Midi Violin: THE TRUTH

[@justinnaramor6050]

OK, here's the rest of my dissertation :))) Firstly, you are correct in saying that a MIDI violin pickup likely will not track your performance absolutely perfectly. This is just because of the nature of trying to take an inherently analog musical instrument that already produces musical notes using the vibration of strings, and then converting those pitches into digital MIDI notes; it would be like trying to take the sounds of an inherently acoustic piano and then converting those sounds into MIDI notes. The pitch-to-MIDI systems have to essentially calculate the speed at which a string is vibrating, which obviously determines its pitch, along with how hard or soft the note was played, and add to that the fact the string has to oscillate at least a couple of times (or at best, only once!) before the device finally decides what the pitch is. Then it finally converts all this into MIDI data. As you can well imagine, this introduces a delay between triggering a string and then hearing the note through the synthesizer, and to make matters worse, the actual length of that delay varies with increasing or decreasing pitch! This is why pitch-to-MIDI conversion is pretty much a no-no for bass guitarists (and believe me, I've read internet forums on this topic, and people who have tried this make that quite clear). Obviously, bass guitars produce slower vibrations, which therefore means lower notes, which therefore means a lot more latency! And let's not forget the concept of "sympathetic vibrations" either, which can also cause issues with the MIDI tracking; this is when other strings actually vibrate a bit in addition to whichever string is being plucked/struck/bowed. So with this in mind, I completely understand why you said a MIDI keyboard would track better; well, it's because keyboards don't 'track' anything (using the word "tracking" to refer to tracking pitch here, like what the MIDI violin would do). Keyboards essentially send out "defined" notes; I guess you could say that each key on your keyboard is programmed to send out a certain MIDI note right from the beginning, similar to how your laptop keyboard keys are assigned to send out specific letters/numbers/commands. That's why MIDI keyboards are so incredibly successful; they don't have to listen to the vibrating pitch of a string at all to work. Therefore, I thought it might be interesting to have a MIDI instrument that mechanically functions like a keyboard, but that can be played with many of the conventional finger, hand and arm motions associated with bowed strings. This would mean that the instrument wouldn't even have to use real strings at all, therefore completely eliminating the tracking issues of pitch-to-MIDI systems. The idea here is that you would have 2 independent sets of sensors on the device, each sending their relevant data to the software/synthesizer: the fretboard or fingerboard-like sensors would determine the pitch; they'd essentially be telling the synthesizer "hey, yo, John Smith is about to play MIDI note number 128" for example. The string-like sensors, which you would activate using the bow, would then be responsible for actually triggering the selected pitch at the appropriate volume level; they'd essentially be telling the synthesizer "hey, yo, it is now time to trigger MIDI note number 128, with x amount of intensity". This simulates the 2-handed operation of stringed instruments, which is very much unlike a keyboard; on a keyboard, the same hand that selects the pitch to play is also the hand that triggers it. Whereas on a stringed instrument like a guitar or violin in this case, one hand selects the pitch to play, and the other hand plays that selected pitch. So, a device like this would definitely get rid of the issues of pitch-to-MIDI, which is a big advantage. I suppose that if there was a disadvantage, it might be that the instrument may not exactly 'feel' like playing a real violin, due to the fact that no real strings would be needed (and when I say "feel" I'm referring to the physical feeling of playing the device as compared with a real violin, not the 'emotional' response from playing it). But I could also make the point that the amount of realism that could be achieved would depend on what kind of sensors would be used for either the fingerboard or the bowing sensors (or both). As a matter of fact, I've managed to find at least a few online articles of interest to me, where my idea of a violin-like MIDI controller has been at least proposed (if not actually constructed). I'll post the links here if you're interested in reading them. I find it rather fascinating, especially as someone who's visually impaired (I forgot to mention that I'm visually impaired, to the point of actually being completely blind). I've tried to imagine myself playing on these proposed controllers, even though I'm not actually a violinist :) Finally one more thing before I go: I hope I don't come across as disrespectful or condescending when I say this, but personally I just don't quite agree with your statement that using a violin to trigger samples or synths is using a "wrong tool for the job" as you put it. Neither do I agree with the statement that one should just use a "50 dollar MIDI keyboard" if they want to trigger synths. As for the first statement: consider one of the biggest reasons why people enjoy MIDI, and have done so for so long now: it is precisely the fact that one instrument is capable of playing bac sounds of pretty much anything you could imagine, and this includes sounds not associated with whatever instrument your MIDI controller physically simulates. Let me expand on that: essentially your argument was that the instruments we use are tools and those tools have characteristics that make them what they are, which is correct (E.G. the violin has the ability to swell and sustain notes as you correctly pointed out). So you essentially just said that playing sounds not associated with violin characteristics, I.E. drum sounds or piano sounds, is "weird" or "wrong". But I don't feel that this argument is completely valid. OK, sure, if one were to buy a MIDI violin and literally the only thing they were to do with it is play drums or piano sounds (I.E. non-violin-like sounds that don't contain any sonic characteristics of the violin), and literally nothing else, then yes, that seams a bit strange and that would be a legitimate reason to make that argument. But if you say this is weird or wrong even if that person does play sounds characteristic of the violin, well then that's complete hogwash to me... period. With logic like that, you should also hopefully say that it's wrong to use a keyboard to play sounds characteristic of brass instruments, which, again, removes the very thing that makes MIDI and electronic musical instruments so interesting. In other words, think outside the box, for a change. As for your second statement, about it being better to use a keyboard: I understand that MIDI was really designed with keyboards in mind (or rather, it was really designed with the 'nature' of keyboards in mind, where the sounds essentially originate from computer code instead of a physical vibration, and where each key or pad on a controller generates a pre-defined MIDI note). Therefore, it is for this reason that I've described a 'violin-like' MIDI controller earlier on in this comment. But seriously now, with this in mind, why limit someone who's interested in MIDI to using a keyboard? Some people find that they're most proficient on a bowed string instrument, and by advising them to "just use a keyboard", you are essentially getting them to learn a physical interface that is entirely different from what they're already familiar with just to play synthesizers! Doesn't seam like a very smart thing to do if you ask me; to me that's almost as bad as telling someone that they must use violins to play classical music and electric guitars are forbidden, because electric guitars don't "belong" in classical music. OK, maybe that analogy is not the greatest, but the bottom line is to encourage people to think outside the box and use whatever tools they're familiar with to get their job done, not discouraging them by telling them to use another "tool" that's supposedly "better" for the job. So I just think you should be pretty careful before making statements like that, because otherwise you might be alienating a certain group of people (in this case, people who are most proficient on bowed strings) from the joys of MIDI. Alright, that's finally the end of my dissertation :) feel free to reply with any of your thoughts on this. Take care of yourself and have a nice day!

