GR-55 USB Driver Installation and Librarian Tutorials

Started by Elantric, February 06, 2011, 09:01:59 AM

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Elantric

Its absolutely crucial to review all the files included in the downloaded file from the Main Roland site.
www.Roland.com


Bulk of user problems with no connectivity to the Editor or Audio/Midi problems can be all traced back to the user ignoring to read these installation instructions provided by Roland - but it seems many folks never see/read them. 

Many times they include a "Readme.htm" file that gets extracted when you un-archive the zip file. These are the Roland Installation Instructions and  must be viewed in a web browser and the user must follow all the step by step instructions in the exact order they describe - else failure.

See attached

Check that

* You have the GR-55 USB Driver installed for your operating system
http://www.roland.com/support/article/?q=downloads&p=GR-55
Must follow the exact instructions for installing the Roland  USB Driver for your Operating System. This is available as a "Read_Me.HTML" file contained inside the Roland USB Driver Zip file

Win7 Install instructions
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3050.0;attach=3315


Also if it's a new laptop with a mix of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports,
Use the USB 2.0 port.
There are many reports of noise distortion and other anomalies when using some USB 3.0 ports. Avoid these if possible.


The first half of this video explains how to install the GR-55 USB Audio / MIDI Driver in Windows


===

After you installed the GR-55 USB Driver,

Be sure to install  the Roland GR-55 Librarian
http://www.roland.com/support/article/?q=downloads&p=GR-55
and be sure it works (read this doc for setup instructions
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3050.0;attach=2855
Roland GR-55 Librarian Connections and Settings
Connect the GR-55 and your computer as described in GR-55 owner's manual.
GR-55 Librarian may not operate correctly if these connections are not made correctly.
NOTE
Do not disconnect the USB cable connected to the GR-55 while GR-55 Librarian is running.
Specify the input/output devices :
Make settings for the MIDI device you'll be using.
1. From the menu, choose [Setup] – "Set Up MIDI Devices" to open the "Set Up MIDI Devices" dialog box.
2. Set GR-55 Librarian Input/Output to the following settings.
MIDI INPUT: GR-55
MIDI OUTPUT: GR-55

Use ROLAND GR-55 Librarian and make a backup of all your GR-55 User Patches. - Follow steps in doc below.
GR-55 Librarian "How To":
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3882.0
This document developed by Roland US : "INFOCUS02.pdf" is a "MUST READ" for all GR-55 owners, it explains critical concepts of use for the Roland Librarian application which is common to the high end guitar processors and keyboards.

http://www.roland.co.uk/assets/media/pdf/INFOCUS02.pdf


and

http://www.rolandus.com/go/gr-55_artist_patches/assets/gr-55_release_note_01.pdf

DO all above first, than close the GR-55 Librarian

Now launch the GR-55 Floorboard Editor
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2951.0


Set GR-55 Floorboard Editor Input/Output to the following settings.
MIDI INPUT: GR-55
MIDI OUTPUT: GR-55


If you still experience GR-55 connections problems  - then use a USB to MIDI cable below.


Recommended USB-MIDI Cables
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=8393.0



MeritLine USB MIDI Interface Link Cable Adapter for Music Keyboard  SKU:  0009966-001

http://www.meritline.com/usb-midi-interface-link-cable-adapter---p-85182.aspx






ESI MIDIMATE II - USB 2.0 MIDI Interface Cable $29.95
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=invoice&A=details&Q=&sku=746076&is=REG


The Roland Librarian Apps for VG-99 and GR-55 function very similar - for more incite read :

Gumtown GR-55 Librarian "How To":
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3882.0


Brent Flash's Roland VG-99 Librarian tips here:
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php/topic,822.0.html

This document developed by Roland US : "INFOCUS02.pdf" is a "MUST READ" for all GR-55 owners, it explains critical concepts of use for the Roland Librarian application which is common to the high end guitar processors and keyboards.

http://www.roland.co.uk/assets/media/pdf/INFOCUS02.pdf


If you have latency issues  after installing Roland USB ASIO Driver  above

run this

http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml
Thesycon's DPC Latency Checker is a Windows tool that analyses the capabilities of a computer system to handle real-time data streams properly. It may help to find the cause for interruptions in real-time audio and video streams, also known as drop-outs. The program supports Windows 7, Windows 7 x64, Windows Vista, Windows Vista x64, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 x64, Windows XP, Windows XP x64, Windows 2000.

