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The VG-8 from Roland, which requires a real guitar for input, is only really a processor, like the Korg WaveDrum, but what a processor! Using high-powered dsp processing like other physical modeling synths, it allows you to make your guitar sound like all manner of expensive big-name guitars by dialing in the settings. Not only that, but it simulates the coloration of various guitar amps and mic placements, plus assorted other effects, giving a guitar player an enormous palette of sounds. While something like a VL1 can model melodic lead plucking of various guitars, plus lots of the whammy and stomp box stuff, it can't model the strumming of multiple strings, and something like the VG-8 is probably the answer for full-fledged guitar modeling. The VG-8 has received rave reviews from every guitar player that I know has played it, and it seems to have found a nice niche in the market, in spite of its price. Many players prefer to use a cheap guitar to drive it, since it doesn't seem to matter much in determining the final sound. Note, however, that you cannot reproduce a guitar performance via midi using the VG-8. You have to have a midi guitar to do that, which you could use with the VG-8. An upgrade for the VG-8 has recently (Feb '96) been offered by Roland, adding new guitar and amp models plus some other goodies. A number of reviews have appeared for the VG-8; the one in the Feb '96 issue of Recording is not bad. There are technical problems trying to midify a guitar, and the folks at Sweetwater (a retailer) contend that the Godin Multiac midi guitar paired with the VG-8 is the slick setup for guitar players. There is also a small strummable gizmo called the Digitar that allows you to strum its strings while you play a chord on the keyboard. It arpeggiates your chord according to your strum, producing a midi file and driving one of your synths. It has some sophistication and some adherents, and it saves you learning guitar fingering, but I'm not sure how many musicians will be attracted to that manner of playing |