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Old 05-21-2013, 03:19 AM   #4
The Telenator
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oud West, NL
Posts: 2,335
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Having both the Fishman now and the latest beta version of JamOrigin's MidiGuitar plugin and having played and compared both extensively, I'm going to take an opposing view to what I've read in the several posts concerning the Fishman.

I have not the slightest doubt whatsoever now that the best viable future for this entire MIDI guitar business lies in the software approach ... for several good reasons.

Understand, first of all, that it has been a long, hard road for JamOrigin in developing the software to accomplish this feat. Note also that the road has not come to its proper end yet, but the latest beta shows very clearly that this means of accomplishing good polyphonic guitar converted to MIDI will ultimately be a smashing success. Using software to achieve this is the future, whether you currently believe this or not.

With the Fishman, we are once again back to crap on our guitars, and I suggest anyone with a valuable guitar and a real lacquer surface stay miles away from any of this sticky stuff. I've heard the 'won't harm your guitar's finish' thing plenty of times before. In every case it has been an unreliable claim. I hope their insurance is up to date. Also, just wait until some good perspiration works its way down into the corky stuff, between any touching parts there. You'll see. I'm no slob around my instruments, but I'm not going to get all prissy and anal and constantly clean out the contact areas, etc.

Further, I'm unclear if replacement parts are going to be offered and how over-priced they will turn out to be. Meanwhile, be very very careful not to wreck that USB receiver dongle. Don't let it fall out on a hard floor, as it is rather flimsy, cheap plastic in my opinion, and it won't take much to crack any of it. I might say the same of the unit on the body -- cheap, rather thin plastic housing there also. I think for the money a much better design could have been made. I think this is about the flimsiest Fishman stuff I've ever seen, to be honest.

The latency is supposed to be .5 ms? I average about 10 times that, as others are reporting in, though I will say it runs smoothly in Reaper. But then, the MidiGuitar plugin is greatly improved and does rather well in its own right. Less latency for me, too. I will admit that the Fishman tracks rather well, once you have tweaked and adjusted the dickens out of it. However, properly set, I can say essentially the same of the MidiGuitar plugin now in its latest incarnation as well.

Some of this is just personal, but I really don't like junk on my guitars. I'm not interested in switching it from axe to axe, either, so I'm trapped into using it on just one -- unless I care to get almost taken to the cleaner's again and buy more. I haven't completely decided yet, but like the Roland Guitar Synth I had years ago, I expect I'll dump the Fishman setup by year's end. It's just all too precious and a bother.

Although it truly isn't 'there' yet, I know what's involved with perfecting the MidiGuitar VST plugin, and I have no doubts at all that JamOrigin will have this plugin performing spectacularly before very much longer. In the meantime, the beta really isn't half bad if you take the time to learn its subtleties. I think it did help having used the GR synth previously. I've fiddled with other means in the past also -- there's just a certain playing approach and finesse needed. Players with sloppy technique ought not bother with this MIDI guitar stuff at all I think. I mention this because I believe incredibly sloppy guitar technique is all too prevalent among players these days (even if many do try to bury it under tonnes of ridiculous distortion).

Anyway, I know there are plenty still raving over the novelty of the Fishman. I understand. And I'm not saying the result of that product is all 'bad'; what I am saying is that the hex pickup approach is ultimately a dead end, eventually headed for some vintage MIDI gadget memorabilia website and the history books.

The software solution will be the end winner, more hassle-free, cheaper and more convenient. I have to commend JamOrigin for having the guts, vision and perseverance to push on with his software approach. All we need on our part is a little more patience.
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