Roland GR55 - opinions please!

[SimonH]

Hello, HNY etc.

Can anyone give me some advice please? I've been thinking about getting a Roland GR55 for a while, and I wonder what your opinions are of its reliability and accuracy playing live (which is where it would be used).

I play in a covers band that goes out as a 3/4/5 piece. When we're a 3-piece, at the moment I use an Akai Unibass to send an octave up + 5th signal separately to a guitar multifx, then into a guitar amp - it thickens the mix when the guitar solos, etc. I've also got a set of Roland midi pedals (which I'm thinking of selling) which I've used a couple of times, hooked up to a Mac with Logic Pro, playing pre-programmed chords - but with playing bass, singing and stepping on pedals, it's all a bit too much (not Geddy Lee, etc).

So, presumably I can set the GR55 up to, among other things, trigger specific chords for specific notes (using Logic) - or just use it like the Akai to track the bass line but add guitars/pads etc.

Anyway, the question: does it track well enough to use live? I've set up a 6-string guitar with a Roland midi pick-up before, and it was amazingly accurate and reliable. But bass is a tougher job, I guess.

I've watched the Pascal Whassisname Youtube video demo of the GR55, but he hardly ever plays at the nut end of the neck where the tracking would be at its most vulnerable. Basically, I can put up with a bit of latency, but if it chucks in the odd bum note here and there... not really good enough.

What does anyone think? Please don't suggest I get an Industrial Radio bass, because I seriously would love one.

Thanks!

[BassBus]

I have not used in a live context so cannot comment on that. The tracking is very good indeed. You might have to check your technique a bit but not by much. If you are using the models in it then you will have no trouble with tracking at all. I put the hex pickup on a cheapish Cort bass and it was very easy to install, as easy as the guitar. You just have to find a place on the bass to put the 'pod'. There is always the opotion of the new SY-300. I have no experience of that but does not use a hex pickup, just plug straight in.

Edited January 2, 2016 by BassBus

[Woodinblack]

It tracks remarkably well. I was going to use it for a few numbers on NYE, but had an issue in practice with the pickup mounting. It is a lot harder to mount it on a bass than it is on a guitar (where there is tons of room). Fits perfectly on a jazz, other things are a lot more of an issue, I am going to put it on an old bass I haven't used for a while, and screw it in.

However, if it is similar to the GR33 (and I haven't looked yet, I have only had it for a short while), the midi output is a lot messier than you would expect, due to the way it is generated, so don't know what it would be like at external chords.

[SimonH]

I think I'm going to give it a try then. Thanks for the input.

Edited January 3, 2016 by SimonH

[andybassdoyle]

I used one for a while. Modelling is great and no issues at all, the synthesiser part is a little more sensitive and you may well need to focus on playing cleaner than you're used to in order to avoid unwanted triggering of sounds etc.

Personally I loved the sounds but I couldn't get on with needed to play in a different manner. Another issue I found is that the effects section - which is pretty good - only works on the modelled sound i.e. you can't use it on your natural bass signal. You will also need to use two separate amp channels to use natural and 'GR55' sound or spend some time in the config of each patch.

This said, the sounds are great and the set up of the GK pickup is not to difficult to achieve. You do need to spend a bit of time to get this right though.

It's well worth a try but definitely an acquired taste as far as live performance is concerned. Not sure how the new SY300 will pan out - this does not require the hex pickup.....

[SimonH]

Cool, thanks. My plan is to split the signals and feed the synth part straight into the PA or via a guitar amp, and have my bass signal take its usual route through my rig. The idea is not to double bass lines with more bass, but to double the bass with, say, a layered guitar sound or strings etc (or even just use the GR as a midi converter and then trigger custom sounds and patches in Logic on a Mac).

I've noticed the Boss SY300, but until I hear it being used the way I would want (which is pretty much like the Akai Unibass, with a bass-free 'wet' signal I can feed into a guitar amp), I'll pass.

I've tried various other bass-midi converters and none track well enough. Hopefully the Roland will. But I really want one of these:

http://www.industrialradio.com.au/

[Kevin Dean]

It's one of those things where it pays to read the manual & set the pick up & programme the scale length in properly , The only issue I have is the lead , I think it could do with a more sturdy connection , I'm getting Jon Shuker to build the pic up module into my bass . apart from that it's replaced a keyboard player . & the rest of the band like it .