Playing The ULTIMATE GUITAR SYNTH!! - Emerald Virtuo / Roland GR-55
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- Опубліковано 14 лют 2024
- Crazy tones and huge soundscapes! Unlocking the tones available on an incredibly versatile guitar!
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GEAR IN VIDEO:
Emerald Virtuo - bit.ly/4bBtXzv
Roldand GR-55 - sweetwater.sjv.io/oq3qoe
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SOLI DEO GLORIA!
This guitar can dish out great traditional tones, but plug in a synth and things get really interesting!
Guitar/synth info:
Emerald Virtuo - bit.ly/4bBtXzv
Roldand GR-55 - sweetwater.sjv.io/oq3qoe
Enjoy :)
Great video again, thanks! Do you think this will be the future or it will exist next to conventional guitars?
The Boss/Roland hexaphonic pickup system has been in use for 30+(40?) years, rolling right alongside the normal guitar community. Steve Howe of Yes, The dude from Living Color, Jeff Baxter from the Doobie Brothers. Those who know, know. And the rest of the world is happy with their own guitar thing.
The gr55 is a confluence of Roland’s GR and VG series. They got all their COSM sounds in this one unit.
I've used GR-55 for 10 years (since they were new). A few things you didn't get into but are very cool. You can create any tuning you want - DADGAD, Drop D, Gambale, etc. without changing the guitar's tuning. Also, the modeling aspect of the GR-55 produces very credible simulations of all the classic amps, effects, cabinets, and mics to give you the ability to quickly jump from ultra clean EDGE type echo, to dropped D Marshall Plexi with echos, etv. Thanks for highlighting this amazing gear.
that would allow me to have 1 guitar instead of 4 in open turnings - wow.
Yup. That's the best part by a mile. I use mine live (actaully I use the SY1000 now) and the tuning saves me so much time.
What a beautiful guitar.
Can it be used as a D/I ?
Hi, Can you use this sound : 575/80s brass 7 with audio player ? this sound cut out when i use audio player 😮
Toys can be pricey! Yet I can live through your smiles & demos! Just WOW on the coolness of both of those together. Way cool, thanks
That is so trippy!!!! Love it!!!!
I have haa the GR-55 for about 5 years. Love it. Mainly for strings / ambience. Now this guitar is a game changer looking at your demo.... want :)
Awesome guitar! Sounds amazing. Love these guitar models that try to expand the limits of conventional guitars.
Wow, sounds great!! 👏👏👏
I'd like your demo riffs as a lesson!! Awesome as always Darrell, thank you.
I’ve been using the boss Roland systems since the gr-33. Just remember that initial setup is key. String gains and cross talk settings will make or break your experience. Also Roland defaults are usually over the top just to show what is possible. Take the time to dig deep into the settings. The amp modeling can be overwhelming but worth the time. Also, if you’re not happy with the synth sounds just midi in your favorite module and bob’s your uncle. There are many companies that have made Roland ready guitars. The unit makes all the tone so the guitar is for feel only. No need to break the bank. Thank you for revisiting a good piece of gear. Not a do all but very versatile.
Very cool as always thanks for the quick test drive love making ambient interstellar type music thank you
I had the GR-700 which was a lot of work to play but fun. The GR 55 is incredible but takes a Learning curve and work to set it up properly. I love seeing the eyes on people as I busk and they heresaxesmp, flutes, Asian instruments and more from the crazy box.
I have the GK3 pickup on a D’Angelico Excel DC and I have a Godin Multiac nylon string with built in synth capability.
STILL Studying it, 10 yrs ON!!
The GR-55 needs a subsonic filter to avoid the ghost notes you notice on the flute. I've had the unit for a decade, and its still on my pedalboard when I use my Godin LGXT,
I've had a VG-8ex since....well, forever. I recall seeing where someone had modded theirs with a filter on the input for just that issue. I wonder if the equivalent is still available somewhere.
Are you doing that? If so, could you provide some details please?
