GR-55 - Pedal board set-ups with the GR-55?

Started by Mikefxd35, September 16, 2011, 10:26:28 AM

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Elantric

QuoteAny further info on this yet ? Looks extremely interesting .

zip  - nada

mbenigni

Am I the only one who finds it slightly distasteful that Roland took a pass on delivering GR55 editing software, thorough documentation, etc, and now they're sitting back and waiting for their paying customers to spoon feed them the solutions we've had to work out for ourselves, free of charge?

I mean, I'm excited about brainstorming with the rest of the community, and will always be happy to share freely, but part of me can't help thinking, "where does Roland get off..."

aliensporebomb

Quote from:  mbenigni on June 07, 2012, 07:41:26 AM
Am I the only one who finds it slightly distasteful that Roland took a pass on delivering GR55 editing software, thorough documentation, etc, and now they're sitting back and waiting for their paying customers to spoon feed them the solutions we've had to work out for ourselves, free of charge?

I mean, I'm excited about brainstorming with the rest of the community, and will always be happy to share freely, but part of me can't help thinking, "where does Roland get off..."

It was probably the safest course of action considering at the time the GR-55 was being architected we were in the middle of a global economic recession and sales of the VG-99 were miserable - perhaps they were reluctant to sink money into a potential turkey. 

The black edition and updated software is a sign that they are more amenable to doing so now as well as the fact that gumtown basically has created THE editor for the device - why create your own at this point? 

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

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

Elantric

#53
The new Black version exists because direct feedback from Dealers indicates many find the '67 Chevy Malibu metallic blue too gawdy for their rig. The hope is improved GR-55 sales in basic black.


Kemper had to do the same thing and create a black KPA version too.

People are fickle today and manufactures hate losing a sale due to color.

Elantric

#54
QuoteAm I the only one who finds it slightly distasteful that Roland took a pass on delivering GR55 editing software,

+1

I screamed %^&* when i was told there would be no editor  - when the GR-55 was first shown at 2011 NAMM
(see minute 4:45:)


But i would add i find clogging up bandwidth of available CPU clockcycles with Animated GIF screens on my Guitar processor equally annoying




But what trumps them all is making the COMPLETE MIDI IMPLEMENTATION SPECIFICATION for all recent Roland products a "top secret - must sign NDA - internal eyes only"   completely nuts!





aliensporebomb

Could it be because certain functions might brick the unit?
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

tekrytor

#56
Quote from:  aliensporebomb on June 07, 2012, 06:17:17 PM
Could it be because certain functions might brick the unit?
it would be safer for Roland to disclose such possibilities with a disclaimer, "DO NOT DO THIS!!!" as part of a COMPLETE MIDI Implementation. Any serious competitor could reverse engineer their MIDI Implementation. It's just plain customer UNFRIENDLY, even aggressive, not to publish user oriented information to legitimate customers, like us. This may be my last expensive Roland new purchase. Yes, distasteful. Add arrogant to my list.
SY-300/BeatBuddy/VoiceLive 3/GR-55(v1.50)/33/1/50/700/VGA-7/V-Bass, Yam-G10, GPK-4, DIY X-Bee HighlyLiquidCPU "Cozy-Lil-Footie", FCB-1010, other MIDI stuff, Godin Freeway SA and various other GK equipped controllers, Sonar X1, Audacity, KXstudio, Misc devices

aliensporebomb

Did they ever publish a VG-99 spec?  Even a partial one?

I wonder if it's that they presume we'll break something one way or another by doing something we're not supposed to. 

Part of this is liability prevention programs at the corporate level I presume: they want to minimize potential lawsuits from customers with bricked units.  In other words they worry about potential revenue loss.  Seem plausible to you?  It does to me.

But, I guarantee - if they had ME doing a demo of my VG-99 versus one of their demos and I'd be able to do a lot more than their demonstrators.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

mbenigni

#58
Quote from:  aliensporebomb on June 07, 2012, 07:49:12 AM
It was probably the safest course of action considering at the time the GR-55 was being architected we were in the middle of a global economic recession and sales of the VG-99 were miserable - perhaps they were reluctant to sink money into a potential turkey. 

The black edition and updated software is a sign that they are more amenable to doing so now as well as the fact that gumtown basically has created THE editor for the device - why create your own at this point?

