New Technology-good or bad

[ZMAN]

Lately I see a lot of people complaining about some of the recent techno guitars being introduced by Gibson. On the other hand I see a lot of people who absolutely love them. The same goes for the new technology in amps from Fender.
I was very old school when it came to guitars and amps. If it didn't have tubes I would not touch it. I always thought you NEEDED to have a full array of pedals. I never even listened to amps other than Fender/Marshall. Never knew or cared what a "preset" was.
I always looked down at the modelers as being cheap and sounding fake.
But a lot of that has changed for me. After hearing about the Super Champ XD, and now owning one, and talking to people on line about other "techno" amps and guitars I am changing my thoughts.
It was like that with Cameras as well. I have a camera bag with two top of the line manual Cannon camera bodies, 3 or 4 lenses from wide to tele zoom, and accessories. All of that was replaced by a digital a couple of years ago.
You just can't beat the quality, portability and how quickly you see your prints.
Those are just a couple of things that come to mind. I am from the Star Trek era where a comunicator that Capt. Kirk had was almost not believeable.
Now I think you could run your whole life out of a phone, and some people do.
I guess what I am asking is what are your thoughts about the future.
Are you ready to accept what is coming or still resisting.

[Eric]

First of all, some people like the Gibson techno-guitars? I hadn't heard that. Just seems like a target-demographic mismatch to me.

But to your main point, the conclusion I've reached is that everyone has their threshold. Some people like to get in on the ground floor and be the first to use the new technology. Others will wait until it has largely displaced the old technology and offers no downside in terms of usability -- a finished product, so to speak.

IMO, this is not that different than in other technology sectors. Everybody knows someone who has to have the latest computer or gadget that comes along, right? They pay through the nose, have to labor through all of the initial bugs and updates, spend countless hours tweaking the gadgets to get them to work right, but they are the first ones using it and become the eventual experts on the technology. Other people slowly adopt the technology and get on board, with some lingering around to the very end. Just look at cell phones for a good example of this adoption timeline.

With guitars, I'm not 100% sure where my threshold is. I really like new technology and think it's great that you can now bring an array of amps, cabs, mics, and effects somewhere in a little metal enclosure (e.g. Multi-FX units), but some of it doesn't quite do the job very well, particularly some of the older units, and it can be hard to use.

I don't like to get too far down the rabbit hole, because I still need to play to develop my skills. If I get wrapped up in a gear chase or programming presets on a modeler, it takes away from what I like about the guitar: playing it!

I think we're at a good point, technology-wise. I guess I'm just waiting for maybe one more generation of modelers to make it completely brainless for me before I switch to the modeler/FRFR setup.

[FrankenFretter]

I think that as fast as technology changes, it's a bit hard to keep up with what's going on sometimes. I work for a communications company, and I'm exposed to changing technology on an almost daily basis, yet there are always surprises that spring up, things that the people in the field suddenly have to use without much warning...technology is like that.

I think that as much as I don't care for Gibson's new Firebird X, it is good that the company is at least making an effort to stay on the forefront of technology, and roll with the times rather than stay in the comfort zone. I think their mistake may be in not launching another branch that could be their techno flagship. Gibson is coveted by many based on the guitars they put out 50+ years ago, and now they risk alienating their fan base.

I'm with you on the amp technology, Z. I broke out of the old school mindset when I bought my Vox AD30VT, and although I didn't bond with that amp, I did like the versatility. Now I have my Cube 60, which I use almost daily, even though I have a full tube Vox at my disposal also. Technology has come a long way since the first Line 6 modelers came out.

In summary, I think I'm very old school when it comes to guitars, but when it comes to amps, I'm more open minded. The kind of guitar technology that interests me would be more along the lines of improving the basic components that make up an electric, such as pickups, bridges, nuts...all that brick and mortar stuff. But that's just my opinion about what I prefer personally.

I wonder what pianists thought about the first electric organs? I'll bet the reaction was similar to what we're seeing with the Gibson products right now.

