Sep 15, 2017
Live with @dragonforcehq at Loud Park Festival in #Japan 2015 #keytar #midiguitar
seen from Canada
seen from Germany
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from Türkiye
seen from Maldives
seen from China
seen from Australia
seen from Malaysia
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from Netherlands
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from China
Live with @dragonforcehq at Loud Park Festival in #Japan 2015 #keytar #midiguitar
Les Fradkin presents: Mr. Midi Guitar
An instrumental album that connects past traditions with modern digital imagination.
Les Fradkin’s new album, Mr. Midi Guitar, looks at the idea of the guitar from a fresh angle. Rather than treating it as a fixed object, he approaches it as a tool that can shift shape. Les has long worked at the intersection of invention and musicality, and this release continues that path. The project blends Baroque and Classical influences with contemporary electronic composition, all performed through his Starr Labs Ztar. The result feels less like a genre exercise and more like a conversation across eras, with the guitar acting as the mediator.
The foundation of the album is the contrast between acoustic tradition and digital experimentation. Les leans into historical forms, then filters them through the precision and flexibility of MIDI performance. Instead of presenting classical ideas in a nostalgic way, he treats them as raw material that can be repurposed. Melodic lines hint at familiar structures from past centuries, while the electronic textures reshape their character. This combination creates a sense of continuity rather than conflict, suggesting that musical language evolves without losing its roots.
At its core, Mr. Midi Guitar highlights the adaptability of the guitar in an era marked by rapid technological shifts. Many artists are expanding the instrument into new territory, and Les positions himself within that movement. His use of the Ztar reframes the act of guitar performance. Notes are articulated with crisp accuracy, allowing for fast runs and intricate phrasing that might be difficult on traditional strings. Yet the spirit of guitar playing remains, especially in the rhythmic drive and phrasing that connect back to his earlier work.
The album functions as a bridge between past, present, and future. Classical phrasing meets electronic clarity, and the interplay suggests a wider conversation about how instruments can evolve. With this release, Les Fradkin reinforces his reputation as a forward thinker, building on tradition while exploring what lies beyond it. Mr. Midi Guitar stands as a clear reflection of that balance.
I know y'all didn't ask for this update but BIG things on the horizon. Yesterday I finally made the time to light up my new @jamstik and had a revelatory experience tracking half a dozen new synth parts in @ableton on the definitive studio recording of a track I've been scratching away at for years...made more progress in one hour than than in the last six months. It's life-changing to be able to play any MIDI instrument I want on a guitar, to take what I hear in my head and put it on record without having to think about it. Programming all of the synth parts into my first album by hand took over a year; this one is going to whip past in the blink of an eye. No doubt that when I finally get to play live shows again (not counting tonight's live streamed cyberguitar set for the @tamintegration jam!), this will have permanently changed them, too. I don't typically hawk myself out as an affiliate, but this is such a potent tool I signed up to help get them into people's hands. DM me if you'd like a code. ❤️ 💥 🎸💥 #midiguitar #jamstik #digitalguitar #guitarsynth #synthesizers #guitarplayer #midisynth #synth #midi #synthesizer #cyberguitar (at Santa Fe, New Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CN0PqkmpzUo/?igshid=9vaa4r0o05bk