Elantric

#1
GR-55 USB Audio / MIDI  Driver Instructions (see attached)


Using the GR-55 as USB audio device on Windows

Use the latest win driver for your OS


Also if it's a new laptop with a mix of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports,
Use the USB 2.0 port.
There are many reports of noise distortion and other anomalies when using some USB 3.0 ports. Avoid these if possible.


The first half of this video explains how to install the GR-55 USB Audio / MIDI Driver in Windows XP



How to install third party software on your Mac OSX 10.8 or newer :
On your Mac pull down under the Apple Menu to:
System Preferences
Then click "Privacy"
Then click on "Click the lock to make changes" and enter your system administrator password
Then check "Allow Applications Downloaded from: Anywhere"
The default is probably "Mac App Store and identified developers" but thats very limiting.


gumtown

I think as far as Patch Sharing goes, the *.g5l (standard  Librarian format) would be the best platform.
This file format contains patch desciption data where the person creating the patch can enter text information on how the patch is intended to work, and will be directly compatable with GR-55FloorBoard editor, where the text data will be used.

The *.smf file format has a few disadvantages, it can not carry extra text data,
and this format is for a specific User patch location and if passed through a sequencer or simular software,
will overwrite your GR-55 patch data without warning.

The GR-55FloorBoard editor will be able to use the *.smf backup files created by the GR-55, and extract single patches from the bulk backup.
Although the GR-55 FloorBoard editor will primarily work directly with the GR-55 patch data via the USB cable.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

In the GK 13 pin hex PU world, not everyone is using the same setup. Sharing patches among a population of GR-55 users, where some are using the GK-3, and others are using the RMC Piezo, and others are using the Graph-Tech Ghost system - and each type requires a different GK System Settings configuration  tends to wreak havoc for many users when we all share from a common patch pool.  Many do not realize there are different pull down menu options and different choices for saving  / loading files. (Save Patch Data vs save All with System data)
When we began sharing patches for the VG-99, there were many folks with Ghost Piezo PU guitars who regretted loading a new VG-99 g9e type patch created by a GK-3 PU  user - because loading the G9E format patch would overwrite all the System settings, and not sound at all like the desired patch.
The anger was rampant, and I see the same scenario occuring again if we do not think this through.

Perhaps we need separate patch areas

One for GR-55 Piezo users

another for GR-55 GK-3 Users

and then there are the guys with Godin Nylon string guitars with RMC PUs who will get angry when the Van Halen patch they loaded messed up their GK settings and did not sound at all like van halen.


Not all users here are technically adept, and we have guys who will fight to the finish, declaring their Piezo pickup is superior to the GK-3, and vice versa.

This is an important topic for everyones input.

QuoteLets the games begin!


gumtown

the *.g5l format can save single patch files, and the GK setup and system data is contained in the system area which is separate  from the patch data, and not contained within a patch file.
This has been common practice for the GT-10 *.gxg format, the Librarian allows individual patch files saved or loaded, and with the librarian, bundles of patches can be made in this which exceed the normal user patch range.
If you can't save separate patch files with the VG-99 librarian, maybe the librarian has not been fully utilised?
I am not saavy with the VG-99 file layout, did they save GK setups per patch?
with the GR-55 the GK setup is in the system data, and patch data should have no effect on the type of pickup being used.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

Quotethe *.g5l format can save single patch files, and the GK setup and system data is contained in the system area which is separate  from the patch data, and not contained within a patch file.
This has been common practice for the GT-10 *.gxg format, the Librarian allows individual patch files saved or loaded, and with the librarian, bundles of patches can be made in this which exceed the normal user patch range.
If you can't save separate patch files with the VG-99 librarian, maybe the librarian has not been fully utilized?
I am not saavy with the VG-99 file layout, did they save GK setups per patch?
with the GR-55 the GK setup is in the system data, and patch data should have no effect on the type of pickup being used.

This sounds great!

Hopefully we all learn to do this:
Quotethe *.g5l format can save single patch files, and the GK setup and system data is contained in the system area which is separate  from the patch data, and not contained within a patch file.


I think most VG-99 users use the VG-99 Editor most, and fewer still use the Librarian.

