THE DAWN OF DIGITAL MODELLING

Just six months into TG’s life we were hit by what thought would be a revolution: The Roland VG-8 and GK-2A guitar modelling system. The GK-2A ‘hex pickup’ converted each string’s signal into a separate digital signal, avoiding tracking problems that had plagued earlier attempts at digital guitar modelling, while the V-Guitar System promised to be able to model anything at all. “Imagine,” wrote music editor Joe Bennett, breathlessly, “play a Strat at one end and out comes the sound of a Les Paul, acoustic guitar, or even a tinny banjo…”

“Don’t be deceived by appearances – the VG-8 is not a multi-FX unit. Rather than just processing the guitar’s output, it takes the vibrating string as a starting point and creates the sound from scratch, so you get the same sound whichever guitar you play.” We contrasted the VG-8’s usability with 1980s offerings from Casio and Ibanez, which could be confused by techniques like string bending and hammerons. “Another nice feature of the system is that all of your playing nuances are preserved, including fret noise, harmonics, and muting, so you don’t have to compromise that hard-learned playing technique for a moment.”

“There literally seems to be nothing it can’t do. A basic fave guitar/GK-2A/VG-8 setup replaces every guitar you’ve ever heard, an assortment of classic amps, miscellaneous other instruments (mandolin, lute, classical guitar, electric bass, flute, organ, analogue synths), and what I like to call ‘impossible’ guitars. Anyone fancy a distorted 12-string Les Paul with a range of six octaves?