Cool, crazy stuff here. Love it.
a lot of super fun videos, super guitars, super fun, super every thing in many of your videos :) you sold your soul to those companies long ago :)
Welldone Darrell! No matter guitar, matter playing! 👋 😁
Amazing Video !! Thanks for putting in the time and effort to create this great Video Dude . My only experience with a Synth is the Line 6 POD Live XT and the Line 6 Guitar that goes with it . After a few weeks of trial and error I was finally able to achieve a few
usable Tones from that Rig but what a pain in the ass ?!?! The products you just Demo'd look and sound really great and easy to set up . I'm going to check out prices next week .n
Hope you're doing well . 🎸
Great presentation and playing once again by Darrell. I have the Boss SY-200 and SY-300 - total magic - especially when used either in series or parallel with other modelling pedals. A complete orchestra/band at one’s fingertips
The GR-55 is fun to play with. Picked up my Emerald X10 several years backs and never looked back. Last year I picked up my Godin classical that has the midi out for hooking to the GR-55 as well. I run the output of the GR-55 through a Roland KC 550 along with my drum and bass beats. Piezo from the guitar goes direct in to recording interface, the Krivo pickup goes through the pedalboard and I have a full band in the room. Fun times!
Used one for years. Pretty decent. The ability to change tuning instantly. Upgraded to a SY1000 last year
A friend of mine and I built a cigar box six string guitar with built in guitar synth pickup to operate the GR55 about 4 years ago. It also has a bridge pickup and normal electric pickups. I have three outs on the guitar, electric, bridge and synth, and a further guitar out on the back of the GR55. This gives so many cool possibilities running the outs into different amps or inputs on the mixer. Unfortunately I can’t post photos of it here.
Really loved & laughed (as u said) Great fast tracking .Wish u had done more tones😅❤👌
I've had a guitar synth setup for years (before the GR-55). I actually run 2 guitar synth setups in my rack system. A GI20/XV-2020 as well as the GR-55. I have an ESP with a GK-3 pickup and a Kramer SM-1 with Ghost Acoustaphonic system on their Floyd Rose licensed tremolo. I have a GK-13 switch to route the signal to either/both synth systems to trigger a bunch of sounds. The nice thing is your magnetic pickups can be routed through the GK cable and in to your rack/amp setup for a one cable hookup. The GR-55 definitely tracks better than my GI-20, but most of the tracking has to do with how clean you play. If you're a sloppy player, the synth will not respond properly. One of the great things about the GR-55 is the VG system (virtual guitar). It allows you to change tunings or even change the guitar type. If you don't have a Les Paul and are playing a Strat, you can call up a Les Paul and get that sound. Don't have a 12 string? You can play a Gibson SG double neck and switch between the 2 necks, going from 6 to 12 string. They also have a Fender and Rickenbacher 12 string VG. The possibilities for sound are pretty endless in reality. I can even send MIDI from the GR-55 to my XV-2020 to trigger that synth. I even send the MIDI signal out to my Yamaha SO-8 synth to trigger those sounds.
Wow, that thing is pretty good. I could see it very useful in a small live ensemble.
That unit sounds great
Enjoy the variety of "toys" you demo, thanks for that. I've had a few of Roland offerings, one suggestion regarding the synths, buy used. These units are built pretty solid. One thing, I owned a Godin classical (w/synth) and I found that model to play superior to Fender/Roland guitar or the Roland pickup that is attached near bridge (don't buy that one). Haven't tried this new guitar that is being demoed , but it sounds great. On the other hand anything Darrell plays get the "G.A.S." moving.
I've been using this pedal for about 10 years
It's nice to see that guitar put through its synthesizer paces! I'm really curious to know if that Roland unit does alternate tunings. My boss GP-10 does this, and if I put my GK pick up on an acoustic or super resonant electric guitar and change the tuning in the GP-10, it drives me crazy because I can hear both tunings at the same time no matter how loud I play.
I was thinking of getting it, and installing the GK-3 on one of my future GFS guitars
Looks cool ❤
I have been using and recording with the Roland GR-55 unit (and a Goden XTSA-Koa model guitar) for over 10 years and luv the unit.
I personally find it tracks better while recording than playing 'live', but it blows peoples minds when strings, or organ; or flute etc. come into the mix (and there's none of the instruments on stage).
looks like FUN!!!
That guitar is bananas
That's a beautiful guitar. I bet it set you back quite a few.
PS: Using the GR-55 editor on a PC makes creating and editing patches a doddle and really unleashes the power of the this awesome synth/amp simulator/effects machine
Always happy to learn there is gear that I don't need/want to have. Great video though. Thanks.
I have ownd one for 10 years.....godin acs sa slim nylon string ...so cool you can fade strings in and out with exp pedal as well as a million other wonderful things......steep learning curve and tweaking is nessassary but once you get your head around it it's great! The COSM modeling has no lag but th PCM Tones have latency that can be mostly mitigated by tweaking and adapting your playing style
Although it's likely caused by my sloppy playing, I found that round wound strings generate a fair amount of unwanted sounds with this machine. So I switched to flat wounds on the guitar I use exclusively with the GR-55, and it helped a lot.
