I Love / Hate the Roland GR-55 Guitar Synth
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- čas přidán 21. 10. 2018
- I was one of the first people to own the Roland GR-55 Guitar. In the 7 plus years I've owned the GR55 I have discovered a number of frustrating design flaws in the unit. Though I love the sound it can produce... creating those sounds are difficult and not intuitive. In this video I highlight the problems with the GR-55's design and offer solutions to Roland for their next version of guitar synth.
- Hudba
I've had one for about 7 years and use it live as well and your spot on my friend excellent job! Thanks
I gigged a GR55 in a covers band for 3 years and loved it. Yes it's quirky and flawed but it's still an amazing piece of kit. You're right about the presets, they are pointless and useless but wrong about the controls. Using the assigns and switches you can get at least 5 variations on each patch. It's far better than changing patches. You need to be able to work the interface on the fly but I found it best to use the 3rd party software for creating patches and developing them using headphones they were pretty close for final use maybe with some tweaks during rehearsal. For gigging I just pressed the buttons and it worked every time. You set it up then it just does the job. It's a compact, flexible and powerful unit when you learn how use it properly. The 13 pin cable is a pain but a small price to pay for what you get. I did acoustics, synths, altered tunings and multiple sounds. It's classic Roland. Brilliant but flawed.
Interesting....I'm curious as to what third-party software do you use? I'm thinking of getting one.
@@robertferguson879 sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/
@@paulstubbs4487 Thanks Paul
Having used the Gr-20, VG-99 and then the GR-55 as a musician for over ten years in several cover rock bands, your approach to your guitar playing means you must adapt to the synth and its limitations. The 5 -7 millisecond delay means you have to play ahead of the beat. Your attack has to be full off to shorten the response. Sounds counterintuitive, but it works (-50) The guitar modeling is great, straight out, with or without your regular guitar. The ability to blend your regular guitar with the synth is worth the price of admission. To be able to blend an organ, plus a 12 string guitar with your normal guitar at the same time, is awesome. The sub menus can get involved, but that's what the OM is for. I spent many hours tweaking and finding the sounds I was looking for and it was well worth it. In a 4 piece band, I've turned a lot of heads going after artists like Joe Cocker (brass), Elvis (strings), Moody Blues/Tom Petty (12 string) etc. Alternate tunings are awesome, especially for slide guitar. Your PICK ARTICULATION is everything, depending on the instrument covered. One of the best musical investments I ever made..
Glenn Urquhart
@@glennurquhart2989 The Floorboard software takes the hard work out of the menus but you still need to be up to speed to tweak on the fly if necessary. And yes, you need to think like a sax player or keyboard player or flute player, as well as a guitar player but like you, I added another dimension and made the audience take notice.
Thanks! You are great! You pointed out every problem that I’ve encountered. You are a great asset for Boss to design a perfect guitar synth. They should thank you and reward you for this video.
I have never been happy with the GR55 live. I have used guitar synths since the GR1 firs came out many year ago. I have had every version since. I still use the GR1. It has better sounds as far as I am concerned. Especially the "growling sax". I can't get that with any other version. The GR55 had some great ideas and does have some great features but they didn't make it user friendly. I have messed with them for several years and never been happy playing them live. I wish they had taken the best of the previous versions forward and just added new features. But instead they left off the most important tones and features of previous versions, especially like the GR1. I don't know what happened with Roland. If they come out with a new version I hope they listen to people who are actually using this stuff, like you Kennis, and others and not just let the computer programmers run wild. Real working musicians, like guitarist should be at the top of their list
You keep saying that your reviews get people to buy this, but this review has pretty much talked me out of getting it
Ha, so true.
"I've litterly sold hundreds of these things for you" "20 people messaged me saying they bought it" lol its youtube on a music page, chances are nobody bought it because of this video bro 😭
I did.....i love it once you understand how it works it one of the greatest pedals for the solo musician ever made ....not perfect far from it but still amazing . It turns a sandwich into a banquet and will greatly enhance you shows when used sparingly
@@matts4025 If one person pipes up about something you can bet that there are probably about another 10 people that thought or did the same thing, too, but never said anything about it. So, it's totally reasonable for him to say that if 20-30 people messaged him about buying the unit based on his videos then you can extrapolate that there are probably at least another 200 or so that bought it but never said anything.
@@goodtimefolkrock Yeah but pretty unreliable for live performance
I took like a duck to water with the GR55. I experienced none of these gripes. It is almost an appendage now after all these years. Love it.
Thanks, Kennis..I have only used the GR55 for a few months and am not familiar with Guitar Synth's Your video answers many of the question I had about the fuctions...
Hey Kennis. I have had my GR 55 for over 2 years now (one of the reasons I bought it was watching your videos about it). I also lead worship at my church and have been through my fair share of equipment. (from a Zoom pedal to the BOSS ME 70 playing through a VOX valvetronix). Instead of changing guitars on the stage, I just change a patch which makes life really easy up there (and less time setting up and down). I absolutely LOVE the GR 55 and have not looked back. Having said all that I have to agree with most of what you said above. However, I have definitely worked ways around it. Especially the usability. I plug my pedal up to my PC and use a third-party application to edit the sounds, which makes it FAAAAAR easier to work with. It is still, by far, the best workstation for a musician who sometimes plays solo on stage :)
What is that third-party application called?