[@TnSn5]

You wrote a whole book to disagree with the truth? 😆

[@Valettiful]

I am a professional violinist and this video helps me in my reflection on midi violin. very useful and instructive video, thank you very much.

[@nickhydeviolin]

Violin mimicking real instruments - I half agree with you on this one. A real instrument will (probably) always sound better than a sample. I think instruments mimicking each other could be an extremely fun technological development in music. Work needs to be done to make better MIDI patches. Controlling synths - So... Violin can change timbre, volume, vibratto, all in the same note. If you combine the ability to change volume, vibratto, and timbre with the AMAZING power of the synthesizer, you would completely revolutionize the instrument and its capabilities. Volume control is possible by tying input violin volume to output synth volume. I have this 100% working and the results are amazing. Vibratto is possible with a vocoder (most likely) Timbre is possible by analyzing a frequency spectrum and turning filter frequencies accordingly. Work needs to be done to make this possible. Transcription - In order for my MIDI violin setup to work the way it does, I have to filter as much of it as I can live, and then filter it after the fact so that if I loop it, it can further clean it. I've got it to the point where it produces a very accurate transcription.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Nick, OK so we agree on the instrument thing... yes eventually keys will sound very similar to real strings and some day we may have great performances of Bach Violin sonatas on electric keyboards using samples and vice versa... but we are not there yet and THIS IS PRETTY POINTLESS. As far as controlling Timbre, volume etc, Keyboards can do this as well, and even breath controlled Midi like an Ewi. When we turn our violins into midi controllers we have to sacrifice much of the unique nuance, although as you point out midi sustain, and pitch bend etc can be sent and tracked pretty well on modern instruments AND these nuances are much more apparent and controllable in the analog world (remember that I mentioned that there are TONS of great pedals and multi effects on the market now dedicated to synth like tones (Meris Enzo, Deep impact, and even Roland makes non midi syth processors for guitar and bass players). Do you think midi purely as a controller has an advantage in this case? That certainly hasn't been my experience. Sounds like you got the midi transcription thing going and whatever works for your creative pallete is totally valid. My only point is in terms of Price point, and efficiency midi is very slow going and not the best tool for this job form that perspective. Sounds like you have a 3 step filtering process happening, which is cool and I think it would be useful to share that process though. I am a one step $40 plastic keyboard guy and I'm fast as hell, but to each their own of course.