Think of all the on hold and elevator music you could create
Beautiful guitar. I researched Emerald Guitars, just out of my price range for me to purchase for my Grandson.
Been Playing Synth Guitars since 1975… Starting with Bob Easton’s 360 Systems 19” Rack mount unit and the Synclaviar Guitar Synth… the last 13 years I’ve been using the GR-55 and the light years ahead of the earliest guitar synths. The GR-55 has it good points and negatives as well … As a stand along unit out of the box the preprogrammed sounds suck they are very cheesy BUT those sounds can be modified and reprogrammed to sound incredible! that overall on stage application at first was troublesome and it took many months before I was able to make it usable… it seems the overall workflow design is not something that is logical and straightforward to a Live application… As it seems more of a studio application … But i use in my usage maybe 12-15 sounds that sound incredible…. the rest of the many sounds don’t sound credible .,,, I have three guitars that plug into GR-55. A Fender Strat, Gibson SG and a Washburn Festival Guitar… Once you reprogram the GR-55 it is a wonderful sounding instrument!!! most of the trick to playing it effectively is studying the phrasing of the other instruments you are playing.. you can play the guitar sounds like a Guitar… But if you are playing a piano sound the same way you play a guitar.. it sound’s terrible!!! Again study Piano Phrasing and Trumpet Phrasing and Hammond B-3 Phrasing and always keep within them at Phrasing and it can sound great…. it is a fine line from great to terrible. but overall that phrasing will also add to your guitar riffs as well ! So it is a win win in many levels!
Nice review
Hi, greetings from Chile!!!
Wow!
Thx Darrell
Guitar and amp modeling vork just fine,synt Sounds and tracking tepends the sounds :)
I would be interested in how the GR-55 tracks MIDI going into a DAW like Logic that will score your playing to sheet music. I have tried another older Roland MIDI interface and the tracking and the tracking there iwas awful. The GR-55 as you demoed was much better. If it will send MIDI to the DAW and score my playing accurately that would be a really BIG deal.
First thing you played, I thought .. why do you need a guitar synth to sound like a guitar with overdrive? I'd like to know if this gear is better than and if so by how much, than using a Variax guitar with a GK pickup installed and an old MIDI guitar converter like GI-20 or something? I play flute piano strings synth etc and all the models and with alt tunings in the Variax, plus peizo and 12 string, banjo, etc. Is this a BIG step up or ... what? Remember the Parker MIDIfly or Godin SA or Brian Moore guitars? How much does it cost? Thanks, love your guitar videos.
Maybe it would have made the video too long but the set up with the GR-55 is critical for the tracking. I have a Strat with a GK-3, and a Godin classical SA and I definitely have to edit the set up when changing guitars because they have different pickups, different actions, etc. .
It’s cool, but I’m just such a sensitive analog head I miss the air harmonics so much. Just how my ears work most people don’t ever notice or really tell. But I care 😂. I have an idea that they should integrate a stereo room feedback mic with some software to counteract the amplitude feedback. Could layer in natural room harmonics if played out loud to “re-analog” room layering. I think it’s been done before but I can’t find it. If anyone knows of hardware that does something like that please share.
I love it. . I know that roland is expensive but what about the guitar?
Beautiful guitar and the synth is cool. I'd have the manufacturer send 4 new saddles or replace them all. Something that nice shouldn't have dings in the saddles, which look like Tusq saddles.
Emerald guitars are cool, they've been on my radar for a while. The problem is I don't think they have any distribution so you never see these in any retail stores. I would love to play one but just can't find one without buying one direct.
check out Emerald’s ambassador program. i’m one in Portland, OR and would be happy to let you try my Emeralds.
have you used a Roland GK-3 divided synth pickup?
Have you reviewed the Zach Myers prs?
I've been using the GR-55 live for about 12 years now. The real power of this synth is in it's programmability, the amp simulations, the effects and its ability to change the tuning of each string individually. 99% of my sounds are pure guitar/amp settings. Some are just amps using the guitar's own pickups and some use the synth's guitar simulation. It's a very versatile bit of kit and fantastic for live cover band situations
Sticking with the ME-80 for now
Just wondering why you didn't try this out with the GM-800 instead of the GR-55. Thanks
Can you plug your guitar straight into this or do you need the hexaphonic pickup thing for your guitar to talk to it?
I went with the Boss SY-1000 for my Redwood Burl topped Virtuo.
