New guitar synth incoming

  • So, long story kept long; I run my guitar synth rig alongside my Kemper. Whatever I am using goes in the loop (which is post-stack). I run it into the FX return and engage the loop with my expression pedal. So FOH is either getting guitar OR guitar synth in my channel.


    I have a Fishman Triple Play (FTP). Great device but I have been going back and forth with what synths to run with it. It's wireless and is super convenient in comparison to the 13 pin offerings. I don't want to have a laptop based rig and I don't want to run softsynths on my Ipad (after a fairly disasterous first outing with it). You can drive a hardware synth (sound module or traditional keyboard) with the FTP, but you need either the Fishman foot controller (which I do not have room for on my board) or a midi usb host to bridge the FTP receiver and hardware synth. So I picked up these guys on Amazon yesterday:


    [Blocked Image: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/517tX7FGrcL.jpg]
    ^Sound module with built in USB host. Sounds are general midi and as such, ok. Rechargable battery and small form factor is a huge plus. I am giving this one a go and living with it for a bit before I think bigger.


    I got this guy as well:
    [Blocked Image: https://i.imgur.com/IY6ZuxA.jpg]
    With any luck; I can use it to connect to hardware synths at a fraction of the costs of the other options on the market. It was like ~$60 versus the $160ish for the foot controller or the other $125-$150ish range on other midi usb hosts. I am going to experiment with this a bit using it to connect to the sound module via midi as well as drive my failing Roland keyboard. Of course; these options are all just temporary till Christoph implements the upcoming synth block :whistling::D:thumbup:


  • That is one cool synth, man! Put up some clips when you get it, GM sounds are pretty good from what I can tell. Seems like an ultra portable and sensible solution.

  • Will do @nightlight I found a few videos on it and the "horn sections" and woodwinds seem very usable. Especially if I add some delay and verb from the Kemper to fill them out a bit. Really if they are as good as the Roland GR stuff; I will be good to go. Biggest ? for me is how well I can pull off more "synthesizer" styled tones. Like keyboard sounds versus standard instrument sounds. Looking forward to it either way!

  • Will do @nightlight I found a few videos on it and the "horn sections" and woodwinds seem very usable. Especially if I add some delay and verb from the Kemper to fill them out a bit. Really if they are as good as the Roland GR stuff; I will be good to go. Biggest ? for me is how well I can pull off more "synthesizer" styled tones. Like keyboard sounds versus standard instrument sounds. Looking forward to it either way!

    Keep us posted!

  • Dare to dream

    It's not so much a psychological problem as a biological one. ;)


    But anyway, please report how it is going on with the new gear.
    The comments on Amazon are telling some problems with installation. (This must not mean anything :) )


    BTW: Just found that my link of neusonik is not working. Maybe the company does not exist anymore .
    Would not be really surprising in modern times ;)

    Edited once, last by Sharry ().

  • It's not so much a psychological problem as a biological one. ;)
    But anyway, please report how it is going on with the new gear.
    The comments on Amazon are telling some problems with installation. (This must not mean anything :) )


    BTW: Just found that my link of neusonik is not working. Maybe the company does not exist anymore .
    Would not be really surprising in modern times ;)

    I'm not anticipating anything too difficult but we'll see. Supposedly it's "plug and play" but we probably both know how that goes X( I'm wondering what the "Reveb" button does =O8|:D

  • I think this is the CC91 - Reverb control change.I found this manual from Digitech. Seemed to be very close to your device.

    It was my failed attempt at humor. I looked at the PianoBox too but it was more expensive and didn't really offer any other functionality I could see to account for the price difference?

  • It was my failed attempt at humor. I looked at the PianoBox too but it was more expensive and didn't really offer any other functionality I could see to account for the price difference?

    Maybe because ammon is a chinese company and digitech is german ? ;)
    Amazon offers ammon midiplus mini engine

  • So I got the miniEngine yesterday. Here's a quick rundown I posted at one of my other haunts:


    Hooked everything up last night. Sounds are serviceable but I didn't get much time with things. Big issue so far is I need an external midi controller connected to change sounds on the device. For whatever reason; the controls on the device do not work when FTP is connected. I had to setup a couple of custom programs on my midi controller so I could browse some of the midiEngine's sounds. With some forethought; I could configure my Kemper profiles in a way that would allow the control to control both the Kemper AND the miniEngine but the tones really aren't worth it, imo. At least with the little bit of time I had to work with it.


    The midi hostbox comes in today. I am going to connect the FTP to it, then midi out to midiEngine midi in and see if onboard controls work in that way. I am also going to use the midihost to see if I can connect to my Roland Juno keyboard.

  • I also use a Truple Play with my Kemper.
    I am a Roland convert, having used a GR-55 for a few years before the switch 2 years ago.


    I am an exclusively live player, no studio work at this time.


    Are you using this Live or in studio?


    I tried other ways but for me the FC-1 is the only way to achieve what I wanted since I only use hardware synths (Yamaha Motif XS rack).


    For me, I use poly mode on some patches, and mono on others, depending on what I need for the patch.


    Nice to see another synth cohort here!

  • I WISH the GR55 could act as a sound module as I would have already made the Kemper/FTP-GR55 rig happen months ago! :cursing:X/ I am this close to getting a GR33 and using it in conjunction with the FTP. That Motif probably sounds awesome but is way too cashy for me at the moment.


    I am using this live, no studio. Dumb question ,maybe; but do you set up poly and mono on a per patch basis on the motif itself? I LOVE guitar synth gear of all kinds. <3

  • The GR-55 was so much more intuitive for a guitar player, but I didn’t use the guitar tones so combined with the clunky 13 pin cable it forced me to switch.


    I had to recreate all of my tones when I switched, what a pain!
    But the wireless functionality, much better tracking, and improved synth tones were well worth it.

    • You set up mono or poly on the Triple Play software, but you need the FC-1 to use it with a hardware synth.
    • Then setup what you want to achieve on the Motif as well.


    I would recommend a used Motif es over anything Roland.
    They go for around $300-400 on eBay or better yet local craigslist.


    I have a 4 space rack that houses Kemper and Motif and it is so perfect.

  • I'll keep an eye out for that unit. I have the toaster so rack form factor, unless it's half rack or something similar; would kind of suck for me. Are the instrument sounds good on the motif? I need horns, flutes, sax, organs and then just general 80s synth stuff.

  • MiniEngine going back. Onboard controls dont work, there are some glitching in the tones I have no configurability options in device to adjust and the overall sounds are not quite as good as I'd like, ideally. Not entirely unexpected given the price point.


    The hostbox works exactly as I thought it would. The housing is solid but the front and back face where the ports are is a thinner material. Not a dealbreaker, but just know up front if you want to order one. Used it to drive my Roland synth without any real issue. Had to change a few settings in hardware mode on the FTP itself. Couple of playing technique adjustments to be made (aka not much legato) but overall pleased.