[@nickhydeviolin]

I agree: With where MIDI violin currently exists (outside of my laptop), it's definitely more worth it to use a keyboard. But MIDI violin will continue to improve. To control the volume, timbre, and pitch of a synth with the violin bow, will undeniably come in the future, and once it improves, it will definitely be more than something like a gimmick, similar to the development of electric violin over the last half a century, which has come a very long way and is still developing.

[@esteraivan3460]

Hi I want buy midi violin have ?

[@tauvholiik7936]

Midi is currently being redesigned to be far more capable of more input variables and instrument profile data exchanges. Midi 2.0 will most likely be fully developed within the next 5 years with lots of new instruments supporting both new and old midi protocols. I just bought a cheap 70 dollar electric violin knowing full well that it barely passes as a true violin sound, but I intend to use "Midi Guitar" plugin and also my own invention to record string and bow articusltions to then simulate playing a million dollar strat via multiplexing polyphonic timbres much the same way a Roli Seaboatd does. Capturing midi from a violin can also trigger whole string and brass sections in realtime solo performances which can also be done with midi guitar, midi drums, midi aerophone and so much more. It only takes 2 or 3 actual live players to trigger a full live orchestra which can be performed impromptu and live. The hardest part is setting up song mappings of program changes and midi chord filters to play proper triggering keys, scales, articulations, varying timbres (both mapped and randomized/human ized). So yes you are correct about the old midi preconceptions as the novelty wears off trying to mimic other instruments. But there is a new Midi on the horizon that will fundamentally change peoples stigma against the old outdated midi protocols. The Roli Seaboard is one of the first successful instruments developed, but only a handful of DAW's will support it's multiple timbres and currently does not transmit midi. Midi 2.0 will merge the new protocols currently being developed and implementing legacy and new midi protocols, all through a single cable or even wirelessly through wifi or bluetooth.

[@tauvholiik7936]

Correction: The Seaboard does not translate its proprietary polytimbres into midi so many of the Seaboards input characteristics such as independant key pitch bending is not transmitted through midi but the seaboard can be configured to transmit midi but it has no midi hardware support.

[@tauvholiik7936]

Forgive my misspellings as I typed this up on my phone and did not find all the misspellings and cannot edit them either. One such word misspelled was "articulations".

[@crcomments8509]

I’ve been trying ‘midi guitar 2’ with a solid body electric, using a standard piezo pickup. The tracking is almost perfect, once you get the noise gate set. It’s great fun for piano etc, but comes into its own when using a mix between the violin and the midi, as it possible to add midi strings to add the depth, or brass whilst still getting the actual violin sound.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

CR! Thanks for your comment. We have experimented with Midi Guitar 2 and while it's very convenient and state of the art for now, it only tracked accurately under very specific circumstances. The technology will continue to improve, but the main points in the video (the pointlessness of copying other instruments) and the fact that note entry will still be slower and less reliable with both hands necessary to play, still holds true and should remain so for the foreseeable future. The application you mention could be interesting though in terms of eliminating a keyboard/pad player or not needing tracks to do that type of job. With the software, though you'll still need a laptop, so it might not be much more convenient than running ableton tracks anyway.

[@bradendauer7634]

I agree 100%, if you play the violin, then play the violin. This said, I did just purchase a GR-55 to use with my electric violin. Obviously, a keyboard or pad would be better suited for this purpose as stated in this video. However, keyboards and pads take up additional space on stage and add time effort to the load in/out when setting up for gigs. For me, its less about making my violin sound like a piano, and more about finding a way to add a brief piano melody, or other synth element, without having to setup a giant keyboard. We have a small microkorg, but event that is more than we want to have on stage. I just wish the GR-55 pedal was smaller because I'm afraid it will take up too much floor space.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

totally cool man! Yeah don't have to rely on midi for that and I definitely see the utility in your situation, although there are an insane amount of cheaper and smaller sytnth pedals out, the 55 is a fun piece of gear!

[@kevinjunior_kid]

Does anyone think about afterlife?

