Guitar for the non-guitarist

[TwoSpot]

Hi all! I am brand new to the forums and to audio recording. I am a drummer but am starting to learn guitar. I would like to start laying down some stuff on the computer. What is the most convenient way for someone that can't play guitar to lay down guitar riffs? Is it the little keyboard controllers? I currently have a Yamaha DTExpressIV, a M-Audio FastTrack interface and an Edirol UM-1EX MIDI to USB converter. I am ok with buying another piece of gear for this but not really knowing how to play guitar, I was hoping there was a good device that could get riffs laid out. Thanks!!!

[TwoSpot]

Oh I forgot... I have Ableton 8

[garww]

With recording, I think just learning the guitar is best. As a aid to learning the guitar and laying out music, MIDI is great.

I would consider what ever is cheap for your first MIDI keyboard/controller.
Should you develop skills that require a more expensive device, you'll have a better idea what to shop for.

You can use a GM General MIDI soundset to playback a standard instrument sound and you can employ virtual instrument processors on your computer to emulate many, many more esoteric sounds.

So, that would include the less expensive contollers, roll-up midi keypads, maybe a Casio or Yamaha stand alone unit with speakers and USB MIDI .

I would suggest you start simple and work your way up because there is some learning curve with each technology.

[TwoSpot]

Thanks for the response

[tacman7]

It's hard to make guitar sounding riffs, strums, with a midi keyboard.

There's different things out there that have done it for you already.

The motif keyboards have arppegios that are guitar strum and riff patterns that can be played on the keyboard or record the midi and use a VSTi or sound module.

Band in the box is good for generating guitar rhythms.

You can buy midi "loops" that are guitar riffs/stums.
Home page

You just surf the internet and download midi songs and take the guitar parts out of them. Transpose them and use them in your projects.

I've seen programs that create midi stums out of chords you play also.

[garww]

Ya, one thing that is fun is that you can make your own riff loops. MIDI originated the popularity of the concept. You might do a trill, or a chord slide and make it a MIDI instrument.

[richiebee]

If Ableton does VST's...

RealGuitar for acoustics
RealStrat and GuitarRig for electrics.

Both play intelligently regardless of whether or not you can play guitar. The sound (especially RealStrat) isn't quite up to a real guitarist, but that's not the main purpose here right?

[bitflipper]

As mentioned above, making believable-sounding faux-guitar on a keyboard is difficult. But not impossible. I have fooled many guitarists on recordings where they did not know the guitars were faked.

Check out the RealGuitar/RealStrat videos. The demonstrator (who I think is also the developer) has some impressive chops. Gives a good idea of what's possible.

[TwoSpot]

Thanks all.