Short version:
Why isn't the GI-20 reading all the strings on my guitar? Adjusting
the sensitivity settings doesn't help. Here's the setup: RMC pickups -
> PolyDrive II preamp -> GI-20. The analog output from the preamp
works fine, so I'm guessing the pickups are OK.

Long version:
I've got a classical guitar that has RMC "Acoustic Gold" pickups
installed -- individual saddle-pickups for each string. The output
goes to a Poly-Drive II preamp, then to a Roland GI-20 MIDI interface.
The GI-20 is made especially for guitar (or bass). It separately
processes each string signal and feeds the results to (triggers) a
synthesizer or sequencer.

Right now I'm trying to see how the setup might work with Finale music-
notation software, but there's a basic problem: the GI-20 doesn't seem
to be "reading" all the strings. For instance, when I try to use the
GI-20's tuner, only three or four strings give a readout. (It varies.
The G always reads out; the B, D, low E, and A sometimes;  the high E
never.)

The GI-20 allows the user to adjust the sensitivity of each string, so
I tried making those adjustments, but the only string that gives any
sensitivity readout at all is the G.

When I plug the preamp's  analog mono out (1/4" phono jack) into a
monitor speaker, all the strings give a good signal, so I'm guessing
the pickups are working OK.

I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting everything a few times, and
fiddled with all the settings on the preamp, but that hasn't resulted
in any progress.

I'm hoping that someone who is familiar with this sort of setup can
help me out a bit.

John Philip Dimick
www.guitarist.com

On Sep 9, 12:12 pm, jpd <googlegro...@guitarist.com> wrote:
> Short version:
> Why isn't the GI-20 reading all the strings on my guitar? Adjusting
> the sensitivity settings doesn't help. Here's the setup: RMC pickups -> PolyDrive II preamp -> GI-20. The analog output from the preamp
>
> works fine, so I'm guessing the pickups are OK.
>
> Long version:
> I've got a classical guitar that has RMC "Acoustic Gold" pickups
> installed -- individual saddle-pickups for each string. The output
> goes to a Poly-Drive II preamp, then to a Roland GI-20 MIDI interface.
> The GI-20 is made especially for guitar (or bass). It separately
> processes each string signal and feeds the results to (triggers) a
> synthesizer or sequencer.
>
> Right now I'm trying to see how the setup might work with Finale music-
> notation software, but there's a basic problem: the GI-20 doesn't seem
> to be "reading" all the strings. For instance, when I try to use the
> GI-20's tuner, only three or four strings give a readout. (It varies.
> The G always reads out; the B, D, low E, and A sometimes;  the high E
> never.)
>
> The GI-20 allows the user to adjust the sensitivity of each string, so
> I tried making those adjustments, but the only string that gives any
> sensitivity readout at all is the G.
>
> When I plug the preamp's  analog mono out (1/4" phono jack) into a
> monitor speaker, all the strings give a good signal, so I'm guessing
> the pickups are working OK.
>
> I've tried disconnecting and reconnecting everything a few times, and
> fiddled with all the settings on the preamp, but that hasn't resulted
> in any progress.
>
> I'm hoping that someone who is familiar with this sort of setup can
> help me out a bit.
>
> John Philip Dimickwww.guitarist.com

Got it fixed.