EMusician Mag - Roland VG-88 Review - Jeff Burger ( Nov. 2000)

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http://www.emusician.com/gear/1332/roland-vg-88/31850



ROLAND VG-88
BY  JEFF BURGER

November 1, 2000
Roland offers an entire guitar shop in a box.

Several months ago, I set out in search of the perfect guitar - one that can handle everything from funk to metal, jazz to Texas rock. After thrashing through a zillion permutations (and people's opinions) of pickups, wood, electronics, craftsmanship, and other sonic signifiers, I ultimately came to the same conclusion that many guitarists do: serious players use multiple guitars for a reason.

Then I remembered Roland's Virtual Guitar modeling technology and its latest incarnation, the VG-88. Within a single device, I found most of the guitars I'd been looking for - and more.

SETTING THE STAGEModeling has become a technology to be reckoned with in terms of emulating existing instruments and gear. The general idea is that engineers analyze how these devices make sound under various circumstances and re-create those characteristics with digital signal processing (DSP). Guitarists are probably most familiar with modeling devices such as the Line 6 Pod and Tech 21 Sans Amp. These devices emulate classic amps, such as Fender Twin Reverbs, Marshall stacks, and Mesa Boogies, and they're no larger or more costly than a modest pedalboard. However, these devices model only the amp and effects, leaving you with the basic sound of your guitar.

One of the big buzzes at the 1995 Winter NAMM show was Roland's VG-8 guitar-modeling system. A Roland product specialist demonstrated an incredible variety of great guitar sounds using a guitar with no conventional pickups. At the same time, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter blew people away with guitar and amp emulations, as well as the system's expressive response to picking technique, harmonics, and the tremolo bar. I heard Hendrix, Page, and Clapton, all from a single guitar equipped with nothing more than a Roland GK-2A divided pickup and a VG-8. During the next few years, Roland added a few more bells and whistles to create the VG-8EX.

GUITAR COSM-OLOGYThe Roland pickup's sole mission in life is to filter each string's signal into a much less complex waveform and send it into the modeling system. Theoretically, it doesn't matter if the strings and pickup are mounted on a luxury guitar or a piece of plywood; however, the natural sustain of the hardware will affect the overall envelope of the sound.

The pickup's signal passes through a sophisticated set of DSP algorithms called Composite Object Sound Modeling (COSM). These algorithms combine electronic modeling (tubes and transistors), magnetic modeling (pickups, transformers, and speakers), and physical modeling (wood and metal) to emulate everything between the pick and the listener. The Harmonic Remodeling Synthesis (HRS) feature generates synthesizer-type sounds as well. Throw in polyphonic pitch shifting, and you can instantly retune to anything you want without touching a tuning peg!

With all this power and flexibility, why hasn't every guitarist immediately jumped on the bandwagon? For one thing, the concept was so foreign when it was introduced that some people simply assumed it was another typical MIDI guitar. Equally foreign was the idea of screwing an additional pickup onto a guitar. Moreover, playing an amplified electric guitar is a visceral and subjective analog experience, and digital technology doesn't suit everybody or every application. Finally, the $1,995 price tag for the VG-8EX was a bit steep.

Enter the VG-88. Its appearance resembles the previous generation's look and functionality, but with significantly redesigned technology. It offers better sound and a significantly lower price tag than the VG-8EX.

Roland avoids revealing the VG-8EX's digital audio specs, but it probably falls somewhere between 12- and 16-bit resolution with a 32 kHz sampling rate. However, the company proudly states these specs for the VG-88: 24-bit A/D and 20-bit D/A at 44.1 kHz. This means better tone quality, more effects, and improved dynamic response to touch. In addition, there's enough DSP power to process the output of your guitar through the effects and amp-modeling section while simultaneously generating a virtual guitar from the divided-pickup signal. However, VG-8 and VG-8EX owners will have to leave their old Patches behind; the VG-88's architecture differs considerably from the original units.

IT'S A SETUPThe biggest challenge with the VG-88 is having to attach a Roland GK-2A divided pickup to your acoustic steel-string or electric guitar. (Other compatible pickups include the Axon AX-101 and Yamaha G1D.) You can also use electric, acoustic steel-string, and nylon-string guitars with divided piezo bridges.

If you choose to install a divided pickup, you'll need enough space to put it about 91/416 of an inch from the guitar's bridge. They all come with double-sided tape for temporarily affixing the pickup to your guitar, which lets you test it before drilling holes into the instrument. You'll need the included screws and springs to permanently install and adjust the pickup. In theory, mere mortals can do this, but enlisting a technician might help your peace of mind.

The pickup connects to a control box with a 9-inch cable, and you must mount the control box on your guitar's face. Another short cable routes the guitar's native 11/44-inch output to the controller as well. A three-way switch lets you select the output of the native pickups, the divided pickup, or both, and sends the signal to the VG-88 through a provided multipin cable. A volume control and two programmable switches can be used for functions such as incrementing and decrementing Patches (see Fig. 1).