[ZMAN]

Eric: I think the Firebird is too new to really have a lot of feedback from users, but I have talked to people that really like their Robot guitars. What I am seeing is that a lot of the old school guys are the ones that are giving them the bad revues. I think like myself I really wouldn't know where to start with one.
As far as the new amp technology, it was like a big slap right in the reality face when I plugged in my SCXD. Here is sits on top of a DSL401 right beside a DSL100, flanked by a 65 Deluxe and a Blues Juniior special. I have a DD20 Giga delay and a whole pedal board full of pedals and I flick one switch and I have most of it in one cool package.
To tell you the truth I had to double check if I had the cord plugged into the right amp.
I still love the tone from my individual amps but this experience has really opened my eyes to a whole new world out there.
If the SXCD is that good there must be a many many more out there that I dismissed as toys.

[Jx2]

Im not going to really touch the guitar section of this topic. Mainly because, in all likely hood it will take years if ever before I will or even have the money to pick one up if I want one. So Im going to try avoiding inserting my foot in my mouth.

As for the amps, I think its really a hit and miss situation. I had a Randall 120RXD the effects in it wasnt that great and you couldnt really tink and was limited on what you could use at a given time. I think the Randall clean channel sounded better than my buddys Marshall MG however he loves it. ANd I know those things get reamed hard on most forums. What I did notice though was you have more controll over your effects on the Marshall. The one thing I didnt like about either is for a head with 18+ effects built in they come with a footswitch that is only a 2 selector. I think a good footswitch would be key for me to be able to access the abilitys of the amp. I dont want to have to bend over and stop every time I want to make a adjustment. Which brings me to the Peavey Vypr. I looked at these when I was looking for amp. The amp I tested out sounded good and the overall pricerange of these are affordable. But the basic footswitch if $100 and the deluxe version in $200. That right there imo ups the overall cost of the amp. I think that should be the next target in line with these type of amps. Make a footswitch that doesnt run the cost of a boutique pedal. Honestly if I could of gotten the deluxe switch for $100 Id probably of gotten a Vypyr. But knowning myself if Id bought the cheaper one Id just want and feel I need the deluxe later on.

I had the randall half stack, which had nothing but built in effects. But ended up picking up a Fender Champion 600 5w tube amp and the Randall was gone. I traded 100w for 5w. I will adventually add myself another amp so I have one in the front room and the bedroom. Im just to lazy to move alot of crap to play so the acoustic gets the front room duties.

I think the big diffrence in gear in general is in drum machines and multi track recorders. IMO, the drum machines are great and continue to constantly get better. And when it comes to recording anything digitial it beats recording to cassettes. No more stopping and rewinding those cassettes and now days how many of use still have a cassette deck?

[Katastrophe]

I'm a huge fan of technology in musical instruments and amplification.

Modelers have come a long way in an extremely short time, and while they are not exact replacements of their older-generation tube bretheren, they are viable amp alternatives that do a fantastic job.

I'm all for different construction methods, woods, pickup technology in guitar construction, too.

The Gibby,on the other hand, was a answer for which there was no question, IMO.

[sunvalleylaw]

I like the new stuff in the amph world. The Vox series is what brought me to this forum, though I still don't own one. i do like my son's Peavey Vyper for what it is, and think it is a great little tool for him (or me sometimes) at that price point. Though I would rather play my tube amphs using my pedals and the LIne6 stompbox modeler I am borrowing.

I love the new iRig stuff for my phone so I have a headphone amph with me whenever I want it. (see the end of the new iPad ad and threads on this forum). I love the guitar toolkit app I have that allows me to always have a metronome, tuner, chord chart and so on with me at all times. To me, these are really big things that make practicing and creating really more accessible and easy for most of us.

I think some of the new guitar ideas are interesting, but until the design and interface gets better, it would seem that the modeling is better suited to the amphlification side. I would rather have the guitar itself be of good playability and quality rather than have a big hole filled with electronics. At least at this point. The Gibson guitar might be a cool idea someday. I still think it was stoopid to break a SG, and to suggest that traditional guitars are history. It just is not the case.

The Line6 stompbox modelers are cool too as I said.

So I do like a lot of the new tech. Just not all, and how it is designed, and accessed, is very important. I do not want to feel like I am programming my VCR when I am playing guitar.

[riverrick]

Being an old fart, it's a love hate thing with all the technology these days. I love the computer, cant seem to live without it. Don't have a cell phone, probably never will. Not a big fan of the new tech guitars. And would love to be able to use this new home recording software. My daughter bought me a Cakewalk for my birthday one year...can't figure out how to use it!!! It's really hard to keep up with all the tech changes. What's new today will be obsolete in 6 months!!!