[@chrisrdgymnastics]

I'm using Cremona Quartet as my sampling in violin, cello and viola.. It works well..

[@michaelwilliams8781]

Yes, I think I mainly agree with you, but I see some possibilities in mixing different timbres with the natural violin sound rather than just going for total conversion. Also, midi gives a lot of possibilities with live looping, setting up different instruments against the natural violin.

[@zerorusher]

I just want to say that the better tool is to one you're familiar with. From a practical stand point, of course, go for the most efficient route, it makes sense. Still, from an artistic stand point, I actually believe going the shorter, tested and tried way is not always the best solution. Struggle and experimentation are an integral part of developing a style and innovating. Sometimes limitations lead to breakthroughs. Still, you have a point. Except for keyboards, midi Instruments demand a crazy level of accuracy of the player in order to provide average results. Midi Instruments most of the times aren't better than a real one, but if they are taken as different beasts, lots of interesting things may happen. I have just got a Casio DG20 Midi guitar and boy, sure it has a lot of limitations (it's from the 80s after all) but being able to play chord progressions from guitar with voices from an analog synth it's so incredible!

[@cellochill2857]

Crushing all my hopes and dreams for midi. LOL Good information and probably saving me a very significant amount of time I would have otherwise wasted.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Happy to help Cello! There is SOOO much out there in the pedal/effect world as we mentioned so plenty of sonic ground for string players to explore there:)

[@MelloCello7]

Do not lose hope, the future is always developing and at an alarming rate. You'll see;)

[@chamberpop]

Sorry Jacob! This didn't anger me. You make perfect sense. But you neglected to mention the application where I successfully used MIDI violin in a commercial performing setting. The original MIDI spec was conceived to allow keyboard synths to network and layer multiple instrumental sounds played on a single keyboard. My late '80s original rock band didn't have a keyboardist, and I orchestrated each song by bringing in and out various MIDI triggered sounds, usually (but not always) layered with my violin sound. With MIDI, these sounds could be stacks of percussive and sustained sounds, in multiple octaves. The little 4-piece band would really benefit from the massive strings/choir aah sample stacks with handbell attacks, and layered with my violin with octave divider and delay FX. Sometimes I would set up the synths to track my bowed dynamics and pitch bends. Usually, though, I would disable this tracking to achieve an effect more like a keyboard player accompanying my violin. With a volume pedal on the synths I could play expressive dynamics independent of my violin's bowed dynamics. A sustain pedal for the synth allowed me to trigger the beginning of a chord, hold the chord, and continue to riff on my violin. It always felt and sounded like I was playing two instruments at once. Not sure if you would find our music moving, but it was a practical, commercial application of MIDI violin in public performance (and recording). My KZbin channel has a few videos of my band. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inbMeHirq897odU

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Thanks for sharing Tom, and no need to apologize for not being angry! I think having two signals at the same time isn't necessarily a "Different " application than the synth triggering I mentioned (maybe just let a keybaord player double you), but I did check out the video. I think the octave dividing and pitch shifting stuff can be really interesting, but with the speed of modern non midi devices like the Pogs or the million other octave dividers out there, it's not really a necessity (and I would actually argue it's a distinct disadvantage) to use a midi violin to achieve any of what I was hearing. Check out our very own Paul cartwright using Hogs and POGS with the last Father John Misty tour or even the really sophisticated programming I was doing to create my solo piece IF which may be the most advanced example of solo harmonizing I've seen. Good stuff though and thanks for not being ANGRY HAHA!!!!

[@chamberpop]

Electric String Player Polyphonic pitch shifting pedals were not yet available in 1990. My Zeta VC-220 processed each string monophonically to give 1 or 2 octaves below in real time. On board individual string level, plus on each lower octave, level and tone controls. The unit was not MIDI but it would pass the discrete analog string outputs to the violin-to-MIDI converter unit (which had no sounds built in yet). Multi- FX units were not available yet, so my rack had separate synth modules, amp FXs, reverb/delay FX, VC-220 pitch shifting, audio mixer, and foot pedal controls and volume pedals. In all 6 heavy rack spaces of gear that can now be replaced by one stomp box (and a monophonic violin bridge).