If drilling holes in Old Faithful isn't your cup of tea, Godin and Fender make guitars with suitable built-in pickups and controls. I didn't have the opportunity to try one, but the Godins are beautiful instruments with a lot of handmade touches. For this review, I used the more affordable Roland-Ready Fender Standard Strat (with a built-in GK-2A.)

A 13-pin, 16-foot cable connects the control box to the rear of the VG-88. There's no need for a 11/44-inch cable from the guitar. If you want to externally process the native guitar signal, you can use the Guitar Out jack on the back of the VG-88 to pass the unprocessed guitar signal. A Guitar In jack lets you run other guitars through the unit's effects and amp modeling (see Fig. 2). Stereo outputs pass the VG-88's signal. There's also a rear-panel headphone jack. MIDI In and Out jacks allow System Exclusive transfers, the sending and receiving of Continuous Controller messages, remote Patch changes, and reception of MIDI Clock (more on that in a moment). A 11/44-inch jack lets you connect an additional expression pedal or up to two footswitches (with an insert cable).

The final setup stage uses the built-in calibration screen to adjust each string's pickup sensitivity. This is not difficult, and you only have to do this once unless you radically alter your guitar. The unit can store multiple setups so you can use more than one guitar in a set or session without needing to recalibrate.

PLAYTIMEOnce you've set up the VG-88, getting started is no more difficult than it is with a multi-effects box. A dedicated front-panel switch lets you optimize the output signal for a guitar amp, headphones, or sound system by selecting whether to bypass the unit's amp and/or cabinet models. This lets you add the coloration of your external amp, or leave your it at home and play directly into the sound system, cutting down on your chiropractor bills. If you choose to play through a guitar amp, use a channel without overdrive or distortion engaged.

VG-88 Patches comprise models of a guitar body, pickups, effects, amp head, speaker cabinet, and mic placement. The unit offers a total of 260 Patch locations: 160 Presets and 100 user Patches. The VG-88 lacks the memory-card slot found on the VG-8, so it's good to know that the VG-88 sends and receives System Exclusive to ease offline storage.

The Patches are organized into banks of four. Bank numbers appear in a large 2-character LED display, and Patch numbers and names (up to 8 characters) appear in a multipurpose backlit LCD.

Four footswitches along the top front of the unit select a Patch within the current bank. The two pedals that increment and decrement the bank number are mounted toward the center of the unit, making a balancing act necessary to engage them. A programmable footswitch engages various effects, and a programmable expression pedal on the far right controls parameters such as volume, wah, and pitch.

HENDRIX, BECK, AND SRVThe VG-88 has fewer signature-artist sounds than its predecessors, but there are still plenty of these sounds in the factory presets. ST Wing provides a clean, Hendrix-style Stratocaster, and JB Lead captures Jeff Beck's authoritative sound very nicely. Crunch TL conjures up a Tele reminiscent of early Pretenders, and Texas ST packs all the clear punch you'd expect from a Lone Star Strat through a Twin. OD Stack boasts incredible distortion and sustain while maintaining the clarity of the individual notes. It's great fun playing with alternate tunings, such as the Dobro-like Body E.

Considering the VG-88's depth of control, Roland made editing pretty straightforward. Dedicated buttons access the major functions, such as guitar modeling, amp modeling, and effects. The icon-based LCD interface and six associated function keys make for easy system navigation. Add four cursor-navigation buttons, page keys, and a value wheel, and you have everything necessary to edit the Patches and system.

Pressing the VG-88's EZ Edit button proves to be the fastest way to modify a sound. Simply select an algorithm type (such as Clean, Crunch, Drive, Lead, Wah, or Acoustic Guitar), then choose one of five simultaneously displayed parameters (Drive, Tone, Color, Mod, Delay) and dial in the desired setting. Store the Patch if you like, and you're done.

PICK A GUITAR, ANY GUITARThe COSM Guitar section lets you build and edit instruments with great detail. A total of 19 algorithms model different types of instruments, and each one has several pages of parameters. The parameters available to each algorithm vary, but all include EQ, Pan, and Mixer sections. The EQ section offers fixed-frequency high and low boost/cut controls, and fully parametric low and high mids. In the Pan section, you can place each string in the stereo field for a very full sound. The Mixer controls the output level of the COSM sound and adjusts the balance and polarity relative to the guitar's native pickups.

A brief disclaimer: Roland and many other companies that model classic gear do not overtly refer to gear by name so as to avoid legal complications. Because I'm not selling anything, I'll sometimes make more direct references.