No offense, but I think you're missing the mark on a couple of points here.  First of all, in a global economic recession, and in a competitive marketplace where consumers are obsessed with PCs, Macs, and iPhone integration (which I now see everywhere - even in places where it makes little to no sense), this would have been money well-spent by Roland.  Remember, there is no per-unit manufacturing cost associated with a PC/Mac editor.  It's an n-thousand dollar development investment (pennies in relative terms) that makes every box shipped more attractive to a potential buyer.  (IMO a rep at a NAMM show should never have to simply say "NO" to a reasonable request as in Elantric's video above.)  When you look at the nature of this product - a very deep, multifaceted synth/preamp with a small footprint and therefore precious few mechanical controls, it was the single LAST product for which they should have decided to forego an editor.  It was a crappy thing to do to us as customers/users, and frankly, it was a bad business decision where their own interests are concerned.

But that wasn't exactly what I was getting at in my original post.  Regarding gumtown's work - yes it's fantastic, but you are in effect arguing my point.  A customer did that for Roland, not the other way around.

Beyond that, the black edition is simply a marketing initiative - again, to serve Roland's interests, not ours - and the new firmware... well, we don't know what that will comprise yet, but I'm not expecting much in the way of new functionality, to be honest.  (I will be more than happy to eat my words, though!)

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the GR55 and never stop telling people what an amazing value it is.  But Roland shouldn't be pretending that us giving them technological solutions is something for us to cheer about.  They are pretty consistent about selling technology to us.  There's a fine line here.  Part of me likes the idea of a forum for us to all share how we're using this product, but after all the hours I put in trying to make my GR55 even useful, it feels like they are conveniently rolling up after all the heavy lifting's been done.

Elantric

QuoteDid they ever publish a VG-99 spec?  Even a partial one?


There is a a decent search tool here - Yes - I located a Japanese only Complete MIDI Spec for the VG-99 here: (with english translation)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2968.0

Machh_2

#60
my opinion ...
I like the GR-55 blue, like the tone of blue, a pedal is nice and different, just like the GT-6 is half golden ... what's the problem?
Who does not like looking at a collection of BOSS pedals and see all of each of one color?
I do not have any problem to buy and use the GR-55 if it was egg yellow, green, pink, purple, cyan, white etc ...
to be honest, not like the black, was too predictable ...
Whether blue or black, the pedal is the same, with their qualities and defects with the same firmware made in some Chinese cuisine.
I love the GR, so I care that it works well and no problems for me ...

Buy or not the GR by color, is like judging a book by its cover ...

about MIDI implementation is a shame ... ...

aliensporebomb

Quote from:  Elantric on June 08, 2012, 09:45:44 AM

There is a a decent search tool here - Yes - I located a Japanese only Complete MIDI Spec for the VG-99 here: (with english translation)
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=2968.0

For some reason when I tried to pull this down before it didn't work but this time it did.  Oh boy, I need to bone up on my kanji.  We REALLY need an English version of this.  So my question is - where was this published?  I wonder if an English version exists somewhere?
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

aliensporebomb

Quote from:  Elantric on June 07, 2012, 08:10:27 AM
The new Black version exists because direct feedback from Dealers indicates many find the '67 Chevy Malibu metallic blue too gawdy for their rig. The hope is improved GR-55 sales in basic black.


Kemper had to do the same thing and create a black KPA version too.

People are fickle today and manufactures hate losing a sale due to color.

Seriously?  Color?  Really?

That's funny because honestly it's HARDER in my opinion to see the controls and layout of a chromatically dark device on a dim or dark stage.    I wonder if this wasn't some off-hand comment a "star" made and they took it right to the top and they authorized a black one.   

I admit certain colored guitars are more appealing to me than others but......too gaudy?

If that's the case give me a red or blue or purple or green VG-99.  I want gaudy! 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Elantric

#63
Maybe need glasses

The English version is at the same link I posted above


It's in a thread ironically named VG-99 Complete MIDI Implementation, posted as an attached file.


Here ya go

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=2968.0;attach=1419



Machh_2

Quote from:  aliensporebomb on June 08, 2012, 09:08:03 PM
Seriously?  Color?  Really?

That's funny because honestly it's HARDER in my opinion to see the controls and layout of a chromatically dark device on a dim or dark stage.    I wonder if this wasn't some off-hand comment a "star" made and they took it right to the top and they authorized a black one.   

I admit certain colored guitars are more appealing to me than others but......too gaudy?

If that's the case give me a red or blue or purple or green VG-99.  I want gaudy!

Yes.. i agree !!!
imagine a GR-55 painted by green-lemon, or yellow neon, and iluminated by a ultra-violet (black light) on stage...huh?
hes shine like a sun...lol...

best regards...

Elantric

#65
When I was younger I had perfect vision , When making gear choices I would go with Tone (and price $) and who cares what it looks like.

Today, now that i'm 57 and need to wear glasses I do place an emphasis on the legibility of the Display and controls on the gear I use on stage under both daylight and limited lighting on a darkly lit stage between tunes.

