GR-55 as a Guitar To MIDI Controller

Started by brooster, April 29, 2011, 07:37:08 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

brooster

I am waiting on my GR-55. I have been watching the Kennisrussell YouTube videos. In this video at 3:40 he mentions turning chromatic on to clean up glitches:

http://www.youtube.com/user/kennisrussell#p/u/9/NryBx0drJFU

Is this a big help?

Magiamusical

For pianos, percussion and lots more it really helps, also make sure you have the guitar in tune all the time.
Godin LGXT, Les Paul Studio w/GK3, JTV89F w/GK3, GR-55

mbenigni

Your mileage may vary depending on the guitar, the patch... even the volume you're performing at.  Believe it or not, I have found pianos glitch *more* with chromatic on (despite this being the logical setting for a piano), but I finally arrived at a happy medium by leaving chromatic on and turning on legato as well.

Experimentation is key.  The good news is that while you're experimenting you're also practicing, which is the other key.  Getting a feel for what techniques are and aren't permissible w/ a guitar synth, and learning to trust in that, is more important than any setting in the menus.  The bottom line though, is that all of this is time consuming.

melodymann

Another option is to use an assign to toggle chromatic on and off.
Useful when playing something arpeggio based but you want to bend
a note once in a while. Assigns are your friends! 

Elantric

#4
Quote
How do I use the GR-55 as a midi control in programs like garageband so I can trigger garage band sounds with the guitar?

Use the GR-55 as a Guitar To MIDI Controller
From the Owners manual:

MIDI Settings
You can make MIDI settings that apply to the entire GR-55, such as
specifying the MIDI channel. For the procedure, refer to "Settings for
the Entire GR-55 (SYSTEM)" (p. 69). For details on each setting, refer to
"MIDI/USB" (p. 79).


See GR-55 Owners Manual page 79
You Must enable GTR to MIDI and set the Mode assignment type:

The "Guitar midi out" option is in the SYSTEM settings, it needs to be enabled. (see lower right in the GR-55 Floorboard Editor)


* Gumtowns shareware GR-55 Floorboard Editor: (essential)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2951.0






Watch the Video here:






Then :


connect the GR-55 to your Mac (you did install the GR-55 OSX USB Driver AND READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS right?)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3050.0

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3050.0;attach=2856

then:

How to create a software (midi) instrument in Garageband:

1.   Open Garageband

2.   Select "Open a New Project"

3.   Navigate to the "Track" section in the menu bar and select "New Track"

4.   Make sure "Software Instrument" is selected and click create

5.   From here, navigate through the Software Instrument midi sounds that are displayed on the right toolbar.

6.   Load in the sound that you want to use, make sure the volume is turned up, and start to jam!

Advanced GR-55 Guitar to MIDI tracking advice is on this thread here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5220.msg35887#msg35887


Member Curteye also recommends the following:

===

    , A couple of tracking tips.


1-What ever sound source you are MIDIing into (hardware or software) check the  'MIDI Implementation Chart'
(usually at the very back of the manual)  to see if it can receive MIDI info from more than one MIDI channel at the same time.

If it can, set the GR55 to send MIDI info using the 'MIDI Mono Mode' protocol.

This way each string can 'send' MIDI Bend info on its own separate MIDI channel. One MIDI channel for each string.
(FYI: MIDI 'Poly Mode' uses one MIDI channel for all six strings)

example:
If you start at MIDI channel one, Mono Mode will send MIDI info on channels 1-6.
One channel for each string.

However if you start at say channel 15, Mono Mode will send on channels 15-4.
Still one channel for each string.

2-Also keep in mind,
most keyboards and software have their bend rate set to: +/-2.

For MIDI guitar use, try changing the rate to a much higher setting. 8-12. (I use +12).
(Thank you Warren Sirota) YMMV.

Set the bend rates the same for both the GR55 and the receiving module(s).

I only use the chromatic setting for things like pianos.organs etc.

3-Your DAW has to be able to let all this 'MonoMode' chat between the GR55 and the receiving modules happen.
Check for any DAW MIDI input 'filtering' that might be set as a default in that particular programme.

In my case, my GR55 'talks' to six separate SampleTank modules on MIDI channels 1-6 that live inside my Cubase DAW.
Each module is set to the same sound (piano,guitar,bass,sax etc) but you can do some great splits/tricks as well.

Here is something kool to try:
If the audio card out of your 'puter can handle 5.1 surround sound, assign each string to a separate output (speaker) and then strum
a chord.

The first time I tried this was with a nylon guitar setting and it sounded like I was hearing the sound from inside the sound hole!


-- ShawnB Wrote>
I've been compiling notes on GR-55 setups, my own hopefully practical spin on how to set things up. 

The information in the GR-55 manual regarding setting up the unit is pretty minimal.   This doc is meant to supplement the manual with real-world experience.  I wanted to pull together all of the best info I could find in one place, instead of scattered over a bunch of posts in a bunch of forums. 

And, very specifically, I wanted a "cook book", i.e., a specific set of steps to follow to make a setting properly and consistently.