Of the 19 algorithms, the most complex is the Vari Guitar, where models of classic electric guitars reside (see Fig. 3). Most mimic vintage or reissue instruments, including Les Paul, Classic Strat (with passive electronics), Modern Strat (active electronics), Telecaster, P-90 (single-coil Soapbar pickups), Lipstick, PAF (vintage humbuckers), Rickenbacker, Chet Atkins (humbuckers on hollow-body), and a modern S-S-H (two single-coil pickups and a humbucker). Within these models, you can engage one or two pickups and specify individual volume and tone. The tone controls do offer a mellower sound, but they don't completely roll off the highs like real tone controls do.

LEX LUTHIERThere's also a complete roll-your-own pickup model available. You can choose front and rear pickup types, including Single, Double, Acoustic, Piezo, and Mic. You can also specify phase, position relative to the bridge (even partway up the neck), and angle for both front and rear. You can't emulate custom wiring (such as seven-way Strat switching), designer pickups, or hot-rod electronics. The Single and Double models sound convincing enough, and the Acoustic and Piezo models fare reasonably well.

Elantric


The Vari Guitar algorithm also has a pitch-shift section that produces a second pitch for each string (ñ2 octaves). Each string has level controls for the direct sound and the additional pitch. Other controls depend on whether the pitch shifter is in Shift or Harmony mode. Shift mode provides coarse and fine tuning for the absolute pitch of each string. This combination of controls allows for capo, 12-string, otherwise impossible tunings, and even a combination of all three. Harmony mode lets you specify an interval from each string's native pitch and the overall key for the Patch. The VG-88 then generates the appropriate harmonies for the selected key while you play - very cool for certain applications, such as dual guitar leads from a single instrument.

As with most real-time pitch shifting, the best results stem from remaining close to the base pitch. Adjusting the tuning by a few steps works pretty well. An octave down passes for a nondescript bass, and an octave up works reasonably well for simulating a 12-string when blended with original string's pitch. However, I noticed that the tracking lags and glides and the sound becomes grainier when shifting the pitch by an octave or more.

The Vari Guitar algorithm also lets you specify the instrument body. Presets include Flat (a flattop acoustic), Round (with a round-bowl back), F Hole, Metal (metal-bodied resonator guitar), Banjo, and Solid. You control attack, balance between the straight and resonant sounds, low cut, size, resonance and low-frequency volume.

Other algorithms provide shortcuts to particular guitars. The Acoustic algorithm simulates an acoustic guitar with a choice of body controls as well as piezo pickup or mic. The Piezo setting emulates its namesake well, a sound that recently found popularity in the new-age-meets-light-jazz genre. On the other hand, the unconvincing Mic setting sounds more like a wimpy pickup.

The same holds true for the Nylon Strings algorithm. Despite the characteristic round punch and short decay, the sound is not truly acoustic - it resembles a nylon string guitar with a piezo pickup, at best. While useful, the 12-string algorithms lack the full jangle and twang of the real thing, a result of having only a global Detune control rather than individual fine tuning. Unfortunately, the Acoustic, Nylon, and 12-String algorithms do not offer user-definable alternate tunings.

The Open Tune algorithms provide easy access to commonly used tunings without bogging you down in all the settings of Vari Guitar. Changing between preprogrammed tunings at the drop of a hat is extremely cool; it's a godsend in live performance. However, these algorithms are not available for the Acoustic, Nylon, and 12-String models.

The Pedal Shift algorithm lets you bend notes with the expression pedal. You set a Master Shift interval, then select the strings it affects. It seems limiting to have a single pitch-shift range for all strings, but with the Pedal Assign parameters, you specify each string's pitch-shift range. It isn't exactly the formula for instant Buddy Emmons or Adrian Legg, but this algorithm certainly suggests these musical directions.

The VG-88 has four polyphonic algorithms in which each string is processed independently to avoid interstring modulation, with the general idea being that these provide greater clarity. For example, Poly Dist produces serious distortion while still retaining the character of the individual notes. Poly Comp provides independent compression for each string, letting you sustain single notes while preventing the volume from decreasing when you play chords. Poly Oct allows simultaneous blending of subharmonics one and two octaves down. The Bowed algorithm yields a volume fade-in effect.

BEYOND GUITARSThe remaining algorithms use a technology that Roland used to call Harmonic Restructure Modeling (HRM). Now, the company simply refers to the algorithms as additional instruments. The sounds include bowed strings, filter bass, pipe, pulse-width modulation, a crystalline bell, organ, and brass. The VG-88 lacks a few of the VG-8EX's HRM instruments, most notably the very rich and warm VIO-Guitar algorithm.

These instruments bring MIDI guitars and synthesizers to mind, but the technology and sounds remain significantly different. MIDI guitars analyze pitches and translate them into Note On and Off messages that trigger a MIDI sound generator. This process results in the tracking delays commonly associated with MIDI guitars. A real-time signal processor, the VG-88 has no tracking delays.

