Guitar (hex) pickup into Max
Hello,
I have a couple of questions for the guitar synth users:
Firstly, from what I've read a hex pickup such as the Roland GK-3 outputs 6 signals (one for each guitar string) through a 13-pin connector. Are these audio signals? According to various web sites they are, but I sent Roland UK an email to verify this and they said that it only sends MIDI data, which would mean there is an audio-to-midi converter built directly into the pickup.
Secondly, if they are audio signals, what is the best way to get them into a Max? I haven't been able to find a 13-pin to USB converter type thingy. I know there are devices such as the Roland GI20 which will convert the hex pickup signal to MIDI then send it to the computer, but I'd like to get the raw audio feeds in if possible.
Thanks,
John
>Hello,
>
>I have a couple of questions for the guitar synth users:
>
>Firstly, from what I've read a hex pickup such as the Roland GK-3
>outputs 6 signals (one for each guitar string) through a 13-pin
>connector. Are these audio signals? According to various web sites
>they are, but I sent Roland UK an email to verify this and they said
>that it only sends MIDI data, which would mean there is an
>audio-to-midi converter built directly into the pickup.
>
>Secondly, if they are audio signals, what is the best way to get
>them into a Max? I haven't been able to find a 13-pin to USB
>converter type thingy. I know there are devices such as the Roland
>GI20 which will convert the hex pickup signal to MIDI then send it
>to the computer, but I'd like to get the raw audio feeds in if
>possible.
>
somewhere on the web there is schematics explaining which pin i swhich string
i have seen this page (many times) when searching things like
"guitar synth" etc - should be easy to find (with google)
best
kasper
ok, now i realise how incomplete my answer was
so
1/ the GK-3 sends audio plus some midi, from the switches
but it sends the 6 strings audio on 6 channels (6 wires)
2/ to get those in max i would use a 6 in audio intreface (with 6
preamps and/or 6 DI boxes) - some soldreing to get the 13 pins into 6
jacks......... (schematics on the web)
best
kasper
>>
>>
>>I have a couple of questions for the guitar synth users:
>>
>>Firstly, from what I've read a hex pickup such as the Roland GK-3
>>outputs 6 signals (one for each guitar string) through a 13-pin
>>connector. Are these audio signals? According to various web sites
>>they are, but I sent Roland UK an email to verify this and they
>>said that it only sends MIDI data, which would mean there is an
>>audio-to-midi converter built directly into the pickup.
>>
>>Secondly, if they are audio signals, what is the best way to get
>>them into a Max? I haven't been able to find a 13-pin to USB
>>converter type thingy. I know there are devices such as the Roland
>>GI20 which will convert the hex pickup signal to MIDI then send it
>>to the computer, but I'd like to get the raw audio feeds in if
>>possible.
>>
>
>
>somewhere on the web there is schematics explaining which pin i swhich string
>
>i have seen this page (many times) when searching things like
>"guitar synth" etc - should be easy to find (with google)
>
>best
>
>kasper
At 4:12 PM +0100 9/12/07, John wrote:
>Firstly, from what I've read a hex pickup such as the Roland GK-3 outputs 6 signals (one for each guitar string) through a 13-pin connector. Are these audio signals? According to various web sites they are, but I sent Roland UK an email to verify this and they said that it only sends MIDI data, which would mean there is an audio-to-midi converter built directly into the pickup.
Roland UK is wrong. There is no MIDI send down the 13 pin, only power, six audio channels, and the knob & switch info.
Here's one (of many) references to the pinout:
http://www.unfretted.com/loader.php?LINK=/profs/roland_gk
-C
--
Chris Muir | "There are many futures and only one status quo.
cbm@well.com | This is why conservatives mostly agree,
http://www.xfade.com | and radicals always argue." - Brian Eno
Thanks for the help guys, I'll keep reading.
Chris, I didn't even think to check unfretted.com, silly seeing as I plan on hooking up a GK-3 to my fretless :)
Call for Participation!
Registration is open to participate to our next workshop in Brussels,
11-14 October:
Laptop Music workshop:
Simple Genetic Algorithm for Music by Kim Cascone
The purpose of this workshop is to stimulate new ways of working
collaboratively and in performance with open source materials. Kim
Cascone's approach is based on a simple genetic algorithmic which is
'executed' by the participants.
The concept for this workshop was inspired by John Maeda's "Human
Powered Computer Experiment". In this experiment Maeda recreated the
internal operations of a simple computer using people to physically
transport handwritten instructions and data to and from the CPU, RAM,
FPU, etc.
