The TRUTH About GUITAR Synths: What They Can And Can't Do
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- Опубликовано: 1 июл 2024
- In this video: What is the difference between Roland GR-55 and Boss SY-300 guitar synthesizers. What they can and what they can not do. Why pick one over another.
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Well done!!! You covered most of the important features without a lot of boring breakdowns that usually make me turn off a video a couple of minutes in.
Thanks!!!
Simply magnificent. Nothing new or incredibly detailed, but the perfect video to understand limits and capabilities of both equipments and, moreover, the group they represent. Clever idea, my friend. And the way you chose to show the comparison and the simple edit makes it an even better, fundamental video. Cheers from Brazil!
Awesome! The best comparison and explanation of the differences between these two powerful devices!
great info Sir :) nice break down of the HOW not just the sounds :)
Thanks for the great explanation. You've solved a lot of basic doubts about this topic.
Sorry I missed this Max, very informative, as always.
You did a great job differentiating between the two units!
Amazing demo as always!
Great video. Thanks! You're a fantastic teacher.
It's an old concept that works really well. You could use guitar as an input 'oscillator' for the old modular synths too but I never heard many people doing it.
That was fantastic and informative, thanks for the video.
The Trancy on GR55 and P01 at the end felt like a classic JDM pop/guitar tune, perhaps accompanying a race down a nice mountain road IntialD style.
Lolol no way! I literally just got off the phone with Graphtechs dude, Gray. Awesome guy btw. We talked about getting synth power to my Harley Benton Fusion FR. I see you have a Fusion as well.
Excellent comparison and informational tutorial on synth sounds, Thanks.
What was wrong with the SY300? I want to make video game music using real instruments.
Thank you........concise, entertaining and informative comparison ....!!!!!!
Nice job at quickly explaining the differences.
how to compare to the tc helicon voice live extreme vl3x ? good to hear how they compare with the SY as they take the original signal also
Great explanation - thanks !!
Por fin alguien que explica las cosas como son , Grandioso!!!!
Great video buddy! New subscriber ✌🏻 Just fitting the permanent install version of the pick up now so can’t wait to start messing around with the pedal! I feel like a lot of the sounds are a little dated and some a bit gimmicky but the possibilities for layered sound design with the mix of standard pick up and synth pick up are insane!
👍🏼GREAT demo/info! Thanks!!!
Great as always!!!
Sir you are the best you just told me what I wanted to know and I will buy me the GR 55
thank you and God bless you
Nice trip. Thanks for show us
Very helpful, thanks.
Great. Now take it one step further and compare Fishman Triple Play wireless vs Midi Guitar 2. I am trying the later and chances are I Will try it with my friends band this weekend.
Excellent description!
Great Demo, first time I really got the difference between the two.
Thanks for this very clear explanation! Seems like the SY300 keeps more of the guitar’s spirit.
It does! In a way :)
I'm definitely old school here, having cut my musical teeth in the 60s. I understand that the meaning of words does evolve over time but to me, the definition of a synthesizer is an instrument that creates sounds from whole cloth using oscillators, filters et al. So to me, the SY family are true synthesizers and the GR pedals are samplers. Feel free to disagree with me. They are both still marvelous devices.
He said the 55 uses samples.
@@ralphpezda6523Yes, he did. Thanks for the reinforcement.
Yeah that’s almost correct
the only problem is that samplers by definition let the user record new sound into the sampler and then manipulate the sound
technically the GR 55 is a PCM synthesis machine …so yes it’s using recordings of actual sound.. but you can radically change them and kind of make very unique sounds
so not quite a sampler
but maybe a sample playback machine ..kind of ..sort of
@@AndreCholmondeley So basically you repeated what I said and then incorrectly turned the conclusion on its head. The SY family uses oscillators to generate sounds; the GR family uses sampled sounds. Both offer a plethora of filters and effects to manipulate the sounds being created, but a device using sampled sounds, no matter what manner of manipulation is applied, is by definition a sampler, not a synthesizer.
You can't look at green and tell me it's red.
