New product aimed at guitarists. Hmmm—what if BIAB could be programmed like this, and with its existing feature set?

http://digitech.com/en-US/products/TRIO

I just posted a link to PG Music for the Facebook group Guitar Players On Facebook. I'll be curious to see what, if any, response is generated.

Looks like a cool toy for someone doing a solo gig. You could just riff for hours!

interesting product..

foot pedals have had the ability for a long time to turn drum and bass grooves off and on... and more recently looping. This is the first semi-intelligent application I've seen in which the recorded loop automatically selects an appropriate drum and bass groove to go with it. They will probably sell the heck out of this unit!

But compared to BIAB it is still so far behind in so many ways it's hard to even start counting. The biggest limitation of this device is that you'd still be locked into the same set of instruments most bands have. Drums, guiyar, bass, keyboard... as opposed to BIAB which is potentially unlimited in every direction.

The good news (for me) is that this gizmo will encourage more solo acts... and the more solo acts catch on, the more venues will arise to support them. Also, the less resistance there will be from the standard naysayers.

There is certainly a market opportunity for such a device. BiaB it ain't, but it's not pretending to be that either.
Cool device
Price point?

I think its biggest limitation is that you have to teach it every new song you want to play before you start playing. Jamming at home might be OK but I can't see how that is suitable for live gigs.

Can't find a price. I don't think it's been released yet.

If, just saying IF, tomorrow a pedal came out that would do "everything" BIAB does and I would have to load in every arrangement manually, well I would pass.

I'll add, while this seems like a nice toy to play around with, it would be a giant step backwards to try to replace BIAB for live gigs.

Later,

yeah I am totally gob-smacked by all the cool stuff BIAB and RB enable you to do live. Just the ability to send voiceworks the information it needs to create custom harmonies on the fly to your live singing would do it for me.

But it also can do other things.. send data to a guitar harmonizer so it can follow chords, not just play to a scale...

Send data to MIDI capable devices to automate all sorts of things.. patch changes, volume, lights...

The backing tracks can have any number of changes, not limited to a loop that has to be taught in real time...

all that and more

I heard it will be $224 msrp, $179 street.


This pedal looks very interesting!!!! I love BIAB and I do not think the trio would replace BIAB but it would be a great tool to add to the practice arsenal when I don't feel like firing up the computer and I AM IN THE GROOVE!

Omar

I will NEVER use this to REPLACE BIAB, but it could be nice to have to do a song in a fly while doing a solo gig.

I wouldn't think anyone using BIAB in a live situation would switch to the Trio. However, if the street price is correct, it's about the same as buying BIAB Pro.

Anyone seeing BIAB for the first time may be intimidated by it, and opt for the Trio instead. Guess it depends on what your "live" playing skills are, and how much "band" you want or need behind you.

LLOYD S

there is a certain bias in some circles against anything prerecorded... so even though BIAB brings much more to the table, some people will feel more like a real-time performance with this gizmo is closer to their definition of "live music" than playing along with BIAB or backing tracks created with it.

But I'd rather have the freedom to develop the song in more ways

Agree, looks like an interesting pedal. Also agree, no real threat or replacement for BIAB, or even the almost orphaned Jammer Pro 6 (I still get emails from them and site is still up - just nothing new in years).

However, if Digitech added loop capability like in one of their JamMan loopers /delays, I have the Stereo Jamman Delay and it is very useful, with USB and software, for storage and editing (like their loppers/delays) , and those pedals also had SDHC card storage - it could be used to set up a fairly good set list. Especially if you got your hands on the EH Organ pedal(s) - you could easily put together a 3 hr set: bass, organ, drum with you as both rhythm guitar (record in looper and) and lead.

Actually reminiscing, this would have been GREAT for the bars I USE to play in (simple rock/blues - "filler" music), a long, LONG time ago - in the coal mining/steel mfg areas of western PA where I grew up and played. But then again, back then, and probably still today (haven't been union member in a very LONG time and don't keep track of such things) the local UNION would have BANNED those pedals for any live work!

You couldn't even use an organ that had a "sideman" - reasoning you WERE putting a union drummer out of work. If caught, the union would shut you down and ban any other union players from that bar or place of business. Back then, at least in PA, and especially in union steel & coal towns,you didn't buck the unions - ANY of them.

Larry

It can handle riffs OK and progressions that repeat.....
What about choruses and bridges and other "off the cuff" things? I'm not seeing this as a useful tool quite yet.

It's cool though and sounds good from what I can hear. And compact.....

I'm sure there's a market for it.

All true, but this is just the first generation. Once users get their hands on it and begin making suggestions, there should be rapid development. I'm not arguing one way or the other, just pointing out possibilities.

R.

if it's like most looper pedals it might have a way to stack multiple loops so your songs can have bridges etc... but the downside is you still have to teach every song in real time. By the time the audience listens to you build the rhythm track, they're ready for the next song but you're just getting started on this one

As far as I understand, you can teach three different parts of a song (verse, chorus, bridge) and select from the three on the fly and easier with the use of the optional switch pedal Digitech has. Read more here:

http://digitech.com/en/products/trio

well at least with most DigiTech Jamman looper(s) pedals you can build loops and STORE them on the SDHC card at HOME! Actually you can build whole SONGs at home (FROM BIAB)and store on card and you can get many, many hours stored.