The original Kemper coloring tops the list of legibility. I can even change the color of its LEDS!!

I also like the Fender G-DEC 3's LCD display - its very bright and legible - wish they used that type display on a floor pedal.

My Line6 HD500 sounds great - but the display and control interface are terrible. If my head is off axis, the LCD display is impossible to read. They really should have employed a dedicated LCD Contrast control, as i find I must adjust this every time I use it - buts its simply horrid to read from 10 feet away.


Not to be a fan boy, but I feel Apple has it right with all the White accessories, and power adapters.

When I'm on the road, and need to locate a cable in the dark - among the piles of black cables, and power adapters for my other gear, I can always locate my Apple cables and dongles first. Meanwhile it might take days to locate the power adapter for my Alesis I/O Dock.

Any time I add a new piece of gear . I must force myself to get the Brother labeler out, and label the power supply, because in 2 weeks its sure to be lost or co-mingled with my other unlabeled AC adapters and lost forever in the pile. I catch myself browsing ebay auctions for gear I already own, on the chance the seller has posted a pic of the original power supply. In some cases its the only reference to determine the proper power Chinese OEM supply that shipped with the unit, and armed with the pic of the power supply, I can then spend my saturday mornings with my box of orphan walwarts, and if lucky make a match!

   


betrayedpoet


A2theT

HEAVY on the METAL
Axe-Fx II, Roland VG-99 + FC-300, Roland GR-55, Digitech Jamman Stereo, Ibanez/ESP/Jackson Guitars

Machh_2

Quote from:  Elantric on June 09, 2012, 07:47:19 AM
I also like the Fender G-DEC 3's LCD display - its very bright and legible - wish they used that type display on a floor pedal.

My Line6 HD500 sounds great - but the display and control interface are terrible. If my head is off axis, the LCD display is impossible to read. They really should have employed a dedicated LCD Contrast control, as i find I must adjust this every time I use it - buts its simply horrid to read from 10 feet away.

already long ago that manufacturers, especially Roland and Boss, should include a VGA output on your pedals to connect on a small LCD monitor and the users can get better vision of settings etc ...


[]´s




aliensporebomb

Photo taken at a live looping performance at the Shadows Faire in July, 2010 in St. Paul, Minnesota:



Signal chain is guitar with GK3 to VG-99 with FC-300 to looper (hidden by guitar's neck) to an 8-channel mixer.  Then the mixer goes to the house and I've got a small set of computer speakers with a sub for personal onstage monitoring.

I still have and use this neckthru Soloist guitar, I also have a Fender GK Ready stratocaster.   

That gig was at the historic Mounds Theater in St. Paul which has some of the best acoustics of any building I've ever played in.

For larger performances I would use my JC-120 and I also have a parallel analog guitar set-up for rock gigs.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

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

Litesnsirens

Finally got all my gear on to my pedal train and got my pedal snake back in action.  After consulting with Jody from Pedal Snake about XLR pigtails, he suggested I just lop the ends of some of the balanced guitar pigtails and make my own.  So I did, now I go from my mic into the VoiceLive Play GTX and then the pedalsnake powers that and my GR-55 and carries the signal from both back to my Bose L1.  Just one snake running from the pedal board on stage back to the L1.  Nice and tidy.  And as you will notice in the pics I finally found a solution for something I've been thinking of for a long time.  I had always wished someone would make an attachment for the pedal train pedal board that you could clamp a mic stand into it and use the pedal train as the base.  So I wound up finding the lighting clamp and made it work.  I'm pretty happy with how compact and efficient this setup is.
Still a little work to do on the clamp. I want to add a little strip of metal on each side (you can see and arrow on the one side) so that it can't rotate.  It's held by a single bolt so it can spin.  I've got it on pretty tight which reduces the chances but I want to secure it really well.  I'll just use metal screws and screw the strips on either side of the clamp right on to the front of the pedal train.

Toby Krebs

This reminds me that I need to clean my talk box tube! Nice set up. I like the way you have worked on all facets of your rig. Very Cool!

mateomasfeo

A bit of an old fogey I reckon, but I bought this new in 1982...

I am here on the forums because I want either a new G55 or V99 with the Fender GC 1 guit box...




Dances with Sheep on SoundCLoud

https://soundcloud.com/dances-with-sheep

aliensporebomb

#73
Don't feel too bad: this was my synth guitar back in 1982:



I sure had a good time with that rig and wish I still had it.  But my Roland Ready Strat and Soloist into my VG-99 gives me two virtual GR-300s to play with as well as a ton of other things my old GR stuff couldn't even imagine. 

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

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

wilkinsi