Roland guitar synth?

aleclee

Tribe of One
  • GP-10 - Basic guitar/amp modeling. While it has pitch->MIDI capabilities, the internal synth engine uses strings as oscillators. This has the virtue of minimal latency and touch response but if you're looking for traditional keyboard sounds, you'll either need to use MIDI to trigger an external synth engine. It's the least expensive option among current production models.
  • GR-55 - An older design (release ~2011), the 55 is still around because it's the one product that still offers PCM synthesis for more traditional keyboard sounds. This comes at the expense of latency and less sophisticated amp/cab modeling.
  • SY-1000 - Recently announced, I'm not sure if it's even in stores yet. It offers Roland's latest/greatest amp/cab/effects as well as oscillator-based synth (no PCM). While it's designed to work with the GK pickup, like the other SY models, it can also provided (less sophisticated) synth function with a regular guitar.
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
  • GP-10 - Basic guitar/amp modeling. While it has pitch->MIDI capabilities, the internal synth engine uses strings as oscillators. This has the virtue of minimal latency and touch response but if you're looking for traditional keyboard sounds, you'll either need to use MIDI to trigger an external synth engine. It's the least expensive option among current production models.
  • GR-55 - An older design (release ~2011), the 55 is still around because it's the one product that still offers PCM synthesis for more traditional keyboard sounds. This comes at the expense of latency and less sophisticated amp/cab modeling.
  • SY-1000 - Recently announced, I'm not sure if it's even in stores yet. It offers Roland's latest/greatest amp/cab/effects as well as oscillator-based synth (no PCM). While it's designed to work with the GK pickup, like the other SY models, it can also provided (less sophisticated) synth function with a regular guitar.
How about Gr-30?
 

Shodai

Blues Junior
It's quite interesting, isn't it?

I assume the volume knobs adjust volume for the humbucker and the Roland pick up.

What do the other buttons and switches do?
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
How about Gr-30?

I've been casually looking at synth units for my Godin, which also has midi pickups and a 13-pin connector. Although it seems to have been discontinued, a used GR30 is the one that I have been mostly considering based on cost and function.

I think that @OG_Blues has some synth experience, so I am curious to see what opinions he has.
 
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OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
I think that @OG_Blues has some synth experience, so I am curious to see what opinions he has.
Yes, but honestly my experience with the hardware is likely no longer very relevant - I have not used any of the products now considered to be "current". I have no doubt that the current hardware is "better", whatever that means (sound quality and tracking are the most important factors to me).
Many of the sounds in the Roland stuff, even the older synths were fairly good, mixed in among a lot of unusable garbage - gimmicky stuff I'd never use. I have seen some fairly reasonable prices on used GR-55's recently, and you probably can't go wrong with one of those.
I kind of have a "love - hate" relationship with guitar synths. They are really fun toys, but I feel like I should have a specific need for one in order to justify the expense - and I don't really have that need at the moment. What I really need to do is to continue to learn to play guitar better. The local pawn shop is advertising a nice KOA top Godin xtSA that is kind of calling to me, but so far I have resisted. They want too much for it, and then I'd also have to buy another synth. Playing synth sounds (well) is not like playing guitar - you need to understand the instrument being emulated and play lines as if you were playing that instrument, with the associated technique. You also need a full range (frequency response) amp and speaker system, preferably stereo to get the best sound out of one. Most regular guitar amps are poor choices. So, the costs can add up if you are serious about using a guitar for a synth controller.
Still - lots of fun - I would not discourage anyone - just offering my real world experience / opinion (since you asked) :):Beer:.
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
Yes, but honestly my experience with the hardware is likely no longer very relevant - I have not used any of the products now considered to be "current". I have no doubt that the current hardware is "better", whatever that means (sound quality and tracking are the most important factors to me).
Many of the sounds in the Roland stuff, even the older synths were fairly good, mixed in among a lot of unusable garbage - gimmicky stuff I'd never use. I have seen some fairly reasonable prices on used GR-55's recently, and you probably can't go wrong with one of those.
I kind of have a "love - hate" relationship with guitar synths. They are really fun toys, but I feel like I should have a specific need for one in order to justify the expense - and I don't really have that need at the moment. What I really need to do is to continue to learn to play guitar better. The local pawn shop is advertising a nice KOA top Godin xtSA that is kind of calling to me, but so far I have resisted. They want too much for it, and then I'd also have to buy another synth. Playing synth sounds (well) is not like playing guitar - you need to understand the instrument being emulated and play lines as if you were playing that instrument, with the associated technique. You also need a full range (frequency response) amp and speaker system, preferably stereo to get the best sound out of one. Most regular guitar amps are poor choices. So, the costs can add up if you are serious about using a guitar for a synth controller.
Still - lots of fun - I would not discourage anyone - just offering my real world experience / opinion (since you asked) :):Beer:.
Thanks for the input. At this point I am looking at it as a "toy" that I don't really need.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
David, Elio, they are a great toy, and IMO have the potential to be an even greater tool, when used appropriately.
Few people, however, seem to reach very far beyond the toy level of use. It's too bad. Here are a few additional thoughts on how a guitar synth can be very, very useful.
Many patches require very precise fretting, string muting, and picking technique. Playing these patches until you get it right will improve your general technique tremendously. Piano patches can be especially tricky in this regard. You also need to use the synth option settings to help you out - turn off pitch bend, adjust triggering thresholds on a string by string basis, etc. It can be a lot of fooling around. Some single note instruments can also be tricky for soloing because you have to be very careful about string muting and inadvertent string bending, or you will not sound authentic.
Some patches just sound so cool that they can be inspiring, and you will probably find yourself playing lines you wouldn't otherwise play on guitar - this can be really good for expanding one's musical vocabulary. Synth sounds can open your mind to other musical possibilities. It will also give you an appreciation for other instruments and what makes them sound like they do and how and where they best fit into an ensemble.
A synth can be a fantastic tool for putting together backing tracks, or laying down multiple different parts on top of a backing track. As I recall, the Roland synths have some fairly good bass patches for a variety of basses, so for someone that doesn't have a bass, that can be a real plus. Similarly with organ / keyboard sounds. Or adding some brass "stabs" here and there in a track. Most altered chords (like 6ths and 13ths, flat or sharp 5ths, and sharp or flat 9ths can sound really cool with some of the brass patches. Finger pick them using small chords to get a unison attack sound of multiple instruments. The slow attack, long sustain string pads can also be very useful for filling out a backing track and adding ambience.