Hey Kennis, you might of sold a lot of units from your vids but you have also saved a bunch of people from buying this unit and for that I/We thank you for helping us to not make a mistake. Your points are all valid and I can hope that Roland are listening. You should be working for Roland in their product development because the guys they currently have don't know $hit.
After using the GR-33 for over a year and having to haul around a set of pedals to process the "straight guitar" sound, I wanted an all-in-one solution, and the GR-55 seemed to be the perfect solution. I tried for about a month to get the GR-55 set up the way I wanted, with similar-sounding synth patches to those in my GR-33, and similar-sounding guitar patches to the "straight guitar" stuff I do with external effects (a Zoom G3 multi-effects pedal in this case), but actually trying to use the unit was pretty annoying and never got any better -- all of the issues you enumerate here were things I encountered.
In addition, the GR55 cannot be "played" by anything other than its pitch-to-MIDI thingy, driven by the pickups in an appropriately-equipped guitar - I can't plug a keyboard MIDI controller into it and play its sounds (which would have simplified my gear a little more, as I also play keyboards).
Also, I had a lot of issues getting "ghost notes", even when turning down the string sensitivity, and messing with the other various settings, and trying my various GK-2A- and GK-3-equipped guitars (and even my Godin xtSA).
I feel like I gave the GR-55 a fair shake, and still couldn't really fall in love with it. I ended up selling it and sticking with my old, tried-and-true GR-33+G3 solution.
So I definitely agree with pretty much everything you've said in this video. Cheers, and best of luck to you, Mr. Russell!
Wow, this thing sounds like a disaster. Best to be happy with my venerable Roland GR-33 that has cut a lot of gigs for me since 2001, along with my 1999 Godin LGXT, an amazing instrument.
i hate my gr 33.....its practically brand new. ....but latency is horrible. i love my vg 99 and vb 99. my gr 55 i use for bass and its fine for that. now the sy 300 seems fine so far..... gr 33 can be triggered with a keyboard by the way.
You can pan the processed guitar left and the synths right, then they come out of the left and right outputs. So you can send them to your front of house sound person to process separately. The only thing you lose is stereo effects.
Hi !
I have the black version of the GR-55 (any difference from the blue one ?)
I wanted to ask you what you think about the GR-55 as an audio card in terms of pre-amp quality.
As you know, you can connect it to any DAW (I use Cubase) & use it as an asio audio card (only for the guitar connected to it - no mic input in GR-55).
Do you recomend use it as audio card for the guitar or if I have a dedicated pro audio card connect the GR-55 to that audio card & record from it (I use the SPL Crimson 3) ?
Good show, Kennis! I used the 33 for about 10 years, had designed my patches, about 8 of which i had 2 keyboards and basses on last 2 strings. So I could provide my acoustic guitar sound with 2 keys and a bass. This was nice in groups that had no bass or keys, just guitars and drums. I loved being able to do guitar out, into FX pedal, back in, then mix all sounds from my guitar live. Now with 55 I have to figure a new way to do this, maybe install 1/4" input, output like you did. I guess we have to manufacture our own pedals!
Hey Kennis, thanks for all the vids and info, it's good of you to give your time, I appreciate it.
Just a question, I notice a lot of people change the pickups in the XTSA, why did you and which pups did you choose?
Great video Kennis. Some manufacturers write off reviewers that give negative comments, but don't realize that the buyer wants to see the negatives, so that we can make informed decisions. Hopefully Roland will take on board your suggestions. They should get a few people like yourself to try out the prototype before it goes to production.
Thanks so much for the info. I think I’m keeping my old gr20 combine with the Line 6 M9.
You're the reason I didn't have to read the manual haha, and you initially sparked my interest in this synth, i use it for all my songs. It's what's making my first album.
Well said Kennis, True on every point....and not applying effects to the guitar out!!! What the hell were they thinking??? It never crossed my mind when I bought one that they wouldn’t do that.
Excellent video. Could you please post somewhere the mods you did to get the SEND / RETURN jacks?
Just want to say how much your GR-55 tutorials have helped me get the most out of this great synth unit...Thank you...!!
You mention you changed the pickups of your Godin ... what did you go for...?
Hi Kennis,a great video saying a lot of things that needed to be said about the now quite mature GR55 in a world where needs change more rapidly than products. Gotta say my GR55 stays home more and more often because of several of the drawbacks you point out. In doing so I have realised just how good and how percussive and bright the Godin XTSA is on it's own without the synth making it more like a keyboard - my drummer particularly appreciates that. However it is also nice to be able to totally replicate a concert grand piano. but when it comes to me wanting the percussiveness of a 330 guitar along with a Vox Continental organ,splitting the output sounds through an amp and the PA and ever getting it right is a nightmare,that outputs situation is mainly why the GR55 stays at home and the piano songs have to make do with a nice sounding beautiful clean guitar via the PA with no claptrap to caryy,wire and set up.A big shame as at home I can take the time to use even a bass amp,guitar amp and the studio PA/monitors to create an entire orchestra so good that folk cannot believe one guy is doing that live in real time - BUT - just try getting that anything like right out live on stages doing several different numbers in a set with no time in between. So I hear you loud and clear Kennis,I hope Roland Boss do too! I will also be very interested to hear comments from other users too as to how they get around the problems and how they think the next generation GR55 should be. Bravo! Baz
Tons of good points, but the guitar out CAN be programmed to include the guitar/amp/effects models. To be fair, changing it from the way it comes out of the box isn't super intuitive.
