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Topic: Roland GR-55 |
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 8:02 am |
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I really got the bug after hearing a Nebraska steeler at the show at Wisconsin Rapids a couple of weeks ago.
He was playing his pedal steel and after a while I heard a piano.
I looked over at the keyboard and nobody was there!
Then I watched his fingers and he was doing the piano part on the pedal steel.
After his set I went up and looked at his set up and he had a couple of Roland synths in his rack.
I did some internet snooping and learned of the Roland GR-55 and all the good reports so I did some checking around and would up buying a used one from a fellow in Colorado. It's sposed to be arriving on Monday. I saved a few hundred from the cost of a new one. It comes with its own pickup so I can do my own duet. I have a hang up with organ and Leslie sims and this sounds like maybe a better way to go. The sound files on YouTube sound great. |
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Karol Wainscott
From:
Kokomo , Indiana
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 9:32 am
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| Erv, you will have to keep us posted on how this works out when you get it. Very interesting . |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 6:45 pm
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I bought a GR55 when they first came out, after using a GR33 for several years. I don't use it with a steel though, only with guitar. I have a Godin, and a Brian Moore guitar with synth access built in and they work really well with the GR. I used it for strings, cello, violin, saxophone, and sitar on various songs we played in the church band I played in for several years. I haven't even had it out of the closet for a couple of years, I need to pull it out and see if it still works.
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 29 Mar 2014 6:48 pm
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Rick Schmidt uses an effect like that...I'm not really sure what it is, but he gets some convincing piano sounds out of it.
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 6:07 am
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| Since the pickup is only for 6 strings, I plan on locating it beneath the 3rd through 8th strings. |
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Don Griffiths
From:
Steelville, MO
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 6:57 am
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Congratulations Erv! You now have a limitless array of colors for shaping your tone. I have been wanting one of these for six strings,but I figure it's more practical to spend my time learning the instrument first. Pat Metheny has stretched the bounds of the synth with 6 strings. I wondered how that pickup could work on a steel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe-5fcD2xwo
I would love to see some samples once you've got it up and running. I would love to see some youtubes of you doing some gospel tunes too. 
Get this: You can even layer in some accordion and Banjo with the Piano! 
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Shobud Pro1,BMI U12, Santa Cruz F, PRS Standard, Fender Twin Reverb, ‘53 000-28 |
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Darvin Willhoite
From:
Roxton, Tx. USA
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Posted 30 Mar 2014 10:09 am
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Erv, the Roland pickups are spaced for a 6 string guitar, and the housing is curved. How did the player you saw overcome this on a steel?
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Darvin Willhoite
MSA Millennium, Legend, and Studio Pro, Reese's restored Universal Direction guitar, a restored MSA Classic SS, several amps, new and old, and a Kemper Powerhead that I am really liking. Also a Zum D10, a Mullen RP, and a restored Rose S10, named the "Blue Bird". Also, I have acquired and restored the plexiglass D10 MSA Classic that was built as a demo in the early '70s. I also have a '74 lacquer P/P, with wood necks, and a showroom condition Sho-Bud Super Pro. |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 31 Mar 2014 4:01 am
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Erv...
You need to go here: http://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php
...and do a lot of reading..
Let me know if you have trouble navigating that site...it is the World Leader of Roland synth info & support.
Cheers from Oz,
Peter ...('gumbo' on the vguitars forum)
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If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 31 Mar 2014 8:22 am
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| If you go on YouTube there is a video of a GR-55 used in conjunction with a lap steel, sounds great! |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 3 Apr 2014 2:41 am
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| Erv Niehaus wrote: |
| If you go on YouTube there is a video of a GR-55 used in conjunction with a lap steel, sounds great! |
...I know....I am not disputing what it is capable of...
...all I am saying is that the GR-55, of all the recent Roland Guitar Synth units, requires a deal of understanding to get it to perform the way one would desire.
The Vguitar Forum contains a wealth of information about what (and what NOT) to do with/to and expect from this hardware, with valuable contributions from a group of VERY knowledgeable people who have selflessly shared their expertise and experience...let alone provided patches which are available to download to your unit and probably save you months of experimentation on your own.
It is a site worth visiting (and joining) if you are serious in your intended use of the equipment.
HTH
Peter
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If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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Alan Tanner
From:
Near Dayton, Ohio
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Posted 3 Apr 2014 3:47 am
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| I have played the older GR-1 Roland synth for years, with six string guitar. I recently purchased a second unit for a hunnerd bux on ebay that was like new.The newer (I believe it is GK-3??) pickup has individual poles that are adjustable in height. The older pup did not. The newer one makes it a lot easier to set the distance from the strings. The pup pole settings are very critical. Lots of tinkering to do to get everything the way you want it. Decay, attack, etc etc. Once you get it tuned up to your liking tho', it is a great sounding unit. (speaking from experience on the older unit) I mainly use the piano, but also banjo,trumpet, sax, trombone, vibes, etc. Some of the sounds are just a bit "electronic" sounding. The fiddle for one. If you are playing a fast tune, not so much but a slower tune not so hot. The piano sounds spot on to me however. Possible I need some more tinkering. Be VERY careful of the cable. It is full of very small wires and will not take getting stomped on and is expensive to replace. Enjoy...it is a great tool....... |
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