Re: GEAR Question: Roland GR-700

[Paolo Valladolid <pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu>]

[Mikel's response to Markus's "Is a GR700 worth it?"]
> >  I would say buy it only if you are a collector. The new GR30 does so
> >much more, sounds much better, tracks MUCH better, and can be had new
> >for less than $1000 with the GK2A pickup. I think it includes a
> >sequencer, too.
> 
> 
> GR30's internal synth is sample playback, right? Since the GR-700 is 
>analog,
> it will likely sound totally different. Whether it's better or not 
>depends
> on what you want to do. I usually find sample playback synths to be
> completely unsatisfying, especially from a guitar controller. I tend to
> prefer the more "interesting" sounds to be found in other types, like
> analog. You can get a more unique sound, and the timbral nuances are
> typically more controllable. That's my taste, though....  If you want the
> guitar to sound similar to a grand piano or a crash cymbal or a tuba or
> whatever, than sample playback is the thing.
> 
> kim

More input from a GR700 owner:

I'd have to agree that a true analog synth such as the GR700 has not only
a different sound than a sample playback synth but also a different
characteristic behavior.  That is why there are some folks out there 
searching for GR700s and GR300s even with the availability of more 
"advanced"
guitar synths such as the GR30.

Gayle Ellett of the prog rock group Djam Karet turned me on to the idea of
using the GR700's glitches to creative advantage.  In particular, the GR700
doesn't handle harmonics very well (hence the manual's admonition: "Please
do not play the GR700 in the harmonics manner" under the section _Problems
Caused by Your Improper Playing Manner_).  In fact, a strongly played 
harmonic
drives it nuts.  For example, a hard strum of the natural harmonics located
above the fifth fret causes the GR700 to spit out a random stream of high
pitched notes.  By working to cause the GR700 to glitch _on purpose_ you
can get some intriguing sounds not available from keyboard-operated synths
or the more refined descendants of the GR700.

Cheers,

Paolo Valladolid
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