Best considered as by-products of the guitar-modeling process, the HRM instruments won't seriously contend for the guitar-synth crown. The various instruments have different sets of associated controls, but with extremely limited parameters. For example, these algorithms don't offer selectable waveforms, pitch, and other parameters normally associated with oscillators. Similarly, the envelopes are primarily those of the guitar string. Most of these instruments sound like pretty wimpy single-oscillator synths. For example, the new Brass algorithm has only Cutoff, Resonance, and Touch Sensitivity parameters. The Organ instrument offers volume control over 16-, 8-, and 4-foot stops, but there are no other parameters to speak of.

The VG-88's built-in effects section can certainly liven up these sounds, but there's only so far you can go. They might be novel for guitarists, but these synthlike instruments sound pretty plain by today's synthesizer standards. They can add to your overall sonic palette, but only as icing on the cake. If you're serious about guitar synthesis, look elsewhere. You can drive the VG-88 and an outboard MIDI guitar converter from the same pickup with Roland's optional US-20 Unit Selector ($195).

AMP CITYThe VG-88's amp algorithms are very respectable. Amp emulations include the Roland JC-120, Fender Twin, Matchless (drive), Vox AC-30, Mesa Boogie (lead), 1959 Marshall (input I, input II, or both in parallel), Marshall Combo, Marshall Bluesbreaker, Marshall Plexi, Soldano SLO100, and Peavey 5150, as well as nondescript crunch, blues, and acoustic-guitar preamp settings. The controls throughout are pretty much what you would find on the real thing.

You can also mix and match the heads and cabinets. In addition, you can place a modeled microphone in front of the cabinet at various distances, and you can position the mic vertically from the center of the cabinet down to the floor (lower positions reduce brightness). A balance control lets you mix the direct head signal with the speaker output.

I haven't tried all the real-world equivalents, but I was impressed with the range of tone quality this collection and their controls offer. Moreover, the sounds are fairly clean compared with other amp models, which yield a bit too much noise.

EFFECTIVE EFFECTSThe VG-88 has more built-in effects than its predecessor. They include a compressor/limiter, wah, EQ, delay, modulation, chorus, reverb, and noise suppression, all of which are available simultaneously. Primarily derived from the Boss GT line of effects, most have their own volume control, making it easier to adjust the composite results.

You can arrange the effects (along with the amp model and foot volume control) in just about any order. The native pickup's input always goes into the head of the chain, but you can input the signal from the GK pickup just about anywhere - a very flexible feature. Unfortunately, you can't process the native and GK pickup signals completely differently; for example, it's not possible to run native pickups through a crunchy, modeled amp while having a clean, modeled piezo.

The compressor/limiter is straightforward to use, and it's passable for most applications, but it gets rather noisy on long sustains. A separate noise-suppression section is designed specifically to reduce pickup hum. This works well; I haven't noticed any noise from the GK pickup. The EQ section has the same 4-stage setup found in the COSM guitar parameters, but it's nice to be able to insert it anywhere in the chain.

The wah section can be set for either pedal or automatic control. In Pedal mode, you can adjust the center frequency, but not the filter type or resonance amount. (It sounds like a lowpass filter, although this is not specified.) Auto mode yields an old Mutron-type effect or a continuously modulated wah. Parameters include lowpass/bandpass, sensitivity, frequency, peak width, rate, and depth.

An extensive modulation effect offers standards such as flanger, phaser, tremolo, autopanning, and vibrato. There are also some interesting pitch effects. Harmonist picks up where the Vari Guitar's pitch-shifter leaves off by generating up to two additional harmonies within a user-defined key. The P. Shifter effect generates one or more iterations of the performed pitches at successive intervals. For example, if you have it set for a fourth up and four iterations, you'll get a progression of four successive fourths. Harmonist and P. Shifter can even be combined with Vari Guitar's pitch-shifter for some fairly avant-garde sounds!

The modulation section also has a delay effect with up to 1,800 ms of delay time as well as feedback and high cut (which simulates older analog delays). You can get a two-tap delay effect by dialing in a percentage of the set delay time to be applied to one channel. This section also has a unique 252 Chorus effect that uses a crossover to divide the signal into two different frequency ranges with separate chorus settings.

Although it is not well-documented in the manual, the VG-88 recognizes (but does not send) MIDI Clock for locking tempo-based effects to sequencers and other clock-driven devices. You can also use tap tempo.

Distinct from the modulation section is a dedicated, stereo chorus effect. As you might expect from Roland's history in the field, this chorus sounds great. There's also a reverb section, including Bright Room, Warm Room, Bright Hall, Warm Hall, and Plate. Controls include reverb times up to 10 seconds, predelay up to 100 ms, low cut, high cut, and density. The sound of the chorus and reverb are at least as good as you'll find in any other guitar effects, and it rivals some dedicated units. The VG-88's collection of effects provides just about everything you need, short of specialty items.

