Roland GR 20 Synth - opinions please

[Metebelis]

I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentId=53

Thanks

www.metebelis.co.uk

[Woody]

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth.

Not that one specifically, but I have a GR33, which is its big brother.

Post by Metebelis
I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming.

It does generate a lot of midi information - probably way more than you
want, but it does at least generate it.
However, for accompniment it may be a problem as sometimes it does
stupid things. For speed it makes a 'best guess' at the note coming in,
and many times it is right. When it is wrong, it quickly bends the note
to where it should be! Sounds fine when you are playing but looks a mess
in midi.

Post by Metebelis
Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.

They will be. It is a tricky thing to do

[i***@eastserve.com]

I had a GR20 for about a year. They are great synths, the sounds are
lifted from the latest Roland synth engine and they are much more user
friendly than the GR33. The 33 has more user presets and is more
configurable but on sounds the GR20 definetly comes out on top.

The tracking is negligable and I used it live regularly, mainly playing
Organ, piano and string sounds

As for using it to provide midi accompiment I don't think its GM
compatible from what I can remember so you would have to manually
assign channels.

But if you are going to use it to record keyboard parts that you can't
play on a keyboard it will definelty be up to that. It takes a little
while to get used to playing it though and you will find you have to
learn to play slightly differently to make it sound authentic.

Ian R

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentId=53
Thanks
www.metebelis.co.uk

[Sacramento Dave]

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentId=53
Thanks
www.metebelis.co.uk

I looked at Sweetwater GR20 $595 GR20 with GK3 pickup $695 so your
getting the GK3 for $100, cheapest I have seen them is $175. You could also
add the cost of a 13 pin cable ($30-$50) I have never tried the GR20 but
recently bought a VG88 I did the e-bay thing, being patient one came up NOS
$450. can't go wrong at that price most used ones were more.e-bay might be
a good option. Have you tried a GR20? The problem I had I could not find
one( VG88) to try. Also the VG88 can be used without the GK3 but your losing
a lot of sound capabilities. Would this be true with the GR20? If you do buy
one post what you think of it, now that I have a 13 pin guitar set up threes
more crap to buy. Let me add this the VG88 very easy to use for something
with so many options, I would bet the GR20 is also user friendly.

[Woody]

Post by Sacramento Dave

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentI
d=53
Thanks
www.metebelis.co.uk

I looked at Sweetwater GR20 $595 GR20 with GK3 pickup $695 so your
getting the GK3 for $100, cheapest I have seen them is $175. You could also
add the cost of a 13 pin cable ($30-$50) I have never tried the GR20 but
recently bought a VG88 I did the e-bay thing, being patient one came up NOS
$450. can't go wrong at that price most used ones were more.e-bay might be
a good option. Have you tried a GR20? The problem I had I could not find
one( VG88) to try. Also the VG88 can be used without the GK3 but your losing
a lot of sound capabilities.

It also isn't a midi converter, so it would be no use for the job.

The GR20/30/33 etc, are guitar synths that take the sound, find out the
pitch and then run a synthesiser with the information, the VG8/8ex/88
are sound modelers that take the sound and process it in some way to
make the desired sound output.
They can do some similar things, but they work completely differently.

Post by Sacramento Dave
Would this be true with the GR20?

No, the GR20 requires the gk2-a/gk3.

[Sacramento Dave]

The VG88 has some Midi stuff in the owners Manual, but me being a Midi idiot
havn't even looked at the Midi stuff , Guitar-VG88-Amps that's me. Also in
Rolands description they state "guitar-meets-synth" I think Synth is
streching it I consider it more a effects proccesor with a lot fine
adjustment. But you can get a room full of sound out of it.

[Woody]

Post by Sacramento Dave
The VG88 has some Midi stuff in the owners Manual, but me being a Midi idiot
havn't even looked at the Midi stuff , Guitar-VG88-Amps that's me.

As it is probably with most of the VG88 market. It has midi for
parameter changing and storing/restoring patches, as well as the rather
good VG88 patch editor.

Post by Sacramento Dave
Also in
Rolands description they state "guitar-meets-synth" I think Synth is
streching it I consider it more a effects proccesor with a lot fine
adjustment. But you can get a room full of sound out of it.

You can indeed. It can make some very synth like noises.

[Ian]

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentId=53
Thanks
www.metebelis.co.uk

Here's a demo of a wav/midi sequencer where you can enter notes with the
mouse, or select chords, keys, note length etc.

