Jamstik 12, OMB Guitar & Jam Origin MIDI Guitar 2

[MPN21]

Due to a trigger finger condition in my left hand finger, I can't really play the acoustic guitar anymore. I thought I could play an electric guitar with some MIDI capabilities and I looked into the three options below;

 

OMB MIDI Guitar on Kickstarter

It is available as a MIDI kit and as a MIDI guitar. It appears that a lot of backers are not happy that the developer has been very late in delivering the product.

 

Jamstick 12 - The first generation looks like a toy, but the 12 fret 3rd generation is a lot more serious. It is geared more towards producers and pro musicians - Bluetooth MIDI, Din MIDI, USB MIDI, and so forth. The technology has gotten mature, tracking must be better, but still it is not a full fledged guitar.

 

Jam Origin MIDI Guitar 2 - Basically pitch to MIDI app.

Pretty impressive. So now I am thinking of getting an inexpensive electric guitar and use this app. The app has a demo version. Also, if there are good reviews on OMB Guitar later on, I might get the MIDI upgrade.

 

Any thought or input would be appreciated.

[Winston Psmith]

Longtime Guitar-to-MIDI user here. Couple of questions first:

 

What style of Music are you looking to play with a MIDI'ed Guitar?

 

Are you certain that you'll be able to play an Electric comfortably?

 

What kind of sounds are you looking for, as well?

 

That last will help determine what kind of MIDI device or software you choose to drive with the Guitar.

 

Instead of the JamStick, I'd look at this - Artiphon One of my buddies in EM uses it, and it seems to function very well. It doesn't exactly feel like a Guitar.

 

I know that my bandmate uses a compact MIDI Guitar Controller in her solo act, something like the JamStick in concept, but less expensive than either the JamStick or the Artiphon. I'll find out from her what it is a little later today. When I do, I'll find a link and share it here.

 

Quick aside; most Guitar Synth rigs are NOT MIDI. Roland's Guitar Synths need a special 13-pin pickup to connect to a Guitar, and the Fishman Tripleplay wants to connect to your Mac or PC via USB, not your hardware MIDI Keyboard.

 

With the Roland gear, the GR-series Guitar Synth acts as your MIDI converter, with the Fishman, there is a hardware breakout box available, that will let you plug into a standard 5-pin MIDI In jack. The Roland pickup alone is $220US +/-, the Tripleplay is $400US. The Tripleplay comes with everything you need to get started (except the breakout box), including software. With Roland, you just get the pickup for your $220, you'll still need another device to play through.

[desertbluesman]

Looks cool.

[MPN21]

Winston, thanks for your detailed response. I'd play a variety of "traditional" music, and no EDM. You're absolutely right; I will have to try out a few different electric guitars at a local store to see if I can play one without straining my fingers. I will consider the Artiphon. I did a little more research and found this

https://playjammy.com/ Interesting that it has onboard sounds.

[Winston Psmith]

@MPN21 - Glad to help. Here are a few other suggestions -

 

First up, try a short-scale Guitar, like a Mustang. Less stretching for chords, and lower string tension because of the shorter scale. A light gauge string set, like a .009-.042, can't hurt either.

 

Since you're already looking at a line of very compact Guitar-shaped Controllers, you might even want to consider one of those Squier Mini-Strats, as a MIDI Guitar. Of all the "kiddie" Electric Guitars out there, the Squier Mini is probably the best made. I had one for a while, just for fun, but eventually gave it to a niece who it fit much better.

 

Shopping around, if you look at used Guitars, you may find a Guitar with a Roland GK-2 or GK-3 pickup attached - looks like a black plastic blister near the tail end of the Guitar. Don't assume that it works, find a way to try it in the store, with a Roland Guitar Synth. If they can't hook it up for you, don't mess with it. You might also find a Guitar with a 13-pin Out jack, made for Roland Guitar Synths, but again, plug it in and try it. Very often, when those Guitars are traded in, it's because there was an issue with the Synth Output.

 

While I love my Synth Access Guitars (Godin Freeway SA & Brian Moore iGuitar 20:13), it's not cheap to assemble a Guitar-to-MIDI rig, at least not one that does everything we expect from a Guitar.

 

The simplest, least expensive device is this - Sonuus G2M About the price of a good OD pedal, it's a very simple Guitar-to-MIDI converter, that'll work with pretty much ANY Electric Guitar. It only sends on MIDI Channel 1, and it's Monophonic, so no chords, no double-stops, hell, you want to be careful about an open string ringing. Still, with no adjustment to your Guitar, and only the added price of a MIDI cable, it's a start. I have one, and I like it, for what it is, it's fairly impressive; we'd have killed for something like it in 1990.

 

If you want to plug your Guitar into the Virtual Instruments in Garageband (a very quick and cheap path to a legion of Virtual Instruments, if you already have a Mac), or any other Soft Synths or Virtual Instruments, this is another quick solution, but again, it's a Monophonic device. If you want to play full chords, or have access to the full range of the Guitar's potential, these won't get you there. Sonuus i2M

 

Turns out the thing my bandmate uses is not really a Guitar-style Controller, so, nothing there. I'm out for the rest of the day, memorial service for a Musician friend, but will check back in this evening. Feel free to PM me, if you like.

[MPN21]

Winston, My trigger finger issue is with the middle finger. I dont have problems playing scales and so forth, but when I play a bar chord like Cm, I can feel the discomfort. I tried out a few electric guitars and a nylon guitar at a local GC store today. As expected, some were easier to play than others. I think I can handle an electric guitar with a light gauge set as you mentioned. BTW, the Godin Freeway SA looks very nice. They dont seem to make it anymore. If I was a full fledged guitarist, I would definitely get their high end guitar, but I am not. I am more of a keyboardist. The Sonuus G2M looks nice and convenient, but as you said its monophonic. I need to trigger chords to drive an arranger module. Thanks for the headsup on used stuff. I will stay away from them. I am looking for something that has a direct MIDI out or USB/Bluetooth MIDI out. The Jamstik 12 has them all. Probably I will wait and see how the Jamstik 12 or the Jammy comes along. I am also waiting for a reviews on the OMB adapter. It has not been delivered to the crowdfunding backers yet.

[Winston Psmith]

Sorry you're having this issue.

 

There is an alternative I hadn't mentioned, because it's not cheap, and a lot of Guitarists still resist these things, but the folks at Starr Labs have been making Guitar-shaped MIDI controllers for a long time. With many of their Controllers you're sacrificing "feel" for MIDI control, but I think some of the designs would offer less resistance/ difficulty in playing.

 

Starr Labs MIDI Controllers