Has anyone else tried the Casio DG-20 MIDI guitar controller?
I have one of these and it works pretty good for controlling the MOTM.
Yeah, I know it's toy like, but it has some nice features. The neck is a
wired type, no pitch to CV here, so there's no lag. Also has a solo mode
that plays last note priority, very good for mono synths. Has a mode where
each string has it's own MIDI channel, (different synth for each string?).
Or it
can just play 6-note poly on one channel. Has a legato, staccato technique
depending on if you pick the string, or hammer on.
It has it's disadvantages too. Only gives MIDI note on/off messages. No
velocity.
no pitch bend, no modulation. But we are talking modular, so a foot pedal or
joystick
could be added somewhere. Or you can stay in the MIDI realm and use a merger
box
to get the added controllers,(easy). Then there's the cheesy built in
speaker, synth, rhythm
unit. I tend to keep the volume knob at zero, but some of the built in
sounds are actually
cool. And when using this as a MIDI controller some of the presets give a
note off after
a few seconds, (I use the organ preset, has infinite sustain). Lastly all of
the strings are the
same thickness, with a rubbery tension, and made of nylon. But I don't mind,
I'm not a
guitar player!!
I've had mixed reactions from "real" guitarist. Ranging from "it sucks
cause you can't bend
notes", to others that were completely blown away by the possibilities. A
matter of the glass
being half full or half empty. It certainly would make a good starting point
for a custom
guitar controller,(wood body,whammy bar bender).
If anyone is looking to get one of these, make sure it's the DG-20. The
DG-10 looks
similar but has no MIDI out. Paid 80 bucks for mine, and use a MIDI2CV8 to
convert
to CV. Here is a pic of mine along with many other guitar like MOTM
controllers.(The
DG-20 is the one on the bottom left).
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Frontrow/4877/dg20.jpgTerry
Hey, didn't someone else make a wired neck controller? Roland? Guitorgan?