Jason Spencer OK so HOWWWW?!? U do realize no one anywhere has the solution to this problem!! But u claim that u do here hidden in some random comment section and ...not a word from any body!??!! Doesn’t any one else even try to do these kinda things ‘cus ol’ Kennis is right, it’s ridiculous that it’s not an option. I was tardy and have had mine for about a month or so and I noticed I couldn’t do that right away and just went stereo out to here n there. So please, fill me in... fill us all in. So many people want to know that this can even be done!!!
@@williamslagle3543 Page 70 shows how to do it globally. I'm assuming that's what you're attempting to do...
Page 71 explains how to set it up on a 'per patch' basis.
Just as an add on, I have various Roland products and it's fair to say pretty much everything they do is very good but so hard to learn, like you say you HAVE to read the manual!!!
C'mon Boss/Roland.... we play guitars!!!!
I agree with some of your recommendations, not all. Much of it boils down to personal preferences. Newer products include editing capability that Roland was a little slow to embrace. I eventually sold mine to just concentrate guitar sounds. I hope patch development has improved in their next version. Good video, though. Hope they do give you one to review. GR-77 or whatever!
I had one a few years back and I loved it. I used it even to play sax and accordion parts for Latin music. It was great but unfortunately I had to sell it to pay rent. :( I would love to have one again
I got mine in 2012 thinking it could replace my VG-88v2 and GR-33, since I'd read a number of people compare the bass response as favorable to the VG's. I haven't really delved into deeply yet, just getting my chops back from a pinched nerve that stopped me cold a few years ago, but I do have it within reach, now. The other stuff is put away in cases. I also have a couple of synth-ready axes, a Les Paul I put the RMC system into after a year with a Godin Multiac Jazz. I loved the tracking of that thing, hated the ax itself for it's weight, muddy mag PU, and long scale. I also got a Carvin SH75 that's one of the most beautiful I have, but my nerve thing occurred right after I got it. I played it just enough to know I love it, too. I also have several axes with GK-3s on them. I loved my original setup, it just takes up a lot of real estate, but I can't bring myself to sell it, at least not until I'm confident the GR-55 will do exactly what I want/need. We'll see, thank you for your videos, helps get through things a lot faster than discovering it on one's own. We'll see if I end up using it or selling it and keeping my old rig...
Thanks man, I don't mind at all, we all need all the help we can get all too often. I've gotten over the depression, it hit hard, but the good lord, a good doc, and a wonderful wife got me through it. I can't perform out any more, haven't for over 20 years dealing with my back, but the depression didn't really set in until I finished a CD in 2004, thought I could at least play enough to promote it, then found out I couldn't. It was silly to have thought I could after I couldn't play long gigs anymore, but it seems like I just didn't think it through. Now I know my limitations, and I'll be fine. I still have more from life than I ever really wanted and am very lucky to have had the career I did. I think it helps to have gotten more lazy in old age, too. Thanks again, and you hang in there yourself, too.
I think you are I are the only 2 dudes out there using this device the way we do! :)
I use mine 6 nights a week and finally moving over to the 1000 for my new show... all your comments Ive agreed with thus far and I used to check your videos when I was deciding on what pedal to go for, as a GP10 player, and many many GT pedals, etc... All the best bud !
@@kennisrussell loving it thus far hey all the best.
@@kennisrussell forwardee this to my friends at Roland and Boss HQ all the best
Great video. I am happy with my GR-20
I have owned mine since it came out. I am a gear junkie. This unit still amazes me with all that is going on. And there is. Took me some time to adjust and learn the product. Tracking is amazing with the Godin guitar i bought for it. I get called in to do sessions with different artists to do piano, synth and even some trumpet. 12 string patches are very cool. But be forewarned, this unit is set up the way YoU want. let someone else play it and it wont be the same. Will keep me happy well into retirement for me.
Hello Kennis, are you think is it possible a New Roland Synth in next NAMM 2019?
Hey Kennis!
I just got this video in my feed. Pretty good explanations about what this thing can and can't do. I've been looking at one of those for a while now, but haven't pulled the trigger on it because I haven't been able to see too much of this machine in action. The videos are usually all talk.
One thing I do know about the GR-55 is that the guitar out jack on the machine is just a guitar thru jack which is so you can send your guitar signal to your effects pedal board and then to your guitar amp. That seems kind of stupid to me since if you own a guitar like your Godin, or my GC-1 Roland ready Strat, you already have your 13 pin DIN cable going to the Synth, and yuour 1/4" guitar cable from your guitar going to your pedal board and to your guitar amp. This is how I would use something like that. The only sounds I would want coming from the GR-55 would mostly be the Synth tones. Maybe combined sounds of guitar/organ/horns, but not with my actual guitar tones combined in there also. I think that would sound too messy.
