Winston Psmith

The Korg Wavedrum and Roland HandSonic are two extraordinary devices!

Have to second @KuruPrionzregarding lag time. Bob Weir was talking about how difficult it was to get things done during lockdown, because of the lag time in "live" feeds. Exchanging sound files back and forth is easy, playing IRT, not so much. My current album project was inspired by the stream of weirdness that runs through my skull between Midnight and Dawn, so this is right in line with what I've been doing lately. Thanks for that. Several friends mentioned that it was a surprisingly energetic track, for something recorded at 2 AM. FWIW, my usual is around 3 hours of sleep a night. On a really good night, I might get nearly 4. I haven't used an alarm clock since sometime back in the 70's. Yes, I know , my body supposedly needs 7 or 8 hours of sleep to function properly, but I've been getting by on my 3 hours or so for a very long time. I suppose if I get tired enough, I'll just fall down . . .

"Lose a night of sleep, gain a day of life." I get a lot of crazy ideas, especially when I can't sleep, and this is one of them . . . Several years back, when we were making the seasonal switch from Daylight Savings Time, I thought it might be fun to use that 25th hour, between 2AM and 2AM, to compose and record a piece of Music, with no planning beforehand, something completely of the moment. To streamline things, I had a bunch of gear set up and connected to my HDR, so I wouldn't have to waste any time with that, I could just power everything up, and see what happened. Anyhow, I'm seriously thinking of trying it again, tomorrow night, and I thought it might be fun to invite any fellow insomniacs or nightcrawlers out there to take part. I'd love to get enough people doing this to make it a yearly album project, Music From The 25th Hour*, but WTH, it would be fun just to know that others are trying. As it turned out, I did get a decent track out of it, although it doesn't quite sound like something you'd expect at 2AM? At The Time, The Tone Will Be *Yes, I'm quite fond of XTC's/Dukes Of Stratosphear's 25 O'Clock, but that's not what inspired this.

Tap Tempo can really help locking in a good slapback sound, especially if you're playing several tunes with different Tempos. I use a short Analog Delay in my Novparolo 'board, to add a little presence to the Guitar sound. Right now, I have 13 Delay pedals on hand, plus all of my MFX have Delay FX built in. I use everything from short Delay for Ambient effects, up to long repeating Loops. Other than OD/Distortion pedals - please don't make me count those - Delay is my most common and most-used effect. For my purposes, Delay isn't just a sound effect, it's a compositional tool. You can't get a Dirt box to generate 1/8th Note Triplets on its own.

My first response is "That was a really low-energy video demo." The guy didn't really seem all that excited, IMHO. I first encountered the Slicer effect in my Boss GT-3, so it's been around since the end of the 90's. I also had the big Twin Pedal SL-20 Slicer for a while, but . . . It's a lot of fun to blend with other effects, and experiment with putting it in different places in the signal chain, so I was surprised that the demo video didn't really explore that at all? On my GT-3, I quickly discovered how to create a "Who's Next"-sounding patch by running the Slicer through a Swept Filter; running the Slicer though a Phaser produces much the same sound. I can easily picture someone combining the SL-2 with the SY-1 Synth pedal, to create faux-Sequencer sounds. My issue with the big SL-20 was a lack of flexibility. You couldn't do anything to change the preset Patterns, so unless you found some Patterns that inspired you, you'd have to deliberately compose around them, using the Slicer Pattern as a Rhythm Guide of a sort. I don't expect that you can change the Patterns on the SL-2, either. One notable upgrade to this version - controlling the Tempo with an Expression Pedal. It may seem obvious, but on the SL-20, the ONLY function the EXP Pedal controlled was the Volume Level of the Slicer effect. Even within the GT-series Processors, you can Assign the EXP Pedal to control the Rate of the Slicer effect. I'd really like to hear Andy from Reverb demo this pedal. A little enthusiasm goes a long way . . .

@Caevan O’Shite - I'm still wondering if the problem lies with Pitch-Shifting the Synth sounds, the Guitar sounds, or both, as that would help in figuring a workaround. If Starrider just wants to Pitch-Shift Guitar tones, using the Guitar Out jack should do the trick, but if Starrider is trying to Pitch-Shift the Synth tones or the COSM tones as well, we're back to dealing with the Mono In Jack on the Harmony Man. I'd be curious to sit down with the full Manual for the GR-55 - it's a pain scrolling through pages online - because from my experience with other Boss/Roland GT and GR series devices, there should be a way to do most of what Starrider wants from it? Even within the GR-55's Synth engine, it's possible to set the amount of Pitch-Shift for each individual String, and supposedly, the COSM-modeled Guitar tones from the VG engine have excellent Pitch-Shifting, so again, I'm left wondering. FWIW, I've had several opportunities to buy a GR-55, and passed on all of them. Somehow, I was unconvinced by the "All Things To All Players" approach - ("It Slices, It Dices, It's A Floor Wax AND A Dessert Topping!") - and I haven't seen anything to change my mind in that regard. The lack of either a Guitar In Jack or a Guitar S/R Loop, is more of a failing than you might think at first. Either one might have gone a long way to solving Starrider's problem.

