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You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:35 pm
by lesmac
Has anyone around these parts laid their hands on one of these?

http://www.yourockguitar.com/yrg-gen2/

http://soundbytesmag.net/yourock-midi-g ... struments/ EDIT; just jump to the summary here.

Ive been looking for something that I can use as a controller to trigger banjo, mandolin or any virtual instrument.

So far this looks like a possible candidate. There is no real time software in pro tools to convert audio to midi. Reaper has a plug apparently. I want to use it the same as a keyboard midi controller. Ive checked out Fishman triple play, Jam origin, Sonuus G2M etc...

Any thoughts?

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Wed May 02, 2018 4:22 am
by lesmac
"Got nobody to hear my song so I'm humming it to myself" :lol:

For the guitarists out there who struggle with the keyboard this could be the best few hundred bucks you spend on music production.

I'll let you know what I think of this after it arrives nest week.

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Thu May 17, 2018 9:45 pm
by keithl
Not sure if it was updated, but the last I checked years ago, you could not control velocity. Hopefully that changed. If so, it would be an excellent tool for guitarists.

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Mon May 21, 2018 6:19 pm
by lesmac
Not sure if it was updated, but the last I checked years ago, you could not control velocity. Hopefully that changed. If so, it would be an excellent tool for guitarists.
Hey Keith, it has been updated and velocity is variable. EDIT: but NOT in TAP mode which means drums all come in at the same velocity. [more work in the midi editor but still relatively painless. Unfortunately the company has gone belly up and you can't update the firmware or download the desktop app- pain. The website is still up but doesn't function as it should with no statement from the company. It took me a while to ascertain the current situation.

On the unit itself it is a mixed bag.

Problems: Hammer on function is hard to control and notes are triggered when you lift a finger to change position. Remedy- turn hammer on off!

False notes are triggered: solution, loosening of the strings helps and tweaking the velocity tables in the unit helps but you have to use your DAWs midi editor and scroll and delete these. They are easy to recognise compared to your intended notes and doesn't take TOO long.

It is NOT like playing a guitar and bending notes, using tremolo, easy hammer on and pull offs and being super expressive. BUT it is so much better for a guitar player like me who has no idea where chords, keys and scales are on a piano keyboard. Inputting drums is great as tapping the neck is better than using a keyboard.

You have to adapt your playing style and quickly come to terms with what it is and what it isn't.

If there was support from the company I would recommend it in a heartbeat but even without that support I am still pleased with it. The desktop app would make tweaking the settings less painful, but after a while navigation is relatively easy.

If anyone with similar abilities as myself came across a cheapish Gen 2 model I'd say jump on it.

I do hope in the future that something like this comes along with even better functionality.

In the track below the banjo on the left was inputted using the gen 2. Its only a pretty crappy sample from Expand 2. A software banjo that provides decent user control would produce a better result. Some time down the road I will build a song using multiple VIs and post here.
https://soundcloud.com/lesmac-1/gimme-that-hamme

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 3:23 am
by keithl
Thanks for taking the time for the pros/cons, Lester. Much appreciated!

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 4:03 am
by Kolstad
I've had the Roland systems, and the Terratec, for triggering midi with gtr, but now I use software, which I find both cheaper and much better than the hardware solutions.

Look into this https://www.jamorigin.com

It triggers really well, and you can play any instrument with a jack in it. That means you can trigger mando with a mando, uke with uke ect. I've found this the best way, as each instrument affords it's own style of playing. But of course you can trigger uke with guitar and everything else too..

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 2:17 pm
by lesmac
by Kolstad ยป Thu May 31, 2018 9:03 pm
I've had the Roland systems, and the Terratec, for triggering midi with gtr, but now I use software, which I find both cheaper and much better than the hardware solutions.
Hi Kolstad, thanks for posting. You use Pro tools don't you? I saw on the website the workaround for plugging it in to Pro tools. It looks like you can insert any Vi after it.

I'll give it a try. :)

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Thu May 31, 2018 10:16 pm
by lesmac
Midi guitar 2 by Jam Origin is pretty cool and I'd say a better option than Yourock guitar 2 all things considered- ongoing support and development.

Neither of them are any good for banjo rolls. I might need a new set of guitar strings and may have to alter the height of my back pick up to get the most out of it but speed picking across different strings puts these things to the test and they come up a bit short IMHO.
It worked in Pro tools once I matched my session, interface and Midi guitar sample rates- everything in tune- and ticked virtual midi out.

Piano, sax and strings sounded okay and of course synth leads and pads. This is at least 1/3 cheaper than the now infamous You rock gtr. Wish I'd have known about it earlier :roll: .
May have to update from the trial version when I have a windfall.

Re: You Rock Guitar Gen 2

Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 5:44 am
by Kolstad
Yeah banjo rolls are tough, but you only need a couple, then you can save them and copy/paste thereafter. Also the software adapts after a while, so you may be able to finetune it some more.

I use studio one, though. Midi Guitar 2 works like a breeze there. I don't use it often, though, as I prefer to play the actual instrument. But sometimes it's just a great tool to have, especially if you need a lead line on another instrument. Im fluent on guitars, but a chopstick on anything else.