@@jimmooney5223 Hey not trying to argue with you man- just clarifying to some people who might wanna know that most samplers let you load new samples into it. There is such a term as sample playback machine…. and for decades that’s been used to clarify when a machine cannot create a new sample. Sorry you took it personally -not trying to fight with you at all -your information was great, I was just clarifying that one word-- have a great day
This is easily the best video on the subject I have ever found. Liked and subbed. Could you please do a comparison between the GR 55 & GR 20? I would appreciate it. Thank you!
There is also the Boss GP-10, whose main point is guitar modelling, but it can also do some synth sounds. I own both GR-55 and GP-10 and use them alternatively. However, guitars with different pickups respond in a different way. I have two with built in Hex pickup - Godin xTSA + Godin ACS and a Roland GK-3 mounted on another guitar. So the tracking and modelling may depend also on the guitar you're playing, not just on the synth itself.
I am still discovering my GR55's versatility years later. It kicks!
same here, i put it up for a while along with my xsta, just put it back to work recording, such a gem
Is the pick up easily moveable if you want to use on more than one guitar?
Great comparison video ...thank you !!.... I'd to give a shout out regards Godin guitars here..the LGXT or Godin Multiac Grand Concert SA work wonderfully with the GR-55 !!..:-))
thanks so much great explanation!
I've been using Gr55 for about 10 years. Jazz musician. It's amazing. Use with Godin SA
Same here bud! I love mine and it has allowed me to create a unique presence and playing style.
@@aubreyholman1951 I think the main reason the gr55 is not mainstream is because guitarists are very reluctant to put the hex pickup on their beloved instruments. However, if you can get your head around this it can turn a mere guitar into something from another dimension. I took the the plunge 6 yrs ago and put it on an old 80's prs signature, it hasn't been off since.
@@kevinharkness2108 absolutely 💯
Great explanation!
Cool. I have the Roland GR-33 and VG-8. Good to see this SY-300 can do chords. I never was sure about that until I saw this video. I think I already have most of the GR-55 covered with the GR-33 and VG-8, so I might check out the SY-300 for the ease of hooking up to my normal, non-GK equipped guitars....... TBD. So many choices, so little time, ha.
Lemme buy that Vg8 off you bro
OUTSTANDING!! Thank you
very good review, it would be great if you could present a video comparing for example the gr55 with the mooer ge300, especially in terms of quality of sounds emulating different instruments, the mooer doesnt require a pick up, but are the sounds ok? and also curious about the virtual "sample modeling" software, any thoughts abut it ? thank you so
The big plus is that the SY-300 works just fine for all guitars and basses, regardless of string counts.
I play exclusively on 7 string guitars.
Reall helpful thank you@!
Thank you for this!
Very informative
Cool video
Should do one on differences between G55 and GP10
Thank for info¡ Max solo... Really help¡ from Argentina: Cheers¡¡
OMG! Thank you! I have been looking at purchasing the Roland Synth pedal for my guitar & bass. After watching your video I think I am going to purchase it!😎
Great video.
10+++ !!! Great Demo ! One of the best !!!
Thanks a lot!
Both of these units look awesome. I'm 14 and just got a job, so I will save up for the Gr 55 and then get a boss synth to run in tandem.
This is exactly what I was looking for. I have been wanting to dip my toes into midi guitar to emulate other instruments/synths, but have been unsure on the best route. I'd love to know what you think the best midi pickup is for this application. Ideally something that works well live through something like the GR-55 but also into a DAW for tracking orchestral instruments, midi drums, piano, etc. I've heard/read both great and terrible things about the Fishman triple play so I've been hesitant to purchase one.
Thanks for the education
Excellent comparison, very well done 👏🏼
The GR55 really could be a lifetime’s learning curve, the variety of options are virtually endless.
The SY-300 and SY-1 (new stomp) are appealing in their lesser complexity.
That's the way it's been for a long time. A Prophesy II preamp manual from Rocktron is 96 pages long. The manual for a TC Electronic Triple Flashback is about 40 pages if I remember right. Etc.,& etc. & etc. Yes, you can still plug in and play but today you likely also need a computer, smartphone, a working knowledge of MIDI, and advanced degrees in electrical engineering and computer science to connect everything properly and then figure out how to make it work at all and then do what you think you want. Many times I got half way through, or much less, and wondered "what are they talking about???" Trying to mix and match units and applications from different manufacturers can be done but it's often even more confusing. I can't address the latest from Roland but in years past in order to make any sense from their keyboard manuals you had to start reading at the end and then either jump around as best you could or read it moving backward toward the front. Great fun that was. On top of it all if you don't use that particular piece of equipment regularly it is easy to forget how to make it work.
