Anderton

kennywtelejazz
my apologies  if I'm coming off like I'm doing a humble brag …that is not my intent …..

Doesn't come off that way at all. I think people appreciate insights into what makes "stars" real people.
 
BTW about audio-to-MIDI conversion...I've been doing it with Gibson's FBX, which has hex pickups so each string goes into its own track. This really helps with reliability.

thanks Craig 
 
now you have me very interested in your Gibson FBX .I looked it up on The Gibson web page .
That Firebird seems very versitile and I happen to like the way it looks  ....that guitar appears to be so ahead of the loop it may be a true game changer ...
How does it work ? are we talking 6 totally independent outputs that you have total control of every aspect ? 
inquiring minds are asking over here ….
The only guitar that I have ever played that had a hexaphonic pick up for audio was the Kramer Ripley
if my memory serves me correctly , this may have been a stereo out put guitar only with control of volume and panning for each of the 6 strings . in mono I think it may of performed as a regular guitar .
 
 
Kenny
 

kennywtelejazz

Anderton

kennywtelejazz
my apologies  if I'm coming off like I'm doing a humble brag …that is not my intent …..

Doesn't come off that way at all. I think people appreciate insights into what makes "stars" real people.
 
BTW about audio-to-MIDI conversion...I've been doing it with Gibson's FBX, which has hex pickups so each string goes into its own track. This really helps with reliability.

thanks Craig 
 
now you have me very interested in your Gibson FBX .I looked it up on The Gibson web page .
That Firebird seems very versitile and I happen to like the way it looks  ....that guitar appears to be so ahead of the loop it may be a true game changer ...
How does it work ? are we talking 6 totally independent outputs that you have total control of every aspect ? 
inquiring minds are asking over here ….
The only guitar that I have ever played that had a hexaphonic pick up for audio was the Kramer Ripley
if my memory serves me correctly , this may have been a stereo out put guitar only with control of volume and panning for each of the 6 strings . in mono I think it may of performed as a regular guitar .
 
 
Kenny

The FBX was released several years ago and was very polarizing. Like you, I thought it looked cool but a lot of guitar players hated the look. Gibson came out with a Les Paul version called the LPX which had the same electronics. But both guitars were very expensive at a time when the economy was in its worst shape. It was one of those products where the stars were not in alignment.
 
That said, I love the FBX. It wasn't the first Gibson guitar with hex outputs but somehow they figured out how to minimize string crosstalk more than with any other hex guitar I've played. Fundamentally, the FBX has a mono output that carries the signal with the onboard effects (one of the reasons many players got it was so they could have the same sound in studio as on stage, and not have to carry a pedalboard - the Bluetooth footpedals are really slick). The hex outputs are designed for use with computer recording. The FBX comes with a 48kHz audio interface that breaks the output from the stereo cable (which multiplexes signals) into six separate outputs that appear like standard audio interface outputs in your computer. So from there, I use amp sim software to do individual processing for each string. 
 
If you look around you can find some pretty good deals on the FBX. It's still supported, as a matter of fact there was a Windows 8.1 update for the Editor just a couple months ago and there's a product specialist who's dedicated to helping users. The only issue with the update is that the software includes a "lick library" so you can play pre-recorded licks through the editor while you tweak sounds. However, it depends on some Windows component that changed in Windows 8 so the licks library no longer works. Everything else works fine, including tuning editing, effects editing, patch library, etc.
 
I hesitate to recommend it without qualification because it's an ambitious and complex guitar. However, that means it's right up my alley . I love the thing. I did much of the sound design for the presets, and shortly after it was introduced, an FBX with serial number 006 showed up at my door as Henry's way of saying thanks. The FBX experience furthered my relationship with Gibson, and is part of the reason why I'm with the company now. So I guess it also had something to do with Cakewalk now being part of Gibson
 

I do use Gobbler, but with the default storage I'm really limited to essentially saving just one project. 
 
As far as items I don't use that I would like to, that would definitely be the Screensets.

Sanderxpander
Thanks for sharing your experience, Kenny! Very cool. I've only ever played with some local/national "heroes". Though I did get to shake Brad Mehldau's hand (he's like half Dutch I guess, through his marriage), and got some lessons from Tom Salisbury (who lives in Holland). The times we had masterclasses from the Screaming Headless Torsos and from Mike Stern in school were super inspiring! Can't imagine what it'd be like to just jam and have a beer with one of those guys!

