GR-55 - Roland GR-55 introduced at 2011 Winter NAMM

[Elantric]

http://synth.me/music-gear/namm-2011-roland-announce-new-gr-55-guitar-synthesizer

"Roland unveiled today their new GR-55 Guitar synthesizer. Standards are still intact such as GK-3 divided pickup and built in foot controls. Roland is considering the new unit to be a revolutionary fushion of synthesis and COSM Guitar Modeling, plus more goodies. Read inside for the specs.

Lightning Fast Tracking

Years of Roland research and dedication to guitar synthesis and the latest pitch detection technology makes the GR-55 far and away the fastest guitar synth ever.

The Gr-55 detects instantly pitch, velocity, and behavior for unprecedented response to your performance.

Instant Gratification

The unit features 270 Presets and 290 User Presets. No editing required. Easy to use catagories. Choose from100's of great presest from Rock to Pop, and beyond.

The EZ edit function found on previous Roland and Boss COSM units is ready and willing to help you get the right tone and shape your sound.

USB Connectivity

The GR-55 features 2 USB ports. One for Audio/MIDI, while the other serves to allow MIDI song file playback from a USB stick with the built in foot pedals to conveniently control the playback of the song.

Effects MIDI Looper

As seen before in other GR units of the past two decades the GR-55 features COSM effects and 2 types of multi effects, global reverb and chorus, delay, and a looper, plus MIDI control.







Video here:

[Macciza]

Looks like the final addition to my setup
Wonder how much and  how long till available . . .

[Elantric]

Wonder how much and  how long till available . . .

I will find out at NAMM. I'm heading there this weekend.

I suspect this has arrived as the new Roland 13 pin device for 2011, and that a VG-99 update will NOT happen this year.

it seems like a rather comprehensive piece.


Hopefully they will have a Win/Mac GR-55 Editor - and not just a dumb librarian.

seems GR-55 does:
   
Guitar to MIDI - triggering its internal sounds.
COSM Guitar Modelling - like VG-99
COSM Amp Modelling, like VG-99
Wav/Aiff  playback from a USB stick
Audio & MIDI I/O via a separate USB port to a PC/Mac, to perform with backing tracks.


I will find out if the USB audio mutes during patch changes!

[pasha811]

Thanks for letting us know!

I bought VG99 on 28 Dec 2010....
now I'm left with:

1) Buy a bottle of vodka and forget about the world
2) Live with that and go on with VG99
3) Do a bath in gasoline and light a cigarette..

- Best
- Pasha811

[Elantric]

They are apples and oranges

GR-55 is a Guitar to MIDI synth with internal sounds
It  does include a dumbed down single COSM Guitar/Amp channel. But most new Roland Gear has these too.

But there is no Editor, and not nearly the deep editing of the VG-99

[BobTheDog]

Thanks for letting us know!

I bought VG99 on 28 Dec 2010....
now I'm left with:

1) Buy a bottle of vodka and forget about the world
2) Live with that and go on with VG99
3) Do a bath in gasoline and light a cigarette..

- Best
- Pasha811

The VG99 is fantastic, there is no way that the GR-55 is going to do everything the VG99 does.

So I would go for:

4) Explore the huge possibilities offered by the VG99


Andy

[BobTheDog]

Why has my post count gone down to 1, or probably 2 now?

[Brent Flash]

Why has my post count gone down to 1, or probably 2 now?

What was your post count? I don't know a way of changing that other than posting and deleting posts. The Administrators probably can but no one else.

[mooncaine]

So I would go for:

4) Explore the huge possibilities offered by the VG99

I'd go with that, too. Be assured, you've got an awesome instrument in the VG-99 (well, hundreds of awesome instruments).

Pasha, are there certain kinds of sounds you hope to create? We can help.


--moonie

[washburn100]

I use the VG-99 exclusively in my home studio and I wouldn't part with it for anything. It does all I could ever want and more. Also, the best part is that unlike sims and plugs, there is no hit on CPU, zero latency, and all the sounds possible. I also use it a lot for VST instruments. The tracking isn't perfect, but for recording, it's nothing to edit the MIDI track.

Seems to be a real love it or hate it thing with the VG-99. On some of the recording forums, when I mention it, a lot of people slag it and prefer VST's like Amplitude and Guitar rig. I don't get it. This "software" costs hundreds of $$ and all it is is software. I hear things like with software, you can re-amp. Well with the VG-99 you can re-amp!

The other guys are the hard core purists. Gotta mic a Marshall stack and anything else is garbage. Oh well, each to their own. I'm happy with it!

[sixeight]

It's on the new Roland connect website now

http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=gr-55

Hope I beat elantric on this one 

[hausmann]

It's up on the MF website already:
$799 with a GK3, $699 without

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-GR55-Guitar-Synthesizer?sku=H70990

[Kenmac]

You would have to post this Elantric. Sheesh. Anybody want to buy a GR-33?  (Kidding.)   

