Axe FX II + Roland VG-99 = Axe FX III

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NJBengals85

Inspired
Buying the Axe FX II was by far the best music related purchase I ever made but I do think that Roland's VG-99 definitely does do somethings that I wish the Axe could do...especially with the tunings and changing instruments with midi. With the VG-99 you could basically tune whatever string to whatever you want...and switch between different guitars, basses, acoustics. The #1 most important thing to me is sound quality, and obviously the Axe II is the best, but if it had the midi capabilities of the VG-99, all you would need would be a guitar with midi and your new Axe III and you could be a one man band for real. I could imagine that the midi portion would have to have its own processor which would drive the cost of the unit up even higher, but in theory, it would be everything someone would need.
 
I use an AF2 and and a GR-55 for a nice little faux-guitar and insta-tuning type thing. It's quite handy, although it is a bit noisy compared to using it with a regular guitar.
 
NJBengals85 said:
Buying the Axe FX II was by far the best music related purchase I ever made but I do think that Roland's VG-99 definitely does do somethings that I wish the Axe could do...especially with the tunings and changing instruments with midi. With the VG-99 you could basically tune whatever string to whatever you want...and switch between different guitars, basses, acoustics. The #1 most important thing to me is sound quality, and obviously the Axe II is the best, but if it had the midi capabilities of the VG-99, all you would need would be a guitar with midi and your new Axe III and you could be a one man band for real. I could imagine that the midi portion would have to have its own processor which would drive the cost of the unit up even higher, but in theory, it would be everything someone would need.
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Keep in mind that to function as you described requires that you have a hex pickup (GK2, GK3) on the guitar. Yes, the alternate tunings and individual string control are great, but the Axe is plug and play.
 
s0c9 said:
Keep in mind that to function as you described requires that you have a hex pickup (GK2, GK3) on the guitar. Yes, the alternate tunings and individual string control are great, but the Axe is plug and play.
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Yea or a guitar with a midi built in like a wecher or a built in guitar to midi port on the unit. I just think midi is going to get much more popular in the near future because you could control anything with it. Imagine being able to show up in a bar with one guitar and one 2u rack and be able to loop drums, bass, rhythm and play lead. Firmware updates would not only be new amps/cabs but new basses, guitars, and any other instrument. In the grid there could be an instrument block where you could pick bass, strings, or whatever else, a tuning block where you could pick your actual tuning per string ect. This is type of technology that companies like Roland are putting out that the Axe FX II simply can't do but would be very possible to implement into the Axe III, whenever that begins development. I know I'm just dreaming...haha.
 
s0c9 said:
Keep in mind that to function as you described requires that you have a hex pickup (GK2, GK3) on the guitar. Yes, the alternate tunings and individual string control are great, but the Axe is plug and play.
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The Hex Pickup, or piezo bridge, is all important wry Roland system or the magic ain't there. The GR-55 is worthless without them, and (if I'm not mistaken)
the VG-99 is just a baby AF2 without a Roland ready guitar.

In conclusion, I need at least another Roland ready guitar. :D
 
Without a doubt, the roland's amp modeling doesn't compare to the axe's but its what it can do with the midi that the axe can't do. Fractal has already mastered the Amp modeling part (and somehow keeps making it even better every 4 weeks), if the Axe III adds the Midi part and it would be an untouchable unit. Being able to sample real instruments to trigger, like Taylor and Martin acoustics 6/12 string, classical guitars, different bass's 4-6 string, violins, drums ect, to go along with everything the Axe II offers would be insane. Plus being able to record in MIDI would be awesome too, so much easier to manipulate than an audio track.
 
for those of you that don't know the VG-99 intimately.. a little note..

the VG-99 amp modelling and some of the fx are not quite on a par with the Axe-II
but...
even without using the hex-pup [just as a multi-fx unit], it is an extremely powerful, highly configurable and flexible unit with a good array of fx to allow creation of great tone..

dare I say this in the Axe HQ... but in truth... currently in a few areas it's actually superior to the Axe
not going to list them here... don't want to start a pissing contest..

in short... it's a very good and capable unit.. not to be underestimated..

EDIT: I really feel the need to add that at that what I'm saying above is not meant to be antagonistic.. just a few basic facts given that I know both the Axe and the VG-99 to a good level of detail..
I also need to point out that I'm not saying that the VG-99 is a better unit that the Axe.. it's just different..
and just like the Axe, it has it's own strengths and weaknesses..
 
