GR-55 firmware upgrade 2012

Started by gafaell, April 18, 2012, 12:55:33 AM

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gafaell

 :D

I opened this topic to talk about any news related to the new expected GR 55 firmware upgrade, after launching the Black Version of our GR 55.

IMHO Roland will take note about this forum and try to include at least some of the proposals to solve bugs and improvements suggested from users.

I believe they will include the HARMONIZER as a new feature, more patches, and they will try to solve the piezo problem (Godin). Probably many other suggestions and errors detected by this forum.

Hopely they will be smart enough not to ignore these ideas.  ;)


Moderator Note:

member "tomK" got this reply from Roland Japan:
QuoteAfter asking Roland Japan (actually, Boss Japan) about the difference between the blue and black GR-55s, I got this reply, quote:

"We updated the program of GR-55 from ver1.02 to ver1.50 at the
timing of releasing black type.
The program is available for both blue and black type.

For piezo pickup, we adjusted the level display of GK sens when
selecting piezo, piezo G, and piezo R type.
We think the customer who uses piezo guitar can adjust the GK sens
more correctly and reduce the tracking problem.

We will inform the updating information at web site on June."

Elantric

#1
Id be happy if they address and fix the known GR-55 bugs which I compiled and presented to them at Winter NAMM 2012

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4723.0


But I suspect nothing will come of it.  Instead this June, we will get a new Black GR-55 with new artist patches, yet the bugs remain.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GR55sBK/

QuoteRoland GR-55 (Black)
Item ID: GR55sBK

Guitar Synth with 910 Tones, 93 Effect Types, 3 Foot Pedals, Expression/Volume Pedal, and Onboard USB WAV/AIFF Player - Black
[Roland]
2 models to choose from:
The new Roland GR-55 in black is expected to begin shipping in June, but you can reserve yours today. Simply contact us to place your pre-order, and we'll ship your new guitar synth to you as soon as our first shipment arrives.



gafaell

#2
Thank you elantric.

??? They did firmware upgrades with previous versions: VG88, etc., why not with GR 55 ?

Really some of the bugs discovered were important and need to be solved by ROLAND.

I still hope they will include this upgrade in the new black version or for the summer.

;D

aliensporebomb

#3
Quote from: gafaell on April 18, 2012, 12:55:33 AM
:D

I opened this topic to talk about any news related to the new expected GR 55 firmware upgrade, after launching the Black Version of our GR 55.

IMHO Roland will take note about this forum and try to include at least some of the proposals to solve bugs and improvements suggested from users.

I believe they will include the HARMONIZER as a new feature, more patches, and they will try to solve the piezo problem (Godin). Probably many other suggestions and errors detected by this forum.

Hopely they will be smart enough not to ignore these ideas.  ;)

Harmonizer would be a hardware addition.  I doubt it could be added in software.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

germanicus

#4
Until we see a viable competitor in the market that covers the same bases that Roland does, I think we should have the expectation that what we have in the box when its released, is generally the limit on what will be there throughout its product lifespan.

Other companies continue to add functionality, such as Line 6 (Pod HD series has added new amp models and quite a bit more sound tweak parameters, and their JTV Variax added new acoustics), Fractal (Axe-Fx constantly putting out new Firmware that adds completely new features), Zoom, etc. These companies however all have competitors for their given price bracket and feature set. Roland does not.

There really isnt a competing product on the market that does what the gr55 does, and until there is one which bites into their sales, I doubt we will see additional tweaks/features added. It may also be the case that there simply isnt enough horsepower in the DSP to eeck out more function. I think its probably already pushing the limits of its hardware (based on the units inability to do both 12 string and alternate tunings simultaneously, something the vg99 does quite easily).

