Keep the GR-20 now that I have a GR-55 and GP-10?

Started by GuitarBuilder, October 01, 2015, 04:03:43 PM

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GuitarBuilder

I wonder if there's anything at all that the GR-20 does that can't be duplicated in the GR-55 or GP-10?
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

sine_3000

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe that the GR-20 can be used as an external sound source for a separate MIDI triggering device, like a keyboard or the Fishman Triple Play.  Neither the GR-55 nor the GP-10 will allow you to use their internal sounds to be triggered by another device, I'm fairly certain.

This is what I am currently attempting to do - connect my FTP receiver to the GR-20 via a USB to MIDI host, and use the FTP to trigger the GR-20's samples!  Since I really like the stock organ and E. Piano patches, I would love to play them live - and this way I could avoid bringing a laptop to be the sampler for the FTP.

I know I could use my Android phone to be the sampler, connecting the FTP receiver to the phone via an OTG cable - but the lag is pretty bad.  I'm hoping that using the GR-20 as a sampler won't lag as bad as my phone.

GuitarBuilder

Excellent point regarding the use as an external synth.  I think the question is whether the GR-20 patches can be duplicated on a computer.  I currently also use the Roland JV-880 hardware synth.
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

sine_3000

Can the GR-20's samples be duplicated on a computer?!  You're kidding, right?  Considering the GR-20 came out in, what, 2004, the computer has made just a *little* bit of advancement since then...  :^P

Just check out any soft synth you like.  If you want to be impressed, look up Native Instrument's Kontakt - it's a king among samplers, and my personal favorite.  If you are able and willing to play thru your PC, you will most likely drop your GR-20 (and your 2011-technology GR-55) right into the trash!

The reason I said what I did about using the GR-20 as a sampler, is because it's an old, relatively rugged piece of hardware that does admirable basic synth functions, that I'd feel comfortable taking with me out on the road.  If I wanted to take a laptop out with me to play (which I still might), I wouldn't give the GR-20 a second thought.