This is probably a dumb question but I am new to the guitar (about a year in to my learnings with a teacher).
I have some pedals but I want to branch out into getting a synth as well to experiment with the sound.
Does there exist a device that I can plug in to my pedal chain so I can drive it with my guitar AND play it on it’s own to create sounds? Also hoping synths have a drum machine because I would like to play with a beat.
I know pedal synths exist but that isn’t really what I am looking for, want a synth on its own that I could also use with the guitar but not only with the guitar if that makes sense.
Am I thinking about this wrong? Does this mythical device exist? If not anyone have some relatively entry level devices I can look at?
Go try out the free trial version of the neural dsp Rabea. Its primarily an amp and pedal sim but the gimmick of that particular one is that theres a synth side of it. You can blend the amp and synth signal or just use either. Lots of fun
I’m not sure if it’s 100% what you’re looking for, but I remember hearing that the designer of the Korg MS-20 synth gave it an external signal in specifically so he could test it out with his guitar. If you wanna try it out they make a mini version of that synth currently, though you’d need a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter to plug your guitar in.
The most direct way to start experimenting is getting a free DAW, an audio interface (for the guitar to go into), and download a bunch of synth VSTs and guitar rig simulators. It’s too easy to fall into the “hardware” trap and then figure out after spending a bunch of cash that you didn’t get the right “thing”.
You could build a modular synth that you could run your guitar through but that’s a real expensive rabbit hole.
The Moog Grandmother is a traditional mono synth that has an instrument input on the back that you can plug a guitar into. Not sure if that is what you’re looking for.
You can either get a midi pickup installed on your guitar or do a lot of futzing to get it to work with an analog/modular synth
Hmm it sounds like I really have no idea what I am talking about. Maybe a software synth and a midi controller is more what I am going for. I have a device to get my guitar signal into my computer already.
