Can I generate sounds from a Roland GR-20 using a keyboard vs. guitar?

[kingswebe]

I posted a new thread with this question in the Effects forum last night and today thought that some sages here at High Tech Guitar might have some valuable input on this question.

 

Here is a link to that thread.

 

Thanks!

[Karma1]

I have a GR33 that's I've triggered with a keyboard. As long as there is a "midi in" socket on the GR20, you can plug a midi keyboard into it. As I recall, it was pretty much plug and play - no special set up. It actually triggers better from a keyboard because you don't have the pitch to midi issues of a guitar.

[mygolfcart123]

You can, but WHY would you want to? There are so many keyboard rack modules that sound better than the GR 33 it is laughable.

[kingswebe]

Karma1, first off thanks for confirming this possibility for me.

 

Regarding:

 

... As I recall, it was pretty much plug and play - no special set up.

 

 

With regards to the Roland GR-20, it's looking like it will not be plug-and-play. I've reviewed the Support section of Roland's site and there is no already-made, downloadable file of Roland GR-20 specific MIDI commands to load into whatever keyboard controller I end up getting. Looks like I'll have to program the keyboard manually...

[Karma1]

 

With regards to the Roland GR-20, it's looking like it will not be plug-and-play. I've reviewed the Support section of Roland's site and there is no already-made, downloadable file of Roland GR-20 specific MIDI commands to load into whatever keyboard controller I end up getting. Looks like I'll have to program the keyboard manually...

 

 

 

I don't know about all that - it doesn't sound right. What kind of midi commands? As long as they are on the same midi channel, that should be all that's necessary. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but I've never had to do anything more complex than plug in a midi cable and play.

[mlabbee]

There's a fairly good chance it's just a GM set-up, so it should play fine from any midi controller keyboard. I can't imagine there are many complexities to the native set-up on the GR-20 - from what I recall, the big complaint about it was it's lack of tweakability.

[kingswebe]

Since I am starting to shop keyboard controllers in stores now, I'll bring my GR-20 along and hook it up to a few as I try them out - see what happens - I'll post back what I find.

 

Thanks again guys for the good input.

[mygolfcart123]

 

Since I am starting to shop keyboard controllers in stores now, I'll bring my GR-20 along and hook it up to a few as I try them out - see what happens - I'll post back what I find. Thanks again guys for the good input.

 

 

 

I think most keyboard controllers will blow away the GR-20 in sounds and tracking...easily!

 

The GR 55 is so much better than the GR 20 as far as MIDI guitar tracking, but if you are going to use a keyboard, why not get a module like the Yamaha Motif rack?

[kingswebe]

 

I think most keyboard controllers will blow away the GR-20 in sounds and tracking...easily! The GR 55 is so much better than the GR 20 as far as MIDI guitar tracking, but if you are going to use a keyboard, why not get a module like the Yamaha Motif rack?

 

 

I am a newbie to the world of keyboards, but I thought a 'keyboard controller's is different than a full-up keyboard, the main difference being that 'controllers' don't come w any sounds loaded in, and therefore they cost less. I was planning on buying a controller.

 

I will look into the Yamaha Motif module, thanks for the tip.

[Karma1]

 

I am a newbie to the world of keyboards, but I thought a 'keyboard controller's is different than a full-up keyboard, the main difference being that 'controllers' don't come w any sounds loaded in, and therefore they cost less. I was planning on buying a controller.

 

 

 

You are correct in your assumption that a "controller" doesn't have built-in sounds. Although any midi keyboard or synth can function as a controller, there is a whole line of strictly controllers that have no sounds and are less expensive.

 

Also, when triggering a guitar synth from a keyboard, tracking is no longer an issue since there is no pitch to midi conversion. You don't get the kind of false notes and glitches like you get when triggering it from a guitar - it's just like playing any other regular synth module. I'm not familiar with the sounds in the GR20 so I can't really address that, but my GR33 sounds fantastic when triggered by a keyboard. In fact a lot of the patches actually sound better that way. The synth engines in Roland guitar synths are based on specific models in their keyboard/synth line. The GR33 is based on the Roland JV 1080, which was one of their best selling models. I'm not sure what the GR20 is based on. As has been said, there are undoubtedly better synth modules available, and there is no doubt that the GR55 is superior to the GR20 but since you already own the GR20, it's worth checking out how it sounds triggered by a keyboard controller - it might work for your needs and save you some money.

[WRGKMC]

You can buy a good used yamaha that has midi capibility. I own three of them. thay can act as midi controller and play analog tones as well.

If you're into recording it comes in handy if you want the additional voices recorded analog while you're recording midi.

For live you can use midi moduals that can be bought very cheap. If you record, using midi tones in the computer is all you need.

You could even use a laptop and interface and get the tones from the computer that way if you want.

Theres some great virtual instruments out there that would blow the doors off of any guitar synth box so using it as a midi box wouldnt be my first option.

 

The cost of some midi keyboards with say weighted keys and all can be fairly costly on the high end. Its all in the key touch responce you want.

The cheaper yamahas I collected over the years have great internal tone generation, and work as well as anu midi controller I've tried. The keys arent weighyed,

But Its not something I prefer anyway. I owned a baby grand as a kid and I associate weighted keys to a mechanical typewriter or acoustic guitar. Lighter keys

with touch sensistivity is more like an electric guitar to me and I can get a little more speed happening. If I were a pro keyboard player

and not a knowlegable hack I may have a use for weighted keys. I only pull them out when adding parts to tracks, so my hands really dont need the

abuse onj the joints the extra weight of the keys cause.

[kingswebe]

I verified on a Axiom keyboard controller today, that no programming is needed to start getting sounds immediately out of the GR-20. Just need to finish doing more research on which keyboard controller to buy - want to buy used - and get as much functionality and capacity for future growth as possible for the buck...

[mygolfcart123]

 

I verified on a Axiom keyboard controller today, that no programming is needed to start getting sounds immediately out of the GR-20. Just need to finish doing more research on which keyboard controller to buy - want to buy used - and get as much functionality and capacity for future growth as possible for the buck...

 

 

Like I said you can control sounds with a controller from the GR anything..... GR 33, GR 20, GR 55.

 

But the sounds are not that great, at least not to me.

 

But then again I am spoiled by having a Yamaha Motif Rack XS for my MIDI sounds.