Thus the typical poor skills of the typical user, not knowing the Roland Librarian Operations.

I admit, in my case it was only after I started using the Roland Librarian for the Roland Juno-G synth, that the "way you do things in the Librarian"  finally "clicked" for me.

The VG-99 Librarian remains  a "half baked, rush job, just clone the typical Roland Librarian boilerplate" type program.

The GR-55 Librarian appears a bit better.
I'm running both a MacBook Pro with 10.5.5, and a couple Win7 64 machines, and a WinXp Netbook

I'll report back if I see crashes with the GR-55 Librarian.

I should have a GR-55 here tomorrow, and I will get you the patch dump you request in 48 hours.

Hopefully someone else beats me to it!


paults

I see the librarian will import/export .mid files, like we use to share VG-99 patches.

Having been through wiping out my brand new set of global guitar to MIDI settings because I wanted to listen to some Roland clinician patches, I would rather we stick to that format - system settings are more important to me than text notes within an editor.if I want notes.

I don't want that idea to delay the editor, though.  Hmm, maybe have the editor ask if I want to make a backup file when it launches ;)

gumtown

I am sure there are absolutely no system/global settings contained within the Librarian *.g5l files.
You should be making regular backups using a USB pen drive in the GR-55 side USB port, it is very much faster than using Librarian and USB midi/cable.
The backups contain all the Guitar mode user patches, all the Bass mode user patches and all the System and global data.
This is one file type you don't want to be sharing ;-)
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

If you perform a backup of the GR-55 to USB Thumb drive, and then  move the  USB drive from the GR-55 to a PC or Mac.

Question?

What file extension do you see for the GR-55 backup  data ?

imall41

Heads up for everyone.

The Gr-55 Drivers, and Librarian, Do Not Work on Windows XP Media Center Edition.

Spent more than 2 hrs trying everything I could think of, but no go.
In small print on the Librarian download page it says

*Librarian does not support Windows(R) XP Media Center Edition."

And I can confirm the drivers don't either.
I'm about to give it a go on my little Win 7 netbook, but prob won't have enough proc. GHz for the editor.
Fingers crossed.


gumtown

Quote from: Elantric on February 09, 2011, 06:49:34 PM
If you perform a backup of the GR-55 to USB Thumb drive, and then  move the  USB drive from the GR-55 to a PC or Mac.

Question?

What file extension do you see for the GR-55 backup  data ?

the file extension is an *.SVD (not a video disk either) the file seems to contain firmware data instead of midi data..
because it has system/global data, and a complete user patch backup of both guitar mode and bass mode, so i guess there is no relation between the guitar and bass patches between the two modes.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Elantric

Interesting
http://www.pdmusic.org/jvxp.html
This is the same format used by the Roland Keyboards (like Juno-G, Fantom X) - it typically has embedded MIDI sysex,





stueym

Quote from: gumtown on February 09, 2011, 07:45:35 PM
the file extension is an *.SVD (not a video disk either) the file seems to contain firmware data instead of midi data..
because it has system/global data, and a complete user patch backup of both guitar mode and bass mode, so i guess there is no relation between the guitar and bass patches between the two modes.
WOW  1930kB  That's it?  I thought there would be tons more data than that.  Did I do it right?

ddlooping

Quote from: stueym on February 10, 2011, 02:39:57 PM
WOW  1930kB  That's it?
Almost 2 million characters (I think). ;)

Forget that, it's not a text file is it.  ;D
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

gumtown

Quote from: stueym on February 10, 2011, 02:39:57 PM
WOW  1930kB  That's it?  I thought there would be tons more data than that.  Did I do it right?
Yup that's it, but each byte does a big task (each one or two byte character does a GR-55 parameter)
Each patch has 1.3Kb of data, that's still controlling around 1000 parameters for each patch.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumtown

So.. Guess what i have done !!!
if you are stuck to only using one mode (guitar/bass) and wanted to know what the patches on the other side sound like, i made a copy with the Librarian of all the guitar mode patches and all the Bass mode patches.
I have so far loaded all the guitar mode patches into Bass mode memory.
I guess the difference will be the modelled instrumtents, which are still limited to each mode, but the effects and PCM tones should all be the same..
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumtown

I tried my portable USB hard drive in the GR-55, unfortunately it is formated in NTFS, the GR-55 didn't see any audio files, just a "USB not formated" message.
Then i plugged the USB pen drive back in, and it did not recognise that either, saying "USB not ready",  i then had to re-start the GR-55 before it would see the pen drive again... GR-55 not broken ! :-)
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

MCK

Manual states you need to insert or remove USB when powered off. No Plug'nPlay there.

