While searching the Roland site after reading RTB's Cube 60 Review, i stumbled across this...



Its a Guitar Synth, it comes with a special pickup which you attach using Double Sided tape, it picks up each string seperately, kinda like 6 humbuckers in one.

Basically, its an effects module, but rather than adding an effect to your sound, it transforms your sound into something completely different...an orchestra, choir, sitar, keyboard, piano, whatever you like!
It also has a midi input/output and a USB lead for home recording, so it seems like pretty good value for money,considering its between £200-300

Im quite intrigued by this, really want to try one out but none of the music shops in my area stock it, has anyone come across the GR-20?

Original Site:

Roland GR-20

Well I guess it turns your guitar into midi or something and than applies different tones/effect...Can be ineresting gadget to have..I never seen it here in my country...You should definitely try one before buy if you can find it..

This post has been edited by Bogdan: Feb 17 2008, 04:21 AM

Well if it turns guitar into MIDI that is interesting, but if not (of just converting into some intern digital format in order to be processed) then it is not far away from other devices really. The samples on the unit cannot be in good quality imho. Maybe if you go MIDI into PC and choose your own samples... but that's another story..

It seems to have gotten pretty good reviews.
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews...land/GR-20/10/1

its both a midi controller and a digital interface, in that it can convert your notes into seperate midi signnils which activate a certain midi sound, and that you can actively adjust the sound of both your guitar or the midi sound

I think its well cool

that sounds prety damn sweet

Well well well....that's a whole another story. I could use that actually

Yepp ... it will make your guitar a "midi-keyboard" and you got a synth aswell.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXSHs6f_5TU or this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTjoy_CQn1g...feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNUHsbdUdx8...feature=related

this guy knows how to use it

Cool! Judging by the videos that works very well!

We tried that once with a stick on pu from Roland and a synth module but problem was that it never reponded with enough attack. This GR-20 seems a lot better at that.

I would prefer a GI-20 i think, it lets you use whatever sound module you want.. like VSTi's and such.

I prefer good ol' keys over this. It's much more precise and the sound can't be comparable even on cheap models. Synth banks from this device are not good anyway.

Using it with VST's is really nice,if it has Midi out jack.

Haha, roll on Pay Day i say

checked the specs and it has midi out- so this could be a really cool toy to play with

Haha, cant wait for our first jam with this then DR

Seems so

I use the GI20 - mainly as per Muris's comment. To my knowledge the GR20 is the same unitg but with the addition of onboard synth sound bank. Those are, I believe, lifted from Roland synths and so I would assume to be of high quality. A couple of things to consider:

tracking - unless your playing is clean you will end up producing any number of wolfnotes.

speed - guitar to midi is pretty good at following but there is a conversion limit and there is also latency.

playing style - a bit like tracking, don't expect the unit to necessarily be able to understand faithfully rproduce guitar related embelishments like false harmonics, bends and so on.

appropriateness - some synth type stuff works well with guitar to midi, some doesn't so be prepared to experiment with sounds, voices and textures.

The GR/GI20 has been around for quite a few years. The new ones shouyld have the new GK3A hexaphonic pickup. From what I've seen the more recent Axion guitar to midi converter from M-Audio has arguably faster and more accurate tracking then the Roland but is more expensive.

Cheers,
Tony