GROUND CONTROLThe VG-88 lets you control almost any of the unit's parameters in real time. The expression pedal, Ctrl switch, auxiliary pedal, and auxiliary switch provide lots of foot-based control, and you can program the guitar's GK volume knob and S1/S2 switches to affect most parameters, including switching between models for rhythm and lead. MIDI Control Changes 1 through 95 are also valid modulation sources, which lets you sequence parameter changes while performing or modulating external effect processors. Eight generic assignments let you modulate multiple parameters from a single controller, such as the expression pedal. You can also limit most of the parameters with minimum and maximum values.

You can set the switches to respond as momentary or toggles for some interesting performance effects. These performance options will have you exploring new possibilities for a long time.

The VG-88 also offers global settings for adjusting the lows, highs, noise-suppressor threshold, and reverb level across all Patches. This is great for tours where you are playing a series of rooms with different acoustic characteristics. The unit also sports a built-in tuner with auto mute.

Speaking of performance, the VG-88 offers no form of program chaining or direct jumping between programs in different banks. This means you must use the Exchange function to relocate Patches to certain banks so you can easily switch them within and between songs. However, the unit responds to Bank Select and Program Change messages sent from an external MIDI device, and the programmable real-time controls make it possible to change from a rhythm to a lead sound without changing Patches.

ONE WITH EVERYTHINGAn amazing piece of technology, the Roland VG-88 provides an incredible amount of flexibility in a very intuitive manner. All I needed to do was refer to the manual to understand even the deepest editing parameters. More referential than instructional, however, the manual could be better organized and more thorough.

Let's be clear - the VG-88 won't suit everyone or every application. The guitarists I showed it to unanimously agreed that they would welcome the unit in the studio for its flexibility and recording ease. Beyond that, it comes down to how much of an analog purist you are and how attached you are to that piece of wood you've been playing for so many years. As a worst-case scenario, purists can simply think of it as another effect to expand their rig's sound palette.

I used the VG-88 on two songs with excellent results; on one song, I used it for three stereo tracks: a crunchy but distinguishable Strat-and-Soldano combination, a piezo 12-string, and a barking Tele with an AC30. I even used an octave-down Patch for the bass line. The results elicited pointed comments from players about how good the guitars sound.

This single unit can't possibly reproduce every custom or vintage axe and rig out there. On average, its emulations are probably about 80 percent realistic (some Patches more, some less) when compared directly with the real thing. However, the real thing involves $50,000 or more worth of vintage guitars, amps, effects, and microphones (not to mention the sonic space to crank it in and the physical means to store and haul it all). Having a damn good replica of most anything you could want - along with a slew of new possibilities for a street price of about $1,300 (including a GK-2A divided pickup) - is a real bargain in my book.
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Elantric

SOS VG-88 Review by John Walden (currently doing the IOS MusicBlog)
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec00/articles/rolandvg88.asp

Ever imagined what a guitar with a resonator body would sound like with a humbucking pickup and a capo at the 12th fret, played through a Marshall stack? John Walden creates just such a virtual instrument, with the help of Roland's VG88 V-Guitar System.

Time was when your average male guitarist would turn to publications of rather a different sort to SOS if he was interested in 'modelling'. More recently the word has been used in a very different sense, and digital models of amplifier and speaker technology are an established part of many modern guitarists' lives. Roland and their Boss offshoot have been significant players in the development of this approach; indeed, perhaps one of the most innovative products to appear at the start of the modelling trend, the VG8 'Virtual Guitar' (reviewed SOS May 1995), was made by Roland.

Not only did the VG8 attempt to model various amplifier and speaker combinations but, because it took its input signal from Roland's GK2A split pickup, it could model every stage of the sound-production chain. From pickup, through guitar-body style and amp/speaker combination to digital effects, all were modelled. And while the VG8 was perhaps not a true guitar synth, it did offer some very non-guitar-type sounds.
ROLAND VG88 £899
pros
   Excellent range of electric guitar tones available.
   Good acoustic, 12-string and synth sounds to boot!
   Editing a breeze (if a little slow), since Roland have made very good use of the VG88's LCD.
cons
   No dedicated knobs for rapid sound-shaping.
   No pitch-to-MIDI conversion.
   As yet, no PC or Mac editing software.
summary
While digital amp modelling is now widely available, the VG88 is still a revolutionary instrument built on some impressive digital technology. If you want something more than just straight guitar sounds and have an experimental streak, the VG88 might be just what you're looking for, both live and in the studio.


