Axe-Fx III -> Guitar 2 Midi - full guitar synth without hardware!

Mark Scrivener

Inspired
I recently discovered "Guitar 2 Midi" (standalone or vst) works much better than any of the hex pickups (fishman, roland, etc) I've used before, and I can use it on any stock guitar without having to mount an ugly hex pickup! Just plug a laptop via USB into your FX III, drop the Guitar to 2 Midi into your favorite DAW (with the FX III set as your audio interface), and use your soft synths (Omnisphere!!!). Yes, your current rig + laptop can give you full midi guitar synth capabilities.

Use input 5 for the DI, and return out 7/8. In your Axe FX III preset, use the "In USB" block to return the signal. This will allow you to mix or switch between your Axe preset sound and what ever synth sound you are using.

On my system (Win 10 laptop using Reaper), 256 samples (buffer) is as low as I can go without audio issues. This gives about 8 ms latency for the total system. Not ideal, but workable. Hopefully with some tweaking I can get drop it to 128 samples and around 4 ms latency. Anyone else tried this?
 
Are you referring to Midi Guitar 2 by Jam Origin?

https://www.jamorigin.com/products/midi-guitar-for-ios/

I have used it with mixed results from my iPad - really depends on the soft synth its paired with.

The iTrack interface I use with it comes in handy for connecting to the iPad and Axe Fx, keeping the iPad charged and includes a handy master volume knob for controlling the synth level.

Edit:

Search the forum for titles with "midi guitar" for related threads.
 
Are you referring to Midi Guitar 2 by Jam Origin?

Yep. They also have a Windows version. I had tried version 1 with limited success, but v2 is jaw dropping good.

I have used it with mixed results from my iPad - really depends on the soft synth its paired with.

It is working impressively well with my laptop and Omnisphere. But agreed, midi guitar stuff can be hit and miss. I found this combo really solid though...everything from pads to fast leads tracked well. For me though the real use is textures.

Search the forum for titles with "midi guitar" for related threads.

Thanks, I'll look again, but my first search didn't turn up much under the Axe FX III discussion forum. Just thrilled I can use the Axe as an interface, and all I need is a laptop and usb cable. Great to have options without requiring a modified guitar and extra hardware.
 
Yep. They also have a Windows version. I had tried version 1 with limited success, but v2 is jaw dropping good.



It is working impressively well with my laptop and Omnisphere. But agreed, midi guitar stuff can be hit and miss. I found this combo really solid though...everything from pads to fast leads tracked well. For me though the real use is textures.



Thanks, I'll look again, but my first search didn't turn up much under the Axe FX III discussion forum. Just thrilled I can use the Axe as an interface, and all I need is a laptop and usb cable. Great to have options without requiring a modified guitar and extra hardware.
Yeah... It's at least as good as my GR-30 and GK-2a, and I can use any guitar I want!

Here's a search that you can use:

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/search/152758/?q=Midi+guitar&c[title_only]=1&o=date
 
Hey guys, I'm trying to get this to work via AX3 USB on my MacBook Pro (2019, Big Sur 11.4). I've tried every pref setting I could think of on the plugin (Logic 10.6.2) and the standalone app but it looks like the app isn't receiving any guitar signal. I can hear my guitar in the monitors but I can only hear the test piano when I click on a key. Ive got the USB block going to output 1 similar to Mark's example, tried different buffer sizes, channels, etc. I'm missing something simple Im sure. Any help would greatly be appreciated.
 
I've found splitting the signal path in the AxeFX3 (with the DI into a gate and usually a compressor and EQ (to boost the fundamental) to feed to the DAW track that's being used for the audio/midi will clean up the triggering. Of course you can do that with plug-ins in the DAW, but if you can do it on the AxeFX3, it will reduce latency. Also, you can send more than one feed from the Axe for Audi/Midi conversion: split that triggering signal path again into another that makes use of pitch shifting and the arpeggiator. Its an approach worth considering for pads and ambient evolving adventures. Those DAW Midi tracks become a synth playback engine driven by the Axe's signal chains, and controlled directly from the FC6 or FC12 footswitch scene/channel changes. Its not as sophisticated as Midi/DAW control of soft synths, but as an Axe-centric approach it has its uses. Set the DAW for its shortest buffer, return the basic synth sounds to the Axe for any and all effects (especially reverbs and delays) to minimize latency.
 
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