Bug fixes are of course another matter, and the onus is on them to fix such.
My albums done with modeling/guitar synth at http://music.steamtheory.com

JTV69/59P/Godin LGXT/Multiac ACS/Variax 700 AC
Helix/FTP/GP10/VG99/SY1000
Traynor k4

datsunrobbie

#5
I agree they have no incentive to improve when there is no clear competitor. As far as pushing the hardware, I'm more optimistic. I heard the new patches in the GR-55BK are additions, not replacements (like in the VG-88V2), so they either threw in new hardware or they left some room for improvement in the original GR-55. It makes sense to leave a little "room to grow" so that it is possible to release new features based on user feedback. Suppose Roland had 20 more features that they want to squeeze into the new toy but only room for 5, so they ship it with some empty space and wait to see which 5 features the most users are clamoring for. I have to believe the other manufacturers are doing this to varying degrees, or there would be no room for all these firmware updates

Elantric

#6
QuoteThey did firmware upgrades with previous versions: VG88, etc., why not with GR 55 ?

I agree - but remember they never delivered a VG-99 "2.0" firmware, nor acknowledge existence of many existing VG-99 bugs (our forum spelled out for them), despite initial early favorable reports from Roland US about such possible efforts. They still deny the well known bug with the VG-99  COSM Nylon Guitar model.

Roland Corp places an emphasis on "who is the "messenger" of bug reports and new feature requests.

If these are reported to Japan by the Product Manager of the sales unit in the USA or UK,  then we have a higher chance of seeing new firmware.

Sadly the voice of end users of Roland products (such as myself) have little merit in Japan.

So I intend to use my ultimate power over this situation, and await the summer 2012 release of the Fishman TriplePlay
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5188.msg40008#msg40008


https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=5580.msg39375#msg39375
QuoteI was told at Winter NAMM to expect a GR-55 firmware update later this year. Perhaps the Black version already has the new firmware - which judging by the Owners manual seems to only add these additional "artist patches" and nothing else - (which is a bit of a let down from my perspective)     Its possible a new GR-55 firmware this summer also adds these "new patches"  for the existing blue GR-55.

Pure speculation.

But if these these updates are exclusive to the Black GR-55, and the existing GR-55 bugs are never addressed, it would sure sour my enthusiasm for future Roland purchases.   

In typical fashion - Roland is not being too clear on what they have in mind.

whippinpost91850

#7
I concur

Practus

#8
Quote from: germanicus on April 18, 2012, 06:07:59 AM
...There really isn't a competing product on the market that does what the gr55 does, and until there is one which bites into their sales, I doubt we will see additional tweaks/features added. ...

...Bug fixes are of course another matter, and the onus is on them to fix such.

First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Alfredo, I'm from Brazil, and I'm also a guitar player as most of you  ;D. This is my first post here , as I've just put an order on a GR-55 and I'm anxiously waiting it's delivery. This did not prevent me from researching everything I could about the unit here, on Youtube, and on another local forum that we have here related to guitars. I've already downloaded and installed gumtown's Floorboard (thanks a lot for all the hard work on this - and on the GT-10 editor as well), also downloaded the patches from the topic which compiles all the patches posted here (almost a thousand!!), and now I can't wait to test all of them and see for myself the power of this unit.

Regarding the expected firmware update derived from this new BK version (too bad I made my order before knowing that the BK is/will be available in a near future), I agree with Germanicus here... Actually, I've sent Roland an email regarding firmware upgrades a couple of years ago when I used to have a GT-10... Given that their competitors (Line 6, Fractal, etc) constantly upgrades their products, why couldn't Roland do the same, right?

And their answer to that is that they consider that when they release a product into the market, for them, the product is done, therefore it wouldn't need upgrades such as new amps simulation, effect, among other things.

Fixing bugs is another topic completely different, but nevertheless, I wouldn't expect Roland taking into consideration requests made here (just my humble opinion  :( :( :(). Maybe in a future firmware upgrade we might see some fixing on bugs reported here as well, but sadly, i think that probably not everything that you guys found will be addressed... :-\ :-\ :-\ :-\

Anyway... Very anxious on the equipment...

