Midi Tapping

[Christo]

Happy New Year Tappers!!!!
Q. Let me know if you've had any experience with using your Tapping instrument for triggering Midi samples. I am aware of the Warr guitars using the Midi pickups as well as the Chapman Stick. Has anyone else made or developed a Midi dedicated instrument?What are your experiences... Have you recorded with it?
Thanks,
Christo

[Tiptannick]

I'm working on a Midi dedicated instrument, a kind of Tap-Guitar without string, just sensors to capture the note played (like the Ztar).
I'm currently working on the electronic part and the assembler code for Micro-controller PIC16F.
Here a good site about Midi: http://www.borg.com/~jglatt/
All about midi (differents messages, shema for a keyboard, ...).

[traktor]

I've successfully installed RMC piezos on a Santucci TrebleBass, and used these to drive Axon and Roland midi brains.

At that time, I found that the axon brain worked best for picking up the (short scale) bass strings, and the roland brain worked best for the melody strings. Both Axon and Roland have new generations of devices now, so I don't know if it would still hold true.

The Santucci is shorter than most other tapping instruments, about 27-28 inch scale length as I recall. This may or may not make a difference. The piezos were installed into handmade brass strat-type saddles with notches to accomodate the piezo elements, replacing the original strat-type saddles.

And at Mobius we've developed a light-sensing midi pickup which is used on our MidiTapper model to drive the Roland GR33 synth or VG88 V-guitar system. Several songs in our Song Archive feature the MidiTapper, here --
http://www.megatar.com/documents/soundfiles/index.htm
and there is an audio demo in the current email newsletter here --
http://www.megatar.com/documents/newsletters/archive/MTN-200211.html

There are several websites containing information about midi pickups. I found the GK-2 wiring pinout this way. Here is one of these sites --
http://home.epix.net/~joelc/rmc.html

Christo, where do you live? If near San Diego, why not go check out the Ztar? Or have you had a chance to examine one already?

[Christo]

Thanks Traktor,
I thankyou for the info on the Megatar... If you are involved with the company, do you know if they have helped with custom body designs? I mean I want a custom designed body, would they fit the electronics in a rough out body I can custom finish to my fit? I built my own custom body to house EMG electronics for my Stick( that was a real job) Its a one of a kind and a beautiful wooden artwork...If the neck is a bolt on the Midi Tapper Twin, then can they use my wood to make the neck and rough body for me?
Oh, I live in the far East side of Cleveland Oh.
Thanks
Christo

[Tiptannick]

Often, to control Midi with a (Tap-)Guitar, we need a Midi Pick-Up plus a Midi converter to have a MIDI signal (like the GK-2A or Yamaha).
Correct me if it's wrong (I'm not sure about what I read because I'm just a French !! ;) - maybe Daniel or other could explain me better in my maternal language if it's necessary !).

I'm looking for a Midi pick-up where I could plug it directly to my Roland JV-1010 Synthesizer Module or my computer with a standard MIDI cable like I do with my master keyboard !

I think (I'm still French ! :)) the Shadow SH-075 (http://www.shadow-pickups.com/pp/midi/midi.html) do it !

Does it exist others Pick-Ups with same specs. ?! I mean :

Tap-Guitar with Midi Pick-up
|
| via standard
| Midi cable
\_____________Synthesizer Module or Computer

Simple ! Just one cable (5-pin DIN ! - but just 3 needed !)

Thanks !