Yep its built like a tank too
Tame Impala's Currents album is the only reasons why i want & need a GR-55 o.o
It throws out a lot of the stock sounds and utilizes custom patches.
The end guitar on the song 'Let It Happen', the mid-synth breakdown of 'The Moment' and the entire verses section of the 'Less I Know the Better' are all great representatives of the SHEER POWER of the GR-55! :D
Which reminds me once again I should spend some more quality time with it
Very informative -thanks. FYI, my guitar has a built-in 13pin output so I rented a GR-55 for a week while I was in Canada (they still rent stuff up there- lucky b*stards.) I loved it. Aside from the synth sounds the guitars sounds are awesome. Overall,I wrote a friend stating it was the greatest invention ever created. But its $800+tax...
Great video! What's the latency and tracking like on the GR55?
I like so much the SY 300 also the cheap 1000 is fine. The GR instead is a MIDI converter but now with JamOrigin you have the same without the exa pick up..
Thank you for the confirmation that I have of those 2 world of BOSS. I have my GP-10 and VG-8 and GI-10. Cheers! Don't know why there is no Thumb Up icon to click. Strange.
Great Demo, sir!😁
Thank you kindly!
It answered the important questions I had.
1 the 80’s GR 50 i was gonna use is probably to problematic sonically.
2 i want quick ready made samples. Primarily strings.
3 that’s the Roland. I don’t have time to program too much.
Thank you
Glad I could help!
Roland/Boss are Masters at Sound Processing Technology. I’ve been using their products for over 30 yrs. Continued Successful WORK. MAX
Thank you !!!
Excelente explanação!
Obrigado. 🇧🇷
DEUS o abençoe!!
Intersting and clear
Thanks a lot! Question: Can I upload samples on one or both of them?
Hi Max,
thanx for this really good comparison. There should be more clear information in internet like this!
In the meantime (also because of your video !!) I got a SY 300 and as an absolute beginner I am not able to program patches like those that you played, the U04 "Strings", the U05 "Ghost lead" and especially the U97 "Jump".
Can you please explain the corresponding settings in the SY 300?
Thanx again and continue like this!!
Greetings from Bavaria :-)
Hey Werner. It's hard to explain in a few words and requires some experience with sound design. Drop me a message via Facebook and i'll try to find a way to send you the presets
Hello Max Solo, do you offer beginning lessons on Roland GR55? Thank you much!
Soon in april we will have both of this and some more in one product.
I can't wait to rock on with bass vi
What is the product who is bring out a new pedal.
@@sagemaster9754 boss sy-1000 bro
Great video! However I have a few questions what is the tracking on these two, especially if you're playing faster? Also could you use your guitars input to record MIDI out?
The 55 triggers MIDI Note on note off on MIDI output. The SY300 does not.
it's worth noting that Boss and Roland are the same company. the tracking seems faster and cleverer on the sy3000.
and the gr55 requires a special pickup whilst sy3000 does not. I am wondering if the technology could be mixed, so the tracking and string detection is done by a Boss sy circuit, but the sound output is done using the roland gr circuit. so we can do away with hex pickup and all its problems and restrictions.
I have been using the GR-55 for years...the audio player feature is wonderful. Lots of flexibility. However combing the two might sound good together. My custom Carvin’s, have 3 outputs ..13 pin, standard and piezo.. Send GR-55 to PA and guitar out to amp.
Nice! I have a Godin LGXT with the 3 outputs as well. How's the tracking on yours? I struggle with ghost notes.
@@healthyhappyhero do you Chief? I’d get one but those ghost notes would be a pain in the neck.
Should i buy gr55 or gm800? Can gm800 play piano like gr55 does? Or gm800 is just an upgrade to sy300?
