NAMM 2011 - First Look at Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer

[Williams2Cristiane]

idolkritiq Its not a Buddy Guy Fender man.

[TheDcervi]

This guy is a disgrace to italians

[speedygland]

I was wondering if you need the GK3 to operate the GR55. I have a Fender Stratocaster with a standard pickup. Thanks.

[ryevick]

From what I can tell this would have been huge in 1983.... lose the cheesy casio sounds... I may be getting a handsonic from Roland soon but they seem to add all these sounds and effects that will never be used by anyone serious about their music to everything they make... I think they should focus more on practical application for musicians and leave out the cheesy fluff crap... I don't want a toy I want a tool...

[JacobCain86]

I think idolkritiq is the only dislike... lol

[JacobCain86]

press 2:55 for headbanging...

[idolkritiq]

What a shame to disgrace Buddy Guys axe like that ...

[BekkersBelly]

@idolkritiq It´s not a Fender Buddy Guy signature, Rob Marcello is endorsed by Caparison guitars...

[swcjk05]

all cool, but kil the camaraman

[cobalt87]

OMG!!! IM IN LOVE WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY!!! And the hair!! LMAO

[caulinrocker1]

awesome ... but can it do a didgeridoo sound like the gr 33?

[flesheatingvirus70]

majic...lol

[TheAngello120]

I managed to get one after 6 mnth wait and it is everything it promised and more, sadly it is also faulty so will have to go back for repair. After 3 days patch building it started to corrupt the patches I had installed, the preset banks were also corrupted so it is the unit that is at fault, after doing factory-reset the problems return. Roland are tops at warranty repairs but being without it is a pain. If you are on the road you will need a back-up machine as it is hard to be without.

[RLetts]

I saw this guy demoing the Roland stuff at a vintage guitar convention earlier this year, he looked quite out of place. There was a bunch of small dealers with lots of vintage guitars and then there's just a huge space rented out by Roland and this guy was there playing. I didn't watch him though, I was much more interested in the MINT '52 Les Paul that was right around the corner.

[beewoy]

is this literally guitar into GR-55 (with a midi control pedal to change patches)? sounds amazing!

[GuitarInPractice]

I want that!!!!

[JoelLXVI]

i didnt want the solos to end c'monnnnnnn he's so humble too, he's like ya still filmin'???

[johnaiton]

Can it be used as a vst contoller?

I would love to play samplemoog with a guitar.

[xRezarth]

awesome product by roland :)

[35rammstein]

synthesizer = ein anderes instrument imitieren oder?

is aber echt gut :-o

[polaris20]

@xx2n23 Nope, totally not disrespecting the playing. He's quite good. Sorry about the vagina comment. The 55 is made in Taiwan, but Roland is a Japanese company, obviously. Never the less, silly guitar electronics is unimportant compared to the devastation and loss of life over there.

[polaris20]

@xx2n23 Jesus you people need to friggin' relax. Marcello is a god among men. His playing is astounding, and I was wrong to ever doubt his abilities. There, happy?

Furthermore, I'm insanely jealous, because I still don't have my GR-55 yet, which has been on backorder for two months now.

[TadRapidly]

yellow hair, purple scarves and polka dot guitars! Where's Rikki Rockett?

[fredmyersmi]

why not play a guitar to sound like a guitar?

[Seagerash]

garth from waynes world haircut!

[kennisrussell]

I like your video. I think you were one of the first ones to put a GR-55 Video up. I was chomping at the bit to see it at namm. I heard they were going to make a new Guitar Synth. So glad they did. I have made a couple reviews of my GR-55 highlighting all the sound. Please check out my channel and let me know what you think. kennisrussell

[tionik06]

Rob got so wasted after this.

[freetrader0000]

Were can I get the dude???

[mindathlete1]

Hey look, it's Jeff Spicoli

[active727]

sweet scarf!

[p5ych0Killer]

Yuck, no thanks. Except 3:15-3:25, a cool Sonic the Hedgehog attempt

[whittonmatt]

yes..definately an 80s leftover tragic

[GenXFuturist101]

Pre Ordered one :-) Can hardly wait to run my S-Series Ibanez into that baby & split the guitar path between my handy-dandy line 6 combo & my Digitech RP-21d +4x12 rigs. Maybe get the GK parallel box and drive my existing GR-30 & simultaneously trigger my EMU Proteus 2000 & XL1 sound modules.... Can hardly wait till they ship later this month to get mine.

[polaris20]

@RTE101 Do you know me? No. So STFU.

[IamPeavey]

does it still have that annoying millisecond latency?

