Could this be the next big thing in guitars?

drippycat

I was checking out the announcements from NAMM and the one that grabbed my attention was this bit of software - https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_ReGuitar/ . It's not out yet but the idea of modelling the pickups as well as the amp made me as giggly and excited as when I sat next to Matt Goss on a bus until he got off at the dole office.

The software I've linked to is a nice idea. It's not that different to a Variax but instead of having to get the guitar to get the technology, you can use your favourite guitar and just process it. Oo yes!

But the idea which really floated my boat was this: If you can profile an amp a la Kemper, what obstacles are there to profiling guitars? How different would the process have to be? And if you could do that, how long would it be before you can buy packs of different guitars. And even more intriguingly, at what point will you be able to buy profiles of famous guitar, i.e. Blackie/Lucille/an Angus Young/Iommi SG or the entire collection of Jimmy Page guitars? And how much will people complain that the technology is rubbish because they sound nothing like their heroes?

Any thoughts?

Grumpyrocker

I remember there was a system in the 90s (?) an effects floorboard that did this kind of thing. You could virtually place pickups in different places and make other drastic changes. I remember it costs 1000s and I've no idea if it was any good. I just remember seeing it in Guitar Magazine at the time. 

The new Fender Acoustisonics have some guitar modelling in, they've profiled various acoustic guitars that you can blend together.

DeeTee

Grumpyrocker said:

I remember there was a system in the 90s (?) an effects floorboard that did this kind of thing. You could virtually place pickups in different places and make other drastic changes. I remember it costs 1000s and I've no idea if it was any good. I just remember seeing it in Guitar Magazine at the time. 

The new Fender Acoustisonics have some guitar modelling in, they've profiled various acoustic guitars that you can blend together.

Was that a Roland thing? I have vague memories  

Grumpyrocker

DeeTee said:

Grumpyrocker said:

I remember there was a system in the 90s (?) an effects floorboard that did this kind of thing. You could virtually place pickups in different places and make other drastic changes. I remember it costs 1000s and I've no idea if it was any good. I just remember seeing it in Guitar Magazine at the time. 

The new Fender Acoustisonics have some guitar modelling in, they've profiled various acoustic guitars that you can blend together.

Was that a Roland thing? I have vague memories  

Not sure. I just remember it being this big angular silver wedge of something I'd never be able to afford.

Winny_Pooh

The Roland VG8 with the hex pickup claimed to do some of that.

stonevibe

I spoke to them the other day about this software and it isn't out till later in the year. I'm hoping to try it out sometime soon.

maltingsaudio

Winny_Pooh said:

The Roland VG8 with the hex pickup claimed to do some of that.

Got a mate who still uses his for gigs and says it’s the best thing he ever bought

Dominic

Doesn't the Line 6 Variax already do this with a very solid proven heritage

Grumpyrocker

Winny_Pooh said:

The Roland VG8 with the hex pickup claimed to do some of that.

That's the bugger .

Zoolooter

Is nothing sacred

thegummy

Could well be an interesting and useful way to manipulate the tone of a recorded guitar.

I personally wouldn't hold my breath about it actually making it sound like a different pickup was used but admittedly I'm just guessing with that doubt.

Same with the Variax guitars - never actually tested them but just always kind of assumed they won't get that close to completely different pickups.

Isn't it the case that some pickups will pick up frequencies that others won't? If so, how does the software create those missing frequencies, by generating them from harmonics maybe or making some kind of educated guess at what they would sound like?

Hope I'm wrong though - would love to see technology advance as much as it can. I can't even imagine how much worse a home studio, or even practising at home, must have been before amp modelling got so great. E.g. I sit every night with headphones on playing with such beautiful subtle tones in the wee hours of the morning with a sleeping baby undisturbed in the next room. Before modelling I could have still plugged headphones in to the amp but it wouldn't sound anything like the amp in the room which it does with the IR and modelling.

Maybe this technology will take off and, just like people now have one modelling box instead of many different amps, they'll have one guitar they like the feel of and it can sound like any guitar they want the tone of!

Doodlegame

I have a katana amp and in that there is a guitar sim for eg Single to Humbucker etc

I think it's a cool idea if you're on a budget/space/just don't want lots of guitars but I think things like that for me become too picky. Set up tones/channels on an amp and plug in for me.

My thinking is want a Les Paul? Buy a Les paul rather than modeling a Tele etc to sound like it but I see the appeal it will have to others and it would be cool to see how it works.
Thanks for the post

Foster

The answer is, of course, no.

If this kind of technology really was the future we'd all be playing a Line 6 Variax. 


Look at people who really make a living from music - they use what works for them. Do AC/DC care about tweaking their sound? Of course not, they've found a sound that works and hate anyone tinkering with their setup. If you worked at a taxi rank would you rush to get the latest in car technology or buy a Skoda Octavia/Toyota Avensis

sweepy

It’ll be the next big thing people spend and lose a lot of money on 

skunkwerx

What is real?
How do you define 'real'?
If you're talking about what you can feel, what you can smell, what you can taste and see, then 'real' is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.


You have to let it all go, Neo.
Fear, doubt, and disbelief. Free your mind.

DaevidJ

They are all wearing new clothes... 

Voxman

Now this would be interesting as a floor stomp FX pedal! 

impmann

Will it appeal to middle aged blokes playing “authentic” blues at home?

No.

So therefore it’s of no interest to “anyone”

Sheesh....

Sassafras

It's something else to buy, at least.

Bigsby

Foster said:

The answer is, of course, no.

If this kind of technology really was the future we'd all be playing a Line 6 Variax. 

 If you worked at a taxi rank would you rush to get the latest in car technology or buy a Skoda Octavia/Toyota Avensis

Maybe you'd be buying one of these:


I'm seeing a lot of 'hi tech' taxis in London these days.

One big difference between this and the Variax is that the latter requires you to play a particular guitar. Most of us want to play a different particular guitar, or even a variety of guitars, so this limits the appeal of the Variax. Whereas this technology still allows you to use the bit that really interests most of us - the guitars we like.

meltedbuzzbox

impmann said:

Will it appeal to middle aged blokes playing “authentic” blues at home?

No.

So therefore it’s of no interest to “anyone”

Sheesh....

Wooo ho ho there cowboy

You forgot rock blues and Delta blues :-p