[@bryanbutler4923]

I use midi for effects not as a different instrument to play. I create orchestrations or padding using midi to stack or layer string pads synth pads or choral sounds helps add dimension to my sound. If you're only thinking of using the midi for soloing you're not in a band you're leading the band, thus alleviating any versatility you have as a band member. As a band member it's all about adding to the creation the music and not ones persona or ego.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Bryan, we understand this use for midi very well as it may be the most common. As the video states, It is still far less reliable/efficient to do this with strings than any other instrument and you have much less flexibility than a keyboard player in controlling harmonies and 2. (like synth sounds) You don't need a midi instrument for this at all. There are no end to the great harmonizers available that you can purchase and use without the added cost of midi. Please checkout Jacob creating and improvising real time sophisticated harmonies without a midi instrument.... This is the most advanced and musical use of harmony effects with strings that we've heard so far and again NO MIDI INSTRUMENT was necessary. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3ucpIqObNepZ5Y

[@beseakos]

The only reason I looked it up because I was getting into the rabbithole of modular synths and using a keyboard for now after a masters degree in classical violin performance seems really unintuitive for me. Using my own instrument as a midi input for synths sounds like a fun idea musically. Practically as I have seem from the DG20 digital guitar, midi pickups are kinda ass and have a tendency to pick up everything but your intended notes ahahaha

[@NathanShirley]

I would argue that there's a huge potential just waiting to be tapped with bowed MIDI instruments. Assuming you're interested in the instrument to play synth sounds with a violin technique, it would be nearly impossible to get this kind of pitch bend control and subtlety on pretty much any other MIDI controller: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eHaXkmijlrh2hZo

[@NathanShirley]

And I think this guy is really starting to tap into some of that potential: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3uapXyemqeSo5Y I'd be curious to know if you've given the Cantini a try?

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

NAthan, at that time stamp we're just seeing a regular sounding nasal electric violin sound. Obviously strings can do wild pitch bending like a guitar, but I think this is missing the point of the video. The video amongst other things is questioning the point of trying to "OutSynth" A Synth or "OutFlute" a flute etc. As Jacob says, There may be .%.01 of the people watching the video who may have some real groundbreaking use for midi violin, we just haven't seen anything really compelling so far and certainly nothing that couldn't be more easily achieved with non midi effects processing.

[@NathanShirley]

@@ElectricStringPlayer Sure the sound he's using in that first video clip I pointed to is nothing especially interesting, but it COULD be absolutely anything. The point there was those particular techniques are pretty specific to bowed strings, so not something you could easily, if at all achieve on any other MIDI controller. Some of it would even be hard on a Haken Continuum. But that second video I posted I think really starts to show what I was getting at, using very violin-centric techniques with really wild synth sounds, achieving something that is not only compelling, but would be nearly impossible any other way. And yes, even if he only represents 0.0001 percent of people using novel MIDI controllers, it only takes that one person to break through and start something new. I do get the issues with inferior MIDI controllers, and can imagine most MIDI violins would suffer from not being able to capture the nuances of a real instrument. I'm a classical pianist and still haven't found a MIDI keyboard I'm happy with (despite all the wooden actions and so on). So I was also curious if you had tried this Cantini, to see if it's significantly better/more responsive. I completely agree with all your other points, just thought it was worth pointing out that exceptions to the rule are often the most interesting cases.

[@chrisrdgymnastics]

New fam here... Tnx for sharing

[@mrswimmyboy]

IMO current pitch to midi conversion for the violin is in its "early childhood", and possibly a dead end. We'll eventually consider it as we consider personal computers from the 1980s. A toy, but capable of some personal expression. You do the best with what you've got, if it serves your needs. A violin midi controller directing brute computing power driven by a magic application is what we need.🙂 I hope to be alive when it arrives.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Yes, it very well may be a dead end indeed Joel, especially considering noise bleed if one is actually working with a band.

[@justinnaramor6050]

