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GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

kickstarter.com

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Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#71

Post by nknight »

51Cards wrote: post #14

The thing that gets me about a lot of these products being built around the iPhone, iPod, etc... is what happens if the next generation changes the physical form factor? It may mean getting a new iPhone also means having to replace 10 other gadgets you have come to enjoy. Edit: looking closer this one does seem to have a module the phone sits in so it may be future upgradable however... you still require the upgrade,…

At least on the prototypes they're showing, that whole panel appears to easily unscrew. I could see it possibly being practical to replace with a more accommodating piece for a few tens of dollars.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#73

Post by chaostheory »

smountcastle wrote: post #4

This seems like an interesting concept and the LEDs should make it easier to see which strings need to be played. I'm curious how it compares to the Rocksmith video game which is played with a real guitar (which I haven't tried). There is considerably more risk with this project than many other Kickstarter projects as the lowest tier is $350 -- if the project fails and the GTar is never made that's quite a bit more m…

I own Rocksmith and I can say it's definitely good. The game started me playing real songs right away. The difference is that it limits what you play as well as the speed. As you progress, you get to play more and more of the song. There are some really fun mini-games as well.

The game with guitar USB adapter runs for about $70, while I got my electric guitar for around $100. Of course, you need an Xbox 360 or PS3 and that runs from $99 - $299.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#74

Post by matznerd »

rauljara wrote: post #7

As a guitarist, I don't think this is a useless tool for people learning how to play, but "the first guitar that anybody can play" is a ridiculous title. Anyone with two working hands and no cognitive disabilities can learn how to play a guitar already. It takes effort, but if you keep at it, learning how to play is inevitable. What they are promising with the title is that this device will take all the effort out of…

I saw these guys present today at TechCrunch disrupt NYC (which is why I think the link made it here) and they seemed to have a vision for bringing the learning curve of guitar down to the masses and providing some area in between guitar hero and the real thing.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#75

Post by gtani »

I dunno, I wish them well, cause i used to drag my guitar to Dolores and Duboce parks just like him. But they don't get my $. This looks like it'll teach one critical skill, fretboard knowledge, and then... folks will try to play real guitars.

I don't think playing guitar is that hard, but i was one of those kids that got signed up for 14 years of music lessons, band and orchestra, on at least 4 instruments, so it's hard for me to say what's hard.

As analogy, if somebody learn to play keys on a cheap unweighted MIDI controller /digital piano(M-audio, yamaha, casio, one of those), and then tries to play acoustic piano, they have a devil of a time trying to play with feel.

As another analogy, Yamaha used to make MIDI controllers that looked like soprano saxes, except you didn't have to develop an embouchure, you just blew into them any way and they played.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#76

Post by gtani »

gtani wrote: post #63
CWuestefeld wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An oddity of guitar is the way a cheap guitar affects one's ability to learn. In most any endeavor, it's true that working on your skills is much more important than upgrading your equipment: practice is the way to improve, you can't buy your way into being better. But this is significantly less true at the bottom end of the guitar spectrum. Cheap guitars really are worse -- not just in the quality of their sound or…

You are correct. I've spent a lot fo time in instrument shop, craigslist and pawnshops (California, Seattle, Ohio, Wisconsin), looking at pianos, fluets/sax/clarinets and double bass/cellos, in addition to guitars and bass guitars. I'd consider Ebay if the seller has refund policy Most of the cheap guitars are not worth buying, especially for fretwear, warped necks, wonky trussrods or poor neck routs in the body. I a…

Addendum: i have a Korean Squier strat ($79.95) and a Samick fretless bass ($220) that I'm very fond of. I have another cheap guitar and bass that are just meh.

Also i'd add Squier Classic Vibes to the list of mfrs with at least passable QC but not their Affinities

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#77

Post by dguaraglia »

vacri wrote: post #64
CWuestefeld wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An oddity of guitar is the way a cheap guitar affects one's ability to learn. In most any endeavor, it's true that working on your skills is much more important than upgrading your equipment: practice is the way to improve, you can't buy your way into being better. But this is significantly less true at the bottom end of the guitar spectrum. Cheap guitars really are worse -- not just in the quality of their sound or…

When I started with guitar, I said to the guy "I'm not sure if this is a phase or not, let me try the cheapest guitar in the store". He tuned it, walked all of five meters around the counter to hand it to me, I strummed it, and even with my unmusical ear, I could tell it was already out of tune. "I think I'll try your second-cheapest guitar!" I also had a 'guitar god' friend with me that day, and I thoroughly recomme…

Having a knowing friend is the only real way to shop for a guitar. I was lucky at the time when I was starting that I had my brother-in-law help me choose between the cheap guitars and we found something for under $100 that sounded "good enough". Straight away he told me: "start with this, if you don't get bored in 2 months sell it and buy a $300 guitar".

Failing that, you can head to a small music shop where the guys selling (sometimes they have an in-store technician) can give lend you a hand at choosing something worth your money. Never buy your first instrument from a big shop where the guy behind the counter doesn't know shit.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#78

Post by ShirtlessRod »

nknight wrote: post #71
51Cards wrote: post #14

The thing that gets me about a lot of these products being built around the iPhone, iPod, etc... is what happens if the next generation changes the physical form factor? It may mean getting a new iPhone also means having to replace 10 other gadgets you have come to enjoy. Edit: looking closer this one does seem to have a module the phone sits in so it may be future upgradable however... you still require the upgrade,…

At least on the prototypes they're showing, that whole panel appears to easily unscrew. I could see it possibly being practical to replace with a more accommodating piece for a few tens of dollars.

Seems like a more extensible/future-proof approach would be to have some sort of built-in storage that was accessible via USB. I'm not sure precisely what part of the iPhone is required to make this work, but it seems far easier to not tie it so directly (i.e., the physical enclosure).

Plus then you have the benefit of not limiting the product to only those people who have an iPhone. :)

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#79

Post by user23409 »

I really dig the idea, and probly like many people here came up with it independently years ago (though using a smart phone as the brain never occurred to me). But it kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth and heres why:

A decent sounding fender acoustic or electric will only cost you about $250 brand new. And then you have a real guitar, that will get better and more valuable with age. The GTar is a hunk of plastic that will end up in a landfill and be obsolete in 3 years.

It's tied to the most recent IPhone. Isn't that a huge red flag for other people? Unless the connector is modular, this thing will be useless when the next IPhone comes out.

People aren't going to want to hear you practice on it. Luckily your iphone can't get loud enough to annoy your neighbors, but the small speakers and digital sounds aren't going to be pleasing to your friends.

---

That all being said, I think more people should learn to play music and really any attempt to simplify, or encourage the process is a net benefit to society. To me the GTar just doesn't like it would be as fun or rewarding as buying a real guitar.

Re: GTar: The First Guitar That Anybody Can Play

#80

Post by nknight »

ShirtlessRod wrote: post #78
nknight wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least on the prototypes they're showing, that whole panel appears to easily unscrew. I could see it possibly being practical to replace with a more accommodating piece for a few tens of dollars.

Seems like a more extensible/future-proof approach would be to have some sort of built-in storage that was accessible via USB. I'm not sure precisely what part of the iPhone is required to make this work, but it seems far easier to not tie it so directly (i.e., the physical enclosure). Plus then you have the benefit of not limiting the product to only those people who have an iPhone. :)

It seems like they're using the iPhone for pretty much all intelligence, which makes sense. Custom embedded systems are non-trivial to design, manufacture, and bootstrap software for (I've been involved in some capacity with several). You'd save significant effort and trivially enable many more features by relying on something as powerful and mature as an iPhone.
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