@Caevan O’Shite- You'd probably be surprised at a LOT of the shows I've attended, but I spent a lot of time with The Dead on tour. More detailed response forthcoming in PM, so as not to bog down the thread . . .

Some years back, Summer of 2003, Steve Winwood and Traffic were on tour with the re-constituted Grateful Dead. In the middle of The Dead's first set, they called Steve Winwood to join them onstage, and ripped into "Gimme Some Lovin." One of the best tunes of the night, and it was a GOOD night . . .

@Starrider- Thank you for that clarification. I've been looking through the Effects Parameters for the GR-55, and I'm surprised at how limited they are, compared to Boss/Roland's GT-series MFX. I would have thought some form of Intelligent Harmony or Pitch-Shift effect would be available. IME, upwards Pitch-Shifting reveals more digital artifacts than downwards Pitch-Shifting - that "Oriental" sound, by which I expect you mean de-tuning? Let's dig a little deeper, if I may? I expect you're trying to Pitch-Shift a mixed output signal of processed Guitar + Guitar Synth from the GR-55, and then send that mixed/Pitch-Shifted signal to the JamMan? I don't really see a workaround that satisfies all of your needs, because of that Mono In jack on the Harmony Man. It really depends on how much you're relying on a stereo signal output from the GR-55 itself? Mono Out to Harmony Man In, then Harmony Man's L/R Outputs to the JamMan's L/R Input's - Gets you most of your sound. Split the signal, as @Caevan O’Shite suggests - That at least lets you use the L & R Outs on the GR-55, but you lose any Stereo Harmony effect. Place the Harmony Man in a Mixer's FX S/R Loop - that would also let you use the L/R Outs on the GR-55, but then sum your signal to Mono, which can raise other issues with phasing and collapsed stereo fields. Find a different Pitch-Shift/Harmony Processor with Stereo I/O's, or a MFX Processor with Intelligent Pitch-Shifting and Stereo I/O's. Eventide's PitchFactor is the primary contender, but it's not an impulse buy at $500US. The only compact Pitch-Shift pedal I've seen with L/R I/O's is TC's Brainwave, but there have been some serious issues with that product line, so Let The Buyer Beware . . .

Had this banging around in my head today, for some reason?

I don't expect to be thanked, but part of it is that we're just left wondering if our advice helped, or was even seen? At the very least, as @Larryzsays, sometimes it would just be nice to know which Guitar they picked.

My phone and my Mac are on different OS's, so I can't post videos, but . . . The Maples are turning brilliant Red at this time, and the Nandinas (Heavenly Bamboo) are setting heavy clusters of red berries that make them lean over. The Hostas have mostly yellowed, and their leaves are dying back and drying up, exposing bare ground. There are already leaves dropping from some of the older trees nearby, the ones that are nearing the end of their time, so even as the days grow shorter, light peeks through in areas that were heavily shaded just a few weeks, or even days ago. The deer are getting bolder, which is to say, hungrier, so I see small groups of three or four in mid-day, gathering on suburban lawns near busy streets, like early and over-eager Trick-Or-Treaters. Not that I don't watch television, or videos, but some things are best appreciated IRL, IRT, and I'm just fortunate that my work has me outdoors where I can see them.

I know I've raised this issue before, but it seems like every so often, we get someone who joins the Forums just long enough to post a question, and then disappear when they don't get an instant response. Usually, they're in the form of "I have an XX and a YYY, but I can't get them to do something-or-other. What should I do?" or, "I'm trying to choose among several different Guitars, or Amps, or Effects, which should I get?" Sometimes, these questions generate some interesting exchanges among the active members of the Forums, but that's all. I really have to wonder at this point, if I see a brand-new member, whose sole post is such a question, should I bother to even respond, anymore?

@Caevan O’Shite- Anybody can create a free SoundCloud account, under any name they like, and submit just about anything, so it's not so much that they're legit, as it doesn't seem to be a drive-by phishing expedition, in this case. There are also links for FlipSide Music Studio in Coventry, England, and it appears that they offer Recording, Mixing, and Mastering services. Not sure about the backing tracks, and I'm not sure why the contact link is for a gmail account, instead of a direct link to their website? I'm not so much thinking in terms of a rate per song, as X$-per-hour. Unless you work really fast, I figure you'll use up at least an hour to record, mix, master, and maybe convert or compress that sound file for submission, and that's for a quick-and-dirty first take, like @KuruPrionzsays. I have my own projects to work on, and even if they're not earning me money, I'd still rather spend my time on those, or even in here, talking with all of you.

There's the rub, no direct Guitar Input on the GR-55, and the Guitar Out jack bypasses all of the internal processing. The simplest, if least satisfying solution would be to use the GR-55 in Mono, with the Left/Mono Out jack plugged into the Harmony Man, then send the Harmony Man into the JamMan. I'm still wondering what function the Harmony Man serves in the signal chain, that the GR-55 can't emulate, since that seems to be the main obstacle? I'd still like to hear back from @Starrideron that, so I can maybe offer some better, more useful advice? Using a small 6 or 8-Channel Mixer opens up more options for signal routing and signal processing. Because I'm almost always blending processed Guitar, Guitar Synth, and Looping in my live sets, I've been hauling a small Mixer for years. If you're sending to a good FOH system, or a decent FRFR rig, Stereo Outs shouldn't be a problem. One issue with a lot of compact Mixers is that they only offer a Mono FX Send jack. Some will have Stereo FX Returns, others force you to sacrifice a set of Stereo Channels as your FX Return. FWIW, I never use the FX Send on my Mixer for that reason.

