VG-99 -GR-300

Started by Elantric, February 10, 2008, 07:28:34 PM

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Elantric

hello fellow V-guitarists,
having owned the VG-8 for quite some years, I'm very satisfied with the VG-99, though there are still some issues...

What I find a bit disappointing is the emulation of the classic Roland GR-300 guitar synth - the VG-8 did quite well already and the VG-99 is even better but it still is FAR away from the real thing - I own an original GR-300.

I've already tweaked a lot but what I've found is that either the sound has not enough sustain - because you have to use a limiter, or is too harsh, i.e. no limiter but compressor..

Has anyone of you been more successful in that field, any tips are welcome.

cheers,
uli


<Surdaas wrote>

Wayne Joness says that the VG-99's GR-300 emulation is outstanding. Check out his page for some things about it, contact him and maybe he can give you some tips.

http://www.joness.com/gr300/GR-300.htm


fxbuff

Hey, this GR300 is a great patch -- except:

I'm getting a horrible static sounding noise unless I go into the COSM GTR button and change the MODE from VCO to DIST. (V+D setting also give the static noise). The noise seems to pick up any non-tonal string noise like picking or just rubbing my hand on the strings.  Any clue there?

Godin xtsa, firmware 1.04, all System settings set to Piezo R and string sensitivities are ok (and everything works fine on other patches).

Thanks.

szilard

I get the noise as well with a Godin LGXT-SA and I noticed the same thing with GR-300 models at GC on a Roland Ready Strat when I tried the VG-99 there, but it was setup very poorly. Is that part of the model?

fxbuff

Right, hit the 'A' button - Modeling Type and scroll one page to the right. The left side parameters is 'MODE' and there are three possibilities: VCO, V+D, DIST - I can't get either of the first two to work/sound good no matter what else I do.



Elantric

FWIW - My Yamaha G1D Hex PU, and another guitar with a  GK-2A Internal sound fine with all the factory patches.

szilard

I reinstalled a GK2A on a strat and set it up according specs and it is still a little noisey/sensitive - like a really high gain amp. The GK2A set up to spec has levels around 90 - any vibrato (hand/finger) generates noise. If I turn down the levels to around 50 it cleans up, but that seems pretty low in other patches.

Elantric

#6
Many people forget to make a critical  connection when using the GK-2A, GK-3

Always Connect the short cable between your Strat's normal output and the  GK-2A Input - its makes the required string ground connection to the GK-2A.
ftp://ftp.roland.co.uk/ProductSupport/manuals/GK-3_OM.pdf

See page 18

"Normal
Guitar Cable
* This connection is necessary not only for playing the
guitar's normal (straight) sound as well as the
guitar's straight sound mixed with the synthesizer
sound, but also for connecting the guitar's ground
and the GK-3's ground. Even if you are not going to
use the guitar's straight sound at all, always make
this connection because of the noise reduction
benefits it provides."


If I remove this short cable - yea I have noise too - it goes away when the above cable  connection is made.


Also - my GK-2A is set to string sensitivity of "25" - if I set this to "90" - the tone is way overloaded and I have zero dynamic range.

so

* connect the short cable betwen Strat and GK2A

* Lower the sensitivity


Post your results.

vanceg

How about that!  I haven't had a cable connected to my mag pickup output on my guitar for YEARS!  I  don't even have one of those short 1/8" to 1/4" cables any more..... never had a noise problem, though.


Quote from: sustainiac on February 23, 2008, 11:36:57 AM
Many people forget to make a critical  connection when using the GK-2A, GK-3

Always Connect the short cable between your Strat's normal output and the  GK-2A Input - its makes the required string ground connection to the GK-2A.
ftp://ftp.roland.co.uk/ProductSupport/manuals/GK-3_OM.pdf

See page 18

"Normal
Guitar Cable
* This connection is necessary not only for playing the
guitar's normal (straight) sound as well as the
guitar's straight sound mixed with the synthesizer
sound, but also for connecting the guitar's ground
and the GK-3's ground. Even if you are not going to
use the guitar's straight sound at all, always make
this connection because of the noise reduction
benefits it provides."


If I remove this short cable - yea I have noise too - it goes away when the above cable  connection is made.


Also - my GK-2A is set to string sensitivity of "25" - if I set this to "90" - the tone is way overloaded and I have zero dynamic range.

so

* connect the short cable betwen Strat and GK2A

* Lower the sensitivity


Post your results.

surdaas

Something I have noticed about the GR300 model.  When the GR300 model's instrument tuning is pitched between +8 and +12, the upper register of the guitar is completely filled with noise.  Maybe the COSM is too good and faithful to the original?  I have to use pitch transposition on the GR300 instrument model.  I'm out of town and away from my 99 but IIRC the VG-99's GR300 pitch transforms all strings.

szilard

Quote from: sustainiac on February 23, 2008, 11:36:57 AM
Many people forget to make a critical  connection when using the GK-2A, GK-3

Always Connect the short cable between your Strat's normal output and the  GK-2A Input - its makes the required string ground connection to the GK-2A.
ftp://ftp.roland.co.uk/ProductSupport/manuals/GK-3_OM.pdf

See page 18

"Normal
Guitar Cable
* This connection is necessary not only for playing the
guitar's normal (straight) sound as well as the
guitar's straight sound mixed with the synthesizer
sound, but also for connecting the guitar's ground
and the GK-3's ground. Even if you are not going to
use the guitar's straight sound at all, always make
this connection because of the noise reduction
benefits it provides."


If I remove this short cable - yea I have noise too - it goes away when the above cable  connection is made.


Also - my GK-2A is set to string sensitivity of "25" - if I set this to "90" - the tone is way overloaded and I have zero dynamic range.

so

* connect the short cable betwen Strat and GK2A

* Lower the sensitivity


Post your results.

I haven't been this way for a while. You're right I didn't have the short cable connected between the strat and GK2A.
That helped as did turning down the sensitivity.

aliensporebomb

I realize this is way in the past but the trick to get the sustain is to increase the GK levels from 20 or whatever to as high as you dare to go. 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

admin

#11
Use the trick of setting up several GK String Sensitivity profiles at different levels and/ or use the Piezo profiles with their  EQ  (even with a GK-3) in VG99  and select the GK String gain Sensitivity per patch as appropriate.

Set  GK String gain Sensitivity lower for more picking dynamics

Set  GK String gain Sensitivity Higher for more compression / Sustain

chrish

#12
Quote from: aliensporebomb on September 26, 2019, 06:55:03 AM
I realize this is way in the past but the trick to get the sustain is to increase the GK levels from 20 or whatever to as high as you dare to go.
I just discovered the Saw waveform in the VG99 wave synth and turned the string sensitivity up to around 80 but also use one of your other tricks, ie, don't over pick the string. A light touch still leaves room  for dynamics.


With the VG99 Saw wave, I turn the filter all the way open, zero resonance, no verb or delay, use the mod 1 fx for lfo  type vibrato, then that that audio is  sent to the audio input of an analog synth.(a stereo pan split into two analog synths would be better still)

The  audio input of the analog synths allow that vg-99 digital saw wave to be processed with analog filters and envelopes.

Then it goes on to digital delays and reverbs Etc.

So now using the VG99 as part of a modular system  I now have a digital osc into analog for a polyphonic synth and it sounds incredible.

I compared the vg-99 saw wave to the Sy 300 saw wave and I'm trying to understand why the sy-300 oscs waves sounds so thin and weak.  Seems like Roland would have used the same code?