Do you have a link for that MIDI controller? That looks like a way to give yourself more control options for the GR-55 in a live situation. I had no idea how limited the supplied buttons on the GR-55 really were.
Thanks for posting man!
I always wanted a Roland VG8 back in the day. I have a head rush right now but I like it
Has there been an updated GR-55 or newer version since you bought yours and made this video? If I get the guitar you bought should I get the GR-33 instead? Brian
This guy is right, right and right, his suggestions are exactly what I concluded. I owned the the GR-33 and got bored with its sounds and patches within weeks, then upgraded to GR-55 and found out that the sounds are similar and some new sounds like the cello and others are really bad, so I ditched that too. Guys save your hard earned money, if you want good sounds use synth modules like the Roland Fantom xr or similar products from yamaha and go through midi, you will get better sounds and hook up VG- 8 or VG- 88 or VG-99 for guitar sounds.
That was spot on, brother!
I have not been playing my GR-55 recently but when I did, I always used a floor controller like the Behringer FCB1010. Switching and controlling patches has never been easy.
My wish list for the GR55 would be for the ROM sample sounds to track as well as well as the modeling sounds. I'm super impressed with how it tracks when playing the models, but playing the ROM samples is frustrating and they are often unusable.
Wow, watching this video a second time, I'm sticking with my Roland GR-33 and VG-8 units from circa 2000. However, the Roland SY-300 looks like it might be fun for some experimentation in the traditional synthesizer/oscillator sense, with no need for the 13 pin GK cable, letting you use more guitars readily with your regular 1/4" cables and jack input. I have a Godin LGXT and LGX-SA hard tail, which are both amazing instruments, with or without the synth, but it works very well with them, for sure (used the LGXT/GR-33 combo on a lot of paid gigs). I do have an issue with the LGX-SA not holding the cable in, so might need the receptacle 13 pin GK input replaced. I haven't found any local folks yet that work on them at the moment. TBD. Somehow I found the LGX-SA used in a rare cherry sunburst. Makes a great Les Paul too, and the third voice acoustic circuit is great too. Lots of convenient controls on those guitars, for all three "voices" or circuits. Heavy out on gigs though, get a wide 3" or greater, well padded strap.
Good comments on design flaws. Once you get on the VL extreme; then you can add more problems.
I Can't live without it, but I agree with almost everything that you said. Even the exp pedal they should put two. I'm still waiting for the new one.
Agree the patches are goofy. Nothing I would ever use. Using with a Goldin multiac and with dual volume controls hoped wet/dry capabilities, but no. I am however using the GR55.
sy 300. but no foot pedals at all
That's not how people use it. Most people program one bank so three sounds lets say for each song. Then change banks for the next song.
Then the control and expression pedals can be used to automate the presets further by adding effects or modifiers. Otherwise what would the purpose of midi be.
Thank u. Makes me realize I should stay with my current set up(BOSS GT 5 & Roland GR 30) instead of buying the totally lacking GR 55. I mean I want those new features and sounds and probably responsiveness however. With my Godin LGX SA I run the synth into 2 inputs for stereo through 13 pin connector, the processor sounds go into 2 more inputs for stereo from the first 1/4" plug and the piezo acoustic sound through the second 1/4" plug uses a fifth mono input. Midi out runs Logic Pro X Instruments for a Total of Four separate sounds I can blend or isolate at once from playing the guitar. And I Have no shortage of control pedals. Brilliant! I love and live with Roland and BOSS products so here's hoping they are listening. Cheers to them and you and everyone...
I used a GT-8 slave to a GR-20 for a while which was great and upgraded to the "all in one" GR-55 about 3 months after it came out. It was tough to get around it (probably took 6 months of rehearsals and tweaking patches/assigns) but by the time we got gigging it was awesome and so much more than the GR-20 or GR-33. I had a GK-3 equipped Strat with a Graphtech Piezo bridge for the acoustics. Great set up for covers work. It's quirky and flawed but brilliant all the same. Just like Roland !!
I currently own four Rolands. The sounds on the GR-1 have now become a bit obsolete, but I keep it because Robert Fripp still uses it. I seldom play it, though. The manual is hefty. I'm very satisfied with the GR-20, a straightforward unit with lots of workable sounds that need little tweaking. I hear it's still much in demand, probably because of this simplicity. The GR-33 has more and better effects, an arpeggiator and a broader set of tweaking possibilities; in a sense it's an expanded GR-20. My old GR-700 is in sore need of repair; I keep it for the guitar which to this day (the GR-700/G-707 dates from 1985) turns heads. Sold my old GR-300 decades ago, something I now regret, for Metheny still uses it. But I manage to pipe up very convincing GR-300 sounds on both GR-20 and GR-33. If anything, the GR-20 sounds more convincing in this respect. Haven't tried the GR-55 yet - I'm waiting for a reasonably priced second-hand specimen. ;-)
I never experienced serious lag problems while changing patches, not even when switching between guitar and synth from the GK-3. With the GR-20 I use a ZoomG2.1Nu which has its own expression pedal. The Zoom's guitar out goes to the GR-20 mix in, so both guitar and synth signals are mixed before going to the amplifier. The Zoom has no MIDI, which suits me fine. All very portable, too.