Warning: your about to read a dissertation in a youtube comment :) I meant to write a comment here but hadn't done so yet. Yes, I'm well aware that I am a slacker :))) hahaha But Anyways, I have some things I'd like to say regarding my thoughts on the video, and on the concept of a MIDI violin in general. I do apologize if this maybe gets too long for you to read, but I have quite a lot I want to say here. Perhaps I may end up splitting this up into separate comments, or maybe I'll just roll them all into one. Firstly, I suppose it would be a good idea to explain why I came across this video in the first place (or rather, what prompted me to even consider the idea of a MIDI violin at all). So I was listening to this "techno" (or whatever you want to call it) band that I had become familiar with over the last couple years, and this band calls themselves "Destroid" (no, that is not a misspelling, that's literally how you spell it). When the band performs there music live, they actually use MIDI controllers that are played like guitars. Notice how I said "MIDI controllers that are played like guitars", as apposed to "playing guitars". This means that they're not actually real guitars, so therefore this means they don't rely on some kind of pitch-to-MIDI conversion at all. And for the kind of music they play, this would make perfect sense; the rhythms that are used are quite fast and wild, and to my (limited) knowledge, pitch-to-MIDI conversion just doesn't work that well for super fast and intricate playing, I.E. shredding or whatever you want to call it. So with this in mind, I thought to myself, "hey, what if someone made a MIDI controller that could be played like a violin? Has it even been done? This might mean you could literally play techno music with a bow, the same kind of music that "Destroid" plays!" So I looked on KZbin and I just typed in "MIDI violin", but all I was really finding was the typical "pitch-to-MIDI systems, which are inherently flawed. And this is a perfect segue into my thoughts on this video, and on MIDI violins as a whole.. I think I'll go ahead and add the rest of my thoughts into a separate comment.

[@waynechurchill7212]

You are cheering yourself if didn,t learn the instrument. I like your info

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

??? Thanks?

[@homoeoremedy_drjayanta]

U saved my lots.. Thanks a lot dear friend. 😍

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

krishna rhythm no problem Krishna!

[@1Aquadon]

I disagree a bit .. My 76 year old female violinist doesnt want to buy /learn to play / or transport a cello .. wouldnt a midi electric violin into a Roland GR-55 set to cello be a better?

[@Machodave2020]

Since I'm not a pianist, I just use a mouse or my computer keyboard.

[@lukeibrahim7249]

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[@elliothank2823]

@Luke Ibrahim Yea, I have been watching on Instaflixxer for years myself :D

[@Machodave2020]

@@lukeibrahim7249 do you want to talk about this?

[@marceloviana2383]

I think you get it at wrong way. If i use a midi violin i want to hear a violin, not piano or other sinth sound not made for a bow. Now imagine that i want to make a tour and my music need a orchestra but i dont have a money for 20 violins players, 10 violas and 10 celos. But a string quartet is achievable. If this quartet is connect to a computer i have now a great amout of violins violas and celos coming from a real violin viola and celo players, and i have to pay just four. The same goes to brass. Is useless use a bow instrument to play not bow instruments as trumpet, trombone, horn to play not trumpet, trombone, horn instruments. The dynamic of the instrument is there. And once you get all midi, the sound quality is already there with studio treatment, very high quality sound. No more time for sound engineer to change here, change there. No feedback fixing. The sound come straight high quality from a computer, and its not play back or VS, as saying nowadays. The musician still need to play. Its a real live show. Just my 2 cents.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Marcelo, If you are going to have 4 players triggering midi samples, just get a keyboard player or do what virtually every touring group on earth does and just have someone run tracks... even behind a soloist or duo with a regular pickup or mic. Easier, more stable tracking and cheaper.

[@marceloviana2383]

@@ElectricStringPlayer a keyboard player have just 2 hands, unless your lazy songwriter make cello and viola play the same notes and the 2 violins also play another same notes, you gonna need 2 keyboard players. Even so, the instrument dynamic won't be really there. Same with the brass. Well, if you gonna use playback, all this discussion is useless. I just talking about a player apply the same technic used with the instrument, but getting a studio treated sound quality, and multiply it. Is easier and cheaper to do a playback? Sure! Also, as everyone's doing it, it's probably economically viable, but certainly not exactly desirable. The point for me is: if I need a bow midi instrument, I want to hear a bow instrument out of it, a midi trumpet should give me a brass sound out of it, a midi sax, could give me a sax section or woodwind sound out of it. It's all about the dynamic of the instrument. And thank you for the reply.

