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Has anyone found a cost-effective, improved tracking replacement to the GI-20 ? Thanks.
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I have been looking at the Fishman triple play: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TriplePlayPU/From what I have read it is very good.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Amazing how hard it is to keep up with this stuff - that's completely new idea to me. Thanks for suggesting it - it's nice to know what new things are out there.
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I watched the demo by the Fishman guy on the Sweetwater site. The guy is obviously very talented. However, I can't seem to get away from the fact that it still sounds mostly like guitar voicing and phrasing of synths and it just sounds unnatural to my ear. The technology seems pretty incredible, but it's my opinion that a mid-level keyboard player would make those sound much more fluid than the demonstration. Perhaps it's just poor selection of synth sounds for the demo, I don't know.
Joe, do you find that you can't accomplish midi data entry successfully with a keyboard?
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I bought the TriplePlay a few months ago - it is VERY good! Only two issues I have with it:
1) I will never get use to the need for a PC between me and all my HW synths (I use more HW than SW synths), and
2) my anal retentive mindset that forced me to buy extra (and it does add up) mounting HW to outfit almost every single non-GK equipped guitar with mounts so I can move the Fishman PUP and transmitter to any guitar on a whim.
It tracks well - but not any better (and not any worse) than my GK to MIDI equipment solutions.
Price wise you can get it for around $330 (w/no S&H - you can do your own Google).
I am in process of setting up multiple guitars (Strats, ES-335, SG, LP's, Joe Pass, and a few others) but it works on/with all of them nicely and of course I did not expect any issues either.
Only "complaint" (so far) I really wish they would have made the cabling between PUP and TX (transmitter) longer by about 1 to 1.5 inches. Or better yet used a quick disconnect style connector (hard but not impossible to build) between them THEN you could buy and permanently mount PUPS to the guitars only move the TX around!
Note, be careful do not lose the USB RX (receiver) that's alone is a $70 replacement item.
Rockstar_not
Maybe I misunderstood what you were getting at but , and I've been playing MIDI guitar(s) since '89,
MIDI guitar can only "phrase" and play like another instrument as well as the particular guitar player can imitate and think like a keyboard player, horn player, bow player, reed player, stick & twig user,….
Ditto a keyboard player (wind player, stick & twig user, …) can seldom phrase and make a guitar patch sound like a guitar player, horn player, etc.
Larry
Last edited by Larry Kehl; 07/29/14 05:22 PM.
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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Rockstar_not
Maybe I misunderstood what you were getting at but , and I've been playing MIDI guitar(s) since '89,
MIDI guitar can only "phrase" and play like another instrument as well as the particular guitar player can imitate and think like a keyboard player, horn player, bow player, reed player, stick & twig user,….
Ditto a keyboard player (wind player, stick & twig user, …) can seldom phrase and make a guitar patch sound like a guitar player, horn player, etc.
Larry
Larry, I think you nailed it. I don't disagree with you. It's a fairly rare thing to hear a keyboard player properly emulate a sax with a sax patch, etc., without a certain amount of 'weirdness' to the ending sound. However, I think that I've heard more keys patches take advantage of some of the additional controls on keyboards to help the emulation a little farther along with solo instruments. I haven't heard decent midi triggered guitar until about a year ago - there's a product line from Amplesound which to my ear sounds quite good in a mix, triggered via proper phrasing on keys. But the solo instruments that I've heard triggered from midi guitar to my ear have just slightly less realism - I don't know if it's the fact that there's no damper pedal to sustain notes selectively or what, but it just sounds slightly more unrealistic to my ear. I could be all wrong about this; I don't feel that I've done a good job explaining myself about what I notice with midi guitar triggered sounds.
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I still use my Roland GR303 with a GM-70, and I've produced some great hardware based midi induced sounds!
Thank you Pat Metheny, for showing us "the way", back in the 80's...along wth the synth/sampler advancements!!
Yamaha...Motif ES-8, Motif Rack, CS6X
Korg...Karma,Triton Classic, PA-80, M-1+
AkaiSampler-S5000, Roland.. X5080 Rack/G-1000 Arranger
Various Guitars/Basses Amps Pedals Rec.Equip.
Plus, BIAB 2015 and Sonar Platinum 2015 Upgrade from Cakewalk's Sonar X-3
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Rockstar_not
Maybe I misunderstood what you were getting at but , and I've been playing MIDI guitar(s) since '89,
MIDI guitar can only "phrase" and play like another instrument as well as the particular guitar player can imitate and think like a keyboard player, horn player, bow player, reed player, stick & twig user,….
Ditto a keyboard player (wind player, stick & twig user, …) can seldom phrase and make a guitar patch sound like a guitar player, horn player, etc.
Larry
Larry, I think you nailed it. I don't disagree with you. It's a fairly rare thing to hear a keyboard player properly emulate a sax with a sax patch, etc., without a certain amount of 'weirdness' to the ending sound. However, I think that I've heard more keys patches take advantage of some of the additional controls on keyboards to help the emulation a little farther along with solo instruments. I haven't heard decent midi triggered guitar until about a year ago - there's a product line from Amplesound which to my ear sounds quite good in a mix, triggered via proper phrasing on keys. But the solo instruments that I've heard triggered from midi guitar to my ear have just slightly less realism - I don't know if it's the fact that there's no damper pedal to sustain notes selectively or what, but it just sounds slightly more unrealistic to my ear. I could be all wrong about this; I don't feel that I've done a good job explaining myself about what I notice with midi guitar triggered sounds. Rockstar_not, YOU just hit the nail right on the head. If a MIDI guitarist does not learn MIDI CCs their leads will be extremely static, i.e. not very realistic. That is the same with any MIDI controller. This is what led me to buy a wind controller. I can input a more realistic horn track much faster with it than I can with my MIDI guitar controller. If a guitarist, or any instrumentalist, thinks they can just pick up a MIDI controller and play it like their main instrument is in for a big shock. They must learn about and implement CCs to obtain the most realistic emulation. If you are a guitarist and thinking about a guitar MIDI controller think about the additional time you will need to learn the above and also to think about purchasing a MIDI control foot pedal. You will get a more realistic emulation if you implement CCs while you are playing via a MIDI control foot pedal that to add them later, at least in my experience. This is one BIG advantage keyboard players have over guitarists. Ps - IMHO this is why RealTracks and RealDrums are a huge success. Everything is done for you when compared with MIDI tracks. You can get excellent MIDI tracks but it takes a lot of work. Those of us who have been around MIDI for a long time can get things done fairly rapidly but with RTs everything is there and it sounds excellennt.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Fully concur re: CC controllers (yes, my bad - redundant use of word "control") even when playing keyboards that have ribbon controllers, mod wheels, etc. I have/use multiple CC pedals which feed all MIDI synths, via MIDI merge in my MIDI patch bays, including my MIDI guitar signal and even PC MIDI in.
But, the best CC ever invented for a guitar player was ......
(wait for it)
............
the VOLUME control (or a volume pedal if you can't tweak well with pinky)
Larry
Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
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- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
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- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
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- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
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Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
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