Hubert, Need one for a Godin AS to write notation into Finale software. Go with the GR-33? Will play live occasionally for worship at church. more concerned with ability to track notes from pickup more than sound options. Thoughts? Brian briwac@gmail.com
A little late to this party but wanted to add my observations. First I want to say that I have watched many of Kennis' posts and gained a lot from them. Many kudos for the continued great work. Most of the points that he makes on this particular post are valid but IMHO a few are misdirected. I've been using the GR55 for 5 years in a live environment. In doing covers I'm able to add strings, sitar, flute, sax, alternate tunings, Hammond B3 (with leslie), Rhodes and acoustic piano. All this along with some pretty fantastic COSM models to boot giving me great tones for anything from Gilmore to Santana. Is it a lot of work and a general PITA? Yes, undoubtedly. Are the 900 factory preset patches a waste of time and money? Absolutely! But in my experience the GR55 is worth every penny I paid for it and has paid for itself many times over.
The biggest single issue I had was with the cheap 13 pin cable that was shipped with it. I was constantly struggling with induced notes, crackling, pops and other noises when the cable was moved. I replaced the original cable pretty quickly with another cheap ($20) cable assuming that I just had a lemon. The problem didn't go away though until I bought a not so cheap ($75) replacement from Gittler Instruments (gittlerinstruments.com/d13-cables). That was 4.5 years ago and haven't had the noise problem since.
One other point that I wanted to touch on. Kennis' leading comments on pedal function would be well placed if the GR55 was a guitar effects pedal. To be clear, the GR55 is NOT an effects pedal, even though it can be used to accomplish that function. It is a synthesizer with guitar effects and COSM built in. Being able to assign 3 separate patches to pedals 1, 2 and 3 is certainly a royal pain BUT so was growing callouses when I started playing guitar 50 years ago. The switch on the XTSA guitar (as well as on the GK3 pickup) switches between patch BAYS (1 thru 99) with each bay having 3 patches which are then selected using the 3 pedals. The system is flawed and doesn't lend itself well to live performing without some glitches. Once you get all the sounds you want you may still have to go in every now and then to 'align' 3 patches in the same bank but only if you're going to be using multiple voices in the same song. The answer to all of that though is to use MIDI to select your patches, but that's another story altogether. Peace!
You can send the normal pickup signal chain (as processed by whatever fx it flows through in the GR signal chain) out of the main outs.
Some more detail please. Sunds Great
Hello Kennis I remember watching your videos back in the day and they were instrumental (pun intended) in my purchase of the GR55. To this day it is still my favorite piece of gear even with it's flaws, the worst being an occasional stinker note on the piano based patches. You are so right Roland was lackluster in not creating an editor for something so complex. I hope the next version will be more user friendly and even contain some of the rich sounds from the GR20. Though not editable the GR20 had some beautiful sounds despite it's latency issues. Take care sir thank you for your videos. I hope Roland will remember you when and if another version is developed.
Kennis, great video. I don't understand some of the other choices. I also tried the GP-10, which looked great and the guitar stuff in it is great (the 12 string sounds are fabulous), but the synth stuff was limited. One of my pet peeves with their guitar stuff, and they just corrected this with the GT-1000: non-balanced outputs. If I'm going direct, I'd want to have XLR outs but at least TRS balanced outs. I hope they do come out with some new hardware synth for guitar.
Thanks for the reply, Kennis. The GP-10 is more analog synth stuff, so no PCM sounds like piano, etc., but the acoustic guitar sounds are really good, particularly the 12 string sounds. Sweetwater had a video where Skunk Baxter did a demo of it. czcams.com/users/results?search_query=sweetwater+gp-10
i got mine in 2015 and im literally, in two hours am about to go to a new band practice where we use the gr sounds to try and play hiphop and vaporwave kind of stuff so some of the corny sounds might work well. any thoughts on live use?
Also what pickups did you switch to and why? Brian P.S> you meant the electric not the one under the bridge, correct?
The program he's talking about is probably GR Floorboard, by Gumtown at V-Guitar Forums. I wouldn't even try to use my GR55 without this program.
Yep. Gumtown has done some amazing things including editors and such for the GP-10, VG-99, GR-55 among others.
I have a godin AS system and sorta looking for a synth... when you say the 33 does more ... I'll go look ... but what would you recommend. I would like to record on a pc too so might need to interlace it, ... does only the 55 do that and others do not?
Very Helpful, the only thing i have difficulty with is it states that their is 900 sounds and is listed on the manual like drums n stuff, but i cant find where you go on the board to obtain them all to see them and use them,
I am so glad i saw this video. I'll just keep my Gr-20 with my Line 6 Standard and keep waiting for something better from some other company, or....
You have so many videos on the GR-55, but not once have you shown how to connect it. Not even Roland has diagrams that I can find. Can you plug it into your guitar or do you need a 13 pin adapter? Is the adapter sold separably? I just want a simple connection video to see if I want to purchase it. I have the Digitech RP360 and it's straight forward hook up, but I want Saxophone sounds and strings so I am considering the GR-55.
Kennis, how did you wire the EFX "'loop" ?
Hey Kennis, have a question Unrelated to the Gr 55...lol ( have one and also same guitar)
I noticed you changed bridge and neck pickups on your Godin...can you tell me what you are using??