[FrankenFretter]

I like the new stuff in the amph world. The Vox series is what brought me to this forum, though I still don't own one. i do like my son's Peavey Vyper for what it is, and think it is a great little tool for him (or me sometimes) at that price point. Though I would rather play my tube amphs using my pedals and the LIne6 stompbox modeler I am borrowing.

I love the new iRig stuff for my phone so I have a headphone amph with me whenever I want it. (see the end of the new iPad ad and threads on this forum). I love the guitar toolkit app I have that allows me to always have a metronome, tuner, chord chart and so on with me at all times. To me, these are really big things that make practicing and creating really more accessible and easy for most of us.

I think some of the new guitar ideas are interesting, but until the design and interface gets better, it would seem that the modeling is better suited to the amphlification side. I would rather have the guitar itself be of good playability and quality rather than have a big hole filled with electronics. At least at this point. The Gibson guitar might be a cool idea someday. I still think it was stoopid to break a SG, and to suggest that traditional guitars are history. It just is not the case.

The Line6 stompbox modelers are cool too as I said.

So I do like a lot of the new tech. Just not all, and how it is designed, and accessed, is very important. I do not want to feel like I am programming my VCR when I am playing guitar.

Steve...you really still have a VCR? Dude. Have you heard about these DVD things? Big improvement. :thumbsup

[Eric]

Steve...you really still have a VCR? Dude. Have you heard about these DVD things? Big improvement. :thumbsup
Ha. I had the same thought when I read that.

[sunvalleylaw]

LOL! Not that we use much anymore. But you cannot record on a DVD anyway (at least with our DVD player). We did have a VCR we used to record TV to view later until we got a DVR in anticipation of the 2008 Olympics. Before that, we were old school. I hated trying to program that thing. It is actually still around so we can watch some of the old movies we still have.

[kiteman]

Don't feel bad, I still have and use a VCR but lately it's a VCR/DVD units. Also I'm old school on guitars and amps, I don't want any doddads on my guitars and amps. I want my tube amps to be tube amps and nothing more, same with my guitars.

Now for the pedals, that's a different story. I want all the bells and whistles on them, FXs, amp modelings and drums.

EDIT: by the way I have a DVD recorder and I haven't figured it out how to record on it.

[deeaa]

Good chance you also won't learn how to program it before it goes obsolete :-)

I gotta say having a basically unlimited internet-based TV recording system has completely changed my media use. That, and the availability of direct-to-TV full HDTV rentals. I seem to have well over 200 movies or TV shows on the net service already, hardly ever watch live TV any more it seems. Can't remember when I rented an actual disk or watched a DVD. Well the kid watches DVDs in the car, but I suppose the next car DVD player will have just an USB slot so we can just play movies off that.

And good riddance to them disks, too! I amassed a DVD collection of some 500+ movies in around ten years, but I realized some while back I have _never_ watched any of those films another time. I've borrowed them out to friends and such, but never watched them again myself. However, I have recorded several of those films on the TV system and re-watched from there.

And the best part is there is no programming really. Just browse on the PC or the cell phone to the 'tvrecorder' and just pick the programs you want or make it always record that show or whatever, just point and click. Marvellous. And with Spotify doing much the same for music...well, who needs physical media any more...

[Tig]

I love technology. I just bought a new 8-track. I'm sure they'll replace vinyl albums in just a few years!

OK, I'm going to take this in a more philosophical direction than the intention of the OP, so please forgive me...
New Technology in general can be great, as long as we don't get too caught up in it and forsake creativity and the personal touch. While I've spent most of my career deep into technology, I try not to loose sight of the important human factor.

I tremble when I hear people have hundreds of online "friends" in myspace that they'll never meet, yet have very few in their real lives. Kids are growing up to be dysfunctional in society when there isn't a computer or phone to communicate through. I constantly see people deep into their smart phones, ignoring the reality that surrounds them. I see people who have to be constantly entertained and connected.
(quick reference: Rush lyrics for "Natural Science":
When the ebbing tide retreats
Along the rocky shoreline,
It leaves a trail of tidal pools
In a short-lived galaxy.
Each microcosmic planet
A complete society.
All the busy little creatures
Chasing out their destinies.
Living in their pools,
They soon forget about the sea...)

We are quickly becoming addicted and dependent upon our technological advances. I see us becoming weaker and less adaptable. Cut off the power for a few days and you'll see what I mean.