@Caevan O’Shite- A quick web search found a Soundcloud link for a FlipSide Music Studio, in the UK, with a bunch of short sample tracks?

Welcome, @Starrider- First up, a question about the Harmony Man. The GR-55 has extensive Pitch-Shift capabilities in both the FX Processing and the Guitar Modeling engines, so I have to ask what the Harmony Man offers that the GR-55 doesn't? Unfortunately, while there are a lot of ways to convert a Mono signal to faux-Stereo with Splitter Boxes, or a Modulation/Delay pedals with dual Outs, there isn't really a way to convert a Mono Input to a Dual Input. On the GR-55, you have to option to send your Guitar signal out, separate from the processed signal, but it seems that you lose all of the inboard FX processing, so it's essentially a Dry Guitar signal. I would see how much of the Harmony Man's sound you can emulate within the GR-55, either with the onboard FX of Guitar Modeling, then send the GR-55's Outs to the Stereo Ins on the JamMan. Otherwise, it seems like you'd have to assemble a separate FX chain for the Guitar Out going to the Harmony Man, which also doubles up on the number of Amp, PA, or Mixer Channels you'll need available. FWIW, all of the previous GR-series Guitar Synths had Return jacks for the Guitar Out, so you could send your Guitar signal out to any effects you wanted, then bring that signal back into the GR-xx and out through the GR's Main Outs. That would have solved at least part of your problem with signal routing: Guitar Out to Harmony Man - Harmony Man Stereo Outs back to GR's Guitar Return Jacks - combined signal to JamMan via the GR's Main Outs. Let us know what you come up with. Good luck.

Not looking to excuse GC, nor the jerk who sold that Reverend Flatroc, but having worked in Music retail, I can say that trusting Inventory Management to a software system is essentially an act of faith, and I'm agnostic, at best. The old line about a chain and its weakest link applies here, and almost invariably, the human element is the weak link. People failing to get a proper inventory count (too many or too few of something), entering the wrong inventory code for an item so there's no way to know what really sold, having items shipped between stores so no one knows exactly where they are (Radagast's issue), and people failing to check Special Order status in-store (Dannyalcatraz' Flatroc). The only way to know that you have an item in stock, unless it's right out in plain sight, is to have some human go and put hands on it, no matter what the computer says. Given the rate of turnover at GC, it's not surprising that they're losing track of gear, while they lose customers. Like @KuruPrionz, I've never bought a Guitar, or any Instrument, that I haven't held in my hands. if nothing else, that way, I know what I'm getting.

Add to that the fact that much or all of the material on my GAS list is, for lack of a kinder description, mass-produced, while I suspect that each one of these Instruments is the result of painstaking hand-crafting . . . which is a great deal of what you're really paying for in buying an Instrument like one of these. I would very interested in hearing one of these Guitars in the hands of someone who should have one.

For $14,000, I could easily buy everything on my current GAS last, and still have a few thousand left over . . .

Amid the recent debate regard the development, or nascence, of Artificial Intelligence, this morning, I was struck by a great example of Artificial Stupidity. Looking at a favorite ad-supported Game site, I noticed an ad inviting me to move to . . . Lauderdale-By-The-Sea!?!?!?! I'm sure the bots generating ads rely, in part, on whatever is currently trending in the news, or on social media, and it's no surprise that Florida is dominating much of the U.S.'s media output. Still, I have to admire the sheer absurdity of marketing seaside property, in Florida, while cars and refrigerators are floating down the streets.

@Caevan O’Shite- Thanks for that. Not a big loss, I have Loopers & Delays to spare, but it was very compact and convenient. The Controlled Feedback effect is one of my favorites, which is why I love the Freqout. Add a Volume Pedal and a good Delay, especially one with a Reverse Delay, and you might lose a whole weekend.

One VERY COOL trick with the Freqout is to turn off the DRY signal - the sound it produces reminds me of some of the early demos of the MOOG Guitar. Sadly, the little Digitech JamMan Xpress XT is the one Digitech device that failed. The one big Loop Level knob froze and sheared right off in my hand when I tried to turn it. I'm pretty strong, but I'm nowhere near strong enough to tear a metal shaft in two? The cost of fixing it is about what a used replacement would cost me, so . . .

Sorry you missed out on that . . . Several of my local EM buddies have strongly recommended the Chase Bliss MOOD pedal as something I'd enjoy, but at their price point, I don't expect I'll ever get one.

WTH?!?!? This sounds like someone whose "knowledge" (I use the word so loosely it's falling apart) comes from a none-too-deep perusal of the Sweetwater catalog, or something? I'd also suggest that it's a VERY young person, like 8-12 years old, whose confidence in their assertions comes from blissful ignorance. Dare I ask where you found this?