One of the most vexing problems in recording has always been the exclusivity of MIDI controllers. Historically, if you wanted to input MIDI, you used a keyboard or drum pad. With virtual instruments changing the way that musicians make sound, MIDI is as important as ever.

Guitarists have always wanted to get into MIDI, but the complexities of the instrument made this a challenge. A MIDI controller is a simple mechanical switch, which is why we've seen keyboard controllers drop in price in recent years. For a guitar to transmit MIDI, a complex process called pitch-to-MIDI is required. A computer listens to each pitch on the guitar, calculates the pitch, converts it to MIDI, and sends it out a MIDI jack. If this sounds complex, you're right! It is.

MIDI guitar has been around since the late 1970s when manufacturers started trying to get guitarists into the largely keyboard-only world. Early attempts at pitch-to-MIDI conversion were slow and plagued with high latency and errors. If you're a guitarist who tried MIDI guitar, you probably weren't impressed. Like all technology, advances yield better results. In the past few years, MIDI guitar has improved dramatically.

Can any guitar be a MIDI guitar?

MIDI guitar only requires a special pickup, which can be attached to almost any guitar. There are even guitars from Godin that ship with the pickup already installed. Gibson's new Dark Fire guitar also offers an interface to MIDI through the standard Roland 13-pin interface that both Roland and AXON use.

There are two main companies in the MIDI guitar game: Roland and AXON. Roland has been involved with MIDI guitar since the beginning and has kept the format alive throughout the years. Roland makes the GI-20 and the VG-99, both of which offer MIDI guitar conversion (the VG-99 does a whole lot more than just MIDI and is worth a look), while AXON has the AX 50 and AX 100. Both Roland and AXON do an amazing job of converting a guitar output to MIDI.

If you're a guitarist, you owe it to yourself to check out MIDI guitar. MIDI guitar will unlock the world of MIDI, synthesis, virtual instruments, and notation to any guitarist. It's amazingly cool! Famous guitarists like Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin have used MIDI guitar for years.