GR-55- Is there ANY way to make it work?

Started by realiee, September 12, 2015, 03:14:48 PM

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realiee

First of all, I'm not a native speaker, I can make stupid mistakes and stuff. You can correct me if you want, but first PLEASE help me with my GR-55.

So, yeah, I bought it a few days ago. As it costs a million dollars, I thought there's no way to be dissapointed. But well, there is. GHOSTS NOTES EVERYWHERE! Those few days that I should have spent enjoying every single patch, I've spent trying to figure out why the hell I can't play piano or celesta normally, without damn ghost notes and other sh**. So please, don't send me tutorials about setting up sensitivity, velocity, etc. I've read it all, I've been trying everything. EVERYTHING.

Did Roland make a broken product? Because this is how it looks (and especially sounds) - it's completely unsuitable to use for me. Is there any hidden solution, that I somehow missed? Please, help me, I can't stand those doubled zombie notes anymore...

Elantric

You have to adjust the GR-55 PCM Nuance and Velocity settings for the way YOU play

learn how here:

Shawn's GR-55 Setups & Settings Hints
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=31
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6972.0


(Click to Expand)










GR-55 FloorBoard Editor Help
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=86


* GR-55 Documentation Library
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2953.0
Download and Read ALL GR-55 Setup docs here - these are only available here at VGuitarForums and developed by our members 
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;cat=18
 

realiee

That's exatcly what I've been doing last days. With that tutorial, trying everything.

What about this?
Isn't it a proof that Roland really made an incomplete, broken product?

gumbo

..and exactly WHAT guitar (and system) are you using to connect to your GR-55?

Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

realiee


gumbo

Re-read EVERYTHING and make sure that you understand every bit of what is being said and why...if you don't, ask somebody to explain it to you.

ALSO ensure that your pickup is correctly installed. ....That can cause problems that you can mistakenly think are due to the GR unit. 

There are many members of this Forum who are far more qualified than I to give you advice, assistance & encouragement, but you will not encourage them to help you by commencing with an attitude of overt criticism of the product before you know how to drive it. 

No-one doubts your frustration at not being able to make it all work straight out of the box...that is simply the nature of the beast when one is combining playing style, hardware and software, and balancing that against a (possibly unrealistic) expectation.

The fact that Roland is still selling these things years after its launch does seem to indicate that some people in this World can & do make it work   ....frustrations accepted.

Please help us to maintain the Forum as a pleasant place to hang out and help each other..

Cheers,
Peter
Read slower!!!   ....I'm typing as fast as I can...

AngeloEvs

I have used Roland Synths since their first appearance back in he '70's when they were more of a novelty.   My experience is that consistent performance is down to picking/damping technique, adjusting the various settings that respond to attack and velocity to suit your playing style,  GK set up correctly, etc.  Some synth tones do seem to be more prone to causing problems so make sure you try various alternatives.   

I mainly use Orchestration such as Strings, Brass, synthesised Vocals, Piano, Vibes, etc.  Based on my experience and needs I prefer to have Nuance 'off' and Chromatic 'on' for all my synth tones (others find that my settings would make matters worse).  I don't like my synth sounds to be overly sensitive to velocity attack as sometimes I play with my fingers and other times with a pick and prefer a consistent volume rather than a natural variation in volume.

The GR55 does work (as you can see on YouTube and in the forum threads).   unwanted and bad notes occur occaisonaly but not to the exent that you are experiencing. 

Don't give up, the GR55 is a great tool but I do think that guitar synths need a 'feel' for even when set up correctly.

Elantric

#7
QuoteIsn't { The RMC Piezo OPT-01 Input Filter for Hex Piezo PU Guitars} proof that Roland really made an incomplete, broken product?

{ I use a } Jackson Performer PS-1 and GK-3 {Magnetic Hex pickup}.

The OPT -01 is for Piezo PU guitars - and not designed to address GK-3 mis-tracking issues, so skip further focus on that.
(but if you have spare time to kill - read about the OPT-01 here)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3236.0


Slow down, Read  and absorb, and apply the knowledge to be obtained here at VGuitarforums on how to use the GR-55  - the GR-55 is not instant gratification for most guitar players. It requires careful setup and adjusting its parameters to suit your style of playing.

Many here purchased the GR-55, as a Guitar Pickup modeler , Amp modeler, Stereo FX Unit  - this is called COSM VGUITAR DSP MODELING - and the tracking will be instantaneous and no glitches  - because the GR-55's PCM Synth and Guitar to MIDI are not being used here.