Hello Sanderxpander, 
 
it sounds like you made the rounds yourself and had the opportunity get up close to some decent players 
 
in my case i think my former geo location of NYC may have played heavily into many of the wonderful musical opportunities that have happened to me ….
 
it is very possible that some day I might open up a little and tell a few of my stories ….
 
have a good one ,
Kenny 

Anderton

kennywtelejazz

Anderton

kennywtelejazz
my apologies  if I'm coming off like I'm doing a humble brag …that is not my intent …..

Doesn't come off that way at all. I think people appreciate insights into what makes "stars" real people.
 
BTW about audio-to-MIDI conversion...I've been doing it with Gibson's FBX, which has hex pickups so each string goes into its own track. This really helps with reliability.

thanks Craig 
 
now you have me very interested in your Gibson FBX .I looked it up on The Gibson web page .
That Firebird seems very versitile and I happen to like the way it looks  ....that guitar appears to be so ahead of the loop it may be a true game changer ...
How does it work ? are we talking 6 totally independent outputs that you have total control of every aspect ? 
inquiring minds are asking over here ….
The only guitar that I have ever played that had a hexaphonic pick up for audio was the Kramer Ripley
if my memory serves me correctly , this may have been a stereo out put guitar only with control of volume and panning for each of the 6 strings . in mono I think it may of performed as a regular guitar .
 
 
Kenny

The FBX was released several years ago and was very polarizing. Like you, I thought it looked cool but a lot of guitar players hated the look. Gibson came out with a Les Paul version called the LPX which had the same electronics. But both guitars were very expensive at a time when the economy was in its worst shape. It was one of those products where the stars were not in alignment.
 
That said, I love the FBX. It wasn't the first Gibson guitar with hex outputs but somehow they figured out how to minimize string crosstalk more than with any other hex guitar I've played. Fundamentally, the FBX has a mono output that carries the signal with the onboard effects (one of the reasons many players got it was so they could have the same sound in studio as on stage, and not have to carry a pedalboard - the Bluetooth footpedals are really slick). The hex outputs are designed for use with computer recording. The FBX comes with a 48kHz audio interface that breaks the output from the stereo cable (which multiplexes signals) into six separate outputs that appear like standard audio interface outputs in your computer. So from there, I use amp sim software to do individual processing for each string. 
 
If you look around you can find some pretty good deals on the FBX. It's still supported, as a matter of fact there was a Windows 8.1 update for the Editor just a couple months ago and there's a product specialist who's dedicated to helping users. The only issue with the update is that the software includes a "lick library" so you can play pre-recorded licks through the editor while you tweak sounds. However, it depends on some Windows component that changed in Windows 8 so the licks library no longer works. Everything else works fine, including tuning editing, effects editing, patch library, etc.
 
I hesitate to recommend it without qualification because it's an ambitious and complex guitar. However, that means it's right up my alley . I love the thing. I did much of the sound design for the presets, and shortly after it was introduced, an FBX with serial number 006 showed up at my door as Henry's way of saying thanks. The FBX experience furthered my relationship with Gibson, and is part of the reason why I'm with the company now. So I guess it also had something to do with Cakewalk now being part of Gibson
 

I didn't realize that the FBX had an audio interface that worked in conjunction with proprietary software that you could bring into a DAW . Those type of options sound super flexible ...WOW …..
 
I'm pretty impressed and very interested in the possibilitys of what that type versatility / flexibility can bring to the table sonically for a guitarist . 
 
thank you so much for going into such great detail Craig  I had no idea how advanced the Gibson FXB / hex system truly was …
 
I think that is absolutely fantastic that Henry gave you your FBX that is excellent ….he must be a really good guy to do that.
 
when it comes to some of the polarizing issues I saw online regarding "Gibson "  and some of the more popular "hey everybody lets take a shark bite on Gibson Guitar topics " I had to step away and not take that bait  
 
I used to play on Vintage ES 335's w PAF's ,  ES 175's  and Les Pauls …
in 1981 I sold my 57 Reissue Black Beauty Les Paul …then I wound up spending 31 long years with out a Gibson guitar at all...
 