I'd hate to see us become the characters in the must-see animated movie, Wall-E, which may be the best social commentary in recent history...
http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x12/goatburgler/6a00e54ecc66978833011570b3b05e970b-.jpg

[deeaa]

Tig, indeed what I also think...but, as I said, I see it as inevitable.

NOT the fatso future of Wall-E (yeah great flick!) but the silicon way.

That's just about the only way humanity can survive, in my view - become computer programs.

I just read in the news of this WHO report that smoking is going to kill a billion people in the near future. So is that a bad thing how? On one hand, we're fed horror images of overpopulation and the imminent lack of food and such, on the other it seems it's a great goal to strive for to make everyone live as healthy and long as possible. Seems insane to me.

I dunno, if I could, I'd probably happily kill a few billion off this planet. Give me a killer virus that kills 50% of people randomly, I'll release it I think...nevermind it could be me or my loved ones to go first. It'd be better for humanity in general. Deaths of a few can be tragedies, but deaths of millions, well it becomes just statistics. But these days, even wars can't finish off much people...at least in ww2 it was more like 50 million dead or so...what the planet needs is something to kill tenfolds that many people :-)

And yes, I refrain from smoking much, but again, I'd be among the first to promote smoking and nice, suitably lethal recreational drugs en masse for the poor and the outcast first, again just to prune off some of the excess population.

And while on the subject, I'm strongly against hard sentences and death sentences, I believe any punishments for crimes should be quite lax to begin with...and once it's clear a criminal is indeed a career criminal, the government should just eliminate them quietly without telling anyone, maybe even make it look like an accident. Best for everyone...

[Duffy]

Yo . . . Dee, Woah.

How about the "Daleks", they lived on, but something is missing in their transformation and they DON'T play guitars! EXTERMINATE. . . . .

[Jimi75]

I believe we have too much new and accessable technology around. Lot of the stuff is really depriving us of our precious time. See, every new device you buy, you have to invest a couple of hours to learn how to use it and if we are honest, most ofthe stuff isn't really useful. We had discussions here about what's better watching 3000 youtube videos or using that time to practice guitar playing? It's in the eye of the beholder of course.

I like technology that helps us, like for example some new medical devices, a mobile phone if used for what it is - as a telephone!

I remember when I started working in an office some 18 years ago. We had no internet and I was making business with Russia. You called the customer, made a notice, produced, delivered and that's it. Today you get an email for every little piece of crappy topic. You get spammed by poeple, you get copied in etc...There's seldom an office week with under 600 emails!

I hate the fact that people lose touch. Instead of meeting someone in person or on the phone, people write an email.

I am absolutely not anti modern, but I feel that most folks are still not ready for some of the stuff. We have so many immature human beings that lose culture and interest in their roots, they make technology and iPhones their new life content and this makes me very sad, because I feel it is wrong.

[oldguy]

Technology's great.
Start with acoustic, or, guitar/cord/amph......when you can make it sound good, progress from there. Don't expect gadgets to solve a lack of inspiration, practice, and don't use them as shortcuts.

[marnold]

Technology is neither good nor evil. It just is. I'm very thankful for a lot of things. The computer enables me to do a lot of my work more quickly and better than if I didn't have it. My PDA (coming soon: my smartphone) keeps me on schedule, which is very important when my schedule can change from moment to moment.

Just because something is old, it doesn't mean that it is no longer useful nor does it mean that it's the only way to go. Just because something is new doesn't inherently mean that it is useful or evil. Things are used for good or evil purposes all the time. That always has been true and always will be.

[ZMAN]

I after reading some of the posts, I have to take a step back and look at technology in general. I started life in Computer Science. Of course when I graduated in 1969 a 100 by 100 foot computer room was less than 20K. I kid you not. We have more computing power now in a phone than we had beck then in our computers. I will never forget the first day of computer science class, the instructor said that the only limitation in size is the distance an electrical impulse has to travel. Back then it was through wires now the distances are microscopic.
My whole issue is not with technology as it affects our everyday lives, more how it affects our guitar gear.
I still have a 42 years old electric guitar that plays and sounds the same as a 2010, so there really hasn't been a huge change in guitars. The new models with all the tech gizmos have not been well received over all.
Amps on the other hand have actually been split in two. Going back to all tube handwired amps and on the other side to SS modelling amps that sound more "tubey" than tube amps.
I was just looking to see what you guys feel about the new tech and how do you think it will affect players in the future?

