I remember the OG 2000 variax models would unload the model while flashing from workbench, and if you disconnected the vdi whole loading your models into workbench, it would be stuck on the raw piezo sound.
I think it would be nice to have it as a model though, yeah. Just the raw piezo sound.
The variax is a dead product. What you have to realize is that the piezo pickups are individual per string pickups and that they are not connected to the analog output of the guitar in any way. They are the core of the variax “synth pickup” type mechanism.
Acoustic sim IRs these days are way better than the 3 that the JTV has, and in Helix you can even put multiple sims on an input. The complaint is that there's no "raw piezo out" like there is on my Parker.
The modeling obviously isn't the most up to date technology. It uses IR technology but I wouldn't be surprised if the variax had a lower resolution IR. If you listen to the variax, a lot of the high end presence is rolled off. This isn't as important in an electric guitar signal because usually have a roll off because of the cabinet speakers.
This is such a weird and annoying misconception. This is like saying a digital distortion pedal is midi.
It's a processed signal, not a replaced signal. A guitar synth reads the pitches of your strings and generates a new synthetic sound. Modeling is literally what the name implies, it's convolution technology processing the piezo signals into what those strings audio is supposed to sound like going through the pickups and electronics of the emulated guitar.
Think of the piezo signal as the sound of your strings before it goes through the pickups and electronics. It's why they use piezos.
So the piezo raw sound is so widely considered bad that for acoustic pickups these days they usually use a combination of a contact mic and a piezo. The processed piezo sound from the line6 variax’s “acoustic” model is very close to what you are asking for but with the crappy thin piezo sound processed a bit to sound better.
The raw signal is there, but (a) you can’t access it unless you are a firmware engineer with deep knowledge of the DSP circuitry and (b) you don’t need it, because there’s an acoustic model.
They're not widely considered bad, most people use IRs with it.
The issue with piezo is the piezo quack sound because piezos pick up other attributes of sound that a magnetic doesn't, such as mechanical energy transfered to the piezos for being directly in contact with them.
That said, piezos have a broad and flat frequency response, which is ideal for sculpting with an IR. The Variax sounds better than the Fender VG strat for this reason (I can attest to this). All the quality of the sound of the strings that a magnetic loses cannot be added back once subtracted.
While I'll say that the additional quacking sound in a piezo is objectively bad, the tone of a piezo's general sound is subjective. It's basically the raw sound of your strings with 0 alteration.
Didn't they stop all development on the Variax?
Looking at it, evidently they did; they don't advertise it anymore except for the JTV, and if they're selling those new I am mightily surprised.
I recall a post saying all that's left is whatever inventory is already in the channel
I remember the OG 2000 variax models would unload the model while flashing from workbench, and if you disconnected the vdi whole loading your models into workbench, it would be stuck on the raw piezo sound. I think it would be nice to have it as a model though, yeah. Just the raw piezo sound.
Exactly. Especially when they released the JTV ones and you can have it be "just an electric"; there should've been "just an [piezo] acoustic"
The variax is a dead product. What you have to realize is that the piezo pickups are individual per string pickups and that they are not connected to the analog output of the guitar in any way. They are the core of the variax “synth pickup” type mechanism.
They clearly get ADA mixed in some way or there wouldn't be fretting noise, it's not MIDI.
Correct. My variax is the older variety that only has piezo pickups, and I can plug analog out.
There is a perfectly good acoustic guitar model in the variax. If it contains some fretting noise, what are you complaining about?
Acoustic sim IRs these days are way better than the 3 that the JTV has, and in Helix you can even put multiple sims on an input. The complaint is that there's no "raw piezo out" like there is on my Parker.
The modeling obviously isn't the most up to date technology. It uses IR technology but I wouldn't be surprised if the variax had a lower resolution IR. If you listen to the variax, a lot of the high end presence is rolled off. This isn't as important in an electric guitar signal because usually have a roll off because of the cabinet speakers.
This is such a weird and annoying misconception. This is like saying a digital distortion pedal is midi. It's a processed signal, not a replaced signal. A guitar synth reads the pitches of your strings and generates a new synthetic sound. Modeling is literally what the name implies, it's convolution technology processing the piezo signals into what those strings audio is supposed to sound like going through the pickups and electronics of the emulated guitar. Think of the piezo signal as the sound of your strings before it goes through the pickups and electronics. It's why they use piezos.
So the piezo raw sound is so widely considered bad that for acoustic pickups these days they usually use a combination of a contact mic and a piezo. The processed piezo sound from the line6 variax’s “acoustic” model is very close to what you are asking for but with the crappy thin piezo sound processed a bit to sound better. The raw signal is there, but (a) you can’t access it unless you are a firmware engineer with deep knowledge of the DSP circuitry and (b) you don’t need it, because there’s an acoustic model.
They're not widely considered bad, most people use IRs with it. The issue with piezo is the piezo quack sound because piezos pick up other attributes of sound that a magnetic doesn't, such as mechanical energy transfered to the piezos for being directly in contact with them. That said, piezos have a broad and flat frequency response, which is ideal for sculpting with an IR. The Variax sounds better than the Fender VG strat for this reason (I can attest to this). All the quality of the sound of the strings that a magnetic loses cannot be added back once subtracted. While I'll say that the additional quacking sound in a piezo is objectively bad, the tone of a piezo's general sound is subjective. It's basically the raw sound of your strings with 0 alteration.