I have always been surprised that guitar synths are so rarely used in live band settings. They can be tricky and you can get unpredictable results, so maybe that is why the real pros shy away from them live. It would be easy to embarrass yourself.
Well, I do that all the time, so no biggie for me! :ROFLMAO::cry:

I hope this gives you some additional food for thought. Good luck and enjoy! Let us know how you progress. I'd be very interested in hearing your experience.
 

aleclee

Tribe of One
Many patches require very precise fretting, string muting, and picking technique. Playing these patches until you get it right will improve your general technique tremendously. Piano patches can be especially tricky in this regard. You also need to use the synth option settings to help you out - turn off pitch bend, adjust triggering thresholds on a string by string basis, etc. It can be a lot of fooling around. Some single note instruments can also be tricky for soloing because you have to be very careful about string muting and inadvertent string bending, or you will not sound authentic.
For these reasons (among others), I personally think you're fighting a losing battle if you're trying to use guitar synth as a substitute for a keyboard synth or other instrument. IMO, it's much easier to get beyond the "toy" stage if you envision it more like a way to extend the guitar's sonic palette. OTOH, for many, that's not a compelling use case but I suppose that's part of why guitar synths have remained a niche item.
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
David, Elio, they are a great toy, and IMO have the potential to be an even greater tool, when used appropriately.
Few people, however, seem to reach very far beyond the toy level of use. It's too bad. Here are a few additional thoughts on how a guitar synth can be very, very useful.
Many patches require very precise fretting, string muting, and picking technique. Playing these patches until you get it right will improve your general technique tremendously. Piano patches can be especially tricky in this regard. You also need to use the synth option settings to help you out - turn off pitch bend, adjust triggering thresholds on a string by string basis, etc. It can be a lot of fooling around. Some single note instruments can also be tricky for soloing because you have to be very careful about string muting and inadvertent string bending, or you will not sound authentic.
Some patches just sound so cool that they can be inspiring, and you will probably find yourself playing lines you wouldn't otherwise play on guitar - this can be really good for expanding one's musical vocabulary. Synth sounds can open your mind to other musical possibilities. It will also give you an appreciation for other instruments and what makes them sound like they do and how and where they best fit into an ensemble.
A synth can be a fantastic tool for putting together backing tracks, or laying down multiple different parts on top of a backing track. As I recall, the Roland synths have some fairly good bass patches for a variety of basses, so for someone that doesn't have a bass, that can be a real plus. Similarly with organ / keyboard sounds. Or adding some brass "stabs" here and there in a track. Most altered chords (like 6ths and 13ths, flat or sharp 5ths, and sharp or flat 9ths can sound really cool with some of the brass patches. Finger pick them using small chords to get a unison attack sound of multiple instruments. The slow attack, long sustain string pads can also be very useful for filling out a backing track and adding ambience.

I have always been surprised that guitar synths are so rarely used in live band settings. They can be tricky and you can get unpredictable results, so maybe that is why the real pros shy away from them live. It would be easy to embarrass yourself.
Well, I do that all the time, so no biggie for me! :ROFLMAO::cry:

I hope this gives you some additional food for thought. Good luck and enjoy! Let us know how you progress. I'd be very interested in hearing your experience.

Thank you for your insights, Tom! For me, I'm really at more of an experimental stage to learn more about the options and how they work. Although it would probably never work for live performance, I was thinking that for recording a natural approach would be PC software together with a 13-pin to USB interface.
 
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