Products of Interest

You Rock Guitar MIDI Guitar Controller

The You Rock Guitar is a guitar-shaped MIDI controller with a 22-fret neck with pressure sensitive switches, a tremolo arm, a joystick, and a short string section for triggering notes (see Figure 1). The tremolo arm is used for pitch bends and the joystick for modulation. A built-in sound library allows the controller to be used as a stand-alone instrument, without the need for computer-generated sound. The sounds include sampled acoustic, electric and bass guitars, as well as sampled piano, strings, pads, drums, and synthesizers. Layer and Zone features can be used to map two different sets of sounds onto the fingerboard. Volume, pan, chorus, transposition, and MIDI channel can be set for each layer and theuserhas achoiceofmajor,minor, pentatonic, or user-defined scales. One hundred presets are pre-loaded with various combinations of sounds and tunings.

The connection ports are located on the bottom edge of the guitar and the control buttons on the top edge. The ports provided are: USB, 5-pin MIDI, ¼-in guitar jack, mini stereo headphone output, stereo line input for use with audio sources, and a GameFlex port for wireless connection to Wii and Playstation 3. The You Rock Guitar can operate on battery power using four AA batteries or can be powered via the USB connection. The user can adjust settings via a software application or can use the on-board controls. The controller weighs 6.5 lbs and has buttons for use with a guitar strap. A set of headstocks and decorative pick guards are available as optional accessories.

You Rock Guitar is listed for US$ 359. Contact: You Rock Guitar; telephone (+1) 805-426-5000; electronic mail info@yourockguitar.com; Web yourockguitar.com.

Figure 1.

The You Rock Guitar MIDI controller.

Fishman TriplePlay Wireless Guitar Controller

The TriplePlay from Fishman is a wireless MIDI controller for electric guitars. It comprises a low profile (less than ½-in.) wireless controller, hexaphonic pickup, and wireless USB receiver for transmission of the MIDI signal to computer (see Figure 2). The controller can be quickly and easily mounted and removed from the guitar. It uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery and has a wireless range of more than 100 ft. The controller unit features a volume control, selector switch, and controller for menu and patch selection. It has a status LED and a mini-USB port for charging. The hexaphonic cable is connected to the controller unit through a short cable. It picks up the notes played, the controller unit converts them to MIDI, and then sends that wirelessly to the USB wireless receiver that is connected to a computer. It uses the 2.5-GHz ISM band.

The controller is packaged with PreSonus’s StudioOne Artist, Native Instruments’ Kontakt Elements and GuitarRig LE, IK Multimedia’s SampleTank and AmpliTube, and Notion Music’s Progression 2. The software bundle gives the user access to virtual instruments, synthesizers, effects, guitar and amplifier modeling software, and lets them record directly to their DAW of choice. The fret board of the guitar can be split to allow up to four instruments to be controlled simultaneously.

A number of well-known guitar producers are now including the TriplePlay as a built-in device. Fender has released the Fishman TriplePlay Stratocaster HSS guitar and Godin Guitars also has a model called the Session Custom TriplePlay guitar.

Figure 2.

The TriplePlay wireless guitar controller from Fishman.

The TriplePlay is listed for US$ 615. Contact: Fishman, 6 Riverside Drive, Andover, Massachusetts, 01810, USA; telephone (+1) 978-988-9199; fax (+1) 978-988-0770; Web www.fishman.com.

Figure 3.

Livid’s Guitar Wing wireless MIDI controller.

Livid Guitar Wing

Livid’s Guitar Wing is a wireless MIDI controller for use with guitar and bass. It is designed to fit onto the instrument, giving the musician quick and easy access to a range of MIDI controls and DAW parameters on virtual instruments and effects plug-ins (see Figure 3). The Guitar Wing can connect wirelessly over...