If you're good you can do some seamless stuff with loopers in real time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkX8gCSrAcg

also check around 14:10'ish on this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtUD0XVS3UE

Larry

I store all my BIAB back-ups for my songs on a JamMan SoloXt. I also, use a FS3X footswitch to navigate between songs. At gigs its great having everything hands free as I'm playing the guitar.

Frank

all the demo backings in all three videos sound suspiciously similar..

where is the latin? The Gosple keyboard.. OK unfair to compare...

PG is the best its the Roller, that's the little Fiat..

Z

HI FRANK,

how did you set up the footpedals? Your working with Wav files set pu as loops?

I am waiting to receive a pedal that functions as a Switch and can be allocated to any querty keyboard function, I hope to use this to start and stop loops/songs in BIAB by allocating it to the space bar function.

Z

ZZ, what pedal is that?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141164969576

Not sure if it is going to work with BIAB yet,still waiting for the postman

Z

ZZ, from the looks of the specification it should be able to do exactly what you want

Give us some feedback, eh?

Hi Z,

Once I've rendered my BIAB back-ups to WAV's, I copy them over to the JamMan pedal using their software. I store them as "single phrases", not loops, which means they stop automatically at the end of the song. I've installed the optional SDHC card that allows for up to 16 hours of music. On my set list next to each tune is the number of its location on my pedal. Using the FS3X footswitch I can start and stop songs and navigate quickly between them. So I'm basically using the pedal as a playback device.

Here's a link: http://digitech.com/en-US/products/jamman-solo-xt

Hopes this helps.

Frank

Will do, I want it to start a loop, this shortcut is the spacebar, so I hope I can enter this

Interesting - maybe I should learn the guitar No, its IS interesting.

this article appeared on PGMusic's facebook page today:

TRIO PEDAL WINS NAMM AWARD

Using BIAB styles - way to go PG!

Josie

Digitech with BiaB inside win best a show! I bet the mention of BiaB will shock a few people!

the light bulb went on

I didn't even watch video until now: powered by BIAB, GREAT!

Now I have to buy that pedal just for grins if nothing else.

OR maybe I should wait for a version 2.0 pedal that has SDHC and USB for SW upgrades from (BIAB) and editing (OK folks I'm just spreading rumors now).

Like I mentioned previously if you are good, and cleaver, couple it with a Jamman Looper and if it plays nice with their B3 pedal - I might never turn PC on again

Larry

So the whole BIAB song can be set as a "single phrase" and played by selecting the number on the footpedal. $149 USD!!
Boy oh boy there was a time, not so long ago, when that would have been ordered in a wink, but alas times do change....

Feedback. yes its all working The manual ios one sentence of literary translation of Chinese - but that does not really matter, it works

So this confirms it. I saw the video and thought I heard the "Powered by BIAB reference).

Which was surprising a little. I'm glad of this of course, and now i'm SURE I want the pedal

Just to say I have been having issues with my pedal, when I set it to give a 'space bar' signal, in BIAB the loop function ignores the end of a loop and simply travels onward. It seemed to work on some occassions - unless its me

Z

I'm betting its a BIAB thing...

Man you guys sure know how to hijack a thread.

Your confusing people. You wasted my time.

looks like a looper with a drum machine. For my money it seems useless.
Seems like you'd get bored with its extremely limited features really really soon.
WSS

Well, if all you need it for is a playback unit for a gig and the phrases can be easily and quickly navigated via footswitch, the thing would be worth its weight in gold as utility for a performing artist. I know if I was gigging solo, I'd be taking a serious look at this thing.

Just sayin'...

Been following this thread and no hi-jacking intended.

The use of BIAB in my opinion is a marketing gimmick.
I own a Digi trio and although happy with the black box of tricks, it is in no way comparable to Band in a Box or any competitors software for that matter.

It does serve a purpose though. I use it to practice licks and runs over a drums and bass loop memorised by the trio based on the chord input from my guitar. This loop is then played and chord progressions, riffs and licks can be practised over it.

The drums still sound plastic and the bass has this nasty little slide sound that can lead to irritation.

As a training and practising aid, it serves it purpose, as a band or recording device, No!

I use Band in a Box and it meets my needs for backtracking and recording.

Ciao

I bought it and its nice if you want do some mindless jamming by yourself

You have to teach it before playing but its limited

Does not store songs per se but is really a looper leveraging some of BIAB's midi styles

NO competition for PG's stuff

I fire it up now and again if i want to play stuff i have not made BIAB songs for..

Now if they collaborate to get it to control BIAB/RB it would be a game changer.

There are Firmware updates http://digitech.com/en-US/software
I know you need to use the headphone out if you want stereo output like for the drums drums.
There also have the Digitech TRIO+ model now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrm0SBa87oU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONFRv9e-AI