GR-55 - Any word on a new update this year?

Started by curteye, March 10, 2015, 04:28:05 PM

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curteye

Aloha guys,

Very very very happy with my '55 but it has been awhile
since the last update.

So I am now wondering what update/grade plans
Roland might have in store for us in the near future.

Good Luck!
{'-'}
If yer gear ain't breakin' down, you ain't workin' much.

Elantric

#1
Never going to happen

Remember while other company's like Kemper, or AX-FX, or Line 6, often release frequent Firmware updates four times a year,  Roland is NOT AT ALL like that - Firmware updates from Roland are rare events.     

The word I heard from Roland US when I asked about the future of the GR-55 at 2014 Winter NAMM, the response was :

Quote"The Roland GR-55 is all done after FW1.50 was released in 2012 - no further Firmware updates are necessary and are not expected in the future from Roland Japan !"




Be sure you are on latest  GR-55 FW1.50 here: 
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=6423.msg44055#msg44055

aliensporebomb

Yep.  Even the pricier VG-99 had only a few updates and then BANG nothing.  Luckily, there's a lot you can do with the existing hardware.  Program the heck out of that box.  Think out of the box!
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

JolietJake

Roland generally don't add any new features to their products via firmware (after all they do want to sell the next, better product).
As long as there isn't any major bugs they tend to just let it go.

To be fair how many companies constantly release firmware to fix one problem and cause 2 more serious ones (to cries of derision from their customers).

Deus02

#4
Quote from: Colin on March 11, 2015, 02:10:42 AM
Roland generally don't add any new features to their products via firmware (after all they do want to sell the next, better product).
As long as there isn't any major bugs they tend to just let it go.

To be fair how many companies constantly release firmware to fix one problem and cause 2 more serious ones (to cries of derision from their customers).

I would tend to agree with your assessment.  As a point of personal observation, it seems to me, unlike most of the other similar companies, in cases like this in particular, Roland tends to introduce a major product, at the outset, put everything in to it they believe will impress the intended customer and of, course, if it is successful in the marketplace and unless there is an obvious bug that develops which might require a firmware update,  tend to stick with it for awhile and the GR55 seems to be no exception.  Of course, they added the extra presets and a few operational improvements along the way with the 1.50 firmware update but, that was it.  The GP10 seems to be an offshoot of the GR55 but since its synth capacity is limited, it is not really any form of "successor" to the latter.  With that in mind, one product that they surprisingly continue to promote and I assume still manufacture, is the "BOSS Dr 880" drum/bass machine that was introduced back in 2004 which in this day of "hi tech" is a lifetime, yet, even by today's standards and despite its dated guitar modeling, it does its job pretty well.  There may be other equipment available that I haven't seen yet, but, I have owned a Dr.880 for two or three years now and I really couldn"t find much else available that could do what it does, especially for the money. 

Biggredd

So I'm trying to find the answer and can't seem to. Since this has now been out almost 4 years is there a successor to the 55 coming soon? Or is this going to be the flagship for the foreseeable future. I'm going to purchase mine soon unless there is a reason to hold out for a new and improved model. 

Elantric

#6
Many consider the GR-55 as the successor to the 2005 GR-20
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan05/articles/rolandgr20.htm

and the Boss GP-10 just arrived last year in 2014

I doubt we will see another 13 pin processor from Roland until 2017
in this era, Roland will not risk creating a new GK product that is considered too high cost ( like VG-99 at $1400+ $500 for the foot pedal = $1900)
Dumbed down world = dumbed down products at lower cost that sell - and nothing currently shipping Id consider in the "flagship" class  - just lots of dingys and tugboats

Litesnsirens

I ran into the district Roland Rep at one of my local music shops recently.  He was talking with the staff about some other new products while I was also chatting with them.  So I said, I have a Roland question, and proceeded to ask about a new GR-55 type product.  He said "it's already out", to which I replied "I already own the GP-10 that's not what I'm talking about".  He said that they aren't really looking to the more expensive products in that line.  I pointed out that there needs to be something, and that if they don't make anything new in that line, I won't have anything to spend my money on.  There is a whole community of players who, if you make what they need, they will buy it.  It's my opinion that the GR-55 was not overly expensive considering what it can do and with the price of computer chips and memory nowadays they should be able to come in at the same market price but increase functionality.  I don't need much more from this device but there are a few things that would be nice to have. 