@@healthyhappyhero It tracks pretty good. You have to dig in and tweak to get rid of ghost notes. I have an acoustic electric with a Gk-3 pickup too. So two guitar profiles I switch between. It takes some articulation practice to limit ghosts notes but is is doable and adds some flare to the guitar tone
@@beenay18 - Looks like the gm800 is next gen but either should be good.
I used to own a GR-55, bought it for $800 Cdn had to sell it because I was broke. I loved it! I don't know if you can find them anymore? Boss SY-1000 caught my eye until I saw the price of $1500....nope!
It seems like if you have midi out you can run your converted sygnal through any modular synth like say deepmind12D??
Do both the pedals midi out?
Never was better from gr 55 - best synth - I using 5 year and my satisfaction is full :) Connect to GR 55 Floorboard app - and that all ;) :) :)
Having used the Gr-20, VG-99 and then the GR-55 as a musician for over ten years in several cover rock bands, your approach to your guitar playing means you must adapt to the synth and its limitations. The 5 -7 millisecond delay means you have to play ahead of the beat. Your attack has to be full off to shorten the response. Sounds counterintuitive, but it works (-50) The guitar modeling is great, straight out, with or without your regular guitar. The ability to blend your regular guitar with the synth is worth the price of admission. To be able to blend an organ, plus a 12 string guitar with your normal guitar at the same time, is awesome. The sub menus can get involved, but that's what the OM is for. I spent many hours tweaking and finding the sounds I was looking for and it was well worth it. As a 4 piece band, I've turned a lot of heads going after artists like Joe Cocker (brass), Elvis (strings), Moody Blues/Tom Petty (12 string) etc. Alternate tunings are awesome, especially for slide guitar. Your PICK ARTICULATION is everything, depending on the instrument covered. One of the best musical investments I ever made..p.s. The Librarian app works really good too for organizing presets for band gigs..
amazing
Excellent comparison dude! I'm recently looking at these synth modules for bass. I know Roland makes one of those MIDI pickups for bass, but can you still use the GR-55?
really late answer for anyone interested. there's a guitar mode and a bass mode with the gr55
nice video....bro. ...i have a question..how to connect my distortion pedal to my gr 33 synthesizer....tnx and make some new videos
9.12 grand piano wow its amazing
Thank you. Great demo. I own a GR-55 and a Synth Godin guitar. If run through a P.A.(Where you can seperate the bass and treble. you can get a very good sample sound. If you are going to get into guitar synth. Do it right ans spend the money. It will cost you 3-5 grand-depending how lucky you get with what is avail to you. The "Pedals" are not worth it. He is right Roland GR-55 is the main stay and minimum. Do not buy a guitar and add on the Roland pickup. You need a synth ready guitar and P.A. to pull it off.
I have the SY-300 and it is useful if you think of it as a guitar *signal transformer* or even shimmer-FX-box but certainly not as a synth-keyboard replacement. Most of the use will come out of slower lead guitar parts morphed into something else. The oscillators have a dirty characteristic to them that must be tamed; sometimes with cab impulses instead of merely slapping on FX. In this signal transforming mindset, some Vangelis/Jarre-style leads can be mimicked, but not as well as the original gear. Do NOT expect it to sound like a Prophet-V or a Roland Jupiter and you might find creative uses for it -- and I mean niche level creativity. It does have a slight bit of latency where it seems to snip off a bit of string-attack, but perfectly serviceable if you play at moderate and lower tempos (most music). Vibrato tracking is superb, so there is plenty of room for expressiveness. There are ADSR envelopes, but they seem to track sluggishly and without snap -- therefore you cannot pretend to play high-tempo eletro-style basslines that require a rapid&steep decay in the envelopes (basically repeating pluck sounding synth patches will NOT be convincing). If you approach it with a spirit of optimism and and your uses avoid its limitations, it can be useful and even inspiring.
That being said, I would not want my guitar to sound like a piano or bell especially with the latency issues (and it looks weird). For those steep-decay tones, just play a keyboard or Yamaha-DX-ish. As for the SY-300', playing guitar through it does not look *too* unnatural -- it's just technology morphing the sustain of the instrument into the steam of saw/sine/square waves. However, there is an pretty ok synth bell tone in the SY-300 presets -- because it sounds stylistically synthetic, it's still not abnormal looking.
