s_u_y_* Posted September 12, 2007 Share Posted September 12, 2007 (edited) [url="http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/industry_news/gibsons_new_self-tuning_guitar.html"]http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/indust...ing_guitar.html[/url] Gibson's just announced a self-tuning system for guitar (Had to double check today wasn't April 1st... lol). Self-tuning bass may just be over the horizon. Edited September 12, 2007 by s_u_y_* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 (edited) Systems like these where it's just a few electric motors hooked up via a control system to a tuner (pitch sensor) have been round for years, there is a Dutch company that sells retrofit kits (can't recall the name). I think the biggest issue from the last discussion was that the torque required for bass machine-heads is significantly more than for a guitar, so the motors would have to be bigger, so really neck heavy. So I think bass ones are a few years away yet, but one day possibly ... Edit: Ah! it is actually the same Dutch company that has been licensed to Gibson. [url="http://www.tronical.com/"]http://www.tronical.com/[/url] Great video demo too. Edited September 13, 2007 by Alpha-Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2wheeler Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 [quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='59695' date='Sep 13 2007, 08:48 AM']...[snip]... Edit: Ah! it is actually the same Dutch company that has been licensed to Gibson. [url="http://www.tronical.com/"]http://www.tronical.com/[/url] Great video demo too.[/quote] Are you sure they are Dutch? The web page is in German, the guy in the video is speaking in German and their contact address is in Hamburg. Could they be German? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha-Dave Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Erm possible, I'm 90% sure that a couple of years ago I thought 'crazy Dutch guys', as they were in Holland. It's possible I could have been wrong, but also they look to have significantly expanded (there were just 2 guys in a garage IIRC), and I don't think that the 'company director' who is presenting in the video is the same guy who presented back then. I suspect that they have been bought out by a German company who has since taken the concept much further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Sounds like a solution in search of a problem ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Sonny Landreth, a slide guitar player, has a funky kind of looyd rose type floating trem which tunes itself via a small control pad and four buttons. You can see it on the Gov't mule 'Deepest End' dvd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 [url="http://transperformance.com/"]http://transperformance.com/[/url] here it is It looks like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay249 Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 May as well give up now then! Is tuning [i]that[/i] much of a hassle? really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 I woudn't see it being of any use on bass, thats for sure! Slide players find it useful so they can switch from bar tunings and so on mid song I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R,5,R,5... Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 Also guitars tend to go out of tune more easily than basses, what with all the string bending and whatever else those scoundrels get up to these days! If you really, really wanted to implement this on bass I guess you could build a version to work with a steinberger-style bridge. There wouldn't really be enough slack for alternate tunings though. I suppose the Hipshot bridge works well enough for those. I think this thingamajig would be an absolute boon for pedal steel players, not because they switch tunings a lot (though non-pedal players do) but because they're such bitches to tune properly. When you add the interaction of pedals and knee levers it's nigh-on impossible to make it sound nice. Well of course knowing how to play it must help somewhat, so let's say I never managed to make it sound nice. But I digress... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 [quote name='ped' post='59867' date='Sep 13 2007, 01:43 PM']I woudn't see it being of any use on bass, thats for sure! Slide players find it useful so they can switch from bar tunings and so on mid song I guess.[/quote] i remember seeing this months ago and thinking you'd be mental to start hacking to bits a guitar to retrofit one of these things and I seem to recall it was about the price of another decent guitar anyway - so you might as well buy one, open tune it and leave it on stage. Fender's roland ready strat does tuning sims anyway and is supposed to be very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted September 13, 2007 Share Posted September 13, 2007 MB1. Could One trust an auto tuning bass?..Technology goes beserk!......."what are you doing Dave?"...."youll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two"... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s_u_y_* Posted September 14, 2007 Author Share Posted September 14, 2007 Here's that demo video. Pretty damn cool seeing it in action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slaphappygarry Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 Now, as musicians, we cant trust ourselves to tune our instruments..... What is this world coming too? G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='59804' date='Sep 13 2007, 12:11 PM']Sounds like a solution in search of a problem ...[/quote] You've not played with many guitarists then!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 (edited) MB1. Having just seen the video this is rather cool!. Alas.... could be something else to go horrendously wrong! Edited September 15, 2007 by MB1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 [quote name='jay249' post='59863' date='Sep 13 2007, 01:34 PM']May as well give up now then! Is tuning [i]that[/i] much of a hassle? really?[/quote] No, but I'd prefer it if my bass tuned itself, I'm lazy like that. And I always lose my tuner. [quote name='slaphappygarry' post='60764' date='Sep 15 2007, 10:36 AM']Now, as musicians, we cant trust ourselves to tune our instruments..... What is this world coming too? G[/quote] Although I can trust myself to tune my bass, the guitarist in my band can't be trusted. He's never in tune (at least, not until we tell him) so i suppose this sort of thing is better for people like him. But I wouldn't pay extra for a bass just because it tunes itself (well, maybe a bit extra, of course, but not a few hundred quid more) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 [quote name='Alpha-Dave' post='59695' date='Sep 13 2007, 08:48 AM']Systems like these where it's just a few electric motors hooked up via a control system to a tuner (pitch sensor) have been round for years, there is a Dutch company that sells retrofit kits (can't recall the name). I think the biggest issue from the last discussion was that the torque required for bass machine-heads is significantly more than for a guitar, so the motors would have to be bigger, so really neck heavy. So I think bass ones are a few years away yet, but one day possibly ... Edit: Ah! it is actually the same Dutch company that has been licensed to Gibson. [url="http://www.tronical.com/"]http://www.tronical.com/[/url] Great video demo too.[/quote] not to mention that tuner knob looks totally bitchin'!!! anyway i think there might be a couple of problems, firstly can you do all types of tuning, not just standard and what if you fret a note with the tuner engaged or it accidentaly engages, does that mean you're playin some mint solo when the string suddenly goes limp and drops down to e? I guess that might get people talking anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 (edited) [quote name='Happy Jack' post='59804' date='Sep 13 2007, 12:11 PM']Sounds like a solution in search of a problem ...[/quote] Yeah tuning is a significant element of my daily exercise programme ... Edited September 15, 2007 by OldGit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 (edited) [quote name='MB1' post='60012' date='Sep 13 2007, 06:19 PM']MB1. Could One trust an auto tuning bass?..Technology goes beserk!......."what are you doing Dave?"...."youll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle made for two"...[/quote] Ha ha yeah "Hey bass, can you please tune to this slighly out of tune to the world Farfisa organ please?" "I'm sorry, I can't do that Dave" "I'll just turn... this... tuner... my... self... then!" "Take your hands off the tuners Dave".... Edited September 15, 2007 by OldGit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted September 15, 2007 Share Posted September 15, 2007 ^have you heard they are developing microwaves that you have to make freinds with before you can cook a meal? i'm gonna get as many wiring schematics for various electronic white goods that i can before it's too late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 ^you're joking, aren't you? I'd refuse to talk to my microwave. simple as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) ...and then the microwave stops talking to you, starts to burn food deliberately, then you're not talking to each other you both have to go to a counsellor to confront your feelings, you then get accused of wanting another, younger microwave with a defrost facility, digital timer and slinkier buttons because you obviously don't care anymore... All this just for heating some food.... It's a dangerous slope.... Edited September 23, 2007 by 7string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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