You can turn your favorite axe into a wireless midi controller with Fishman Tranducer’s TriplePlay Wireless Guitar controller. The company gave me a look at the $395 package at Macworld/iWorld this week.
The TriplePlay controller comes with a hexaphonic pickup that slips under your strings near your regular pickups and connects to a wireless controller that your mount behind the bridge. A small wireless receiver is also included; it either plugs into your Mac or an iPad using a Lightning USB Camera Adapter, allowing you to record to GarageBand for iOS without any wires.
The name TriplePlay references Fishman’s software bundle that allows you to record using PreSonus Studio One Artist, compose with Notion Music – Progression 2.0, and perform with Native Instrument’s Kontakt Komplete Elements and GuitarRig LE as well as IK Multimedia’s SampleTank XE and Amplitube Custom Shop software. Fishman’s own TriplePlay software lets you pick and control up to four virtual instruments at a time with your guitar. You could, for example, set your two lowest strings to an acoustic bass virtual instrument and the upper strings to sound like a nylon string guitar or electric piano.
Though the installation process is easy, many might not like the look of the low profile box attached to the front of their guitar. For those picky pickers, Canadian guitar-maker Godin (also at Macworld/iWorld this week) will sell you a beautiful guitar with the Fishman TriplePlay built into the body. Be prepared to pay up, though: The model Goodin is showing at Macworld/iWorld lists for $1195.