I hate the Stock Pickups that came with Guitar!!
Thanks:-)
Also, the tempo is lost when you change patches so if you configure multiple patches for one song you need to program the tempo as well in order to use sync'd effects like delay. It really sucks that they don't allow direct 1/4" guitar input to use as an effects pedal. Kennis thanks for all the videos you've made on this. I just ordered the Meloaudio controller and can't wait to have stomp box mode. What a HUGE oversight on Roland's part on these many features, regardless of the reason. For the price I am quite disappointed in this product. There are things that I love about it, but I would not recommend it.
How do you use the Midi Commander from Tone Shifter with your GR-55?
Hi Kennis I have a question dont know if u will see this or not. Apparently there is a light that needs to be replaced? I have had mine 6 years and now I have no light which makes it hard to use because I have to go sound..I don't see anything on youtube about parts replacements. The exit button no longer works either. Yikes.
He is absolutely right!!! I abandoned Roland synths and went with the Fishman Triple Play system... Roland dropped the ball with this!!!
I need a guitar synth or interface to write to Finale for notation, need the 13 pin output. Going to use the Roland Multiac AS system guitar. What do you recommend? Maybe get the GR-33? Brian briwac@gmail.com
Which pickups did you replace the stock ones with on the xtSA?
Like your video! Roland should be improve this Synth, assuming the cost of this one, it should be more practical with many functions and post tutorials about its settings. Roland think more in the musicians
Dear Kennis.
...
Thank You for your professional and friendly review of GR-55. I am user of GR-55 for a few years and agree with Your critics in regards of GR-55 philosophy for pedals and for three rudimental banks of patches, though they helped me a lot in the very beginning. But in any way today GR-55 is one of my favourite tools in music hobby.
...
Your introduction of Send and Return sockets was kind of interesting improvement of RG-55. If possible, could you please provide more technical data about electronics wiring inside GR-55.
Was it home made or in some specialised lab?
May be You can download a video, where You use this Send and Return sound processing channel.
...
Sorry for asking too much.
...
My Best Regards
Apparently you can assign 8 different effect levels (on/off or various levels with exp pedal) to the 3 ways of switching (exp pedal/pedal on off and CTRL. It would be easier to have 8 seperate switches but it's not as bad as just having the control switch.
I hear yah Ken...I used it live for gigs...small 3 pc act...but yeah u really gotta adjust so many variables even with the saved patches I made...like the sounds but ...yeah...it’s a lot of work in a band situation.....I like it though ...it’s fun....
Totalmente de acuerdo. Muchas gracias!!
I just sent an email to roland about this video. oct 26, 2018. its about time they hear us out.
@@kennisrussell not yet sir. I will give you the details if they will reply
In my experience Roland just don't listen to the everyday users of their product, unlike most other companies. They don't want to admit they got it wrong, for risk of loosing face & having to admit there is an issue.
Good luck with your request for a new product, I wouldn't be hold your breath though, but if you don't ask you'll never know?
@@dearmingsacayanan I have sent several emails to Roland over several years and never received a response. Not sure if they really care what we have to say. I hope that isn't the case. But if it is it is very sad
I guess there will never be a new guitar synth built by them @@artgillespie162
I'm glad that I never bought a GR-55. I have a Carvin Holdsworth HF2S Fatboy with a graphtech hexaphonic synth controller. Thanks for sharing your vast experience using the GR-55. Your "complaints" are valid and the very reasons I will never buy this unit. Thinking of getting an older GR-20. It'll suit my needs better. 🙏
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the SY-1000
Very nice work. Thank you! Please, could you say anything about latency?
The boss GT10 has what they call the "manual mode", where you can turn on/off individual effects using the foot switches, like a pedalboard.
Hi Kennis, I saw this vid a few weeks ago. I have a GR-55 (as well as an older GR-50) and I do agree with a lot of what you say here.
A little while ago I was looking at some vids of new gear announced at the Jan NAMM show. Chinese company Mooer has a new multi-fx unit with a built in polyphonic synth that does not use a specialised pickup, and the unit has some of the features you said you'd like to see in a new guitar synth, such as assigning any function to any footswitch.
I can't find much hard into about it yet such as it's full specs. It's not even listed on the official Mooer web site yet. The Mooer rep in the vids says it won't be available for a few more months yet and will be priced at RRP $700 (the same price as a GR-55 without a GK pickup included).
Considering the Boss SY-300 does not use a GK pickup and now this Mooer unit does not need a special pickup, gear companies may have taken some significant steps forward to making a guitar synth work using the standard guitar output signal.
Oops, forgot to mention that the Mooer unit is called the GE300.
sy1000 out now
I have the Roland GR-33 for many years and probably will stick with that and the older Roland VG8 Guitar System (for guitar models and effects). You did one thing right for sure, you got a Godin "three voice" guitar. I have the 1999 Godin LGXT in Pearl Black, and a similar year Godin LGX-SA hardtail in a rare cherry sunburst. The SA needs a new 13 pin receptacle. Finding a local repair shop is not easy for such an uncommon Canadian guitar. If I had to sell my many guitars, I probably would keep the LGXT, it just oozes quality and does so much. Although it's a bolt neck, it is as good as any Gibson Les Paul I have owned, plus has two single coil tones. Then you get the amazing acoustic guitar sound and the synthesizer circuit with plenty of controls for everything. With a great push pull whammy, and superb playability, it's just an amazing guitar. I have played it and the GR-33 out on a lot of long, paid gigs since 2001.