[NWBasser]

I believe we have too much new and accessable technology around. Lot of the stuff is really depriving us of our precious time. See, every new device you buy, you have to invest a couple of hours to learn how to use it and if we are honest, most ofthe stuff isn't really useful. We had discussions here about what's better watching 3000 youtube videos or using that time to practice guitar playing? It's in the eye of the beholder of course.

I like technology that helps us, like for example some new medical devices, a mobile phone if used for what it is - as a telephone!

I remember when I started working in an office some 18 years ago. We had no internet and I was making business with Russia. You called the customer, made a notice, produced, delivered and that's it. Today you get an email for every little piece of crappy topic. You get spammed by poeple, you get copied in etc...There's seldom an office week with under 600 emails!

I hate the fact that people lose touch. Instead of meeting someone in person or on the phone, people write an email.

I am absolutely not anti modern, but I feel that most folks are still not ready for some of the stuff. We have so many immature human beings that lose culture and interest in their roots, they make technology and iPhones their new life content and this makes me very sad, because I feel it is wrong.

Jimi, I think you stated my views better that I ever could!

[deeaa]

ZMAN: there will always be a place for a true simple tube amp when playing live, for much the same reasons there are still plenty of tube poweramps and LP players in Hi-Fi use.... but I seriously doubt I'll ever use one to record music in large scale any more. The Amplitube system for instance simply does such a good job of recording guitar even now, I guess in a few years even true gold-ears won't know the difference. I don't any more on tape, live is another matter.

[Duffy]

When Fender and Les Paul worked on perfecting electric guitars and then Fender worked to perfect guitar amps, and Peavey got involved in PA's, this was technology that was never seen before and was an adaptation of technological advances applied to the artistic world of the guitar player.

In some ways the guitar players represented the epitome of electrical and electronic technology, because rather that putting the technology to mundane uses in machinery, tools, and appliances, the guitars and amps represtented the application of technology into the area of art, raising the technology into the cherished area of artistic expression and appreciation.

Technology allowed people like Jimmy Page to form bands producing incredible, never before heard electrical music. Same with Hendrix and so many others. They took the new technology that was served up by Fender and Les Paul and associates, to an unforseen level; just like computers transformed mundane mechanical and physical computations, typing, graphic arts, printing, telephones, etc.

The influence of technology "produced" electric guitars and amps. We owe everything to technology. Prior to electric guitars, guitars were not commonly able to be used as lead instruments because they could not compete in the mix with the loud horns, pianos, and drums.

I personally think that my best guitars sound better thru my best amps without a lot of digital pedals and other technology intervening. To some extent I think this technology has plateaued into an area where continuing technological advances tend to simply replace the classic sounds with new more economical and sometimes superior circuits and improved sounds. At least this applies for live bands and the best of the pedals and processors and PA systems sometimes expand the artistic palate that the guitar artist has available, on stage and off.

When in the studio technology has transformed everything and is continuing to advance rapidly. Home studios are more awesome than big studios of the fifties, just like the new PCs are way awesome compared to those dinosaur huge computer rooms of sixty eight with the banks of gigantic reel to reel tapes rolling continually.

People are using computer interface effects pedals with usb and firewire connections to record into their home computers and utilize incredible recording software to produce previously unimaginable music right at home on a transportable CD or DVD. USB guitars plug straight into computers and access virtual amps and effects in order to produce portable CDs and DVDs. Some of these muscians are actually producing themselves and selling their CDs everywhere they go, no middle man, rip off artist producers and managers and promoters, etc. So the new and emerging technology is a good thing in the hands of people who know how to use it to produce great musical art.

Some players are incredibly affected by the new technology and embrace it enthusiastically. Other players like to get into the groove of the beautiful sounds they can produce on more traditional electric guitars and amps.

Just like artists paint with brushes and oil paint, while other artists use the latest computers and light systems to produce their art, technology will continue to move forward and muscians will master it and make as beautiful music as can be. It won't be a waste of time for them because they will be masters of the art and will be able to make the best of it.

All at the same time, others will embrace accoustic guitar grooves at parks, porches, public performances, campsites, etc., utilizing minimal or no technology. It all boils down to who you are and what you are and where you are in the corridor of developing technology and your application of it to the music you produce. It's not like you have to leave your heart and soul behind and become a "Dalek".