Cheers,

Practus
Red Ibanez RG150 (with GK-3 and Fernandes Sustainer FSK-101)
Honey Burst Epiphone LP Standard
Black Fender Standard Strat "a la Blackie"
POD HD500
GR-55
FRFR KRK Rokit 5 Monitors

Elantric

#9
Welcome Practus!
Yes  - we are on the same page and in agreement regarding Roland Corp.

Enjoy your new GR-55!

Practus

#10
Thanks a lot, Elantric.

Can't wait to put my hands on it... And I'm sure I'll learn a lot about the unit with everyone here...

Cheers
Red Ibanez RG150 (with GK-3 and Fernandes Sustainer FSK-101)
Honey Burst Epiphone LP Standard
Black Fender Standard Strat "a la Blackie"
POD HD500
GR-55
FRFR KRK Rokit 5 Monitors

tekrytor

#11
Welcome Practus!

About upgrades. I have to say that I am truly amazed at how much audio horsepower is in the GR-55, but I agree that some rather basic functions could be improved. Mainly the signal routing out the back and the controls are missing just a few rather basic functions, like HOLD via MIDI, being able to switch the EXP-PEDALs using anything other than the toe-switch (like CTL/S1/S2), that arpegiator for GR-30 fans, and the harmonizer. I have a TC-Helicon that does amazing programmable harmonies, when I need that. It wasn't cheap, I paid as much as for the GR-55, so I can understand it not being included - but of course it processes audio and we're only talking about MIDI for the GR PCM tones. I suspect a lot of improvements could be made but that Roland has little incentive to do so. On the other hand, with a disassembler and some time, a lot of devices have been reprogrammed by their owners and enthusiasts. I'm sure that's not impossible with the GR-55 either. I worked with memory devices for quite a while and was thinking that it should not be too hard to blow out the RAM on the looper for example - for more realistic delay times, so you can put down a meaningful chord progression, etc. In fact, that's probably my biggest peeve on this unit and one that cannot be fixed more than marginally by a firmware upgrade. But this has all been said before, and I just wanted to get it in under this new thread for the expressed purpose of nagging the great ones at ROLAND into remembering us loyal CUSTOMERS, throwing us a bone! WOOF!
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

Practus

#12
Thanks for the welcoming, guys...

And yeah, tekrytor... I can relate to what you're saying... Funny thing to notice though is that Roland announced this product as being the merge of GR-30, VG-99 and GT-10... all in one. OK... we have to bear in mind that if we actually were expecting to get all three products in one, it would be fair to say that the cost should be something around the sum of all those three... And since GR-55 is way cheapper than this, it's understandable that GR has limitations that the other products don't have...One thing I never understood though is why Roland did not put expansion jacks for external expression pedals, or more CTL controllers... Given all paramenters available to controll several different things, it would be logical to have this feature on the equipment. Another expression pedal, or 1 or 2 more external CTL pedals would be excellent...

And I'm not even talking about the other things that were/are present on the GT-10 (such as flexible chain of effects, for instance), among other things not even present in the GT-10, such as XLR outputs...

Don't get me wrong though... I'm not criticizing GR-55 that much... ;) ;) I knew all of this prior ordering my GR-55 (which I'll hopefully receive by the end of this month), and still ordered it. I always saw this unit as one of the most amazing and comprehensive guitar equipments I ever saw, but still it's a bit frustrating knowing that the equipment could be a lot better with just a few physical upgrades on it...

But I guess that would be asking too much from Roland... :-\
Red Ibanez RG150 (with GK-3 and Fernandes Sustainer FSK-101)
Honey Burst Epiphone LP Standard
Black Fender Standard Strat "a la Blackie"
POD HD500
GR-55
FRFR KRK Rokit 5 Monitors

tekrytor

#13
MIDI is the controller solution, IMO. One cable, many functions.
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

Practus

#14
Agreed...