SOS's 1995 review shows that Paul White was obviously very impressed by the technology of the first release of the Roland VG8. However, he also commented that it didn't offer acoustic guitar simulations, didn't output MIDI note-on/note-off information via MIDI, and had a price tag of close to £2000 (including the GK2A pickup). Five years down the line, Roland have released a follow-up, the VG88. They've certainly addressed the price issue, as the VG88 costs little more than half the price of the VG8 on its launch -- and the new unit also features acoustic guitar models. However, the VG88 is entering a very different marketplace in 2000 than its predecessor did in 1995, so it's interesting to consider how it sits amongst the range of products now available.
Hardware

While the VG88 retains the 'stealth-bomber doorstep' look of the VG8, some details of the hardware layout have changed. As well as a new expression pedal, an additional 'CTL' (control) footswitch is provided (which can, for example, be assigned to switch particular effects on and off), and the positions of the editing controls have also been adjusted. However, anyone familiar with the VG8 will soon be able to find their way around the VG88.

The rear panel (see page 78) features an input for the 13-pin cable from the GK2A pickup, six jack sockets, MIDI In and Out ports, and a power switch. From left to right, the six jack sockets provide a standard guitar input, guitar output (an unprocessed out from the guitar's standard pickups), main left/right outputs, a stereo headphone socket and, finally, a connection for an additional external footswitch or expression pedal. A dedicated button on the VG88's top surface allows the main output jacks to be switched between three modes, depending on whether the unit is hooked up to a guitar amp, power amp, or a line-level device such as a mixer or multitrack.

The review VG88 was supplied with a GK2A pickup, which is connected to the guitar's jack socket via a short patch lead. The GK2A then connects to the VG88 via a supplied 5m lead terminated with a 13-pin connector. This lead can carry the output from both the GK2A pickup and the guitar's standard pickups to the main unit, so there's no need to have two leads trailing around behind you. If you have a suitable guitar on which you don't mind mounting the GK2A, installation itself is relatively simple. An alternative, if more expensive route, would be to buy one of the many 'Roland-ready' guitars available that have the GK2A built in.

Once all the necessary connections have been made, the F6 button (located beneath the LCD) provides access to various driver settings for the pickup, including individual string sensitivity. Usefully, the settings for a particular guitar/pickup combination can be stored in one of five memory locations, so if you have more than one instrument equipped with a GK2A you'll be able to switch between guitars quite quickly.

It's worth emphasising at this point how the GK2A/VG88 combination generates sound. Like the VG8, the VG88 is not strictly a guitar synth, although it can generate some synth-like tones. The GK2A pickup, like a standard guitar pickup, is responding to string vibrations but, importantly, the pickup is split and detects the vibration of each string individually. It is this information that is passed to the VG88 so that it can apply its modelling magic. I'd like to emphasise here that no pitch-to-MIDI conversion is involved; the source of the sound is always the string vibrations. These vibrations are not used to establish a nice neat MIDI pitch which, in a synth, might then be used to trigger a sound sample (ie. a trumpet) at that pitch. As a consequence, the VG88 does not suffer from the tracking delay found in most true MIDI-based guitar synths -- bends, tapping, hammer-ons and whammy-bar antics are all allowed.

Sound Construction

A sound (patch) is constructed from an effects chain that, by default, follows the sequence shown in the diagram below. Patches are organised in 65 banks of four patches each, with user patches in banks 1-25 (which can be overwritten); banks 26-65 are presets.

From the Name/Chain men

   Effects Highlights   
   As you would expect of a Roland unit at this price, the standard of the VG88's effects is very good. The delay and chorus treatments are excellent, with editable parameters that provide a good deal of flexibility. The reverbs are also pretty convincing, with five basic types (two rooms, two halls, and a plate) and a maximum decay time of 10 seconds (although you can expose their digital nature if you really go to extremes). The pitch-shift and harmony settings in the Modulation block are great fun too. With just a little care, some stunning harmony effects can be achieved.   
u, this signal flow can be displayed on the LCD, with each of the processing stages represented by an icon. Using a combination of the cursor keys and the value wheel, the position at which the input from the GK2A pickup enters the chain can be altered, as can the order of the other stages.
As with many recent Roland products, patch editing on the VG88 can be undertaken at a number of distinct levels. Pressing the F5 button gives access to the Global settings that apply to all patches. These include two-band EQ, reverb and noise-reduction levels, and would be useful in a live context if you were moving the unit between different performance venues.

For individual patches, the EZ Edit function provides a way of making quick tweaks. Pressing its dedicated button brings up virtual knobs on the LCD for control of the patch's Drive, Tone, Modulation (ie. depth of chorus) and Delay levels. Each virtual knob can be selected with the cursor keys and then adjusted with the value wheel. While this is all painless enough in the comfort of your own recording studio, it is obviously not the same as turning real knobs, as found on an amp or some of the other popular amp/effects simulators that are currently available.

In edit mode proper, each of the processing stages shown in the signal-chain diagram can be edited in some detail. Most of these stages (compression, EQ, delay and reverb, for example) offer exactly what you would expect, and the sound quality and degree of control is up to the usual Roland/Boss standard. For example, the EQ stage in the main signal chain is a four-band affair with the two middle bands being fully parametric (see the 'Effects Highlights' box opposite for other examples).