Tracking some flute on my new track using Charles Sparkley and #midiguitar2 I am also using my new pics from @fellowplectrums which Inwon from @sarahehowson which is seriously cool! . . #fellowplectrums #newagemusic #ambientmusic #midiguitar #wolves #wolfhowl #ambientmusician #veganmusician @lifeofamusician #newagemusician #relaxingmusic #ethereal #composerlife #newmusic #iosmusician #iosmusic #amplitube #ambientguitar #iossynth #korgim1 #korg #im1 #panflute (at Landover, Raleigh) https://www.instagram.com/p/CFDA0ucD3F7/?igshid=1ve46qdykpkej
Working on some ambient pads with Charles Sparkley and MidiGuitar2. . . #midiguitar #guitarsynth #iosmusic #iosmusician #guitarist #veganmusician #ambientmusic #newagemusic #synthpads #synthstrings #synthguitar #welcometospacelounge #vegan #meditationmusic #spamusic #relaxingmusic #korg #korgiM1 #midiguitar2 (at Raleigh, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEFZ1hcDjt8/?igshid=qeolo7yufcsz
Sax-Guitar solo #fusionguitar #hotone #mooerpedals #fishmanpickups #midiguitar #modernjazz #wamplerpedals #carlmartin #tcelectronicspedals #sustainiacpickup #headless #shredding #fusion #jazzmusic #guitarsolo #jazzfusion #giordanoC #guitarist #guitarsolo #giordano #jazzy #guitarsolo #modernjazz #hotoneaudio #Fusionguitar #sax #jam #tsquare #masatohonda #casiopea #tetsuosakurai #greghowe #gambale https://www.instagram.com/p/CDES3jfnmdT/?igshid=wcuptftlgwcc
E hoje foi “New Guitar Day”, como dizem na gringa! Fim uma troca de uma Ibby Gio que estava comigo já a bastante tempo por essa strato que tem a marca Casio, mas que de fato é fabricada no Japão pela Ibanez! E com excelentes madeiras! Corpo em alder, braço em maple, escala em ébano. Ainda não descobri exatamente o ano de fabricação, mas tudo indica ser do período 87 até 89. Como mostram as fotos, ela é uma garota muito experiente, e mostra suas marcas. Ainda não pude fazer um teste adequado, porque a parte eletrônica precisa de uma bateria ou adaptador 9v, e a saída normal@dela apresenta mal contato. Vou levá-la ao médico e resolver estes detalhes inicialmente. Hoje, fiz um bom polimento, cortei excessos de cordas no headstock, e liguei rápido da mente, consegui tocar um pouco, mas a saída está realmente ruim. Deus surpreende-nos quando menos esperamos! Eu não estava nem pensando em adquiri uma guitarra agora. Como sempre futuco os anúncios de Facebook, OLX e EBay em busca de oportunidades boas, me chamou muito atenção, essa guitarra, pelo fato de ter um synth interno da Casio, ter saída integrada midi e ser fabricada pela Ibanez(com a marca Casio) em Fujigen, que é a fábrica das custom shop, ou seja, o que há de melhor da Ibanez, sai de lá! Haviam dezenas de interessados nela! O dono me confessou que teve ofertas de amplificadores Marshall, Mesa Boogie e até de uma moto!!! E aí vc me diz: mas você deve ter pago uma fortuna nessa guitarra rara, fora de linha a uns 20 pi mais anos? É? Aí que a coisa ficou inacreditável! Devido ao fato de que todas as outras ofertas eram para trocas um adicional de grana, mesmo eu tendo oferecido uma Ibanez Gio, que é uma guitarra barata, aceitei a proposta de acrescentar 250 reais! Pesquise na internet quanto ela vale! Só vou dizer que neste exato momento, tem outra igual no EBay amarrotando por cerca de 1.100 dólares!!!!!! Pensa num cara muito feliz! Deus é bom! Em todo o tempo, Ele é bom! Obrigado Senhor!!!! #gratidão #newguitarday #ngd #midiguitar #casiovintage #casiobrasil #ibanez #vintageguitars #guitarsofthe80s https://www.instagram.com/p/B9C6AmhHR5SkoOCXTxND-R-gOfQjLZ6ms5fzd40/?igshid=8ga19gthkdcn
Comp12.01.19 - This is the song I made during the livestream (then, I resampled it and made Beat12.01.19 with it) using/testing my new wireless connection for guitar and bass. That was fun! I used #midiguitar app to play that synth at the end with my #gretsch bass. . . “GUM” beat tape is OUT NOW on Spotify, Apple music and other platforms (Link in bio) ! . . “Basement Beats” beat tape (40 unreleased beats in one tape) OUT NOW - Bandcamp exclusive. . . #jamuary #jamuary2019 #boombap #ableton #sampling #sp404sx #vinylsim #beat #sp404 #drums #beattape #vj #vdmx #animation #hiphop #experimental #recycle #beatmakers #lofivibes #lofi #lofihiphop #instrumental #fingerdrumming #beatmaker #producer #madlib #flyinglotus #undergroundhiphop (à Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsjOV6hBPVB/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=18zyb9shn9tlm