That's why I'll link GR-55 with POD HD via MIDI to see what can I get with that... Never used MIDI before on a pedalboard, and this will be an insteresting opportunity to learn about it...
Red Ibanez RG150 (with GK-3 and Fernandes Sustainer FSK-101)
Honey Burst Epiphone LP Standard
Black Fender Standard Strat "a la Blackie"
POD HD500
GR-55
FRFR KRK Rokit 5 Monitors

lazzo73

#15
Quote from: tekrytor on April 19, 2012, 08:17:50 PM
MIDI is the controller solution, IMO. One cable, many functions.

But unfortunately no way to use "hold" through midi!
So for me it's impossible to put it inside a rack with other devices as i did with my old gr33 and control everything by my Fcb1010. Another missing thing is the harmonizer and arpeggiator , and last but no least the big "hole" when u change a patch.....

tekrytor

#16
That HOLD cannot be assigned to anything but CTL - IS A HUGE WHOLE...IMO.
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

highlandsrock

#17
I wonder if someone can enlighten me. I'm not an electronics expert and my understanding of how the GR-55 works is limited so I'm wondering how deeply a firmware upgrade can change the unit. Is the whole device upgradable ie. can the basic PCM tones be altered or are they stored in separate, read only memory? Same for the various effects - are these completely implemented by embedded software or are there elements which live in non alterable memory?

Sorry if these seem naive questions but I'm trying to manage my expectations of just what might be possible from an upgrade.
Ibanez RG870 with GT3 internal kit +
GR-33, VG-99, GR-55, GP-10, SY-1000, Strymon Big Sky

Elantric

#18
A GR-55 Firmware update in theory would fix the known GR-55 bugs:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=4723.0

and enable several missing features.

* MIDI Thru enable / disable

* Add more routing / panning options for the COSM Models and PCM Synths.

* Add more user control flexibility, perhaps allow remapping of the existing buttons on the GR-55 for other purposes.

I do not believe they can add new PCM synth samples, as these are typically burnt into ROM. 



tekrytor

#19
Some of what we see as bugs may be  due to hardware bugs or limitations, which may or may not have solutions in firmware updates. Not all bugs can be fixed in firmware. ::)
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

polaris20

#20
I think they (Roland) really missed the boat in terms of computer connectivity. Here you have a USB cabled hardware synth, and yet there's no patch editor from them, nor a way to use it as a VSTi/AUi.

The former has been wonderfully addressed by the gentleman here on this board who's name escapes me, but the latter is an inexcusable omission on Roland's part. Imagine using the tones on the GR-55, but having your entire configuration saved with your DAW's project file settings? It could probably be done with another third party app and MIDI, but if it were all done within an AUi or VSTi by Roland, through the USB cable, it would be a whole lot cleaner.

Elantric

#21
QuoteImagine using the tones on the GR-55, but having your entire configuration saved with your DAW's project file settings? It could probably be done with another third party app and MIDI, but if it were all done within an AUi or VSTi by Roland, through the USB cable, it would be a whole lot cleaner.


Creating AU/VSTi plugins control for hardware sound generators is not within Roland Corp's lexicon.

In these matters they are still stuck and have zero motivation to create such a path for their customers.

They can not even commit the resources to create an Editor for their most popular Guitar Synth in ages (the GR-55)

Luckily we have gathered the bulk of end users here and a few of us (Gumtown) have created the necessary tools we desire.
 

Player99

#22
Gumtown is God!

polaris20

#23
Quote from: Elantric on May 07, 2012, 10:02:57 AM

Creating AU/VSTi plugins control for hardware sound generators is not within Roland Corp's lexicon.

In these matters they are still stuck and have zero motivation to create such a path for their customers.

They can not even commit the resources to create an Editor for their most popular Guitar Synth in ages (the GR-55)

Luckily we have gathered the bulk of end users here and a few of us (Gumtown) have created the necessary tools we desire.


Ah yes, Gumtown is who I was thinking of with the editor. Is he working on a plugin too?

Elantric

#24
QuoteIs he working on a [GR-55 AU/VSTi ] plugin too?

Not that I'm aware of - as that would be a brutal task given that Roland has provided zero resources for this.