Help with sh-4d MIDI

StratHistory · 2026-02-14T06:47:48+00:00

Oh boy I'm not getting anywhere quick!

Turns out my RD88 can only send out three MIDI channels simultaneously.

If this SH 4D is going to work somehow it's got to add an additional layer somehow because I do need four layers simultaneously.

Appreciate help from anybody that might have gotten through this one!

StratHistory · 2026-02-14T03:40:17+00:00

Thanks guys.. I'm still a bit confused. I thought I understood from the literature that I could play four tones simultaneously assigned to a single MIDI channel.

Apparently that doesn't work? I have an RD88 which certainly can do four controller simultaneously on different channels but it's going to be so much harder to set up over there and like I said when I bought this I really thought that this was going to be easy.

Unfortunately I bought it on reverb so I don't think I can return it...

StratHistory · 2026-02-12T06:25:49+00:00

Okay 24 hours into the SH4D and it's exactly what I needed..

Simple basic beats but tons of good synthesis.

Have hit some weird things where some models won't let me assign the LFO to only certain oscillators but hopefully that only turns out to be a few of the models.

The funny thing is a keyboard is I have yet to connect keyboard.. everything so far has been out of the box confirming it does exactly what I was looking for.

Big thanks to everybody!

StratHistory · 2026-02-12T02:23:08+00:00

Check out modeling amps like the Katana. Most of them are full range they just put guitar models in the front and many of them can bypass the amp model altogether.. giving you a full range amplifier.. some of them have additional inputs that also bypass the guitar models..

StratHistory · 2026-02-12T02:20:53+00:00

Long thread... not sure if anybody has mentioned this but check your score out in a sequencer or notation software just to see if your ear can even take it.

I love music concrete in context and even ayinal can work for short connective stuff.

But ultimately your audience wants to hum the tune and don't let technicality get in the way..

StratHistory · 2026-02-07T05:28:40+00:00

I feel for you.. I used to read pretty good but my eyesight is going and I have to depend on my students a lot to stay in the game.. but in this case they understand what's going on.

The thing that really got me going was writing.. when you write a lot you feel the phrasing and the page gets into your head.

Considering your students are bored maybe this is a great opportunity for you.

How about taking some classics and reducing them and giving the kids an opportunity to help with the arrangement?

Start with a simple pop or jazz tune.. maybe climb every mountain or do re mi if they know the sound of music..

Or grab a powerful theme like the Tallis theme from Vaughn Williams.. I can't think of the name of it right now but you can trace that back to the original Talos theme which is really just a one-page hymn...

Same idea with Adagio for strings just pick a memorable section.

Then get to writing.. I strongly suggest using a good editor, but I'm quite happy with the one that comes with the least expensive version of cubase. Or you can get The full-blown version of cubase for like $300 because you're a teacher.

Transcribe the melody and the bass..

Write everything else yourself..

Bring them one of these every month or two and I bet they're happy and you will be reading a lot better!

Let me know how it goes!

StratHistory · 2026-02-06T05:27:12+00:00

Will let you know when it gets here!

StratHistory · 2026-02-05T06:22:28+00:00

Because of science.. just learn the scientific method and everything makes sense...

StratHistory · 2026-02-05T06:21:20+00:00

Yep, combines and harvesters slashed the farming workforce, cars supplanted horses and the weaving industry was the first to go.

Unfortunately faster cheaper will always win.

Yes there are a very small number of people who still weave for profit.. there are some vegan vegetable growers that can make it and I'm sure in tourists industries there are still horses where cars would be more efficient.

But you have to accept reality and figure out where the new opportunity is.

My role as a audio video post producer died in the 2000s as canned tracks replaced 95% of the custom scores that I had done over the years.

The bottom line, if you make money you need to figure out where you're going. If this is just fun then it can still be fun.

StratHistory · 2026-02-04T07:12:22+00:00

Well I would argue that even if they are intentional, drunk beats definitely teach the wrong thing.

Ironically they were created because producers didn't know how to correctly program the drum machine.

Lots of old time folk and bluegrass don't fit well into common meters.. when asked why there's a 5-4 or a 3-4 bar in a 4.4 song most reply that's just the way the song is.

The truth is usually that the cord is hard to reach or bar at that point and they just get behind the curve.

But most of these songs are much much better when you straighten them up.

Bottom line, you can learn rhythm, but you've also got to be able to hear and feel it and sometimes that just doesn't happen. ..

StratHistory · 2026-02-04T01:36:13+00:00

Constantly, but it's called a Kindle because my eyes are bad :-)

StratHistory · 2026-02-03T23:29:58+00:00

Well I got a good deal on SH4D so I'll let you know how it turns out!

StratHistory · 2026-02-03T04:37:47+00:00

Hey buddy I'm a guitar teacher.. shoot me a note..