[@nickhydeviolin]

It's now possible to produce 99% accurate transcriptions with MIDI violin - because I've done it. With a bit more work, you could add slur, staccato, and other things. More exciting developments will be happening with MIDI violin soon (when I'm/others are done working on it), including pitch bend/vibratto, tone color analysis (turn a frequency filter knob based on the frequency spectrum of the violin), controlling DMX lights, and so much more.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Nick! Please define 99%???? are you playing fast/with double sops and slides? Real violin musicor just basic single note lines (even then 99 percent seems pretty generous considering most trained keyboard players couldn't even approach that with standard note entry on a DAW or Notation program)? As I said in the video, it's all possible, but practical is another matter. Glad to hear the future is bright Nick (I'm not sure how excited I am about controlling lights though). Keep in mind the video is just speaking to the past and present as we have a pretty long history of Midi violin. So many great filtering and expressive controllers are available without having a Midi violin, I would love to see what adding all the hassle of midi implementation would really add. Glad to hear someone is working on this though.... much like computers I imagine really delveloping this and making it practical will take many more years and then to utilize these new possibilities musically will take many more still.

[@nickhydeviolin]

​@@ElectricStringPlayer In terms of monophonic transcription, we are for sure at a point in history where it's possible, practical and easy for anyone to buy Jam Origin, run it through a MIDI filter, and use it to generate a MIDI file. Post MIDI filter, it should be 99% accurate, the biggest "bug" being open strings ringing.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

@@ElectricStringPlayer I actually argue directly against your logic in this video... and often. I do not do it to be contrarian. I do it to utilize what I am most proficient with as a tool, and shape output product down with effective editors. If I were proficient with a keyboard, I would use a keyboard, if a violin then i'd use a violin, i'll use whatever is MOST quickly transitive from my mind into a recording. Granted, this is difficult for many to wrap their minds around because it may seem counterintuitive. However "right" or "wrong" tool (as you know) is relative. And if people play only one or even no instruments, capturing strums, bowing rhythms, or many things and entering notation "Can" be very useful dependent upon a person's workflow. But, these are merely my experiences.

[@xelnagazchild]

yo this video should be titled "Midi Violin : what i think about it" which is different from, you know, the truth.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

What part wasn’t true Xelna? We actually don’t mind trolls from time to time, but is there anything of substance you’d like to contribute to the conversation?

[@xelnagazchild]

​@@ElectricStringPlayer it's just a general consideration : this video is more about beeing explained why noone should touch a midi violin, in your opinion ; rather than what existing midi violin actually are, maybe how they work, the state-of-the-art today and so on (something i would consider more fitting to be called "the truth"). However indeed there's nothing wrong about explaining your views about midi violin ! I was indeed blunt and apologize for it, but i was mislead by the title and didn't find in this video factual information about midi violin - which is what i was looking for.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

@@xelnagazchild No worries. Yeah, we don't explain how different types of midi violin work and you are right that is was not the purpose of this video.

[@tauvholiik7936]

Also check out this midi violin compatible with the Roland GR55. I have a Roland GR33 and a VG88 as well as a hand crafted breakout box from a reputable custom builder. While the GK pickup records seperate strings and individual pitch bends, I have other ideas that will record various other articulations. My goal is to be able to accurately reproduce nearly the exact same performance by comparing original reamp signal chain to a simulated signal chain via many multiple timbre samples of multiple articulation libraries. It will be CPU load bearing however. But check out this guys devices. I will most likely order one of his midi violins. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoiTk4qprZuqoq8

[@singlefather01]

Think about the fun you can have being able to play various instruments however imperfect it maybe. Don’t be a party pooper.

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

As we said, your always free to spend your money however you want!

[@JulioRodriguez-gf8gh]

Perdí mi tiempo 😢

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Leave angry comments below :)

[@bringstring6090]

I just ordered a MIDI violin on your advice. Thanks. lol

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

@@bringstring6090 HAHA!!!! Everyone is free to waste their money as they choose:) I know I have...

[@AMPProf]

booooo! Always, Think outside the box! The keyboard is the worst form of note entry! As of 2021, this video is Deprecated! When the String-based Midi controller is built properly for note & string articulation entry is infinitely better!

[@Zane-l9f]

Play the dam thing.

[@chrismartin6690]

You are giving a distorted view of midi…suggest you look at and understand what midi is used for, how it works. MPE. Especially in relation SWAM technology and synthesisers… it is obvious you don’t understand why you would want to send midi to a synth…either hardware or electronic..

[@ElectricStringPlayer]

Chris, Thanks for the angry comment:). Besides the trolling, and Ad Hominems, do you have anything to actually contribute? What was said that was incorrect? We are familiar with SWAM but don't understand how it is germane or invalidates any of the points made.

[@chrismartin6690]

@@ElectricStringPlayer not an angry comment.... As I said you need to do some research and understand midi.. So do some reading.. Have fun and enjoy..