Participating in this type of experiment enables one to transfer
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The SGA workflow for the participants group is constructed as an
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until a collaborative work starts to converge.
About Kim Cascone
Kim Cascone has a long history involving electronic music: he
received his formal training in electronic music at the Berklee
College of Music in the early 1970's, and in 1976 continued his
studies with Dana McCurdy at the New School in New York City.
In the 1980's, Cascone worked with David Lynch as Assistant Music
Editor on both Twin Peaks and Wild at Heart.
In 1991, Cascone concentrated on Silent Records, a label that he
founded in 1986, transforming it into the US's premier electronic
music label. At the height of Silent's success in early 1996, he sold
the company to pursue a career as a sound designer and went to work
for Thomas Dolby's company Headspace. After two-years at Headspace he
worked for Staccato Systems as the Director of Content where he
oversaw sound design using algorithmic synthesis for video games.
Since 1984, Kim has released more than 30 albums of electronic music
and has recorded/performed with artists such as Merzbow, Keith Rowe,
Tony Conrad, Scanner, Ikue Mori, and Pauline Oliveros among others.
Cascone was one of the co-founders of the microsound list,
http://www.microsound.org, which focuses on issues concerning digital
music and laptop performance. He has also published work for Computer
Music Journal (MIT Press), Artbyte Magazine, Contemporary Music
Review, and Parachute Journal.
When ?
Workshop dates are : from THU 11 OCT to SUN 14 OCT in Brussels. From
10am to 18pm with lunch break. Public concert on SUN 14.
Where ?
at iMAL, 30 Quai des Charbonnages, 1080 Brussels.
Language ?
English (c'est pour cela que cette annonce se fait uniquement en anglais...)
Registration
Only through the registration form on http://www.imal.org/cascone_workshop/
The workshop will accept a maximum of 15 participants. The
participation fee is 30 EUROS.
--
Yves Bernard yb@imal.org
asbl iMAL vzw
30-34 Quai des Charbonnages
1080 Bruxelles/Brussel
tel 32 2 410 30 93
I built a cable that splits the 6 audio lines from the 13-pin DIN plug
out to 6 1/4" TS plugs, plugged them directly into a MOTU Traveler and
it works fine.
-Alex
On Sep 12, 2007, at 10:23 AM, Kasper T Toeplitz
internet.fr> wrote:
> ok, now i realise how incomplete my answer was
>
> so
>
> 1/ the GK-3 sends audio plus some midi, from the switches
>
> but it sends the 6 strings audio on 6 channels (6 wires)
>
> 2/ to get those in max i would use a 6 in audio intreface (with 6
> preamps and/or 6 DI boxes) - some soldreing to get the 13 pins into
> 6 jacks......... (schematics on the web)
>
> best
>
> kasper
>
>>>
>>>
>>> I have a couple of questions for the guitar synth users:
>>>
>>> Firstly, from what I've read a hex pickup such as the Roland GK-3
>>> outputs 6 signals (one for each guitar string) through a 13-pin
>>> connector. Are these audio signals? According to various web sites
>>> they are, but I sent Roland UK an email to verify this and they
>>> said that it only sends MIDI data, which would mean there is an
>>> audio-to-midi converter built directly into the pickup.
>>>
>>> Secondly, if they are audio signals, what is the best way to get
>>> them into a Max? I haven't been able to find a 13-pin to USB
>>> converter type thingy. I know there are devices such as the Roland
>>> GI20 which will convert the hex pickup signal to MIDI then send it
>>> to the computer, but I'd like to get the raw audio feeds in if
>>> possible.
>>>
>>
>>
>> somewhere on the web there is schematics explaining which pin i
>> swhich string
>>
>> i have seen this page (many times) when searching things like
>> "guitar synth" etc - should be easy to find (with google)
>>
>> best
>>
>> kasper
Hi Yves,
I would be very interested. I can attend 12-13 as teaching semester starts,
please let me know if this is ok, regards Pere
--
Pere Josep Villez
Creative and Computational Sound
Department of Creative Technologies
University of Portsmouth
36-40 Middle Street
Portsmouth
PO5
Tel 00 44 23 9284 8484
www.centuryofnoise.com
www.perevillez.com
Too bad i live in the states. Although despite my respect for Kim, i think it sucks that you have to pay to play, 30 euro participation fee...unless i read that wrong.
-chuck
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