Yeah it's more of an effector and most sounds aren't that use able unless you want to change your guitar into a bell! 🛎
Genius !!
Thank you so much for this clip! I'm thinking 'bout buying either of them to have a closer tone of upright bass for my semi-acoustic bass guitar. In this case, which one would be a better choice for me? Probably GR55?
Yes, GR-55 shall do the job. I'm using it to emulate acoustic guitar and it sounds really good
This was a well done explanation. As a GR 55 owner I’d like to see a step-by-step analysis of your pickup setup and your settings.
Hey, thanks. I simply followed the manual. But there will be some more content on guitar synths and i'll keep that in mind :)
Max Solo Music I’ve found the manual to be less than ideal. Particularly concerning pickup height and adjustments to sensitivity, nuance, play feel etc. How much readjusting are you doing when changing strings, or adjusting your neck? Have you adjusted the set screw on the pickup to match the neck profile? I’ll look forward to additional videos. Thank you for the response.
Should i buy gr55 or gm800? Can gm800 play piano like gr55 does? Or gm800 is just an upgrade to sy300?
Great video, thanks. Any plans for an updated shootout w/ the SY-1000? Are any of these suitable for someone looking to create low-effort tabs for students via midi dump into GPT or Muse? Has the state of the art in polyphonic tracking improved sufficiently?
I don't the SY-1000, so I'm not planning videos with it... yet! As for using midi to create tabs, GR-55 can output midi but it's hard to tell how clean it's going to be. Chances are, using a mouse to write tabs from scratch might be faster than fixing all the ghost notes and tracking errors
I have the sy1000, it's a monster..I will make some videos soon
@@AVguitarchannel Sounds great, thanks. I'm still interested in the tech.
When you have 3 OSC onboard - you CAN do ANY sound, and piano also - ANY))
GR55 alder model and does NOT have a polyphonic converter in input like SY-300, main difference.
will you explain a bit how this effects your choice? Does that mean you will just have to create the piano sound yourself on the boss?
What is better roland gr 55 with electro guitar or jamstik studio(or classic) midi guitar?
That first mimute of the video: THANK YOU
How does the Boss GP-10 compare to these units? I freakin LOVE the GP-10!
can I control VST's in Logic and get a MIDI notation readout via USB with GR55? Thank you
Great job here. I was thinking about the 300 but, I’ll keep my GR 55.
Hey mate could you please tell me what you did to get the drive tone on the SY - 300 what overdrive settings did you use?
Hey. That was OD type 'Lead DS', drive at 49, tone at +20
and now we have the SY-1000. Could you compare please? The Sy-1000 costs a few hundred more. TY
Très cool
Does SY-300 or 1000 emulate "just" piano or sax or violin, like single instrument on all strings like GR-55 at 9:11?
i want an arpegiator one that, with one stomp, start pumping my chord or note in time with a beat? anyone know whah is best?
9:49 "Chello"
Are these compatible with a practice amplifier like a 15w vox amp.?
Sounds GR55 has more capacity to produce different sound
If you get the boss gx-100 and an sy-300 youd probably get any practical tasteful sound for your guitar. You can chain them together via midi as well. The gx-100 has a super intuitive and flexible effects chain you can manipulate with a touchscreen. Ditch the roland and get an old keyboard and chain that with the sy-300 via midi. Do I know for 100% that it would work? No but I think it would.
Nice video. As someone who was playing a Roland GR-300 guitar synth with the Roland G-707 guitar controller in the 1980s, I have yet to be impressed with any of the pedals that don't require the Roland hex pickup on the guitar. I had high hopes for the Meris Enzo pedal, but they all seem to be lacking the analog warmth that the GR-300 has. The Boss SY-300 comes close, but for its price, I don't consider it a good buy. I consider the GR-55 to be the natural evolution of the GR-300 and GR-700 guitar synths of long ago. Maybe the next generation of synth pedals will nail some decent analog emulation, but I just don't hear it yet.
9:45 really made me laugh! Sounded really great too.
Oh yeah. I’m using that patch live for that specific song :)
I've got the SY 300
And I recently got a sustainiac equipped guitar
Haven't tried them together though
Is there anyone out there whom has tried anything with this combination?