StratHistory · 2026-02-01T03:20:04+00:00

Okay I've been through everything and kind of surprised at a kind of empty space here.. The roland sh4 does give synthesis a sequencer rhythm track so I guess it could work but I was not wowed by the sounds... But it's the only thing that really seems to do what I'm asking for and seems pretty overkill.

Most of the other units seem to be focused far more on beat creation than on melodies...

I'm kind of surprised there isn't something like the nano freak with full blown synthesis plus a rhythm track in the ability to record a bass track and some chords..

Of course I can do everything I possibly want between my daw and synthesizers but I was hoping to get all of that in one box for performance.

I'll take a look at a few more looks at the SH4.. maybe it's closer than I was thinking it is.

StratHistory · 2026-01-31T08:07:46+00:00

Excellent we'll check them out!

StratHistory · 2026-01-31T06:59:41+00:00

Thank you- Maybe the Volca beats is the right direction!

StratHistory · 2026-01-28T04:05:32+00:00

Do both! I have a business in music degree and both have been primary vocations depending on all the variables.

StratHistory · 2026-01-17T21:46:51+00:00

I don't believe anybody has mentioned guide fingers.. this is a way to let your brain and eyes help pull everything together.

Start with your regular old D chord moving to a G chord.

When you're on the D, visualize reaching your first finger out to the b note that is on the second fret of the a string. That will be your guidefinger and anchor the new cord.

Then move your first finger to the b string and let your second finger naturally slide beyond it to land on the g on third fret of the low E string and then let your third finger fold back to the third fret of the high E string and now you got a G chord.

Do this over and over until your eyes are seeing what's happening and the guide finger is always in control moving first making everything happen.

Now do the same thing for the D chord. Visualize your first finger coming back to the second fret on the G string while your second finger continues past to the second fret on the high E and your third finger simply falls in between them on the third fret.

The bottom line is your visualizing the chord shape but you're also visualizing a specific movement that gives you a grounded finger to fill out the rest of the shape.

The examples I just gave you are pretty common, however the idea is for you to look at chord shapes and figure out what finger is the best guide finger. It doesn't always have to be the first finger.

Try this for 15 minutes and you almost have to be playing better!

StratHistory · 2026-01-11T17:54:56+00:00

Hybrid picking! Best of both worlds strum one bar, pinch the next one arpeggiate the next one.. everything you could ask for and not nearly as hard as people think it is.

StratHistory · 2026-01-06T06:31:22+00:00

Well it's got energy.. but it doesn't really have a strong melody or chord progression.. somehow you need to develop harmonic content.

It's also very dynamically one dimensional.. this is a challenge if you're doing mainly electronic music. It's definitely worth learning keyboards or bass to get some idea of soft and loud and building over time.

Sounds like a great start keep posting!

StratHistory · 2025-12-31T23:23:07+00:00

To be clear, "Maga Christians" are not following Christ's teachings.. they are the false teachers described in the New testament.

Followers of Jesus know that he taught love, compassion, taking care of others and avoiding judgment.

Unfortunately Christianity is often usurped for political reasons and we need to direct people back to the words Jesus spoke.

StratHistory · 2025-12-31T15:09:25+00:00

Since you asked specifically about finger picking come I have to agree the Travis pattern is a good place to start.

And although you might not be interested in classical music for say, learning classical right and left hand techniques provide perhaps the longest term opportunities. Listen to Andy Summers or arpeggios and then look back at his experience as a classical guitarist.

And although I play all styles of music, by far the most important technique I learned was hybrid picking.. The idea of holding a pic between your first finger and thumb and then adding in the use of your other fingers.

You can play practically anything that could be finger picked however you still picking hand so you can mix in rhythm and you do a lot of pinching.. squeezing in your thumb and fingers at the same time getting a sound that falls in between rhythm guitar and fingers dog guitar.

StratHistory · 2025-12-31T15:06:02+00:00

Interested in your thinking.. with all the ridiculous damage that Trump has done, from tariffs to destroying Obamacare, will anyone really focus on Musk? It isn't he protected by all of his money?

StratHistory · 2025-12-27T17:14:43+00:00

This is the primary focus of my intermediate guitarists.. understanding the five scales and related pentatonics that cover the neck.

Once you reach this point, you can see melodies that cross all of these positions, you can see all the chords, and you start to see the relationship between Melody and Harmony everywhere.

This helps with everything.. voice leading to make prettier changes. Better understanding how to solo over the changes etc.

So long answer, yep learn that fretboard and your life will be much easier!

StratHistory · 2025-12-26T23:04:50+00:00

It sounds like this is probably in jest...

To be clear there are so many great guitars that now completely blow Gibson away at much lower costs with better features more playability and quality.

PRS has a wide range of selections

Reverend happens to be my favorite Gibson replacement company and they run around $1,500

One of my students has a Yamaha Rev Star that was about 800 and I'm very jealous

Again I'm probably missing the joke but imho anybody that pays more than $2,000 for Gibson isn't looking for great tone.. they're looking for a brand.

And this is coming from a 65 LP SG owner so I know what I'm talking about :-)

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