[seowhistleblower]

Rob Marcello is an incredible guitarist. If you don't know who he is, look him up. There aren't too many people he can't hang with across various styles. Very awesome guitarist

[charvelguy]

Rob rocked it at the Roland stand he was performing - tirelessly smokin with ease.

[KrazyKali69]

wow, Roland is really doing it now! sounds awesome!

[chez117]

Do you need the GK pickup?

[Vordrab]

@chez117 Yes.

[Turb1ne]

Americans...

[gtrgdss]

Been waiting for the guitar synths to improve - but I loved my first one. Been awhile since that one - I can't wait to snag one of these "when I get rich". ;)

[pedrotooguitar]

does this sint works like a amp?

[gtrjoe68]

Out with my GR-33.

[Frombonics]

Rob great playing and demo, TY for SHARING IT!

FF

[TheJphoenix69]

so you change the pre set sounds on the pickup?

[TheJphoenix69]

so you can pre set the effects to change during a song automatically that rules

[rcrinlv02]

The price seems to be $699 w/o and $799 w/ GK3 pickup.Just from what I've seen on ebay music store sellers. But they dont ship til the end of the month.

[rcrinlv02]

This would be a great device for songwriting. But , as a performing guitarist?...NOTHING beats a real amp. But , this would be very cool & convenient for the home recording artists.

[1Mellodee]

@rcrinlv02 - Well, you can use these things for Live & Studio...I've been using the 33 & the 20 for years with no trouble...just send your guitar signal to your Amp & your Synth outs to a different amp. I think a lot of folks look at these units as Stompboxes & they aren't - it's a synth, triggered by a Guitar as opposed to a Keyboard. it's an instrument, not an effects pedal...

[MaggotZ3R0]

now this looks like one fun toy lol

[LinZeeLinuz]

here is getting sounds most wish they could get and there he is bored as f@#K!

[Sinsiterules]

Nice! When does this come out?

[anyday82]

he stopped playing when it was getting good!

[KZ4USA]

CooooooooooL I have to have one.

I will put my order in as soon as they come out.

[pwnurslf]

as soon as he started playing the saxophone synth a little piece of his soul died. then at the end when "you get the idea" happened, the rest of it died of shame along with his hair.

[jgk381]

Is this the 2011 NAMM or 1988?

[Mastercaster1984]

@jgk381 IT needs to be 1988 because music today sucks

[AppRocheMe]

@Mastercaster1984 Music today? Or just music that is advertised. There's still some good music today that comes around, like Buckethead.

[jigsetcza]

@Mastercaster1984 Grow up

[Mastercaster1984]

@jigsetcza Get off your dads computer you fucken nerdy kid hes gunna beat you

[mygaragedoor]

Phrasing sounds like turd

[monochromeEARTH]

i think what one of the bes thtings about this is, is that you will really be able to ehar all the different instruments, and what they sound like over top of eachother, to create more and more sounds and completely innovate the music industry, although using this may not be as great as picking up each instrumetn individually, its far less expensive and much less tiem consuming. this is for sure one of the greatest inventions in the guitar world

[bodah1982]

HOLY SHIT! This is my dream unit!!

[Woofspl]

Players name?

[THErocker532]

@Woofspl Rob marcello or something like tht i think

[ibanezxiphos700]

FUCK!!!! i want i want i want i want!!!!!

[anyday82]

how is he changing effects without stepping on anything?

[raresore]

@anyday82 dunno dude, I wonder that to...

[raresore]

@anyday82 dunno dude, I wonder that to...

[raresore]

@anyday82 no, now i know... he's changing on a thing with a mic you need to use the gr-55 that are at the bottom of the guitar... look carefully at 1:42 , 1:56 , 2:08 , 2:15 , 2:39 , 2:47 etc.

[anyday82]

@raresore so you have to use a special guitar for this?? it won't work with any guitar?

[raresore]

@anyday82 it works with ANY electric guitar that has strings... you get the special mic when you buy the synthesizer which you can place on the guitar where you think it's comfortable to switch sound and then theres a wire that goes to a mic which you attach at the bridge so it catches up the sound when you play....

[myworms]

Reminds me of the old Dream Theater stuff, not too bad.

[baajo]

Is this for bass too as the GR-20?????

Please somebody!!!

[polaris20]

@baajo Yes, it's for bass too. You'd want to get the GR-55 without the pickup ($699), then for pickups I'd recommend the Graphtech Ghost system, of which they've got a setup for bass too.

[alienrush]

My humble opinion is, The right combo is a ghost system with this floor unit.

A ghost system performs and tracks 35% better than the Roland GK.