The Amp button calls up the VG88's palette of amplifier and speaker simulations. Both this section and the guitar section (see below) use Roland's COSM (Composite Object Sound Modelling) technology. The 'Amps & Cabs' box below provides a full list of the options, which cover all the obvious ground. The manual doesn't give the real names of the amps modelled, but the labels used make it clear what to expect, and the icons in the LCD depict the general look of the amp each model is based upon.

Build Your Own

So far, the range of amp models and digital effects provided by the VG88 is, essentially, what many modern guitar processors now provide. But things get really interesting when you press the 'Guitar' button, whic

   Amps & Cabs   
   The amp models available on the VG88 are listed below. A similar range of cab models is available, covering 1x10, 1x12, 2x12 and 4x12, plus 'Flat' (for acoustic use). Open- and closed-back types are included, as are some close/distant virtual microphone positions.
'JC120': A nice clean Roland Jazz Chorus amp.
'CLEAN TWIN': A cleanish Fender Twin model.
'CRUNCH': Exactly what it says on the tin!
'MATCH DRIVE': Based on the popular Matchless tube amps.
'VO DRIVE': Be a Beatle with a Vox AC30.
'BLUES': Intended for blues lead, with plenty of mid.
'BG LEAD': '70s/'80s tube sound for those that want to rock.
'MS1959 (I)', '(II)' and '(I+II)': Think generic Marshall (with two channels that can be used individually or mixed together) and you're on the right lines.
'SLDN LEAD': A Soldano amp model.
'METAL 5150': Peavey's finest moment?
'METAL DRIVE': If you've got the Spandex, this has the gain.
'AC.GUITAR': A preamp for acoustic guitar use.


h allows you to build your own virtual guitar. It's this that clearly sets the VG88 aside from the competition. Some 19 different guitar model 'types' are available, although, as you can tell from the 'Virtual Guitars' box over the page, some of these are not actually intended to sound like a guitar.
For constructing a virtual version of a standard electric guitar, the Variable Guitar (Vari GT) is the most suitable model. This provides both a choice of pickups and of guitar body types, and allows adjustment of a number of parameters associated with each of these (the selection of editable parameters available depends upon which guitar model is selected). In addition, pitch-shift and pan can be set for each string. The relative levels of the GK2A and standard pickup can also be set via the Mixer option.

A number of preset pickup configurations are available. These cover twin humbuckers (as on a Les Paul), three single coils (as on a Strat), and a range of others, including P90s and PAFs. [Both of the latter are vintage Gibson pickups, the second standing for 'Patent Applied For', referring to the sticker found on some early versions. PAFs are invested by some people with a mystique that doesn't attach to later versions without the sticker... Ed]. The more adventurous can select the Vari pickup option, which allows single-coil, humbucker, acoustic, piezo and 'microphone' pickups to be mixed and matched. Their tone, phase relationships, and position relative to the bridge (yes, you can just about get the pickup to sit on the 12th fret!) can also be adjusted. For the guitar body, Solid, Flat, Round, f-hole, Metal and Banjo types can be selected. 'Flat' and 'Round' simulate acoustic guitar bodies, while 'Metal' is a resonator type. Again, an icon on the LCD changes to indicate the nature of the selection. Body size and degree of resonance can also be set.

The intentions of the Acoustic, Nylon Strings, Open Tune and 12 Strings models are obvious. As with the VG8, the Open Tune model essentially applies pitch-shift to each individual string. The presets include open D, E, G and A tunings, but a User setting is available to create other tunings, if so desired. The results are very convincing and it is easy to see how this could be really useful in a live context.

As summarised in the 'Virtual Guitars' box, the remainder of the guitar models are more specialised and, rather than modelling a real guitar, use COSM processing to create a range of both guitar-like and more synth-like sounds. The d

   Virtual Guitars   
    'VARI GT': The 'build your own electric' model -- amazing flexibility.
'ACOUSTIC': Takes the GK2A output and simulates steel-string acoustic sounds.
'NYLON STRINGS': Ditto for nylon strings!
'OPEN TUNE': Extremely convincing open tunings without any need to retune the guitar.
'12STRINGS': Each string is pitch-shifted and combined with the original pitch for a 12-string simulation.
'PD SHIFT'; Allows the expression pedal to be used for pitch-shift -- instant whammy bar on a guitar with a solid bridge!
'POLY DIST': Distortion applied separately to each string. Overdriven chords sound a little less mushy.
'POLY COMP': Compression applied to each string individually, for greater level control.
'POLY OCT': Allows variable amounts of sound one and two octaves below the original to be added for each string.
'POLY SG': This 'slow-gear' model simulates a violin-type effect by fading in the volume.
'BOWED': Simulates a bowed string instrument.
'DUAL': Adds distortion and some pitch 'glide' into the original note, all in response to picking intensity.
'FILTER-BASS': Basic filter but, when combined with the various amp models, capable of a very versatile range of bass-synth sounds.
'PIPE': A soft woodwind model suitable for some nice lead sounds.
'SOLO': More soft synth-type lead tones.
'PWM': Pulse-width modulation model for creating some analogue-like synth sounds.
'CRYSTAL': Metallic synth tones.
'ORGAN': Organ-like tones.
'BRASS': Sort of guitar meets brass -- interesting!   
egree of customisation available is considerable, and it would take a long time to explore all the possible sound-shaping capabilities on offer.
Roland have struck a good balance between making the editing process easy and keeping the number of hardware buttons and controls reasonable. The excellent LCD display certainly helps here. This said, sound-editing on the fly in a live context might be a little fiddly; in the studio this is less of an issue. Still, given that the unit has a MIDI input, I wonder whether software editing from a PC or Mac is something Roland might consider at some stage?

