In this video, Eddie Nuenning demonstrates three practical ways to use the Boss GM-800 guitar synthesizer beyond just standard performance.
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MIDI Notation Input (0:38 - 4:38): Eddie shows how to use the GM-800 to input notes directly into the Dorico notation software. By adjusting the low velocity cut in the Boss Tone Studio, you can minimize mistriggered notes, making it efficient for transcribing melodies or generating chord symbols for students.
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Improving Improvisation (4:39 - 7:39): He argues that using melodic synthesizer sounds—such as a harmonica patch—helps beginners break away from repetitive pentatonic scales. Playing a more “vocal” or melodic instrument encourages more thoughtful phrasing, which he demonstrates while improvising over the standard Sunny.
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Sound Design Inspiration (7:39 - 11:38): Eddie explains how to use the GM-800 to create expansive, spacey textures. By layering custom synth sounds with digital effects in Gig Performer, he uses the synthesizer as a creative tool to build complex, layered arrangements that go beyond traditional guitar tones.
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Eddie uses Gig Performer as a central hub to craft and experiment with complex, spacey sound textures. Here is how it helps him:
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Sound Design & Layering: He creates custom patches that combine guitar tones with synth sounds, using Gig Performer to build layered, science-fiction-like textures that go beyond what a standard guitar can produce alone (8:45 - 9:00).
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Digital Processing: Gig Performer allows him to host high-quality effects, such as reverbs and amplifier simulations, directly on his computer. This replicates the capabilities of high-end hardware like an XFX or Kemper unit (8:12 - 8:22).
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Looping and Performance: Eddie uses Gig Performer to record a guitar performance, which he then replays to layer a second, different voice over the top (9:00 - 9:15, 10:24 - 11:15). This functionality allows him to create full, immersive arrangements in real-time.