Michael Hedges "Because It's There" on solo guitar with the Boss SY-1000 guitar synthesizer

[@scotjonschwestka5107]

This is beautiful, Alan

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thank you!

[@garyschafer-thepickinpilot9010]

Fascinating technique. Well done. Alan 👏👏🎸🎸

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thank you!

[@ssiowi]

Spectacular! Saw MH back in the day in the Bay Area. All these years on, still dragging my jaw along the floor--a unique talent and epic loss to the craft. Thanks for honoring Michael. Love that Godin!

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Many thanks! I totally agree about Michael Hedges--we can only imagine what musical wonders he might be achieving now without his senseless loss.

[@martinfine3264]

Amazing arrangement of this fantastic song!!

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Many thanks! I must say, taking this away from the unique instrument and playing techniques of Michael Hedges still seems a bit strange (almost sacrilegious?) to me, but I was really drawn to the idea of treating the piece as a composition to transcribe into a different medium.

[@martinfine3264]

@@AlanThomasGuitar It’s a cool thing to try out and that’s one thing Hedges used to do was to experiment with new techniques and styles so think he’d approve!

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

@@martinfine3264 👍🙏

[@Nirabulator]

That was really good!

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thank you!

[@reubenaugustine5448]

Got my SY1000. Got a GR55. Thinking about a GM800. All played a with Fender Mexico synth ready guitar that doesn't compare to a Godin in good hands. How inspiring 😊

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thank you! I'd love to try the GR-55 and GM800, though I have to say I already find the SY-1000 confusing enough as it is! Anyway, keep going!

[@user-jc9oq9tt1w]

@@AlanThomasGuitar Wonderful technique! I grabbed an ancient GR1 ($90 :-) for my ACS Multiac, and its great, have a RC50 Loopstation ( This is also ancient: Also have an original Roland G505 Strat / GM70 Midi Converter and Korg / Yamaha modules ) This old gear is so cool

[@DrJoeyBean]

In the spirit of something constructive, I love your playing you are obviously a pro, I also own a multiac nylon. I find the sound "plasticy" for lack of a better word. I'm switching to a flemenco guitar with a pickup and then running the pickup line through a chain. But not a syth... Would the Boss SY-1000 work for that? Personally I don't think an electric instrument can compete with the beauty of acoustic sounds.

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. You've summed up the challenge with the Godin perfectly--it's that plasticy quack, which to be fair, seems to affect all piezo pickups. My goal is to get as close to a nice acoustic sound as possible, but I'm still working on seeing how possible that is. The SY-1000 wouldn't be much use to you with your flamenco guitar, because its capabilities really need the hexaphonic pickup to use the modelling and string separation. My main suggestion would be to use an impulse response, which really does help to remove the piezo quack. Good luck with it all!

[@DrJoeyBean]

@@AlanThomasGuitar Thank you for responding Alan. I'm inclined to say that a a gizmo could be built to send an acoustic sound into something like the SY-100. The companies that make these products are just not hearing that from players. I tend to think we are going to start going back to acoustic sounds. People will get tired of the artificial sound. In fairness the godin is amazing. What they did with that instrument was new at the time and the build quality is great. I have no complaints about mine.

[@gerguitar]

great, very realistic

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Thank you!

[@michaelreaper666]

Hi Alan ...well done/played my friend ... Yan does this sort of thing .. have you heard him ? .. Ive just put on "He's a Pirate" classical guitar quartet .. have a great week ..and how's the family ? .. Cheers .. Mike .. :)

[@AlanThomasGuitar]

Cheers Mike! I haven't heard Yan but please do send a link if you can. Hope you're well!