Jim Williams

There are so many smart guys here maybe some could hack the firmware. then the users could customize their own features. I just think software is software and most of us would like to learn how.
Skype: (upon Request)

Everything from modeling to the real deal, my house looks like a music store.

Elantric

#9
This matches the info I'm hearing in my circles

I ran into the district Roland Rep at one of my local music shops recently.  He was talking with the staff about some other new products while I was also chatting with them.  So I said, I have a Roland question, and proceeded to ask about a new GR-55 type product


Roland Rep said:

"It's already out [ Boss GP-10]"

to which I replied "I already own the GP-10 that's not what I'm talking about". 

Roland Rep said that :

"[Roland] isn't really looking to [add] the more expensive products in the [GK 13 pin product] line."


EDIT: see the new Boss SY-300:

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=14600.0

Matteo Barducci

--

---> Matteo Barducci

Elantric

#11
thanks Matbard!

more here
Boss SY-300
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=14460.msg103567;topicseen#msg103567

But Boss SY-300 is not a substitute or replacement for the GR-55

Kitko

Not updating the software is the old-school thinking.

There was a paradigm shift triggered by Apple when they started updating their OSX every year (eventually for free), and then with iOS.

Suddenly, everybody jump on the bandwagon and now customers DO expect regular updates.

It may take a while for that attitude to trickle down to music hardware manufacturers, especially when it comes to the gear as specific as a guitar synth.

But unless the traditional gear makers want to put themselves out of business, they will have to adopt the IT industry attitude.

Let's face it, with so much computing power and software development tools available to so many users, it's a question of time before somebody out-Rolands Roland if they don't adapt.

With one caveat - there must be a large market for what is now a niche guitar-synth product.
Boss SY-1000
Roland VG-99
Boss RC-600
Roland FC-300
Ibanez RGA 7 with GK3
Ibanez RGA 72QM with GK3 kit
Ibanez RGA 121 Prestige JD Craft

Kevin M

Not sure that's an apples to apples (pun intended) comparison. For example, Apple doesn't keep creating firmware updates for their older computer systems. Remember, the GR55 is hardware, and several years old at that.

Litesnsirens

Pass on the SY-300... cool toy but ...
(Imagine in the voice of sting)

I want my...
I want my...
I want my 13 pin...

Autana

Quote from: Jim Williams on April 09, 2015, 06:15:52 AM
There are so many smart guys here maybe some could hack the firmware. then the users could customize their own features. I just think software is software and most of us would like to learn how.

Sorry if  awaked this sleepy topic, or if has already been discussed, but this quote from Jim draws my attention, especially considering the almost no possibility at this point Roland announces a new firmware for the GR-55.
Then lucubrating, maybe  could be created a collect fund based on individual contributions where each of us who wanted to exploit the maximum potential of our GR-55, would make a donation to reward and support the work of someone qualified to hack the firmware. I know it sounds a bit crazy or naive thought, but at least I would not think twice to enroll in the list! 

GR-55, GP-10, GI-20, Godin xtSA, GodinNylon MultiAc, Giannini classical, 3 GK-3'd gtrs, Cube 80XL, Primova GKFX-21 (x2)

Fear just pulls you out of being true to music, which is coming from a place of love. Love is the opposite of fear. I stay away from anything fear-related.
- Tal Wilkenfeld -

gumtown

The firmware of the GR-55 is extremely complicated, to reverse engineer it would take many 1000's of hours and get it wrong once and your GR-55 is bricked forever.

Who wants to volunteer their GR-55 to the cause first?
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

gumtown

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

Autana

#18
Quote from: gumtown on November 25, 2015, 11:33:54 PM
Forgot the add the evil scientist laugh...


