EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

I wrote:

>  > It's [Virtual Guitarist] not a guitar library and isn't sold as 
>one. But I just don't
>  > understand why everyone disses it so much. It is what it is: a
>>  limited but useful guitar part generator.
>>
>>  I don't think its design is conducive to great art, but then you
>  > could say that of most products on the market.

From: Jer Olsen <HELP@...>

>My point is it could have been far better with not much more effort,
>certainly not any more expertise. What they are charging is a complete
>rip-off unless you've got money to spare.

Fair enough, but I don't believe that's why most people dis it. 
People seem to think it's supposed to replace real guitars and are 
offended by that. I suppose that may be its intention, but I see it 
as an extra tool, not as a substitute.

>For me personally, the one-octave
>crap is unforgivable. If it works for you, great! I'm happy for you
>(seriously), but I think for anybody in search of a "virtual guitar" the
>instrument is completely laughable.

It's a matter of expectation. Again, I look at what it does rather 
than what it doesn't do. There's an application for basic root 
position chords.

>  I'm not saying the existing sounds suck,
>although their generic quality leaves passion to the wayside IMO.

I think that's the point. If I needed to come up with a generic 
country song, for example, it would work fine - at least for a 
writing mock-up. That's why I say its design isn't conducive to great 
art.

>What I am
>saying is that I still have to hire a session player and am out hundreds of
>dollars anyway (not really... I sold it).

No way is it going to take the place of a session player, if for no 
other reason than that it doesn't include single-note samples that 
let you play your own chords.

>Alas, I've beaten this dead horse
>to a pulp and I digress heavily. I just don't understand why anyone would be
>impressed with this, dare I say, instrument. Let me say this in closing. If
>it were at least 2-3 octaves of samples, I would have kept it. 11 keys is a
>joke if you ask me. It's like asking to play Mozart on a xylophone. Sure it
>sounds nice... to a point. -Jer

By "octaves" you mean you wish it had more chord variations, right? 
Because it uses one octave of the keyboard (and it wraps around when 
you go the the next octave) to trigger its chords. I agree that it 
would be nice if its harmonic vocabulary went beyond [I'm trying hard 
to think of the word for chords that stay within the major or minor 
mode - i.e. no secondary dominants, no altered extensions...and my 
mind's gone totally blank. Damn, this is frustrating!], but that 
would mean more samples.

*****

I have an obscure little MIDI controller called a Digitar in my 
closet, and this is inspiring me to think about maybe preparing to 
dust it off. It goes on your belt, and it has six short bars, 
simulating strings, that you strum. Here's a picture: 
http://www.mariniimport.com/digitar.htm

I'm starting to think that for strummed parts, this and a really good 
guitar library is the way to go. To avoid naffness you'd have to 
ignore the function that automatically arranges notes into guitar 
voicings, but the concept makes a lot of sense.
-- 

Nick Batzdorf
818/905-9101, cell 590-9101, fax 905-5434