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NJBengals85 said:
Yea or a guitar with a midi built in like a wecher or a built in guitar to midi port on the unit. I just think midi is going to get much more popular in the near future because you could control anything with it. Imagine being able to show up in a bar with one guitar and one 2u rack and be able to loop drums, bass, rhythm and play lead. Firmware updates would not only be new amps/cabs but new basses, guitars, and any other instrument. In the grid there could be an instrument block where you could pick bass, strings, or whatever else, a tuning block where you could pick your actual tuning per string ect. This is type of technology that companies like Roland are putting out that the Axe FX II simply can't do but would be very possible to implement into the Axe III, whenever that begins development. I know I'm just dreaming...haha.
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Unfortunately, MIDI is decreasing in popularity due to the restrictions in that format because it came in mid-eighties. Many are using other protocols to have better performances.

/Mike
 
GuitarNut said:
Really, clue me in about these new protocols... I'm very interested.

Thanks
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Hmmmm... a VERY late reply. Have been busy moving to another apartment + job + family, so I totally missed your reply. Anyway, a few:

mLAN - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Open Sound Control - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Keith McMillen Instruments Announces StringPort Developer Program — Releases Acoustic Instrument Message (AIM) Specification

As you can see if you´ve read these links. No matter if you´re a big company, small company or a bunch of people doing it open source. It´s really hard to beat MIDI because it is so widespread, even when it is less advanced than all these abovementioned links.

Even the MIDI manufacturers association are looking into it, as they have been in many years...

MMA Projects

/Mike
 
I agree. I have a VG-99 and GR-55 and love both so I'm thinking about incorporating my VG-99 with an AxeFx and using my roland fc-300 to control them all. It should be possible IMO because although I currently have the FC running in proprietary vg mode it also sends midi. so i think i can synchronize the patch changes but i have a feeling i may not be able to match the ctrl1/2 exp1/2 pedals to control parameterson the axefx. has anyone done this yet? i have no room or money for an mfc.......
 
What are the CC#s associated with the 2 Control pedals and the 2 expression pedals on the FC-300? You should be able to map those CCs to functions in the Axe. I do this with the Roland FC=200.

Also, can you map midi Program Change numbers to patch numbers in the VG-99? You can in the GR-55, but I don't kow about the VG.
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
a guitar is a guitar.
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And an amplifier is an amplifier... ;)

The Roland V-Guitar is amazing, and combined with the AxeFX is the best of both worlds, but it would be a dream to have V-Guitar technology with Fractal Audio quality.

Just imagine: changing pickup models as easily as we are currently switching amplifiers or cabs at the Axe-FX.
 
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Piing said:
but it would be a dream to have V-Guitar technology with Fractal Audio quality.
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I thought the same thing after a very short time with my new GR-55. The ability to model other electric & acoustic guitars is fantastic, but I immediately felt like the models could be improved (especially the Les Paul). Roland has a solid track record of NOT upgrading devices in any meaningful way, so I don't expect anything from them. I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to have a guitar modeler from Fractal that gets constantly updated & improved.
 
My Gibson Dark Fire (Robot II) does 5 second turnings, has Piezo for Acoustic.
Had to do a lot of reading, but after I disabled the EQ BS, set all Pickup Switching to "Les Paul mode" and learned my Tunings all to the Main Blue Bank. Now it works perfect for Live performances. Drop C to Standard to Eb to Drop Db all in seconds!
Plus I have a Les Paul sounding Les Paul along with all of that.
 
Kruegmeister said:
My Gibson Dark Fire (Robot II) does 5 second turnings, has Piezo for Acoustic.
Had to do a lot of reading, but after I disabled the EQ BS, set all Pickup Switching to "Les Paul mode" and learned my Tunings all to the Main Blue Bank. Now it works perfect for Live performances. Drop C to Standard to Eb to Drop Db all in seconds!
Plus I have a Les Paul sounding Les Paul along with all of that.
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But you still have piezos for acoustic sounds and no Strat sounds. I can't live like that. :)
 
Another great thing about the VG-99 is its two distinct signal paths. One of the features I really like is the ability to morph between two sounds (clean and distortion). You can do it on the Axe II but in my experience, you overload the CPU pretty quick with a loaded up patch.

As others have said, the Axe II's modeling blows the VG-99 away but the merging of the two technologies could be pretty incredible!
 
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