Rob OReilly’s Expressiv MIDI Pro 2 can read every note you play
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15.06.2021

Rob OReilly’s Expressiv MIDI Pro 2 can read every note you play

(Source: ROR Guitars)
Words by Sam McNiece

Featuring multiple ways to interact and perform.

In 2014, Rob OReilly Guitars used a Kickstarter campaign to bring to life their Expressiv MIDI guitar. Fast forward a few years and striving for innovation, they release their newest model for guitar playing synth lovers.

Read all the latest product news here.

First and foremost, this guitar still functions like a guitar. There are magnetic and piezo pickups for acquiring both electric and acoustic style guitar tones. You can have both at the same time as well with the use of its stereo 1/4″ jack output.

The Expressiv MIDI Pro 2 has new technology which can read exactly what note you’re going to play before you play it. Dubbed the ‘Fretboard Scanner’, this feature allows for over 144 unique MIDI notes to be triggered while still being velocity sensitive.

This guitar/controller features many different ways to interact with it, all routing through both USB and MIDI connection ports. There’s an XY pad which can be used for changing parameters of synths and while holding notes on the fretboard, trigger a ‘strum’ of your guitar.

There’s a joystick, which comes standard routed to pitch bend, an octave shift button, 30 performance bank selection, MIDI volume knob and the regular pickup selector and volume knobs.

An ability to change settings with the flick of a button is impressive, as live performers can setup presets and change them between songs and not fiddle with the computer between songs.

New in this instalment is the Tap Mode, allowing you to shred ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’ and route it through your DAW or synthesiser of choice.

Interestingly, you can set each string to send via a different MIDI channel, allowing for 6 different synths to be played at once… Wild.

Most importantly for this guitar based MIDI controller, the latency is a shockingly low 2ms. This allows for actual use live with other musicians and over backing tracks as the perceptible delay is basically unnoticeable.

Have a look at this guitar in action below.

Visit ROR Guitars for more information on this release.