fixed string sensitivity and the fact the YRG needs a wider dynamic range of the existing String trigger setup. They have some type of piezo per string to sense string triggering. These piezos feed A/D inputs on a small internal microprocessor.

New Firmware might correct this lack of dynamics situation. But todays small embedded CPU / SoC (systems on Chip) often have only 8 bits of A/D range to play with, and they are multiplexing reading the strings with that one A/D - so dynamic range will suffer as a result.

You get what you pay for. Its no Ztar.

But so far it feels like 1980's playing a cheap Sampler / Rompler with no dynamic crossfade- and no multisamples to play / trigger which would correlate to various ranges of plucked string velocities.


So hey - its perfect for todays pop music.

EDIT:

====

"The YRG has 12 bit A/D range on the strings and uses complex aalgorithms to determine triggering and sensitivity. Editor applications will give the YRG user a wide variety of control over trigger and sensitivity in addition to 8 velocity tables assignable to each of the internal GUITAR and SYNTH voices as well as the MIDI output. MIDI velocity output is only 7 bit "

[Maruuk]

We know from the Yamaha EZ that button-keyboards are just plain creepy. You can kind of manhandle them to work, but there's no feel or naturalness to it. The YRG sensitive-keyboard approach at least sounds way more natural and playable.

[Maruuk]

But if the YRG has no at least perceptible velocity-sensing/velocity output via midi, even if you're activating a non-multi-sampled sample it's going to sound terrible. You have to have a full 1-127 velocity output range to provide proper performance dynamics. If not, it's a major dealkiller. As bad as my old Suzuki controller which has no note-offs. Sustain is set globally. Reedickless.

A device cannot in good conscience be called a "full midi controller" if it doesn't have full velocity sensitivity. Without that it's a useless toy for kids.

Even my $200 Yamaha EZ-EG has full velocity sensitivity. And picking sensitivity adjustment. And that's basically one step above a toy itself.

[warza]

I do like Tap Mode as this removes the poor string triggers from the equation. Had not time to try YRG as a MIDI controller yet.

WELL HURRY UP ALREADY. WE ARE ALL DYING TO FIND OUT!!!

OK, I'm taking a deep breath now......

[Maruuk]

Think back, in any of the vid demos we saw, were there any picking dynamics/velocity dynamics in any performance? None that I heard.

[Maruuk]

Q: Does the YRG incorporate velocity?

YOUROCKGUITAR: Absolutely. We are only now beginning to look at the velocity curves in MIDI and adjusting them to the guitar. I remember doing the same thing for early MIDI keyboards in the 80's, I would like to have multiple velocity curves, but these will most likely come from people using the SDK later in the year.

So the company is in fact claiming velocity, with at least one optimal curve built in. Fine. But that completely skewed threshold problem as detailed above sounds highly problematical. If the unit only makes sounds within a very narrow band of plucking velocity, it has no de facto dynamics by definition. Thus it matters not what velocity curve you put in it, or even that is supposedly has velocity-sensing. If its triggering threshold only responds to a velocity range of, say, 63-75, every note is going to sound roughly at the same volume.

[MisterAcoustic]

There is a halfway plausible explanation for the lack of dynamics you are reporting. I'm guessing and inferring from something I just read on another board.

It seems like each voice has a different velocity response curve for the internal sounds.

I don't think this applies to MIDI out.

Have you tried various internal sounds to see if you get a different response?

Also, some(banned)one said that the string tension is adjustable via a screw next to each string. Perhaps the tension is currently set in a way that impairs the velocity response.

Please clone yourself at least 5 times so that you can both test all the functions quickly, and report back here at the same time . Especially, of course, MIDI tracking and response.

[Maruuk]

Good points. External midi tracking is indeed king here!

[Elantric]

I think this says it all:

We are only now beginning to look at the velocity curves in MIDI and adjusting them to the guitar

EDIT:
I discovered bulk of internal sounds lack dynamics, but this is NOT true when YRG is used as a MIDI controller. I got a full dynamic and velocity range from YRG when driving Apple AU Instruments in GarageBand. read on:

[MisterAcoustic]

Think back, in any of the vid demos we saw, were there any picking dynamics/velocity dynamics in any performance? None that I heard.

Yes, actually, I specifically posted a link to a video that briefly but definitely showed velocity response - but it was over MIDI (which is great), and not the internal sounds.

[Maruuk]

Yes, that could be great news.

Elantric-True, but a velocity curve implies full velocity-sensing and full 1-127 output, he's just taking about WEIGHTING the curve a certain way for different picking dynamics relative to the samples to be triggered. If a midi controller has true, full velocity-sensing, even with a crappy curve you should be able to trigger 1-127 by adjusting your picking strength. Not ideal for sure, but at least doable.

I suspect we're talking about something entirely different here. Semantics are important. If they really have full velocity implemented, he's right, eventually some tweaker can correct for whatever clunky hardware problems and get us a reasonably responsive performer.

But if the hardware has some hardwired limitation, game over.

[tapper mike]

Unless you are playing classical you don't need the full range of 127. Curves sound much more realistic then linear. You only need one light, one medium and one high velocity level for most dynamic range music.