We have over 1000 COSM VGUITAR DSP MODELING user created patches in our GR-55 User Patch exchange library that barely use the synth portion
 

Quote
Get Most GR-55 Patches here

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3684.msg92081#msg92081

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3684.msg92082#msg92082

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3684.msg92083#msg92083
While others here never use the GR-55's  Guitar tones - instead they use the GR-55's PCM Synth exclusively to create sound that were once the exclusive domain of keyboard players.

The GR-55 is a different box to different people, and various GR-55 patches will require a dedicated commitment and discipline to understand how to dial in the GR-55 settings - like PCM Synth Velocity cut and Nuance control and still require careful playing technique

Start by re-reading all of my earlier post above.
And Read the
GR-55 FAQ
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3137

and GR-55 Top things to Know area
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?board=61.0

and many find the "GR-55 quick start  is read

GR-55 Floorboard Help
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=86

Litesnsirens

I don't think there's anyone on this forum who took their gr-55 out of the box and had no issues.  Myself included, I experimenced everything your talking about but now I would never use anything else.  The thing is even once you get all the tracking and sensitivity issues sorted out its still going to be a journey.  As a guitar player you play guitar riffs,  I've been using this thing for 3 years now and over that time I've stumbled onto some convincing keyboard riffs just by continually playing. 

I don't know if it's the language thing but when you ask if roland made a broken product it sounds like your asking if they're all bad?  I guess you could mean did you personally get a bad unit and it was just lost in the translation.  But no the product overall is great... Just not out of the box.  It's an ongoing growth of tweaking and adjusting your playing style.  And I don't mean that in an overall sense...it's just there some patches that I have to play in certain ways.  You don't need to change your whole style...just when you create a patch you have to learn to play that patch.

realiee

Damn, guys. You're all awesome, thank you. Honestly, you restored my hope a bit.
I'm gonna read all the tutorials again and do what I can to make it work.

Could any of you (who managed to get rid off tracking issues and ghost notes) give me the settings for Celesta patch (since it's probably the worst of them all, next to Grand Piano), because I wanna start with this one? Yes, I know I have to set it up for myself, my style of playing, and stuff, but I just want to have a starting point...

shawnb

Percussion & piano are the worst...    Hate to say this, but I avoid them on the '55.   Voices with slower attack work best. 
Address the process rather than the outcome.  Then, the outcome becomes more likely.   - Fripp

CodeSmart

Quote from: shawnb on September 13, 2015, 12:06:24 PM
Percussion & piano are the worst...    Hate to say this, but I avoid them on the '55.   Voices with slower attack work best.
The piano CAN be acceptable if everything is setup properly, hardware and GR settings. Any speedy piano you do one higher frets (above 7th or even 12th fret, 24-fret guitar recommended) playing with your fingers, Spanish style. You have to work around the limitations.
But I got more gear than I need...and I like it!

Litesnsirens

I have seen some pretty good youtube videos of guys doing great piano pieces on the GR-55.  So it is possible.  I use it intermittently nothing too complicated but it works.  I've just kind of noticed yesterday when I was just doing some piano chording that if I just play soft with the pick it sounds a lot smoother.

realiee

Alright, I managed to set up a few synth tones. Still can't do anything with piano or celesta, but I hope some of you, guys, will be so kind and share some settings, I hope it'll help me.

By the way, I've got another question.
What about connecting my GR-55 to the computer? I mean, I can connect it, USB cables are not really difficult to use, but... I have that FloorBoard program, drivers are installed, and, eghm... You know, I've been using Line 6 Pod Studio so far and it's just like: connect guitar to that funny box -> open Reaper -> open Pod Studio vst -> do whatever you want and record whatever you want. So, can I somehow do the same with my GR-55 (please, don't eat me if this is a profanation or something, I'm really new into guitar synthesizers)? I just want to connect the guitar to the synth, connect synth to the computer, and record it.

Elantric


realiee

I'm afraid I still don't know what to do, even after reading the FAQ thread.

I want to use GR-55 in a DAW with sound from my PC speakers, not from amp. Sorry if I'm extremely stupid, but could you slowly explain how to do that? ; _ ;

Elantric

#16
Read the GR-55 Manual

Download the GR-55 USB Driver for your Operating system - read the installation instructions


What type computer are you using? What is the specific Operating system?