[pasha811]

The VG99 is fantastic, there is no way that the GR-55 is going to do everything the VG99 does.

So I would go for:

4) Explore the huge possibilities offered by the VG99


Andy

Agree... but 1) with beer instead of Vodka would do...

[pasha811]

I'd go with that, too. Be assured, you've got an awesome instrument in the VG-99 (well, hundreds of awesome instruments).

Pasha, are there certain kinds of sounds you hope to create? We can help.


--moonie

As said it's only two weeks I got VG99, I have explored a lot of it. Simply put I fear that Roland will abandon us and that makes me a little unhappy. I was hoping for a Firmware Upgrade
but only to assess Roland commitment on VG99.
About the VG99 I am stunned. Even more that I thought. If only they would have given to GR300 the same sustain of the original...

[dayn]

I am suprised by the amount of VG-99 defense -> GR-55 skepticism. I have always wanted a VG-99 "lite"...something with only one signal path, floorboard unit, simple, retains alternate tunings, etc. but gets rid of the silly D-beam and ribbon.

This is that PLUS has all the cool synth sounds from a GR-20, all in one package, with improved tracking, for $699!!!!!

I recently sold my VG-99 as I wasn't using all the features/sounds, and I thought of getting out of VG altogether. Now I am thinking of getting this to play with my GK-uke.

This is brilliant!

[mooncaine]

I don't see any mention of it doing alternate tunings.

[dayn]

The video shows him doing a "drop D" tuning, which at least implies it has some alternate tuning function.

Also, a built-in 20-second looper.

VERY diverse box!

[mooncaine]

Good point. At least it implies that the unit can handle it when he retunes his guitar to drop-D.

20-sec looper sounds very cool.

It looks like a solidly built metal box, too.

And the blue color nicely reminds some of the famous GR-300, I think.

[Elantric]

I do Hope they provided the GR-55's Outputs to be a mix of COSM Guitar, MIDI triggered sound Engine, Normal Mag pickup, and Stereo  External VST hosted Sims (via USB Audio to a DAW as VST Host)  to have independent control, and why not pitch bend?, under external MIDI Command control !



If they have a Win/Mac GUI Control interface and a robust MIDI Control Protocol, then I'm in!

[dayn]

I have read everything and looked at all the videos (3 independent from NAMM and 2 on the roland  us website under product - GR-55).

Still not 100% sure about alternate tunings (which is important to me).



I checked, and no manual released on the roland us website yet.

[LinzHenderson]

I am suprised by the amount of VG-99 defense -> GR-55 skepticism. I have always wanted a VG-99 "lite"...something with only one signal path, floorboard unit, simple, retains alternate tunings, etc. but gets rid of the silly D-beam and ribbon.

This is that PLUS has all the cool synth sounds from a GR-20, all in one package, with improved tracking, for $699!!!!!

I recently sold my VG-99 as I wasn't using all the features/sounds, and I thought of getting out of VG altogether. Now I am thinking of getting this to play with my GK-uke.

This is brilliant!

I was kind of in the same boat as you.  I sold my VG-99 last year as it just did a little more than I needed and I really wanted to go down the valve route.  I'm happy I did but there are times I'd like to have a COSM guitar model so I'd hoped that Roland would come up with something like this.  (The D-Beam was kind of fun though!)

If the VG-99 had an effects loop I'd have kept it but, for the money, I can add the GR-55 to my valve setup and get all the benefits I wanted originally.  Plus, I'll have a floor-based unit for smaller gigs and (hopefully) better MIDI tracking for songwriting.

I was a bit disappointed at first as it seemed they'd left out alternate tunings - just like they did with the old VGA-3.  However, the live 'on-stage' demo from NAMM shows Robert Marcello using a Tele model, tuned to Open G with the low E removed for a Keith Richards sound.

So it looks like I'll go GR-55 into Line 6 M13 with my Blackstar HT-Dual in the loop then onto either my Blackstar HT 20 or Laney keyboard amp.  It'll cover all the bases I need at last!

[mostlyjazzer]

Also, you lose all D-Beam, Ribbon control. It's strictly a floor unit. I donno about you guys but, I haven't explore the full potential of my VG-99 as of yet. I also have a GR-20 and if I  get to order that  dual 13 pin -2 input A/B thingy, then I'll have ( with the use of a mixer or mixer amp like my Traynor keyboard amp) the means to express at least 3 voices simultaneously.   My 2 cents. (oh havent even talked about tapping in soft synths.

[dayn]

Also, you lose all D-Beam, Ribbon control.

Sweet!

[dreambig33]

ITs got no XLR outputs which is a bit of a bummer. Im guessing 1500 bucks in Aus.

Andrew