[Rainer.]

Originally Posted by martinedwards

WANT!!!!!

hopefully a 3rd party will suppoy a midi interface box so it can be used to control synth sounds. nice acoustic patches maybe? banjo? sitar?

I'll not be buying rockband, but I WOULD consider this!

You could plug it into anything you want. Or should be able to at least. I wouldn't be surprised if it plays nicely with Roland's VG gear.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by martinedwards

WANT!!!!!

hopefully a 3rd party will suppoy a midi interface box so it can be used to control synth sounds. nice acoustic patches maybe? banjo? sitar?

I'll not be buying rockband, but I WOULD consider this!

You and me both...

[Rainer.]

Exclusive Details: How the Rock Band 3 Fender Mustang Works as a MIDI Guitar

More details!

The cool stuff:

Octave: Increment and decrement octave are the left and right action buttons (X and B on Xbox).

Program change: Increment and decrement are the top and bottom action buttons (that’s Y and A on Xbox). Transmits on channels 1-6. No, really. There’s a program change message implemented on this thing. The default is 28, the patch for a clean electric guitar in General MIDI.

D-pad buttons switch functions for the pedal, from foot controller to channel volume to expression.

Pedals: Connect an analog pedal, and you can use continuous expression or volume. Connect a digital stomp (that is, one that’s either on or off, like the bass drum pedal), and you send a damper pedal / sustain message.

Panic: Mercifully, there’s an all notes off command issued if you press the Xbox Back, Start, and D-Pad right at the same time. (Hmmm – feels like ctrl-alt-del.)

MIDI channel: By default, the guitar transmits on channels 1-6 — that’s in order to transmit strings separately. Each of the six strings is a different channel.

Accelerometer transmits Modulation on the X axis, Expression on the Y axis, and Pitch Bend on the Z axis, and each can be toggled independently with shift (the Start key) + B, A, and X, respectively. (That’s a good thing, as controlling all three at once would be a little messy.)

Frets and strings: Here’s the tricky part, because you’re strumming something rather than playing a MIDI keyboard. There are two modes:

“Strum mode.” Hold a fret, then strum the string. The note is sent when – and only when – you strum. The pitch is set by whichever fret is closest. That note is held until you change a fret.

“Synth mode.” Strumming a string or changing frets will generate a note – meaning, if you like, you can use that fretboard as a 102-key keyboard. (Microtonal fans, go nuts.) Here’s the odd part, though – you need the strum to set velocity, so whichever strum you’ve last strummed is your current velocity. While it’s called “synth” mode, this is the only mode that allows hammer-ons and pull-offs.

We’re going to need to get the actual guitar and shoot some video before that really makes sense. But you get the idea.
You can adjust pitch up and down 4 octaves in either direction.

LED feedback gives you information on what’s toggled and what isn’t, though my guess is you’ll just listen rather than try to squint at the LEDs.

[Rainer.]

More interesting stuff:
Squier® by Fender® Stratocaster® Guitar and Controller | The Guitar

MSRP on this one is gonna be $280 it looks like. Uses a "polymer" (read: plastic) fingerboard to transfer all the MIDI info, with what looks like individual little frets to pick up every string (I'm guessing it doesn't do bends). It's being advertised with Ableton Live, but it works with everything.

Not available 'til March, though?

[LC7rock]

Originally Posted by Rainer.

Fender News:Introducing the Revolutionary Rock Band 3 Squier® by Fender® Stratocaster® Guitar Controller

I'm sure that if this guitar does what it says it does, it'll be a budget "real" guitar MIDI controller, which might just be pretty darn cool.

I want to see if it plays nice with synths.

The Rock Band 3 "Mustang" controller has a MIDI out and will definitely be a functional 102 key MIDI controller, which is also pretty awesome.

Mod it and make it sound good for real, and find a way to use the buttons and controls to affect lighting or other stuff!!

[thesteve]

Something I couldn't tell from the page...does it use steel strings or plastic strings?

[Rainer.]

Originally Posted by LC7rock

Mod it and make it sound good for real, and find a way to use the buttons and controls to affect lighting or other stuff!!

All the buttons are mapped to MIDI, so ostensibly, you'd be able to make program changes with MIDI rack gear pretty easily right from the guitar.

Steel strings, I'm pretty sure, Steve.

[redbaron]

i am lousy at anything outside of rhythm, so I'm seriously considering the strat to learn some more stuff in a more fun way.

I am far too unmotivated to sit there and slog through tabs normally. haha