QuoteI want to use GR-55 in a DAW with sound from my PC speakers,

Sorry Cant do that with a Windows machine and not suffer high latency

Instead,  the GR-55 becomes your USB Audio Interface and connect your powered monitors to your GR-55 Outputs

What is your current DAW audio interface?

realiee

I did read the manual. I did read the driver installation instruction, which told me that since I have Windows 10, I don't need to download anything, just plug in the gr-55 and drivers will download automatically. And they did.

I use a PC,
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790K
Asus Z97-PRO motherboard
16 GB RAM
GeForce GTX 980
Realtek High Definition Audio ; _ ;

Windows 10 Home 64-bit



So...
I connect the gr-55 to the computer, connect the amp (or can I connect the speakers using the headphones input?) to the gr-55, and... what now? How to get my DAW (Reaper) to record what's going from the synthesizer?

Elantric

#18
QuoteI did read the driver installation instruction, which told me that since I have Windows 10, I don't need to download anything, just plug in the gr-55 and drivers will download automatically.

Thats only partially correct.

Read the GR-55 USB Audio Driver for WINDOWS 10 ASIO setup instructions HERE: (2 pages worth)

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=15635.msg114551#msg114551

then i suggest use Reaper DAW
http://www.reaper.fm/

In Reaper DAW Preferences - and set the GR-55 as your 24 bit @44.1kHz Audio INput and Output Interface - also set GR-55 as your MIDI I/O Interface 

Details here:
http://dl.reaper.fm/userguide/ReaperUserGuide501a.pdf


Connect your powered studio speakers to the GR-55 Stereo Output


Learn more about Reaper DAW here
http://dl.reaper.fm/userguide/ReaperUserGuide501a.pdf

bryanz

If you add a little to the attack time on the celeste it should cut down on bad notes--that has been helpful for me.  It's a bummer to lose some of that initial hit, but it can be an OK compromise, especially for live playing.  Also, sometimes I think palm muting helps--but sometimes I don't!

HCarlH

Setting up the GK pickup both physically and with the parameter settings is the most important thing before adjusting the patch parameters.

See page 75 In the manual in the SYSTEM/GK Settings area about the Low Velocity Cut parameter. I've found increasing the value helps with false triggering of notes. Increase it from the default by 1 and test. If needed, increase it more.

We play the song Easy (The Commodores) and I play it fingerstyle. Some patches  just work better played fingerstyle.  In some patches for songs, the strings I'm not using will have their output set to 0. No use in having all the strings "live" if you're only going to use 2 or 3.

The GR-55 is like learning a new instrument when you're using the PCM/synth sounds. It takes practice....similar to using a talk box for the first time.
GR-55 (or) Fishman TP + Kemper Profiling Rack -->> 
QSC K10 -->> FOH
Fender Squier Stratocaster Bullet (w/GK3), Ibanez AM93 (w/FTP pickup),  Stratocaster (w/FTP pickup)

Telecaster, Charvel SoCal ProMod, Gibson Les Paul, PV Wolfgang,

realiee

No. Damn it, no!

I have no idea what else I can do. Almost ALL PCM tones don't track properly. The lead synth tone which should be used to play solos cannot be used to play anything over 10 BPM. It's ridiculous, really.
It seems like it's impossible to set it up.
Please, tell me there is something that I didn't try...

Elantric

Slow down and read



GR-55 FloorBoard Editor Help (includes GR-55 setup advice too)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;sa=downfile&id=86


* GR-55 Documentation Library
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2953.0
Download and Read ALL GR-55 Setup docs here - these are only available here at VGuitarForums and developed by our members 
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;cat=18

gumtown

#23
Quote from: realiee on September 13, 2015, 02:22:30 AM
Jackson Performer PS-1 and GK-3 pickup.

Have you tried damping the floating tremolo springs?
Try some soft foam packaging around and under the springs, and temporarily lock the tremolo, and see if string resonance through the springs is not the cause.
Sometimes damping the strings forward of the nut may help too.

Tried the GK (placed temporary) on another guitar?
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Litesnsirens

There has to be lots that you either didn't try or didn't try properly.  Out of all of us on here that use this device successfully you can't be the only one who has tried everything and still can't get it to work for you.  Odds are that you are missing something, it's not the device because if it was, there would be no encouraging words, no forum with a GR-55 category because we all would have given up on it and no one anywhere saying that they are actually using this device.   Honestly if I couldn't get any of the PCM tones to work I would just switch to the GP-10 and just do guitar stuff.  This is the only device I use and I wouldn't use anything else, unless Roland brings out a new version with new features.