That GR-55 sounds like a lot of trouble. My GR-33 covers most of the bases for what I need, to make my guitar sound like other instruments. The key for me is to pre-program my most used patches in a readily available bank and quickly switch through those from the momentary switch on the Godin. I found about seven patches did most of everything I need out on the gig for 60-70s pop-rock/dance music.
Hi Kennis, I bought mine before I saw your vids, but they helped me very much to get along with the gr-55. You got some very useful suggestions. I would appreciate, if roland would get them in the next git-synth. I agree, that the presets are almost useless. They are all way overloaded. Thx again for your vids. Great work!
100% agree. Roland took a step backward in terms of connectivity and control with the gr 55. I sold mine a few months ago and I’m looking for a GR 20 or 33.
i love mine....that being said its taken me 3 yrs to have an understanding of filters. evelopes, ect. i use mine for old school, synth sounds and its perfect for that, the gr55 floorboard editor is a life saver, there are also midi footswitchs that open up a world of switching possibilities. the thing is awsome. its not for someone who does not want to study and alter their playing to suit the device. what do ppl expect from a synth?
@@kennisrussell by the way...when i first got mine your vids were very helpful. thanx!
and was it hard to add a fx loop?
I find most of the multi-effects pedals useless for live use. Thanks for the warning on this
I agree and I am more of a button pusher. What I was used to on older Roland Synths was being able to split analog guitar and synth, but on the gr55 you have to go in and actually fugure it out.
I am thinking after watching this that I would be better to buy an interface to send my 13 pin signal into my laptop for using notation software like Finale. If I am not caring about playing live with different sounds do you think this is the best and affordable way to go? DO you know of any way to contact Godin to find this out? most distributors I talked to do not have an answer for me. Brian
Any news about the Boss SY-1000? Did they send you one for testing? You desserve it....
Kennis, first off, add me to the list of people that were influenced by your videos. I started with the GR-33 and finally took the plunge with the GR-55 . My Brian Moore workhorse finally threw a saddle and I wound up lucking into a new XTSA in koa for $650. LIke you, I have a love/hate relationship with this box. From the business side of this thing, Roland has done such a horrible job marketing this thing that it didn't sell very well. It hasn't had a refresh in a long time, and I would be surprised if they did another one.
I bought it thinking I would primarily use the synth engines. I didn't realize how great the modeling was. I do a live loop show and trying to use the synth bass created too many digital oopsies going from string to midi. The bass on this is on the modeling side so that's never an issue. The modeling is one of the few that starts at the guitar level. It's got alternate tunings, great acoustic patches and absolutely none of that touches the synth. I wonder how many people know this thing can be booted up in bass mode and it does that same thing with bass.
They have a greater demand for V-Accordions. No, I'm not kidding. I wish somebody would by this product from them, give it a sorely needed tech refresh and market it to it's true potential. This thing is a diamond in the rough. Hey, if they do issue a new one, ask for two...I'll help with the reviews. There's a user group on FB you should join.
Sorry for the random spaces, the comments field was wrapping text oddly as I typed.
I just got my Roland Guitar Synth I bought in 2005 out of the attic and have tried to crank it up again. There is delay between plucking a note and hearing it, which I didn't notice when I first had it. I've noticed on other GR55 reviews that others have complained about this - obviously it makes the machine utterly useless. Anyone else had this problem? Is my machine faulty?
Reset back to factory
I have had mine for about 7 years... use it ALL THE TIME. I use a PA just for the GR 55 and use my guitar in a traditional setup Amp and pedal board. I use it live but you have to create the patches ahead of time. Just keep tweaking with it. The biggest issue is cant use midi to access the sounds from a keyboard!
Hi Kennis
Many many thanks!!!
You just saved me a grand buying on EBay. I play a full midi Warr guitar so I would need two GR55 s , one for melody, one for bass.
I’ll continue using my ancient but very good 1 rack space Axon AX100sb s. Great tracking, a few good sounds in Yamaha sound board
After all, how many sounds do you need ?
Big plus, you don’t have to bend down and roll around in the dirt to program it
Once again
Many thanks
can I control VST's in Logic and get a MIDI notation readout via USB with GR55? Thank you
I’m like you. Love the things it does ok and well...sucks for other reasons. great video!! 👍👍
What do you think of the new Sy-1000 ? They finally put the editor for pc Mac on it. I’m currently selling my gr55 to get a 1000
Thanks Kennis on your great review. The "Lead, Rhythm, Others" are really useless. If all possible could folks in Roland open them up as User Banks through a firmware update?? I believed the in between patch change ""stuttering"" can be improve through updates as well. Eight years is a long long long time Roland............
Wish I would have seen this video sooner I could have helped you. Literally everything you have described that you hate/ don't like about this unit can be done using the gk3 pickup. ABSOLUTELY love mine.