I feel very lucky to have my 2012 Gibson R8 Les Paul VOS….it is absolutely the best guitar I have ever owned period...
 
the story behind my R 8 Les is a  friend of mine played a trick on me …
my friend wanted me to go along with them to a music store and hang out while they shopped around for flutes 
once we were in the music store , my friend said while we are here , let me hear how you sound on what you think is your dream guitar …
The shop was Beacock  Music a Gibson Dealer , they knew me very well so they let me play anything I wanted no questions asked …
I kept going back to the same R 8 …the R 9 was very nice also , so were a couple of others Les Pauls but I had already bonded w the R 8 …
when I was done I didn't think much of it , i thought i was just doing a little guitar demo for a friend ...
my friend told me they were gonna pick up some sheet music and I went outside to have a cig and a cup of coffee .
when I came back in my friend was paying for some sheet music , then I said goodbye to the sales staff and we left 
I had no idea that my friend had purchased the R 8 for me on the spot and left it in the store .
a few days later my friend called me up and told me they wanted to go back to the store and pick up a flute they had checked out the last time we were there ….
we got to the store and I saw a brown Gibson Lifton guitar case on top of the counter and it had the R 8 I had played in it...
I looked over at the store manager Wayne and saw that he was crying I said how come your crying Wayne ?...
he told me that the guitar was for me and that that my friend had bought it for me the last time i was in the store .
he had never played a  part in such a elaborate secret before ...and that he was full of emotion over how the situation had played out ..
he gave me a hug , my friend gave me a hug , I started holding my new Gibson R 8 , then a few of us in the store  decided to play a few choruses of Misty silently using only our eyes and our hearts 
 
that's the story on how my R 8 came into my life ..
 
I'm very blessed to have a friend that would do something that loving for me ...
 
it is my feeling , that it is always a very strong positive confirmation / reinforcement  that you are doing something right somewheres in your life and music when a Great guitar comes into your life as a gift  
 
Kenny
 

Yes Kenny you are blessed!

What a story!! Rock on!!

stickman393
Using:

• Comping (because I don't get a choice)
• Automation Lanes! (Yes yes a thousand times yes but please fix the paste bugs)
• Color customization (not ideal in my opinion but pretty good once I get used to bright wave/dark clip)
• FX Region with V-Vocal (it's new in X3 and works better than X2 so I'm counting it)
• XLN Addictive Drums (but you can't count this because I was already a full license paid-up user)

Not using:

• Melodyne (because V-Vocal FOR EVER!!!)
• Blue Tube (seriously... will they even be included in X4?)
• Anything new related to ProChannel (because I don't use it)

...I'm probably forgetting something.

Awesome thread! Stickman393, I would definitely encourage you to try Melodyne. It's def one of the cooler features in X3 in my opinion.

I envy guitar players sometimes. While it's true there are some relatively unique vintage synths (and I'm lucky to own a few) I think generally speaking it's a lot less easy to bond with the instruments we keyboard players use. A grand piano, maybe, but I honestly don't know if I'll ever have the money for an investment like that.

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
Awesome thread! Stickman393, I would definitely encourage you to try Melodyne. It's def one of the cooler features in X3 in my opinion.

I was in the "V-Vocal works, Melodyne Essential is limited, I'll just keep using V-Vocal" camp. Then I found out Melodyne Essential did more than pitch correction, like being able to transpose strummed, polyphonic rhythm guitar parts using the percussion algorithm. Then I started using it to do really convincing ADT effects and also, creating vocal harmonies which sounded much better than V-Vocal (I wrote articles about the last two applications for the Cakewalk blog).
 
So then I upgraded to Editor and flipped out. Using the polyphonic pitch correction on slide guitar worked perfectly. Trimming levels for vocals and other instruments in percussion mode is an incredible time saver. Formant edits made a huge difference in adding variety to massed background vocals. As I got used to the pitch modulation tools, I found I could do pretty much everything V-Vocal's pencil tool could do, with a more natural sound. The key to making this work was learning where to split the note. 
 
Superficially, Melodyne seems like it's pretty easy to use and to do the basics, it is. But Editor is an extremely deep and capable program. The only thing it doesn't do that V-Vocal could was add the synth-type LFO vibrato, but you can use the Sonitus modulation effect to add vibrato. So I have to say, with Melodyne I've gone from "don't really need it" to "some useful stuff" to "oh wow, does that too!" to "I'm so glad I updated to Editor."
 

Pretty boring answer but comp mode for Q1 and Melodyne for Q2. Been busy with other (music related) stuff so aside from a brief flurry of writing/tracking I haven't been in front of the DAW much. Kind of hoping this will be a two year release cycle because X3 is still a relatively new toy for me that has yet to be fully explored.