You can then play back as midi or wav sample instruments, and add
effects if required.

If you like it the full version won't break the bank.

http://www.makingwavesaudio.com/makingwavesaudio_downloads.asp

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Which, between the GR-20 and GR-33 is a better controller of external
synths?
----
"The best way out is always through"
- Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963).
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

[Larry Heilman]

I have used a Gr-33 for over a year now. I found it used at Guitar center
local store for $350 with a one year warranty.
You will need to have a guitar with 13 pin output for the GR-20 or
Gr-33. I think the best are the RMC piezo or GraphTech's ghost piezo system.
The Roland GK2/3 will work also but not as well as the other two.
I find the GR-33 a great instrument, huge range of sounds, can add
standard guitar sound from the mag. pickup or piezo (if RMC or Ghost) and I
like the wider range of options compared to the GR-20.

Post by Metebelis
I wonder if any of you have tried this synth. I would just be using it to
provide midi style accompaniments to recordings as I don't play keyboards
and entering midi commands into a multitrack is very time consuming. Are
there other alternatives to it as it is quite expensive. I have tried some
of the shareware wave to midi converters but found them to be unreliable.
http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.aspx?ObjectId=592&ParentId=53
Thanks
www.metebelis.co.uk

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

As "Larry Heilman" <***@austin.rr.com> so eloquently put:
[] I have used a Gr-33 for over a year now. I found it used at Guitar center
[] local store for $350 with a one year warranty.
[] You will need to have a guitar with 13 pin output for the GR-20 or
[] Gr-33. I think the best are the RMC piezo or GraphTech's ghost piezo system.

Larry, I have the RMC bridge PU and have had (after great expense)
unsatisfactory results with the Axon guitar synth (or more accurately,
pitch to MIDI conversion). Do you have person experience that it works
well with Roland guitar synths, in either the use of the internal
synth or external pitch to MIDI conversion?
----
"The best way out is always through"
- Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963).
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

[Larry Heilman]

I have a Godin xgst with RMC bridge piezo pickups. Works great with Roland
GR-33 and as acoustic output. I tried a Strat with Roland gK3 built in and I
like the way the RMC plays much better. I have not used any other synth or
converter.

Post by Not A Speck Of Cereal
[] I have used a Gr-33 for over a year now. I found it used at Guitar center
[] local store for $350 with a one year warranty.
[] You will need to have a guitar with 13 pin output for the GR-20 or
[] Gr-33. I think the best are the RMC piezo or GraphTech's ghost piezo system.
Larry, I have the RMC bridge PU and have had (after great expense)
unsatisfactory results with the Axon guitar synth (or more accurately,
pitch to MIDI conversion). Do you have person experience that it works
well with Roland guitar synths, in either the use of the internal
synth or external pitch to MIDI conversion?
----
"The best way out is always through"
- Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963).
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

Thanks. I'll try it with the recent crop of Roland boxes to see how it
goes.

As "Larry Heilman" <***@austin.rr.com> so eloquently put:
[] I have a Godin xgst with RMC bridge piezo pickups. Works great with Roland
[] GR-33 and as acoustic output. I tried a Strat with Roland gK3 built in and I
[] like the way the RMC plays much better. I have not used any other synth or
[] converter.
[] "Not A Speck Of Cereal" <***@Xgmail.comX> wrote in message
[] news:***@4ax.com...
[] > As "Larry Heilman" <***@austin.rr.com> so eloquently put:
[] > [] I have used a Gr-33 for over a year now. I found it used at Guitar
[] > center
[] > [] local store for $350 with a one year warranty.
[] > [] You will need to have a guitar with 13 pin output for the GR-20 or
[] > [] Gr-33. I think the best are the RMC piezo or GraphTech's ghost piezo
[] > system.
[] >
[] > Larry, I have the RMC bridge PU and have had (after great expense)
[] > unsatisfactory results with the Axon guitar synth (or more accurately,
[] > pitch to MIDI conversion). Do you have person experience that it works
[] > well with Roland guitar synths, in either the use of the internal
[] > synth or external pitch to MIDI conversion?
[] > ----
[] > "The best way out is always through"
[] > - Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963).
[] > Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[] > [These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]
[]
----
"The best way out is always through"
- Robert Frost, poet (1874-1963).
Remove X's from my email address above to reply
[These opinions are personal views only and only my personal views]