I was considering getting one. It will be a studio/casual jam piece most likely. something to tinker with for fun. knowing my luck, roland will release and newer better model right after i buy mine.
Can you explain how you have fixed these issues using the GK3 pickup. Thanks so much Michael.
Roland GR 20 is the best when it comes with the knobs, easy to control.
Gr-20 also has a much better sounding 5-string banjo. It is also easier to go to regular guitar, or just synth, or even a mix! so far the only Better thing has been the mandolin sound and the metal case... leaves one wanting a lot more for the money!
My mom understanding and practice...the Gk3 pickup only accesses banks, not individual patches. In live settings, if I need two patches, I have to place them n different banks. For xample, Flute would be 1-1....another patch would be in 2-1. That way way I Press the GK3 it will jump from 1-1 to the 2.1. It will not go from 1.1 to 1.2. Unless there is a way to program it that I am not aware of it..which could be the case.
I'm test-driving a sy 1000. I play a godin nylon. I want 12 string, jazz, nylon, etc. Is gr55 a better option? Is there a newer gr version in the pipeline?
I think the problem with this is that you need to learn it but it doesn’t then become an all in one solution. In a band you tend to use this as a second or even third guitarist for a flute or sax or string pad etc etc which means you still need a traditional guitar set up.
I love the work that Kennis does, he is so right about the immense number of pointless pre programmed sounds and their lack of tweakability, all I would add is that some of the gripes come down to processing power. If (in 2010/2011) you want 8 toggles switches and a bank of rotary knobs etc etc then all of that functionality will hurt the processing power, glitching will be worse, tracking will be worse, patch change will be slower and on and on. Whilst the switches and knobs appear “analogue” the minute that you ask it to perform a function it becomes a “digital” action which requires memory.
Hello, Kenniss! I am a new subscriber - great video; spot on! These matters; and also an extra double Ctrl connection would have been great if was added to this legendary great beast of a guitar synth!
I have been using Roland and Boss since late -70,s. GR-300, GR-700, GR-50 (still have it), VG-88 etc!
But GR-55 has changed my approach to play guitar, improvising, composing and creating musical soundscapes! BUT I am sorry that they have made a lot of compromises - like you have explained, some chain controls and the great intelligent harmonizer from GX-700 and VG-88.
I also agree with most users complaining of the presets that ame along with the factorysettings. I mean - what happens in Roland group? They create such a great beast like GR-55; people buy it, go home, unpack the box - to discover that there are no useful great synthesizer sounds AT ALL? Just patches of guitaristic sounds blended with weird sounds...
Why dont they spend a little time and effort - or find people to help them out - on order to make more synth patches that sound fantastic, and that are useful for guitarists that are thinking out of the box???
But anyway - I just love it! I have spent thosands of hours tweaking and experimenting, and I have posted two demo,s of patches of ambient dreamy landscapes - easy to use in a musocal way. I troed to find your mail adress with no luck. I hope it is ok to send it here, hope you see it, and it would be great to hear from you about what you think! 🙏
I have also made some very useful system settings for the GK controller.
🎸🐻
czcams.com/video/DBKwpHX8hNg/video.htmlsi=ToRgFi-CH4MiwPVa
Great video... I have watched all of your other training videos. I bought a GR-55 last year but found it very hard to navigate and configure, as you have pointed out. I also was not too fond of the 13-pin cable. I use this with my Godin Multiac and XTSA guitars. I think the sounds are fantastic and that is the only thing that keeps me linked. I think the GM-800 has solved some of the issues you mentioned here, and I was wondering if you have tried this unit. I think it is very overpriced, but maybe it is worth it. Any thoughts?
What about assigning each pedal to midi control assign to a function like on or off on an effect etc.....
What pick ups did you change on your xtsa ? And why?
Do you think Roland is planning on putting out an updated/new version of this unit anytime soon
I had mine for a long time as well. Your pros are pretty much the same for everybody :-) but your cons I kind of disagree with some of them well not so much disagree but I have no complaints about some of them. But there is a few of your cons I do agree with. Now it's like from the the silence you get between switching patches, I haven't really noticed that with the units mainly because I've only used it for recording so far. But I know one thing when I was going doing live stage work I was using the RP one and the RP 12 from the DigiTech. And yes they are very notorious for the silence between patching. That's why I had hooked up two units both the 1 and 12 just so I can switch easily on the main one which was the 12 and still have the one filling in the blanks!! :-) so basically I use the 12 for my main one and having the one as a little tiny background filler. Which I hardly ever really switch patches with. :-) so yeah the DigiTech units definitely had that major issue which I didn't like either. The other thing I don't like about the gr 55 even with the module that one person release to help with Ghost Notes doesn't really all that work much at all. And I didn't like the GODIN freeway midi pickup. To me the transducers just did not work right at all . It made so much noise all over the place. I do like the gk3 a lot better.
Great video i had the gr30 great sounds, greetings from brasil
graet to have a review of the voice live 3 extreme and its control; programing ability and food pedals to control LIVE; with foot control for each different sounds. the extreme does not have different instrument control but the flexibility does not seem to be here with the pedals, knobs to control live; with your feet ! I need to store each setting and put them in order for each Song; played LIVE. Is there remote software to up/dn load your must; reprogrammed for each step/sound ?