Starr Labs Introduces Ztar VRIII Diamond Guitar Controller
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(Click for a close-up) |
August 2, 2001The updated Ztar VRIII Diamond MIDI guitar is the newest and most fully
configured in our line of high-speed performance controllers, marrying the
features of guitar, keyboard and percussion into a single instrument.
The new VRIII offers all of the newest improvements to the patented Ztar
Fingerboard, Triggers, hardware, and software. The instrument has a Flame
Maple neck and body. The VRIII mounts six StringTriggers, velocity-sensing
strings of any type or guage. A new optical pickup system, advanced preamp,
and processing algorithm contribute to the fastest, most sensitive and
reliable triggering system ever. The VRIII has a total of 18 programmable
Expression Pads with the first six installed under your fingers just above
the high E-string and six more Pads under the the right thumb just below
the low E-string. These Expression Pads may be tapped to play notes/chords,
trigger sequences, or send Program changes, or they may be pressed with
varying pressure to send pitchbend or any other MIDI controller message.
The unit shown has a 4-pole joystick mounted in the PalmWhammy
configuration that allows dropping your wrist while picking to add
pitchbend, modulations, crossfades or over 100 other programmable MIDI
effects.
The computer-controlled fingerboard may be played like a traditional guitar
or tapped like a keyboard with full dynamic velocity-range. It is also
possible to play multiple notes per string allowing cluster voicings and
fully independent two-handed performance. The fingerboard may be zoned,
layered, and tuned in hundreds of different ways to suit your creative needs.
A NeckSensor pressure-strip or Breath Controller is also available as a
standard option to the VRIII. Individual custom orders allow a player to
have any variety of pressure sensors, sliders, joysticks, ribbon
controllers and rotary pots added to a new instrument design.
The VRIII also shows a new TPA-1 TriggerPad Assembly installed between the
StringTriggers and the fingerboard. This expression controller has six
programmable velocity/pressure-sensing Pads and a 5" position-sensing
ribbon controller.
Because the Ztar uses keyboard technology, there are no glitching,
tracking, or timing issues that are found with other guitar controllers based on pitch to MIDI technology.
For more information, visit their web site at www.starrlabs.com. |