Hahaha yes gumtown, we could use the fund money to organize a group of command, get into Roland central brain and it would be more feasible .  I fully agree with you and expected an answer like that, but lucubrate is free :)

Firmware hack go as unlikely as Roland designate your amazing Floorboard as official GR-55 editor, giving all the credit you deserve, but without much thought, it is much more worth your effort to create Floorboard than any firmware missing.

Anyway the labor of Roland mom have to be recognized ... "and blessed is the fruit of her womb" 
..I think there is a matter of the culture behind of nippon's corporations .
GR-55, GP-10, GI-20, Godin xtSA, GodinNylon MultiAc, Giannini classical, 3 GK-3'd gtrs, Cube 80XL, Primova GKFX-21 (x2)

Fear just pulls you out of being true to music, which is coming from a place of love. Love is the opposite of fear. I stay away from anything fear-related.
- Tal Wilkenfeld -

Litesnsirens

I think a bigger problem, even if we could hack the firmware, would be for us to all agree on what we would want in the hack.  And then, can the hardware support the firmware.  VG-99 and GP-10 both have smart harmony function, and both can do 12 string and Alt tuning at the same time.   So why not have these features in the GR-55, perhaps the processors can't support it.  Keeping in mind that the GP-10 came out well after the GR-55 I'm sure they were able to outfit it with a much higher spec'd processor at a lower price, allowing them to add these features without any compromise to the over all performance.   Perhaps, it has something to do with the fact that neither the VG-99 nor the GP-10 need to allocate any resources to triggering PCM tones. 

These are two fairly minor features that would fill some huge voids for me on the GR-55 but I'm sure they would be way down on the list for other users.  If you see the lists that have been compiled on this forum of "love to see this on GR-55" they are vast and imaginative and all equally deserving of attention. 

I'm happy enough with my GR-55 there's nothing else out there that I would consider using, so I'm just hopeful that Roland will come out with another flagship product in this line.  I don't know how much or if at all the processing speed of the GR-55 affects the latency in triggering PCM tones but if they could tighten that up along with the above features and a few other of the great ideas that have been batted around on this forum, I think I would be done.  3 and a half years is some kind of record for me in regards to not even feeling the need to look for something new to use live, and I'm still not even looking just wishing the GR-55 was just a little more capable.

Elantric

QuoteGR-55 - Any word on a new update this year?

Never going to happen

gumtown

If you follow the previous trends of GR releases,
the GR-20 was 2004,
the GR-55 was 2011,
with a 7 year period, I guess not at least until 2018 will we see a new GR synth.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

Deus02

Quote from: gumtown on January 07, 2016, 03:59:46 PM
If you follow the previous trends of GR releases,
the GR-20 was 2004,
the GR-55 was 2011,
with a 7 year period, I guess not at least until 2018 will we see a new GR synth.

You never really know.  The Dr 880 was introduced in 2004 and it seems you can still buy it.  I have owned one for a a couple of years now and considering its capabilities, even today I haven't really found anything else that can better it that much, if at all, especially for the money. 

HCarlH

The only updates I could see happening are fixing the noise in the Guitar Out jack (a possibility) and completely redoing COSM from scratch to get better sounding amps (which will never happen).
GR-55 (or) Fishman TP + Kemper Profiling Rack -->> 
QSC K10 -->> FOH
Fender Squier Stratocaster Bullet (w/GK3), Ibanez AM93 (w/FTP pickup),  Stratocaster (w/FTP pickup)

Telecaster, Charvel SoCal ProMod, Gibson Les Paul, PV Wolfgang,

Autana

Quote from: hcarlh on January 10, 2016, 10:00:33 PM
The only updates I could see happening are fixing the noise in the Guitar Out jack (a possibility) and completely redoing COSM from scratch to get better sounding amps (which will never happen).

Yes, and I would add a crucial fix from a strict realtime and practical sense, zero gap time between patchs change. improbable too I guess.
GR-55, GP-10, GI-20, Godin xtSA, GodinNylon MultiAc, Giannini classical, 3 GK-3'd gtrs, Cube 80XL, Primova GKFX-21 (x2)

Fear just pulls you out of being true to music, which is coming from a place of love. Love is the opposite of fear. I stay away from anything fear-related.
- Tal Wilkenfeld -