Back To Reality

As you might expect, given the variety of processing options described above, the range of sounds available from the VG88 is considerable, and even the presets take some time to explore properly. Switching off the COSM guitar and digital effects modules demonstrates that the amp models are good in their own right, and if you used the VG88 just for these, some very professional tones would end up on your recordings. Relative to, say, the Line 6 Pod or Johnson J-Station, editing amp simulations is a little more cumbersome, as there are no dedicated 'amp-like' controls, but from bright and clean through crunch and into the high-gain models, all the main types are represented. I particularly liked the Clean Twin, which could be coaxed from a real jangle through to gently overdriven, and the BG Lead, which I thought gave a really nice, warm overdrive.

But to use the VG88 as something like a Pod substitute is to miss the point. Adding in the COSM guitar modelling gives more flexibility to any of the basic amp models -- swapping between using a single-coil, P90 or humbucker pickup model with, say, the Clean Twin amp gives you exactly the differences in sound that you would expect. The VG88 might not replicate the exact tone obtained by plugging three particular guitars equipped with these pickups into a Fender Twin, but each model is pretty close, in terms of the general flavour of the tone. The simple conclusion is that, for straight guitar tones, the sounds available from the combination of COSM guitar and COSM amp modelling are flexible and of high quality.

Patches based on the non-electric guitar tones illustrate the versatility of the VG88. For example, Presets 55-1 through to 56-3 are all based on the Acoustic, Nylon and 12-string models, and I'd be happy to use any of them live. Even when fairly exposed as solo instruments in a sparse mix, their sound quality and realism are highly convincing. It's possible to do without the wash of reverb applied by the Roland programmers, too. For a few strummed 12-string chords, choosing '12ST AG' (Preset 55-4) is considerably easier than tuning up a real 12-string!

Presets 58-1 to 65-4 give a reasonable demonstration of the more synth-like tones available from the VG88. 'Fat Bass' (59-1) and 'Drv Bass' (60-1) are good examples of the bass guitar-type sounds available, the latter having some real power to it. 'Syn Lead' (62-2) lives up to its name, and as the GK2A is quite happy to respond to tapping techniques, some really over-the-top solos are possible. 'MildHorn' (64-2) is also quite expressive; the slightly slowed attack and swell of the note can give a feel not unlike the Irish pipes (not quite Davy Spillane on guitar, but that sort of effect!). While the level of flexibility is not as great as you'd expect from a true synth, what is available is very good.

Conclusions

There is no doubting the impressive technology around which the VG88 is built. Whether used for creating virtual guitars or amps, or for its palette of synth-like tones (which are useful, if limited in range), the VG88 would do an excellent job, both live and in the studio. It's a worthy successor to the original VG8.

Like the VG8, however, the new unit still does not provide pitch-to-MIDI conversion, so anyone wanting to use their GK2A pickup to drive an external synth, or record with a sequencer, will need to shell out some extra money for a separate device to do this -- which is a shame, given that a good deal of the necessary hardware is already built into the VG88.

As excellent as it is, the VG88 is probably going to appeal to quite a niche market. If you need straight amp simulations and you already have some decent 'real' electric and acoustic guitars in your recording arsenal, there are much more obvious equipment choices that might be made (including other devices from Roland and Boss!). Many of these will certainly match the amp simulations available in the VG88, and some may offer a wider choice of amp models and dedicated hardware controls that make sound editing much more like working with a real amplifier. However, if your budget can stretch to the VG88 and GK2A combination and you want a dose of the unconventional to go with your bread-and-butter amps and effects, the VG88 is well worth exploring. As a live or studio tool for the experimental guitarist it offers serious fun and serious sound in equal measure!

thebrushwithin

Over the years, it is still my go to live rig ( emulation into the Kemper lately), but that happened mostly because I had it rack mounted! Just a stock FCB 1010  -> VG 88 -> Kemper. Clean and versatile.