Good choice 😁
Remember back in 1985, you'd go to the music store, and they had an expensive electronic keyboard on display, powered on? You and your friends would spend about 20 minutes trying out all the weird sampled tones and helicopter effects...then you'd get bored and go back to the guitars. Now you can relive that experience with this guitar-shaped keyboard!
Bello/Magnifico.👑👑👑👑👑👑🌡️
Hi, Can you use this sound : 575/80s brass 7 with audio player ? this sound cut out when i use audio player 😮
Can you show how to connect and set it up
Hey DB. Back in the early 80s. Roland had a guitar synth type. Don't remember the model. If you get a chance in the future. Make a video. Just a thought man. Take care 😊✌️✌️🎸🎸
Darrell, Can you run the synth through one amp and the guitar say, through a spark amp and blend the tones?
Yes. It has a guitar out jack that you can run to your pedalboard or separate amp. The guitar out can be your mag pickups or the alt tuning models.
Hey Darrell I have the gr55 mine is blue.
I was wondering did the upgrade the unit. The tracking is terrible on mine.
Upgrade the firmware and the only difference is the color
I have a GR--9 lots of Fun
Hi There...!!! Can i use the gr 55 with my natural pickups of my tele or l have to play only via midi...??? Thanks a lot...!!!
That second patch would cover the intro to DREAMS by EVH.
How long before we have guitars without strings and instead have sensors or lasers? It would not surprise me seeing all the new developments.
That’s been a thing on basses for at least 20 years.
It’s unfortunate that the piezo out of the virtuo doesn’t sound good, partially because you must use electric stings with the Fishman Fluence pickups. Just sold mine.
A guy could be a walking Todd Rungren with that thing
Would you say the Emerald Virtuo is better than the top end Godin flame?
Hi does the Roland GR-55 have built in scales and keys, So that way you can pick a key and scale and never hit a wrong note on the guitar?
I like my SY-200
any difference on the color of the gr55? Black or blue?
I have the GR-33 and gave my GR-9 to my brother.
Can i use the gr 55 without using the gk 3 ?
I play my Virtuo acoustic all the time when the house is asleep.
Фантазии Будущего 🎉
GR-55 its the king of the glitch
7:35 sounds like Tenderly...well the first three notes of that riff anyway.
The big problem with the GR55 is the ghost notes. I can't solve it.
Need to go on the Forum to research this issue. It could be your guitar setup or your playing style. You might need to clean things up a bit picking-wise. It could also be the settings in the GR55, which are extensive. The best thing I did was switch to a Godin. You may need to adjust your PU height. “Jason Bourne, are you ready to commit to this program?”
I understand!, but I've already adjusted all the parameters and it doesn't look good. but I really like Roland products. Maybe this guitar is the solution.
I’ve been using the Roland guitar synth as well. The last stated made was correct. You will need to make adjustments on your neck. I also have had great success using flat wound guitar strings!
Looks like Emerald decided to ship guitars to a dozen youtubers.
I have this Roland unit but the pickup you install on a guitar sucks. Low E string cuts out and it’s not reliable. I think it’s the crappy cable but I don’t know.
How about a sax? I could really use a decent sax patch!
This would drive my Alzheimer’s and Dementia off the chart. This is very interesting for the highly inclined.
On the Metal Synth Lead patch there is no tracking at all, there`s no pitch to midi convertion, just guitar modeling and amp modeling and such...
Play some fast 16th notes to see if it can keep up with you!
Kinda lame to start with a metal guitar patch lol. I started out building my own patch, settled on a combo bagpipes / bassoon / Andean pan flute mashup. hehe :D
I could hear the delay when you played the vibraphone. Probably a good idea not to layer the gtr sound there.
Wow. All hell’s breaking loose.
That's what I thought 😂
There is a bit of mis-information here. The first part when you play "Metal Synth Lead", bigger part of your tone is not using tracking at all...this is just effect on the dry signal of the guitar. For other actual "Synth" sounds, if you try faster...you may get some issues with tracking.
Thanks for confirming that - I had thought that couldn't possibly be just midi / synth.
a little late to the party, Roland/Boss ditched the GK system with the new line of synths (GM-800)
made it seem like the guitar itself doesnt need roland synth etc
i want to break free 😡
shut up and take my pennies
The drums were terrible! Haha. Neat tech though.
Привет из России🎉
if you didn't have crap left hand position, then you wouldn't be hitting notes by accident. Can you try using good left hand technique without your thumb hooked over the top of the neck like some kind of beginner?