Gastric

I'm running Vista x64 and for whatever reason the GR-55 Librarian will not enable me to add memos, nor will it enable the "save" or "save as" in the File menu. I can however fully edit the patch title, as well as expor SMF to a .mid       

gumtown

Quote from: Gastric on February 15, 2011, 11:58:38 AM
I'm running Vista x64 and for whatever reason the GR-55 Librarian will not enable me to add memos, nor will it enable the "save" or "save as" in the File menu. I can however fully edit the patch title, as well as expor SMF to a .mid     
Try making a "duplicate" of the patches (in the Librarian menu), and work with the new file.
For some reason the 'Main' window does not allow so things to happen..

I agree with the memo thing, all i does for me is crash the program..
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Gastric

Quote from: gumtown on February 15, 2011, 12:05:02 PM
Try making a "duplicate" of the patches (in the Librarian menu), and work with the new file.
For some reason the 'Main' window does not allow so things to happen..

Thank you.

The librarian is one huge POS application. Could they make it any more cryptic to use? And now we know why Roland doesn't bother with making full editor software. :)

RicardoLove

 ;D Just used the GR-55 Librarian for the 1st time today and IT IS GREAT!!!!!! I had a rehearsal today for a show coming up at M-Bar in Hollywood this Friday and I did not know how I was going to get all the patches I needed together on the floor board for easy access. I also wanted all my "Meat and Potato Sounds" up front in the user section all in a row for quick access. As far as the live show I was only able to get 3 on the floor with pedals 1, 2 and 3 (the 1st user patches change when you hit the numbered pedals 01-1, 01-2, 02-3) so I able to have my 3 patches I need for the show just like a pedal board. 

So I'm sure it's been covered but here's the laymens explanation on how the Librarian works.  Download the libarian from Roland site and install in on your laptop or desktop computer. Plug the USB cable up to your computer with the software and open up the Librarian. Go to the "Set Up Midi devices" in the Librarian and change both in input and out put midi devices to the GR-55.  Hit the "read all" and all of your user patches the way they are currently inside the GR-55 will be imported to the the patch list (before you do this the 1st time there are just numbers with no description)  Now you can cut, paste, insert, delete, etc any patch in any order you like inside the Librarian window.  Now you hit the "write all" and you see it 1st putting it to ram then your GR-55 and the Librarian screen will show writing and like magic all your patches are the way you ordered them in the Librarian!  That's so great because I thought I was gonna have to take hours doing this in the GR-55 it self.  Now if they could only make a "Work Bench" software to tweak the sounds (like a virtual GR-55) for now I will be happy with this.

This takes a load off me thinking that I was going to have to scroll through all those cheezzy sounds to get to some of the great sounds I need both live and in the studio.  So glad I discovered this sooner rather than later!

email: ricardolovemedia@gmail.com
demo web site: http://www.reverbnation.com/rlove
GR-55 demos http://www.soundcloud.com/ricardolove
For hire Music Producer/Remixer

ddlooping

Quote from: RicardoLove on February 17, 2011, 12:14:32 AM
Now if they could only make a "Work Bench" software to tweak the sounds (like a virtual GR-55) for now I will be happy with this.

They are no going to make an editor, but somebody else is. ;)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2951.0
Diaz Guitars (work in progress)

drone01

Sorry for the noob question here, but is it possible to cut and paste from one librarian list to another?  I don't recall seeing that in the manual.  Thanks in advance.

Edit:  I believe I just found my answer.  Went back and reread the librarian manual.   ::)

gumtown

Quote from: drone01 on April 13, 2011, 01:34:01 PM
Sorry for the noob question here, but is it possible to cut and paste from one librarian list to another?  I don't recall seeing that in the manual.  Thanks in advance.

Edit:  I believe I just found my answer.  Went back and reread the librarian manual.   ::)

Yes you can, but you must use the menu options, pasting is done by selecting the destination list "End of Line" and pasting if it is a new list.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/