I hope you find this helpful.   Feedback welcome. 

Shawn

9/14, More readable .pdf uploaded.  Changed nuance setting descriptions.

Setup-Nuance - will help you confirm your Nuance is configured well.  If your Nuance is configured correctly, finger plucking will generate bell sounds, and pick usage will generate a steel string guitar sound.
Setup-Velocity - will help you confirm your Velocity is configured well.  It is built from a basic electric piano tone, which varies its timbre with your picking velocity.  Low velocity (picking softly) yields that sweet e-piano tone, almost like a bell.  High velocity (harder picking) yields the growling e-piano tone normally associated with banging hard on the keys.  If you cannot get BOTH tones from your GR-55 depending on how hard you pick, you have probably squished your "Velocity Dynamics" setting too low, and as a result, are not getting all the intended subtleties from the GR-55's tones.

Read Full thread and get the GR-55 test patches here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6972.0


And read GR-55 Glitching
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6878

Complete GR-55 Settings spreadsheet
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=19002.0;attach=14727


ilikeroasts

#5
hiyooo, just grabbed a gr-55 the other day. i was getting real frustrated configuring the unit to trigger software instruments. finally got it working, and it was tracking horribly. messed around more and now it tracks pretty well. though i cannot get rid of the latency! whether i play gr-55 internal sounds, or soft sounds, there is a very annoying split second lag when linked from the usb port and monitoring through my computer. theres no latency when i monitor through the headphone out on the unit.  doesn't seem anyone has any solutions, besides using the midi out on the unit. so now I'm using the midi out, into a midi to usb adapter and no data is being sent from the midi out on the gr-55. the green light on the adapter won't light up to show activity. when i plugged in my akai mpk25 to the adapter, i got the green light for activity. so I'm assuming my adapter is fine.  that only leaves the midi out on my gr-55 as suspect. bogus. any ideas?

gumtown

In the GR-55 system > Midi menu, you need to enable the "guitar midi out" as by default it is 'off'.
The USB connection also serves as a midi port (assuming you have alreay installed the USB driver software),
but... either the midi ports can be used, or the USB port, but not both.

Depending on the D.A.W software you are usuing, the audio interface of the GR-55 works best as an ASIO device, ensure your computer is running in ASIO driver mode, and it is also best to use the GR-55 as the computer soundcard in this situation, connect your amplifier speakers to the GR-55 and select the GR-55 as the soundcard, the results will be much better.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

ilikeroasts

"guitar midi out"? do you mean "switch". i've had that on because otherwise theres no midi signal coming from the usb port. on or off, still nothing from the midi out.

gumtown

Unplug the USB cable and the Midi ports should become enabled..
You can only use one or the other.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

ilikeroasts

i was aware of that. no dice. any other ideas?

ilikeroasts

i've looked or my answers there and still nothing, thats why I'm posting. i don't have an issue with sending midi data through the usb port, but it seems my midi out port is inactive, but everywhere i've read there are no instructions on enabling or disabling the midi port.

gumtown

The midi port should 'just work', there are no enabling settings for it..

Try this for a midi port check,
if you have the GR-55FloorBoard editor (download link in my signature below),
try running it with the midi device adapter instead of the USB cable,
remember to select the midi device from the editor tools >preferences > USB/midi menu.

I used one of these with the editor software to my GR-55 last week


Please don't be offended if i ask do you have the midi device midi-in connected to the GR-55 midi-out (and visa-versa)
sometimes the obvious gets over looked.

This will check the GR-55 5 pin midi port I/O functions in both directions, if it still fails, then your GR-55 midi ports may be faulty perhaps??
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

I would use the workflow described in the post below to debug MIDI data flow on any piece of gear:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2975.msg18004#msg18004

ilikeroasts

i've been using that same style midi to usb adapter. floorboard isn't even recognizing the gr-55 with the midi ports connected. it will show up in floorboard when connected through usb though.

gumtown

#14
I found with my cheap midi adapter that the midi-in led blinks as soon as it is plugged into the GR-55 midi-out.
Not the best midi device, doing a 297 patch backup it has about a 15% failure rate at large system exclusive patch files..

On a side note: I have found the USB midi and the 5 pin midi ports work independantly and can both co-exist at the same time, making bulk patch backups with two instances of GR-55FlooBoard running, one on the Gr-55 USB and the other on the 5 pin ports.
So I will eat my words on the "one port only in use" statements i have made in the past.
interesting discovery indeed.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

ilikeroasts

i musta gotten a faulty unit. good thing i bought it locally. thats for ya'll help.

Elantric

#16
Swap the MIDI IN and MIDI Out connections - and retry

ilikeroasts

i appreciate your advice, but i've tried all obvious remedies. *thanks

ilikeroasts

just swapped out the gr-55 for a new one at the shop. still the same problem! wow. I'm so confused. my interface works properly and lights up green when other hardware is connected, but when connected to the gr-55 nothing. no data from the midi ports.

