GR-55 - BassMute

Started by Silas, January 19, 2017, 12:41:26 PM

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Silas

Hi. I am new here! I am having problems using GR55 and GK-3B with my bass! Too much false notes specially with PCM sounds like pianos and others.
I have tried some adjusts but has not helped too much. I think it really needs a good mute technique. Playing a normal bass is not the same as playing a bass sintetizer. I think is the same for guitar players.
I was thinking about using something to help muting the strings. Have anyone tried BassMute ?
Please have a look here: http://www.bassmute.com/
I think is a little expensive but the idea is very good because you can turn it on and off. So, in the GR55 patches where I have too much false notes I could use this muting!
Anyone have used it?
Many thanks!  ;)

gumtown

#1
I have not tried the muting thing, I also use the GR-55 and GK-3B.
A good GK set goes a long way, and proper sensitivity setup in the GR-55.
I have found the GR-55 and GK-3B/bass do not play some tones well, ones with fast/sharp attack like piano's
get very glitchy, especially on the lower strings.
String harmonics could be an issue, if they are too bright.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

bassman4d521

I've seen that bassmute over on talk bass... problem with it is that it wants to be in the same installation spot as the GK pickup so unless you're using a piezo bridge I don't see how you'd optimize the use of both.

Silas

Maybe the space between the pickup and bridge will be small for installing both BassMute and GK3-B. It depends on the bass model.
But I think in my case, it is possible to install. The BassMute should be next to the bridge and then the GK-3B near the pickup. It is Squier Jazz Bass De Luxe 5 strings!

gumtown

#4
For best results, the GK-3B pickup must be as close to the bridge as possible.
here are 3 of mine..







and my bass vi which uses the guitar GK-3 pickup


and here are pictures of many more GK-3B installs
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=3022.0

Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Silas

You can see that in the Jazz Bass models is possible to install both. Just maybe will be ugly!

bassman4d521

It may be possible but your GK performance is really going to suffer.  Perhaps a compromise mute - use a thin sponge and move the GK as close as possible with it in position.  Still - you never know if something works until you try it. 

Silas

Yes, someone would have to try and let others know! Maybe will be me! :)
But I think if the GK3-B is less than 50mm from the bridge it still would work fine!
Well, lets wait some time. Maybe someone has tried it before!

daobass

There are a few things I've found that cause false triggerings on my basses. These are my best workarounds so far, although there's still room for improvement.

1. Rest strokes. If you're playing finger-style, and play a note on the A string for example, It's common to let your finger touch, or rest on, the E string just below. That will create a false triggering. The workarounds for that are a) if/when you can, use a pick. You won't get the rest stroke false triggering at all that way; b) combine really clean right hand technique with a Gruv Gear fret wrapper at the first fret. This reduces, but won't completely eliminate false triggerings, and it won't interfere with the GK pick-up. c) If you are using a patch primarily on the upper strings, turn off any synth sounds on the lower strings. Not ideal, but it works in a lot of circumstances, and if you really want the low notes, you can lower the octave of the patch itself and play it on higher strings.

2. Sympathetic resonance from the other open strings. The bass generates a lot of overtones, so it's easy to get those unwanted open string vibrations. They will give you plenty of false triggerings. Here, the Gruv Gear fret wraps work great, as does turning off synth sounds on any strings you are not using.

3. You may want to play around with your GK pick-up sensitivity settings. If you play with a relatively heavy touch, you can lower the sensitivity settings, making it harder to trigger synth sounds. Often that will raise the threshold enough so the false-triggered notes don't get enough signal to trigger them.

4. Some of the PCM sounds do trigger really easily, especially those with a fast attack. On the upper strings that's not so bad, but more problematic on the lower strings. You can usually find a similar patch with a slower attack (or adjust attack to a slower setting) to assign to the lower strings. Again, not ideal in all situations, but often a useable workaround.

I hope this helps!

Silas

Yes, all you said makes sense! But noboby has found an ideal solution yet! :)
Also I see that the distance between the GK-3B and the strings are not the same for all strings. The GK-3B does not have a radius adjust! But the GK3 (for guitar) has this radius adjust. Why Roland has not put this adjust in GK-3B?
Or the distance can be compensate using GR55 sensibility adjust?
Any ideas?

gumtown

#10
The GK-3B has a pole width adjustment,
the 2 screws on the side of the pickup get loosened, and then they can slide left/right to match the poles with the strings (the white plastic sliding markers).
The indent in the middle of the pickup must be aligned right in the middle between the A and D strings.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Silas

These 2 screws GK-3B has is for align the poles with the strings, right? But what I mean is the distance between the pole and each string individually (height). GK3 (for guitar) looks to have it (I dont know for sure because mine is a GK-3B). But Gk-3B does not have this adjust. Would be somewhat to adjust the radius of the fretboard.

gumtown

There is no radius adjustment on the GK-3B, so you will have to fit the pickup to the average string height.
You could make some compromise with the saddle heights too.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Silas

Ok! Well, turning back to BassMute, I think no GR55 bass player has tried because of the small space between the pickup and bridge. From what I have seen the Jazz Bass would fit both. But only trying we would know how well (or bad) it works!
I will try to contact the BassMute manufacturer and ask if he knows something about GR55!

Silas

Hi. I talked with Ellio Martina (the producer of BassMute) and he asked me to send pictures of my Squier Jazz Bass DeLuxe V (5 strings) with GK-3B and he will let me know the best way to install both!
When I have more news I let you know. ;)

Silas

#15
Here are the pictures of my Squier Jazz Bass De Luxe 5 strings with the Roland  GK-3B pickup that I use with GR55 synthesizer. I sent the pictures to Ellio Martina and he will give his opinion about using both Gk-3B and BassMute!
* The pictures appears only if logged!  ???


Silas

Thanks for the advice for uploading photos! But I have been very busy and normally I dont post photos. If I see I will need this more often, them I do this. For while, people who are interested on seing the photos just log in! ;)

Ellio Martina has not replyed yet! :(

bassman4d521

#18
Based on your pictures - you have the GK pickup too far from the bridge... that by itself will cause sub-par performance.  IIRC the further you are from the saddle-point the more overtones are present which will cause tracking problems. 


GK-3B Install manual
https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/GK-3B_OM.pdf



Silas

My max distance from the GK-3B to the bridge in the photo is 39 mm. Do you think if I put the GK-3B near the bridge, will I have better results with false notes?

Silas

Ellio Martina (the manufacturer of BassMute) has not replied to my emails! :(