Boss SY-300 (was "Boss new product teaser video")

[64Guitars]

£499.00 in the U.K.

http://www.andertons.co.uk/multi-fx-units/pid39333/cid693/boss-sy300-guitar-synthsizer-system.asp

http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/guitars/effects-fx-pedals/109568-boss-sy300-guitar-synthesizer-pedal#sterling_uk

http://www.dv247.com/guitars/boss-sy-300-guitar-synthesizer-pedal--218365

http://www.gak.co.uk/en/boss-sy-300-polyphonic-guitar-synth/116273

http://www.kennysmusic.co.uk/boss-sy-300-polyphonic-guitar-synthesizer-pedal



http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/musikmesse-2015-boss-sy-300-guitar-synth-breaks-new-ground-619445

[Bluesberry]

Looks very cool..............want one..........?!?!

[alfstone]

The first official video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EdzJz5X2-c

...and the official web page:

http://www.bossus.com/products/sy-300/

Alfredo

[64Guitars]

Here's a great demo of it. Sounds pretty amazing. And I love Alex Hutchings' guitar.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPoZ7BGkMDY

[Gnasty]

I don`t want to bear bad news and be negative because it does sound great but this was already invented using a
1/4 inch guitar cable. I have at least half these sounds in my HDpod.
I don`t like when they advertise the obvious either which is zero latency. It better be or i wouldn`t buy it.
Not to take away from it being a good product. It sounds fantastic but pretty expensive to me for just synth sounds.
I myself would just buy a Korg.

[AndyR]

I don`t want to bear bad news and be negative because it does sound great but this was already invented using a
1/4 inch guitar cable. I have at least half these sounds in my HDpod.
I don`t like when they advertise the obvious either which is zero latency. It better be or i wouldn`t buy it.
Not to take away from it being a good product. It sounds fantastic but pretty expensive to me for just synth sounds.
I myself would just buy a Korg.

Must admit, I was thinking the same thing last night. Does sound fabulous, if you like those sort of sounds... but my earlier POD (XTLive) and even my Vox Tonelab LE also have effects that produce the sounds I heard here. The POD is slightly more versatile than the Vox, but I've never investigated too far because these sounds don't grab me at all (I don't LOATHE them like I used to, but I really don't like them ). Obviously the POD & vox don't contain the sequencer/arpeggiator thing, but I don't see me having a use for that.

My interest would be if the MIDI Out on the box contained note information - ie does it do pitch to midi conversion and pass it on. If it does, then you can use it to control strings, piano, drums, wotever... but the comments I've seen elsewhere, though hoping for that, all seem to think it doesn't offer this...

And the other thing, "polyphonic", eh? None of the demos I've watched illustrate what I would mean by this - ie can you play guitar chords without it going "beeleeurggh!" ... the guy in that video seemed careful to play single-notes? I suspect they mean something else by polyphonic...

However, that's all just me and what I play... I can see some folks on here doing AMAZING stuff with one of these. If I was going to be making these sounds in my music, I'd already have done it using the kit I already have. But I do suspect this unit would be easier and more versatile to use.

[alfstone]

No Andy, unfortunately no guitar-to-MIDI for this unit. 

And to be honest, listening to the demo sounds...well, not my cup of tea. A toy more than a tool, IMO.

As someone said: "80s arcade games sounds" 

I don't think I will buy it.

And this is the general opinion about the SY-300 on the "specialized" V-Guitar forum:

http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=14460.0

Alfredo

[AndyR]

Hmmm, yeah, Alfstone...

Found the following in that thread

It's a Minimoog for guitar.

That's what I thought last night

Crumbs, they're not pulling their punches on there are they!

Anyway, seems there might some vids I haven't seen yet (I'm at work and can't see/hear anything online)... that might show an ability to do more than single-note stuff.

My gut feeling is it's not going to sell to guys like me.

[64Guitars]

And the other thing, "polyphonic", eh? None of the demos I've watched illustrate what I would mean by this - ie can you play guitar chords without it going "beeleeurggh!" ... the guy in that video seemed careful to play single-notes? I suspect they mean something else by polyphonic...

He plays some chords in this one, starting at around 2:00.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMSJOnkUQXA

[AndyR]

And the other thing, "polyphonic", eh? None of the demos I've watched illustrate what I would mean by this - ie can you play guitar chords without it going "beeleeurggh!" ... the guy in that video seemed careful to play single-notes? I suspect they mean something else by polyphonic...

He plays some chords in this one, starting at around 2:00.

Ha! Ha! I was just posting the very same thing when it came up with "Warning - while you were typing"!!


That is the most encouraging vid I've seen so far.

I watched that section about 3 times - I'm fairly certain he's playing chords and we're hearing what he's playing. In other places I've felt it's hard work figuring out what is coming out of the box and what's backing track (or indeed whether the box contributed to the backing track recording).

Also, the section before - with the heavy riffing - no way would the "synth" patches on my POD XTLive track those that accurately.

I'm still not sure what it would do for me personally... I mean, I'm interested enough that if someone gave me one now I'd be all over it for a while. But even at half the price I'm not sure at the moment it's something I'd feel was worth it to me - I tend to write songs and then look for the instruments I can hear in my head... I don't think I've ever written a song based on a groovy sound my kit was making... (other than vintage breaking up scrunchy rock guitar). I've never really been a big fan of guitar effects - a boost and a wah is about all I've ever used in anger. I don't think I've ever used say delay or chorus to write with - they'd get added later if they do get used, part of "production" afterwards.

I'd have to play one to really tell, if it actually behaves and feels like an "instrument" in its own right (does that even make sense?! - I mean rather than a guitar trying to impersonate something else), and I was able to play it expressively, then that might be quite cool.

I've been thinking midi-fying one of my guitars for ages (for doing ensemble stuff like horn or string sections, and I also suspect I could write drum parts a lot more effectively on a guitar!! ) - but I don't think this thing is a candidate for that if it's not passing out note data. (Or has it got the general MIDI instruments on board??! I've only heard 80s synth sounds so far...)

But, definitely, I can see some folks making BIG stuff with this.

And I wanna hear someone plug a mic in and start singing through it!

And Hook!!! Uke-synth?!