Boss GT8 memory expansion

Started by Andyk75, May 03, 2017, 08:27:28 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Andyk75

Hi
my name is Andy and im a guitarist based in Leicester who works in a covers band all over the UK.

In my set up i currently use a Boss GT8 which due to the way i use it am now really struggling on memory space.

To explain, basically i use the GT8 as a bank of four patches per song which are all then saved on my computer.
Depending then on what set list we have for a particular gig i then plug the midi connections of my GT8 into my computer and upload an edited setlist of songs onto my GT8. At the gig all i then do is select up through the banks one at a time for the next song of the setlist and my sounds are all set and ready to go.
The problem i am now having is that we have longer setlists than my GT8 has memory for ( it has 35 banks total and sometimes we need in excess of 45 songs )
Does anyone think there might be a way you could customise my GT8 so that it holds alot more memory so i am not limited on the amount of songs i can store on it?
Ideally it would be great if i could use a usb stick which i uploaded my set lists onto and then just plugged into my GT8 but im geussing that cant be done. Great if it can though!
Alternitivley im thinking just somehow increasing the memory inside the actual unit.

I do currently have two GT8 effect boards but sometimes its not very convinient to be swapping effects boards over mid song.
We also have a full repertoire of over 70 songs and it would be nice if the board could contain the whole repertoire just in case i need to call up a song thats not on the setlist for that particular gig.

Anyway hope someone here can help

thanks

gumtown

#1
These units are a closed system, so nothing can be done in expansion.

You might want to look at the GT-10 or GT-100 which have 50 banks of user patches,
or look at the way you use the GT-8, as 4 patches per song is quite a wasteful way of using the GT-8 resources.

Have you considered using one patch per song,
and using the 8 assigns + pedal function to change parameters within the same patch .
You can add an extra dual CTL pedal or midi controller to change your tone/effects within the same patch.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Andyk75

#2
yes but it works perfect this way as my pedals are labelled clean, drive, solo,  moduation and its surprising how many songs have a clean , drive, and solo parts plus an extra sound here and there
Its also worth pointing out that the band is all tied to a click as we use samples live to enhance our sound. Because we use click tracks all my delays are programmed in at perfect timings etc. Songs like U2 streets have no name sound fantastic and i dont have to worry about tapping the tempo live. The sound is there at the flick of a footswitch and on the second verse where edge uses a more crunch tone live i simply switch to patch 2 which is my drive patch.

Andyk75

#3

Cups

#4
There has to be some repetition in your sounds. You can't play a Brian Adams song and a TomPetty song using the same patch?

Andyk75

Been pondering over this guys after trying to replace my GFT8 with the new Line 6 Helix and honestly the drive sounds just didnt compete with that of my Gt8.
Anyway after sending the Helix back i was wondering since i have two Gt8 boards which is more than enough memory for our entire repertoire, is there a way i could somehow lin them up to both be controlled my a midi controller?
I could keep them back of stage and simply send commands form a midi controller at the front to select my patches from whichever desired board if this is possible?

Elantric


gumtown

you could set 1 unit to midi channel 1 and the other unit to midi channel 2.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Andyk75

Oh Fantastic! can anyone elborate on how i would go about doing this? I understand i need a midi foot controller but how would i connect to the two gt 8 and then how would i connect to my amp? i wouldnt be using an effects loop on the amp just straight  in the front but i cant get my head round if one board is selected on a patch how the other boards sounds mute and dont also go into the amp.
Also worth mentioning ideally i would like a midi foot controller where i can duplicate the bank names on my gt8s screen and also would be nice to be able to easily move the banks around along with setlist changes so i could just select up on the bank to the next song on the setlist.
Any recommendations on the best Midi footswitch controllers capable of this? :)






gumtown

Have you tried the GT-100?
the gt-8 gives you 120 user patches, while the gt-100 has 200 user patches.
the pedal layout and functions are similar, and in the same colour black box.
Would just one gt-100 hold enough for your live set?
And the Tone Studio editor would allow you to drag & Drop your live set patches easily to be re-ordered to match your set list.

Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Andyk75

yea the gt100 wont store my GT 8 patches

Elantric

#11
But if you did get a GT-100, understand   Gumtowns GT Floorboard Editor can import and translate old GT-8 patches for use with GT-100

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=11255.0


Andyk75

seriously?? i didnt know this

Andyk75

would all the patches be identical in sound to those of my gt8?

admin

Close but not identical due to constant improvements in Roland Boss COSM DSP code

Andyk75

so how do i import into gt100 as its telling me the patch isnt a gt100 patch on the editor

admin


gumtown

On the GT-8 you will need GT-8FxFlooBoard to extract an save the patches to file.
You may need to do each one as a separate file.
GT-8FxFloorBoard here
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloorboard/files/GT-8FxFloorBoard/
you will also need a reputable brand USB-Midi adapter/cable, like the Roland UM-1

Then open the patch files with GT-100FxFloorBoard editor and save them in the required user slots.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloorboard/files/GT-100FxFloorboard/

You may need to tweak some tones due to conversion differences between the two units.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Andyk75

thanks colin i think im going to go the midi route witht he two gt 8 boards as my sounds are perfectly set up as they are