GI-20 better than the VG-99 for controlling VST instruments?

Started by cy2989, February 12, 2011, 08:54:58 AM

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cy2989

YES!  I found a GI-20 on ebay and I'm getting much better results than I was able to get with the VG-99.  I tried to tweak and tune the VG, and I was able to improve its performance.  But when I connected the GI-20 the results were much better immediately.

It's far more stable, tracks better with fewer mistakes and I have fewer stuck notes.  It is not perfect and I can't wait for the day when someone comes up with a technology that really makes this stuff flawless, but it is usable now.

Too bad Roland decided not to produce the GI-20 any longer.

Chris
Chris

VG-99, GR-20, GI-20, US-20
custom Parker Fly w/GK-3, custom Silent Guitar w/Ghost

dacoalex

I think you're right, also my old Roland GR-50 guitar synthesizer work much better with VST instruments than VG-99. Really I'm disappointed for this, I thought that Roland VG-99 should have the same GI-20 midi tracking improvement, but I found wasn't like this.  :-[

aliensporebomb

I get the idea that I'm one of the few who've gotten great guitar-to-midi performance out of the 99.

I've posted this before but this is the piano track from a song with a really fast ascending scale at the end and the whole thing tracked very nicely:


The instrument is a software instrument of a piano with a string pad built into the Apple Garageband software app.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

Quote from: aliensporebomb on March 17, 2011, 08:27:17 AM
I get the idea that I'm one of the few who've gotten great guitar-to-midi performance out of the 99.

I've posted this before but this is the piano track from a song with a really fast ascending scale at the end and the whole thing tracked very nicely:


The instrument is a software instrument of a piano with a string pad built into the Apple Garageband software app.

Hi! I have some troubles with the VG99 to VSTi connection (MIDI and USB). Can you post your settings, please? Regards and sorry for my english  :-[, I'm from Argentina.
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

aliensporebomb

My recommendation: avoid using MIDI cables and instead use USB connection only.  It makes a huge noticeable difference.

Secondly on the VG-99:

Press SYSTEM

Press F3

Press Page -> three times until you get to the [1] GK SET A menu:

Use the F1-F6 dials to change the SENS from 65 to between 20 and 25.

Press WRITE

It is also critical to get the GK pickup as close as possible to the bridge of the guitar.

That will help for starters.  There are some fine tuning aspects (such as setting proper distance in millimeters of the pickup to the bridge pieces) too but try this first.



My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

Thanks a lot, aliensporebomb. I been trying different settings without success. My knowledges about MIDI are few... and my english don't help me. But I'm trying very hard, I love the VG-99... ;)
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

patincunito

I have the opportunity to buy the GI-20 to trigger VSTi on my pc from my guitar with the GK-3. I have the VG-99 but I'm not satisfied with the connection via MIDI. What do you guys recommend me? Buy the GI-20 besides de VG-99? Please, I need your help!
PS: as always, sorry if my english is not good, really I'm trying so hard to communicate with you people... sorry if I write like Tarzan!  ;)
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

aliensporebomb

Use USB instead of the MIDI connection.  It makes a huge difference.

What are you finding not working?  The accuracy?  Is it too slow to trigger?
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

Thanks again aliensporebomb.I'm connecting the VG 99 via USB. The accuracy and the trigger are not good for me. I don't know if I'm making some wrong. The space between the GK-3 and the strings are good. The sens of each strings, from 20 to 25 (depend on the strings. For instance the string #1 have a little more sens than the string #6). The driver is the Roland (last version).
Can be the sound card? Is very old and cheap (I wanna buy a Audiobox Presonus).
Regards for all and thanks a lot!
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

sixeight

The VG99 also triggers fine with softsynths on my macbook. I do think the VG99 driver for mac is better than the windows version. Latency is much better. I have no false triggers. Occasionally I have some stuck notes, usually when the plugin is using too many system resources.

patincunito

I use Kontakt with some big libraries... can be that too? I don't know what to do. Like I said, I love my VG-99, the effects, the amps sims, the alternative tunes, everything, but I need use it like MIDI controller and I think I something missing about settings... or in fact the GI-20 is better than the VG-99 for MIDI... by the way, I use a PC.
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

swarfrat

Good to know, this is exactly the usage I'm looking for (MIDI soft synth), and the Axons I see on ebay are either broke or crazy prices.

aliensporebomb

#12
I'm running Omnisphere with a Mac Corei7 with 16 gigs of ram when I am doing guitar-to-midi with my VG-99.  I also have been known to use the Logic Mainstage grand piano or other sampled instruments.  I haven't had a keyboard synthesizer in my studio for about two years now as a result - it sits in the basement gathering dust.

Here's an example of a live track: 2 tracks of regular guitar, 2 tracks of hexaphonic guitar out of the VG-99 and midi-out into Omisphere:


And attached is an example of a soundtrack I'm working on (nightfall) for a documentary that will go on PBS next year:  sounds are VG-99 for bass, guitar, electric piano, and synth strings with midi trigger out for the acoustic piano.

