The following information will help you with bends, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and playing with a slide/bottleneck -- all of which players on the list claim they can do successfully! Some of the info is geared specifically for the Axon units, but you can apply the general problem solving info to any midiguitar unit.

There are several issues to think about when you are playing notes that are NOT chromatic on the Axon.

I. GLOBAL

1. PBend range must be set to the SAME range here and on your sound module. Most players recommend setting the range on both units to +/- 12. In most cases, just paying attention to this setting will solve the problem.

NOTE: Be aware that on certain sound modules like, for example the EMU Proteus 2000, there may be more than one place to make setting adjustments. On the Proteus, there is a bend parameter on the Master Page to edit and a bend parameter on the Preset page to set also. If the Preset parameter is set to MASTER, the preset follows the range set on the Master page. Check your sound module manual to see if such multiple adjustments are necessary.

2. Set SND PBENDRG to.....ON This is in case your sound module allows you to set pitchbend parameters on individual presets. Set it to OFF if your sound module only allows pitchbend parameters to be set on its master or global page.

II. AXON PRESET

The next thing to check is the individual Axon preset.

1. Set STRING MODE to....SEP Unless you are absolutely forced to use COMMON mode because you want all info on one channel, you should avoid it. You lose a lot of guitar expression (things like compound bends) when you try to send all the midi data, including controller information down one channel.

2. Set QUANTIZE to.....OFF When you set it to ON, the Axon locks the notes to the nearest halfstep and any variation in pitch will NOT be translated in pitchbend information until the given pitch reaches the next half step. If you wish to bend, turn this to OFF. IF you wish to be extra safe when playing chromatically and you are NOT bending notes, you can set it to TRIGGER which turns off pitchbend completely. If you are using a string split, set it to AUTO if one sound requires pitchbends and the other should only be chromatic.

III. PHYSICAL (guitar set-up, fretbuzz, etc.)

Of course, all of the above assumes that you have a properly set-up guitar, properly intonated, no fretbuzz, clean & healthy strings, to name a few of the physical aspects which can contribute to faulty pitch problems.

Here are some closing tips gleaned from the Yahoo Group midiguitar list members' comments:

1. If you're using a GK-2, please take into account that there's almost always a slight hum in the signal and also that the residual crosstalk of the pickup is increased during bends, because you're moving the string towards the next polepiece.

2. The combination of these factors will cause a certain amount of pitch error at any given time.

3. Fret buzz (even minute amounts), which is more likely during bends, tends to throw the pitch detector off course.

Further Background

Here is some background on what is happening when a note is sounded with the Axon.

All guitar to MIDI systems send the note first, then the pitch bend info. But due to the imperfections of tracking and the tendency of guitarists to bend or squeeze notes out of tune as they fret them, the note will often be the wrong pitch. Therefore, the system makes a guess and chooses the closest semitone step.

Just about all systems then correct this note continually with pitch bend information.

If the player does not alter the pitch, then this correction may happen within a few tenths of milliseconds, so you generally don't notice it. You only hear the corrected pitch, not the initial pitch.

Interestingly, if you record your midiguitar in a sequencing program on a computer,

you will see all the pitchbend info if you open an event editing window. There is quite a bit for each note!!

The Axon uses two methods of note detection - the transient attack method based on the neural net derived process. This process identifies the initial string picked transient and so expects you to play with a pick. There is also a conventional pitch tracking algorithm, like what Roland uses, that takes over after the initial attack, and recognizes envelope, bends etc. When you turn Finger pick OFF, the Axon uses this second method. Rather than interpret the picking transient, it interprets the actual pitch or motion/vibration of the string, which is why it is slower than the neural net method. It must wait for the string to vibrate a few times.

If you get unreliable tracking when fingerpicking, switching to fingerpick mode (turn Finger Pick ON) disables the neural net derived system, leaving only the pitch tracking. This leaves you with slower tracking, and no pick split or pick control functions, but it tracks without caring what you use to pluck the strings.