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| Roland GR-30 |
I've had a Roland GR-30 for quite a while now, although I haven't really used it that much. But each time
I do use it, it renews my interest! This is now quite an out-of-date product, having been superceded by the GR-33 and
now the current GR-20, but it still works and still sounds good. This is an all-in-one guitar synth with a
built-in sound module. You need to have a guitar with the Roland GK series hex pickups on it, a proprietary Roland cable
to link the pickup to the GR-30 and you're away!
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| Roland GI-10 |
I recently got a Roland GI-10 MIDI interface. This is a small, rack-mountable unit that doesn't have any of its
own sounds built-in. It is just a trigger to connect to an external sound module (via MIDI) or perhaps to input to a
software sequencer (via MIDI again). In fact I could do this with my old GR-30, which had MIDI out, but with that unit
there was a significant time lag on the MIDI out. The GI-10 is basically optimised for a specific job. Its not
much to look at, but it does a good job! Some time ago the GI-10 was upgraded to the GI-20, which apparently tracks
a little faster, and also has USB connection for computer connection. I don't need the USB, and got the GI-10 at a knockdown
price as old demonstration stock, so I'm happy. And I use it all the time...
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| GK Hex Pickup |
Roland GK Series Pickups
To get your guitar to output to a Roland Guitar Synth, you need a hexaphonic pickup: effectively a separate signal for
each string on a standard 6 string guitar. You can fit an external pickup to an existing guitar, or you can get a guitar
with the electronics already built in - such as a Roland Ready Strat.
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