If your a damn good guitar player like this guy in the video you can handle the Roland GK, but most players should go the graphtech route to improve their performance and avoid frustration.

[polaris20]

@alienrush I don't know if the difference is 35%, but the ghost system definitely is worth it. I've got an RG with it built in, and it's amazingly good on an old GR-30.

[MichaelGalvan]

Yes you need a special pickup carefully placed or big trouble. I use the Roland Ready Strat with the pickup manufacturer mounted. I am looking at this unit. I ise the GR20 now.

[MichaelGalvan]

Somewhat helpful. $699 ay Guitar Center available firts week of Feb, No need for the over drive though, any amp or pedal can do...like to here more of horns, strings, etc...keys. Other instruments. I have the GR 20. These units can also emit blips and bloops as well as wrong chords. I hope Roland has addressed these. One more thing: when you synth another instrument you have to play like the instrument to be credible. You cannot be playing guitar licks with a sax sound. Does not sound authentic!

[1Mellodee]

@MichaelGalvan - Right!

[lauriemonk]

Brilliant!

[artgonewrong]

So, what's the MSRP? What's the retail price? When is this shipping???

[Thgreatfailure]

Beautiful Caparison guitar.

[Zhorellski]

Do you still need those special P/U's on your guitar to play this?

[sugarlessrobots]

@Zhorellski

sadly yes :( you can kinda see it at 3:34 when he lefts his hand.

[ShimmySystem]

Oh shiiiiit!

[polaris20]

what's the cost? I mean for the synth, not the 80's reject.

[SynthMeTV]

@polaris20

We were not told how much however I searched for an MSRP and found over at Harmony-Central there is talk of it being offered at places around the net for $700 without the GK pickup and $800 with. Do a quick search. Perhaps by now the cost is out officially.

[brentmann]

@polaris20 Rather still have 80's music than the shit they call music today and BTW Marcello can rip.

[polaris20]

@brentmann I'm not about to get into a retarded Youtube comments thread debate with you, but there's plenty of good music out there today without resorting to living in the past. Porcupine Tree, Karnivool, Between the Buried and Me, Coheed and Cambria, Opeth.

[brentmann]

@polaris20 Agreed. I just find it unnecessary to call somebody doing a demo, and a pro rock guitarist at that, a "reject" not cool.

[polaris20]

@brentmann someday you'll find it in your heart to forgive me, and we can then begin the healing process.

[bombershard]

@polaris20 he's not from the 80's and he's very talented, known for his neoclassical skill.

[polaris20]

@bombershard Where did I say he sucked? Oh that's right; I didn't. He might might not be from the 80's, but his hair and outfit are.

[bombershard]

@polaris20 who cares, he's good. what pisses me off is people who dress stupid and actually suck. 

[Musiciansfriend]

@polaris20 We have it for pre-order for $699 w/o the pickup and $799 with the pickup. Enter SKU H70990 (or just GR-55) into search.

[Mastercaster1984]

@polaris20 pretty good for a reject

[polaris20]

@Mastercaster1984 I still don't see where I said he sucked. He's a good guitar player, sure. He just looks comically stuck in an 80's time warp.

[tcroyal960]

@Mastercaster1984 Yes he is good he walked into my hometown music store a few years back and sat and played for a few hours just hangin out, He loves to teach, and is able to play just about every style of music ... From jazz to country to metal he's like 10 guitars players in one.....

[miclain1995]

@Mastercaster1984 he's not a reject he's just underrated 

[RTE101]

@polaris20 marcello has been rejected by plenty fewer things than you have.

[brentmann]

Marcello is a bad ass. And Yes LONG HAIR LIVES STILL!

[bizzmarky76]

they spent a lot of time and cash to transport this guy here from 1985.

[daisnolan1]

What a shit demo. Could they not have put together a real song? Roland always have terrible demo songs. They're an embarrassment to music everywhere. The legacy of a once great company, flushed down the toilet by a sweaty rocker who's hairdo was never fashionable in any decade.

[polaris20]

@daisnolan1 wow, that was a pretty bad demo. though it does look like it tracks pretty damn well in comparison to the older stuff.

[daisnolan1]

@polaris20 Ah yeah, I'd say it'll be good alright. I can't believe they've left it this long to make a new GR unit. Better late than never I suppose.

[MyLifeChanger]

@daisnolan1 dude what do you mean? this demo actually shows off a lot of the different sounds and features of the synth... isn't that the whole idea of a demo?

[1Mellodee]

I'm on this!!

[alienrush]

nice

[stratojetb47]

@alienrush At least he knows how to play!