Tyler Variax-question about tunings

[glassjaw7]

I'm pretty intrigued by this guitar, especially since I was just asked to join two different bands that play in different tunings. And it seems great for recording acoustic guitar tones without the hassle of microphones.

So does anyone know the scoop on the alternate and drop tunings? Is the entire output of the guitar a digital simulation? What I mean is, does the output of this thing sound as if it's perfectly in tune with the selected tuning? Or does the actual output from the magnetic pups get put through a drop tuning, similar to the Morpheus Drop Tune pedal?

If it's strictly a digital output, then it wouldn't even matter what your strings were tuned to. They could be completely out of tune, but it would record as though perfectly in tune. Strange...

 

[Ventura]

I was wondering this exact thing... It has to be some on-board SS digi pitch shift because there's no way a little tiny dial/button on the face of the ax would be able to physically drop tune all 6 strings in tandem with one another and stay in tune. It's a bit gimmicky for me at this point in time, but then again, I'm not really educated as to its details - so I may be speaking out of line. But it just seems a bit too chock full of gadgetry for a caveman like me

We know it's got on board emulation processing to go from ballistic to acoustic, so an onboard pitch shift isn't probably that far fetched. However this would still require the ax to be in tune in some key - A440 or something along those lines.

V.

 

[glassjaw7]

I'd really like to understand how it works. It definitely has regular old-school magnetic pups, so I know it's a "real" guitar in that sense and probably has a mode that bypasses all the digital modeling stuff. But let's say you're tuned to Standard E tuning (A440), but your B-string is flat by a quarter step. When you tune down to E-flat, then will your B string still be flat?

I mean if it's all digital, you literally could just slap a set of strings on the thing, twist the keys a bit to get some tension and just play with the tuning knob and never have to worry about going out of tune.

I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case here. Remember that digital Les Paul that came out a couple year back? It had 6 different digital outs; one for each string. So technically, you could run each string to a different amp or channel on an interface. The possibilities are interesting. Imaging running each string to 6 totally different amps or processors and just hitting a G chord. It would sound insane! Wonder if the Variax is like this?

 

[axemeaquestion]

Apparently, the actual tuning on you variax matters. If you have it tuned down 1/2 a step across the board, any alt tunings you select will be in relation to that.

There is nothing sensing anything for tuning so you do have to be in tune.

That's from a brother on the Variax forum who is testing one and is writing about it.

 

[glassjaw7]

Ok, thanks.

 

[Ventura]

Apparently, the actual tuning on you variax matters. If you have it tuned down 1/2 a step across the board, any alt tunings you select will be in relation to that.

This seems 100% logical. Just like a pitch shifter needs to use the actual original played note as a reference, the Variax has to have the guitar in tune to remain in tune when it does it's octave/key changes. If your string is out of tune, that will follow with the pitch shift to another key/octave or whatever.

V.

 

[Ventura]

It had 6 different digital outs; one for each string. So technically, you could run each string to a different amp or channel on an interface. The possibilities are interesting. Imagine running each string to 6 totally different amps or processors and just hitting a G chord. It would sound insane! Wonder if the Variax is like this?

I just put some thought into this, and thought to myself - holy mother of god - yes, the possibilities are seemingly endless, but I am sitting here trying to conjure up an imaginary suite of amps to complement all 6 strings independently. WOW What a mindfuck!!! This is gonna stick with me for a long time... It's like the mad scientist fantasy

V.

 

[CaseyCor]

I've played one of those Cat-5 equipped Les Pauls. Was before they released them, at a technology conference. Pretty interesting tech.

 

[axemeaquestion]

I'd really like to understand how it works. It definitely has regular old-school magnetic pups, so I know it's a "real" guitar in that sense and probably has a mode that bypasses all the digital modeling stuff. But let's say you're tuned to Standard E tuning (A440), but your B-string is flat by a quarter step. When you tune down to E-flat, then will your B string still be flat?

I mean if it's all digital, you literally could just slap a set of strings on the thing, twist the keys a bit to get some tension and just play with the tuning knob and never have to worry about going out of tune.

I wouldn't be surprised if that is the case here. Remember that digital Les Paul that came out a couple year back? It had 6 different digital outs; one for each string. So technically, you could run each string to a different amp or channel on an interface. The possibilities are interesting. Imaging running each string to 6 totally different amps or processors and just hitting a G chord. It would sound insane! Wonder if the Variax is like this?

I believe you can turn off individual strings, so if you're doing the intro to a song on the 3 high strings, you could mute off the lower strings and not worry about hitting them. This needs to be done from within the Line6 Workbench.

But I don't think each string has its own separate output.

I'm definitely getting one of these, but am going to hold off for a few months until all the options are available.

 

[CaseyCor]

The Variax doesn't have individual outputs for each string. The Ethernet equppied Les Paul does.