Polyphonic pitch to MIDI converter idea

All general pitch-to-MIDI thoughts, suggestions, complaints, etc.

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brocetalegend
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:37 pm

Polyphonic pitch to MIDI converter idea

Post by brocetalegend »

The basic idea is to incorporate a pitch-to-MIDI system in a guitar. I believe that, with today’s technology, it would be possible to design a small electronic piece which could be built into a guitar and convert the pitch of separate strings into MIDI (thus being polyphonic). The entire product would consist of the mentioned electronic set, two switches, a knob, battery and 5 pin MIDI output. The first switch would be used to adjust the mix of guitar and midi sound (solo midi or solo guitar). The other switch would be used to change between modes: when in low position, guitar would be in chromatic mode; the middle position would set the system into normal mode with pitch bend; and when in upper position, every note on the guitar would work as ’program change’ buttons. For example, you could assign a piano patch to the fifth fret on E string (note A), and a saxophone patch to the first fret on the same string (note F)-when you want to change from one patch to another, all you would need to do is push the switch to the upper position and press the note your desired patch is assigned to.
I believe that guitar manufacturers would buy this type of electronics and, instead of making 13 pin interfaces, they would finally start making true MIDI controller guitars with MIDI out. Or a guitarist who has piezo saddles (actually, any guitarist could buy piezo saddles) could take his guitar to a guitar tech service to perform certain modifications on the guitar and join piezo with this advanced electronics that guitars deserve. It would only be a couple of hours work, but you would have a guitar controller for the rest of your life. I am aware that this would cost more, but if I was to decide if I am going to buy an Axon, a Roland or this ’implementable’ system, I would always choose the latter, because MIDI is much more widespread standard than the 13pin. In addition, by combining MIDI out and piezo it would be possible to design systems for seven and eight string guitars, which Roland and Axon could only dream of! Also, a MIDI guitar could be wireless, and Roland and Axon could not even dream of this! I think that it would be good that someone offers an alternative type of a pitch to MIDI converter, and you have already done it once with your g2m and b2m. I didn’t invent anything new here, this kind of guitars have been manufactured before more then 20 years. My idea is not a complete guitar, but only a pitch-to-MIDI system which could be joined with the piezo saddles. I think guitars should be born with MIDI! And I believe that there are many guitarist who would like to have a MIDI output on their guitar (Are there any of you out there?), especially now when there are so many digital instruments-sequencers, drum machines, grooveboxes, hardware synthesizers, soft synths-all of them offering almost countless sonic possibilities. In modern music, we are constantly being surrounded by these instruments, but it is very complicated for us guitarists to gain access to them.
I would like to hear an opinion from Sonuus, even if it is a negative one, just so I know if I have lost my mind or I am talking about something that would be possible to develop.
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