PSG Synth

[Jim Pitman]

Someday someone will make a synth PSG whereby the pedals and levers will simply be input devices to computer that generates the tones electronically. You'll have a little display mounted on the rear deck with a tuning matrix chart like we see here that you can edit, hit a button, and voila, new copedent. (not that I'd ever want one)

[Niels Andrews]

Hey Jim,
No computer in our lifetime will ever be able to duplicate the nuances of Steel Guitar. People get tired of computer generated music quickly.

[Les Cargill]

Someday someone will make a synth PSG whereby the pedals and levers will simply be input devices to computer that generates the tones electronically. You'll have a little display mounted on the rear deck with a tuning matrix chart like we see here that you can edit, hit a button, and voila, new copedent. (not that I'd ever want one)

Ever hear a ROMpler ( Kurzweil or Alesis, Korg or other '90s big&heavy synth ) patch of an acoustic guitar?

Pretty gross sounding. There's probably what, 10,000 flattops for every steel?

There is a much accursed "pedal steel" patch for synths. It don't sound like a steel at all.
http://www.sf2midi.com/830-pedal-steel-guitar-sf2/


And then there is this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jtuefG_udI

Same sorta nonsense I used to do electronically before buying an actual steel. The AxeFx just does it in realtime.

Nothing is impossible, but anything in this direction is extremely unlikely, and nothing can replace moving actual strings in my guess.

[Jason Walker]

Just my .002, but I could certainly imagine that nanotech servomotors could be activated by depressing the pedals, offering an entirely accurate-to-pitch bend, and overriding the problems of cabinet drop, pull returns etc. I'm assuming someone somewhere has experimented with this, aside from the Moog ribbon controller matrix, or those horrible midi patches Les Cargill mentioned.

Nonetheless, nothing sounds quite as good as my Carter D-10 when I get it tuned to pitch and nothing falls off it. But that's a story for another day.

Peace out.

[b0b]

Some years ago, I envisioned a hardware interface to the servo changer software. It would allow the player to instantly change tunings and copedents. I couldn't find a manufacturer who was willing to buy into the idea, but a guy can dream.

Click here for the document describing it. I know it's too complicated for most players, but copedent geeks^* like me would love it.

^*Not a big market.

[Bud Angelotti]

I've posted this before, maybe some of you would like to see it.. http://www.gizmag.com/go/4951/
An old friend of mine used to build these things.
Besides just basic tuning, this bugger can give you alternate tunings, drop tunings, etc.
They had a servo motor for each string and a circuit board inside. They would modify the guitar to make the gadgets fit inside.
At the time, about 10-15 years ago, I got to play some of 'em, the guy from the Black Crowes & joni Mitchell's axes.
However, these are underarm guitars, no pedals.
Cheers!

[Tom Gorr]

The high tech guitar will be plugged into a Sony Playstation and featured on Guitar Hero 2025 Nashville Edition. To win...the player must perfect a Chalker or Julian Tharpe instrumental.

[b0b]

I think that the real question with servo changers is whether they can respond well to the action of a foot pedal or knee lever. Sometimes we pedal quickly, other times we squeeze slowly. We would want the machine to respond as well as mechanical linkage. It's not just the tuning accuracy - it's also the real-time, transparent feeling of the instrument. I'm not sure that it's even possible.

As for electronically generated tones, count me out. I'm forever addicted to the sound and subtle response of real guitar strings.

[Ian Worley]

Just my .002, but I could certainly imagine that nanotech servomotors could be activated by depressing the pedals, offering an entirely accurate-to-pitch bend, and overriding the problems of cabinet drop, pull returns etc. I'm assuming someone somewhere has experimented with this, aside from the Moog ribbon controller matrix, or those horrible midi patches Les Cargill mentioned.

Check this out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSQ9Dg65EFo,
and this: http://imgur.com/a/a0ZlW

I first saw this on Reddit last year, it's been discussed here before, it's pretty cool and does what you suggest. It could easily be adapted to PSG by someone with the time and inclination. The builder has even posted the code for the Arduino controller here: https://github.com/deanm1278/servoBende ... Bender.ino.

In the discussion about this last year, some suggested it would be best to still have semi-conventional scissor changer fingers and have the servos control them from below. That way you could have two servos per string and get splits, etc.

This type of setup could potentially do the multiple copedents like b0b suggested too. Not a synthesizer, but could be accomplished with a lot fewer moving parts than a conventional PSG.

[/img]

[b0b]

Now we're getting somewhere! Here's the guy's Reddit discussion about the instrument.

click: "I invented a guitar with four pedal-controlled string benders!"