Guitar Synthesizers????

Tal Rules · January 2006

Anybody out there tried one. I have about 20 years ago and the tracking was terrible..
Tried this one the other day in a music store and was pleasantly surprised with how well it tracked...

http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?CatID=6&SubCatID=0&ProdID=GR-20

If you check out the above link make sure to view the demo..
Amazing.. :shock:

Anybody have any experience with this unit or others post your comments here...

Thanks,
See Ya,
Tal

Terranaut · January 2006

I have had most types of G-synths, and currently use the Roland GR-33 unit. Tracking is reasonable and adjustable, and the onboard sounds are great....ONLY if you tweak them. Sounds can be twisted, mangled, harmonized, effected, and played to a great extent. I could and have midi'd into other soundengines of higher quality, but as I said, the creation factor on this box is very high.
I gig with it in my improv group Exit Terra, and with other ambient oriented musicians. I'm also starting to use it in 3 other live projects.
One of them is a relatively loud rock type endeavor, and I'm leery about how it will cut with a drummer. I'm sure I can tweak it to fit, but just haven't attempted it yet.
This is a nice unit for PC based recording.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/g=home/search/detail/base_pid/150094/
There are a slew of others out there these days, and the prices are falling on many of them. The Roland stands out for price, power, and ease of use. The inexpensive GR-20 is a nice primer box, but the 33 has more going on.

P.G.Shadow · January 2006

My neighbour has the GR-33 that he lets me borrow from time to time,and I really like the thing,(or maybe it's the US strat the thing is hooked up to

)strings,bass,sound FX there all good with alittle tweek'in.I just wish there was a way to slide notes on wind instruments with out hearing the frets.The trombone demo (at the above site) is a good example of what I mean.It's not a big deal,sensce I don't need alot of wind sounds

...just a pet peeve

Terranaut · January 2006

P.G.
One way I found around that, is to use a bottleneck slide for wind instruments and such. Pitch bends set to the control pedal also help.

P.G.Shadow · January 2006

Cool 8) ,never even thought to try a slide,now I'm gonna have to borrow buddy's GR33(& the strat 8) )again.

angryasalways · January 2006

Yeah the GR-20 is a cool unit. I had one when it first came out, but unfortunately had to sell it for financial reasons. I know exactly what you mean about the tracking as I also tried the guitar synths about 20 years ago and they were so bad it was ridiculous. This thing tracks like a dream compared to those and the sound engine is top notch. I intend to get another one of these in the near future. The sax IMO is the absolute best patch on there. VERY realistic. I really dig the way you can hold an organ sound and then fire over the top with a blazing lead! The installation of the pickup is easy to do and doesn't require you to drill into your guitar. Definately a worthwhile unit if your in the hunt for one.

Rock on brothers, Nat

Tal Rules · January 2006

Thanks for the info guys...
Still checking into them....

Anybody else???

c4r7 · January 2006

Tal,

Here's a bunch of reviews on the item in question:

http://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/Data/Roland/GR_20-01.html

Tal Rules · January 2006

Thanks c4r7,

Where you been hiding? Hadn't seen you on the board in a while...

Great hearing from you again.

See Ya,
Tal

Terranaut · January 2006

Here's another good link.
http://www.midiguitar.net/

The Void · January 2006

Alot of have people said the new Roland controllers suck. As far as a regular guitar go. But they make awsome controllers. AKA the Fender Roland ready strats. I wouldn't know never played one. They have said the ones made 20 years ago are better as a guitar over all but suck as a controller. It's all a matter of personal opinion really. I know I am a proud owner of this Roland product. It's an awsome guitar. I am just looking for the GR-700 unit.

http://img33.imageshack.us/my.php?image=roland2135cx.jpg

Ancientmariner · January 2006

Heres a short clip i made with the GR-20 last night.

http://www.angelfire.com/droid/ancientmariner2003/Psychasynth.wma

Tal Rules · January 2006

Really great replies guys..

Looks like Roland is the way to go as far as the synth unit itself..
How about the midi guitar...

So far I have played these through a GR20 and this is how I rate them..

Lot's of Godin's 13 pin enabled. Hexaphonic pickup. (The Best so far)

Brian Moore Freeway (Real close second to the Goding for tracking)

Mexican Strat with G3K factory installed.. (A tad worse than the above mentioned)

Les Paul with a G3K pickup... (Dead last as far as tracking. Installation issue?)

What's your opinons on the best 13 pin guitar out there?

Curious,
Tal

Terranaut · January 2006

Tal, Barring the higher priced Zeta controllers and SynthAx type units, I would have to say the Godin's are the best for tracking. Their knowledge of string tracking stems from their work with acoustic guitars which few, if any, have explored. But, these guys interest me...http://www.switchmusic.com/guitar_view.aspx?pid=21
They are inexpensive, (499.00 us at MF), have decent PU's and hardware, and theoretically, have the most stable platform for guitar synth work. I would like to try one, but can't find a dealer nearby. I hate to purchase and return shite from MF, but I may go that way.

Guitar Synthesizers????

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