Speaking of acoustic piano, I've posted the "Mystica" track here a while back just so you can hear what guitar controlling a piano sounds like too, see attached:





My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

thanks for share your tracks aliensporebomb, are very good and I really like it! Maybe and just maybe I'm confused with the posibilities of the VG-99: I wanna play the guitar fast, for instance a violin. Then is when the accuracy fails. Big time. I know some instruments can't be play like guitar but I don't like the accuracy on triads and arpeggios. Maybe is my sound card or maybe the MIDI-soft link is not good like I believed. Or it's me that don't know how use correctly the VG-99?  :-[
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

aliensporebomb

If you listen to the ending of the mystica piece I play a fast ascending line and it tracks fine.  But technique must be refined/perfect or it doesn't work so well.
I became a better player as a result of working with this gear.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

Quote from: aliensporebomb on December 23, 2011, 05:15:51 AM
If you listen to the ending of the mystica piece I play a fast ascending line and it tracks fine.  But technique must be refined/perfect or it doesn't work so well.
I became a better player as a result of working with this gear.

Is a VST or a synth of VG-99?
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

swarfrat

Whoever bought the GI-20 on ebay I was planning to buy with Christmas money, I HATE YOU!!!! >:(

aliensporebomb

Quote from: patincunito on December 23, 2011, 06:35:50 AM
Is a VST or a synth of VG-99?

The piano I used was the "Steinway Piano Studio" in Apple Mainstage 2 which is a part of the Logic Studio application.  The computer is a iMac Corei7 with 16 gigs of ram and I'm using the USB out from the VG-99 as my midi interface.   This application is a standalone but can be used as an audio units plug-in in the Garageband application or other applications that use Audio Units plugins.

I've found using USB for guitar-to-midi with the VG-99 tracks noticeably better than using my old Midiman Midisport 2x2 interface I used to use.

My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

patincunito

Thank you again aliensporebomb. I've removed the GK-3 (it was to close to the stings) and I've install it again (a little bit down). I've changed the settings on the VG-99 and it's much better now. I think with a better sound card it will be much better too. I'll record a little audio to show you all. Merry Christmas to all!
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

patincunito

Well, finally. I play with the GI-20 and in my opinion... is more "easy" than the VG-99 and the trigger is much better.
I think the VG-99 is better on Mac (in my humble opinion). I ran the VG-99 on a Pentium IV and on a Macbook (2007) and on Mac was so much better.
aliensbomb, can you share your settings of VG-99 to MIDI Soft?
Thansk a lot (and as always, sorry for my english).
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

alexmcginness

I think the problem for most people using the vg-99 as a midi controller boils down to Mac vs PC. Im a PC guy and have never been able to get the 99 to track properly. All the Mac guys seem to have little or no problems. Im using windows XP SP3. I was wondering if anybody thats switched to W7 has noticed a difference in tracking performance with the W7 driver compared to the XP driver.
VG-88V2, GR-50, GR-55, 4 X VG-99s,2 X FC-300,  2 X GP-10 AXON AX 100 MKII, FISHMAN TRIPLE PLAY,MIDX-10, MIDX-20, AVID 11 RACK, BEHRINGER FCB 1010, LIVID GUITAR WING, ROLAND US-20, 3 X GUYATONE TO-2. MARSHALL BLUESBREAKER, SERBIAN ELIMINATOR AMP. GR-33.

patincunito

Hi again. I'm still trying to get a good performance using the VG-99 to play softsynth. I think IMHO it depends on the installing of the GK3. It's really important the strings, the guitar tipe (Strat, Les Paul), the bridge and a lot of thing... anyway, I'll keep trying to get what I what. Or I'll sell my VG99 and get an AXON AX100 MKII. The VG99 and the GK3 are not for newbies. And I am one of them!
Best regard for all and sorry for my english, I'm from Argentina.
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"

Elantric

QuoteI get the idea that I'm one of the few who've gotten great guitar-to-midi performance out of the 99.

I've posted this before but this is the piano track from a song with a really fast ascending scale at the end and the whole thing tracked very nicely:


The instrument is a software instrument of a piano with a string pad built into the Apple Garageband software app.

Because you are on a Mac - and its confirmed Roland/Boss USB drivers work better with lower latency on Mac  vs Windows


QuoteOr I'll sell my VG99 and get an AXON AX100 MKII.

Or better still get a TriplePlay

drjoness2001

I have owned just about everything Roland has made in the last ten years, and I still keep my GI-20 for pitch-to-MIDI, the best thing I've ever used.

I use a VG-99 almost everyday, but there is clearly no comparison...the GI-20 follows my manner of playing very well, and the VG-99 by contrast is slow, inaccurate, and very frustrating.


patincunito

Quote from: Elantric on January 23, 2013, 03:17:11 PM
Or better still get a TriplePlay

I'm waiting and waiting, and waiting... and the Triple Play never shows up. In Fishman's web the product does not exists. C'mon, people! Isn't weir??? Two years waiting for this product. "Available soon". Where is it???? It will be a dream come true. But doesn't exist yet.

To trigger softsynth by the guitar, IMHO, the AXON still the best alternative.
It's a shame than Roland don't care the "MIDI business".
I can't believe it: the GI-20 it's more accurate than VG-99 for trigger softsynth. Where is the evolution of Roland in terms of MIDI trigger?

The VG-99 it's an excellent tool for guitarist, but is very poor for MIDI

IMHO: the best kit for trigger softsynth will be Graphtech Ghost Pickup Sistem (or GK3 KIT, no the regular) and AXON AX50 or AX100.

I'm glad to reopened this post!  ;)
"Lo mejor que hizo la Vieja, es el Pibe que maneja"