Elantric

#19
Use the GR-55 as a Guitar To MIDI Controller
From the Owners manual:

MIDI Settings
You can make MIDI settings that apply to the entire GR-55, such as
specifying the MIDI channel. For the procedure, refer to "Settings for
the Entire GR-55 (SYSTEM)" (p. 69). For details on each setting, refer to
"MIDI/USB" (p. 79).


See GR-55 Owners Manual page 79
You Must enable GTR to MIDI and set the Mode assignment type:


To Send MIDI Notes from the GR-55
Knowledge Base ID: 105346
Product: GR-55


By default, the GR-55's Guitar-MIDI switch is turned off. To send MIDI notes from the GR-55's USB port or MIDI output, this switch must be turned on.
Here's how to do this.

1. Press EDIT.

2. Press the right-hand PAGE button to the select the SYSTEM tab.

3. Use the cursor buttons to highlight "MIDI/USB," and then press ENTER.

4. Use the PAGE buttons to display the GTR-MIDI tab.

5. Use the cursor buttons to highlight "SWITCH."

6. Turn the dial clockwise to select "ON."

7. Press EXIT when you're finished—the new setting is saved automatically.


Watch the Videos here:







for Guitar to MIDI - there are many settings that must be established first  - Highly suggest get familiar with using the GR-55  Guitar to MIDI  with a WinPC or a Mac OSX FIRST - then migrate to other hardware like an iPad or Android Tablet.

Read the GR-55 User Setup docs at link below for more details on the best settings for Guitar to MIDI
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=downloads;cat=18


- THEN migrate to the iPad.




Also I suggested to read the MIDi Controller setup thread as this explains the importance of have a separate trusted  MIDI Data Monitor utility to debit your setup.

I still use my 1999 TeraSonde Audio Toolbox  - to get a basic verification that MIDI Commands are being sent and received accurately. You will be driving blind without a separate MIDI Data Monitor utility. - today even my Android Smartphone ( Galaxy Note 2) works as a MIDI Monitor

all explained here:
MIDI controller Setup / Debug
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2975.0
 


Quote
How do I use the GR-55 as a midi control in programs like garageband so I can trigger garage band sounds with the guitar?


connect the GR-55 to your Mac (you did install the GR-55 OSX USB Driver AND READ ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS right?)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3050.0

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3050.0;attach=2856

then:

How to create a software (midi) instrument in Garageband:

1.   Open Garageband

2.   Select "Open a New Project"

3.   Navigate to the "Track" section in the menu bar and select "New Track"

4.   Make sure "Software Instrument" is selected and click create

5.   From here, navigate through the Software Instrument midi sounds that are displayed on the right toolbar.

6.   Load in the sound that you want to use, make sure the volume is turned up, and start to jam!

Advanced GR-55 Guitar to MIDI tracking advice is on this thread here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5220.msg35887#msg35887

More GR-55 Training Videos are here
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=7327.0


paults

I had a personal thank you to Warren Sirota around 15 years ago - he saw my "Roland BC-13 Wanted" Usenet post about 15 years ago, and sold me one :)

wilkinsi

Excuse the resurrection, but I'm curious as to why you'd need to send MIDI from the keyboard back to the GR-55. This suggests I could use my keyboard as a controller too, thus using the GR55 as a sound module. I haven't tried it, but knowing my EMU Proteus 2000 rack has audition riffs, I could essentially do that. No?

Elantric

#22
QuoteExcuse the resurrection, but I'm curious as to why you'd need to send MIDI from the keyboard back to the GR-55.

Who is suggesting that?


The GR-55 does not function as a MIDI Tone generator, nor will its internal PCM Synths  respond to external MIDI Note on/off messages.


If you connect a Keyboard MIDI Controller to the GR-55, the only thing you may do is remotely change GR-55 presets, or manipulate the Patch Volume ( MIDI CC#7) or send MIDI CC# messages for GR-55 Control Assignements

But if you play the keyboard, no sounds will emerge from the GR-55.

Mrchevy

May I also add that you can implement additional control functions to the GR55 via the use of a MFX or foot controller pedal and assigns. I use my GT10 via midi and now have 3 CTL pedals vs 1 on the GR55. Yes it sucks you cant use it as a sound generator but then if it were intended for that, why make it a floor pedal. It was designed for guitar players. You could likely get all the tones in the GR55 and then some by buying a Roland work station or sound module and if your a keyboard player, much like a guitar player, you can never have enough  keyboards ( or guitars) ;D
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Epi Les Paul Standard
Gibson SG 50's prototype
Squire classic vibe 60's
Epi LP Modern
Epi SG Custom
Martin acoustic

Princeton chorus 210

GT100
GR-55
Helix LT
Waza Air Headphones
Boomerang III

And, a lot of stuff I DON'T need

tekrytor

#24
However....if you're looking for a workaround, you can use a device like the "Breakout Box" to send up to six audio GK signals as "BREAKIN" data to the GR-55, with two PCMs and six "channels". But the strength of the GR-55 is not its synths, rather its combination of functions (COSM, 2 PCMs, FX, Audio Player, mini-Looper, all in one box). The GR-55's PCM synths are NOT directly controllable by MIDI input data though.
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices