Roland VG-99?

ethrbunny

ethrbunny

Inspired
Anyone messed about with one of these? Was watching the videos this morning (instead of going to work like I should...). Looks like some phun pheatures in there.
 
I had a VG-88 - sold it.
It's cool to be able to have different tunings with no latency.
Guitar modelling was meh.
Some ok presets but is generations behind the Axe in terms of overall sound.
Not sure how much better the 99 is.
 
I have a vg8 and a vg99.Havent turned them on since i got the axe fx.
They where the best thing around 5 years ago but no upgrades since even the change from vg8 to vg 99 was very minimal.variax is better for guitar modelling.
I should really sell all that stuff as i never use it anymore.
 
Agree with everything above and also have to point out the fact that you have to get a guitar with 13-pin to make the thing work, which is a major pain . So, the sounds, while good, have easily been eclipsed by the AFX and the installation of a 13-pin is a pain to get right and causes constant explanations to other guitarists about what that stupid wart is on your guitar.

If you're looking at 13-pin stuff, the Fishman Tripleplay is where it's at nowadays. Andras Szalay, the guy behind the Axon 13-pin products, has evolved that system into the Tripleplay.
 
I've used a VG-99 in front of my Axe for years (and used a VG-88 before that). I find it invaluable when playing live. I don't use any of the amp modeling or cab modeling in the VG. I strictly use it for per-string pitch shifting, pickup modeling, and acoustic guitar modeling. Some of the benefits include:

It's extremely useful for instant alternate tunings and 12 string simulations. I only need one guitar (with a backup in case I break a string). You can also get great pedal steel effects by shifting the pitch of each string by different amounts via a pedal.

While the pickup modeling is not totally convincing, I can still get MUCH closer to the sound of a Strat in the 2nd and 4th switch positions using the modeling than I can with my standard humbuckers. Same for Rickenbacker, Danelectro, and other specialty pickup tones.

The VG provides good acoustic guitar sims and Dobro sims. These can be further improved with IRs in the Axe. While the Line 6 Variax has better acoustic sims, you can't use your preferred guitar.

The VG also has a few effects that are unique and not available in the Axe.

The Fishman and Axon are midi converters, and are completely different products than the VG, although the VG can do midi conversion.

The amp models in the VG aren't very good compared to the Axe. I only use the VG as a front end for the above stated purposes. And I wouldn't use it for serious recording. But without the VG, I'd be far more limited in what I could accomplish live. I really like it. In fact, I need it.
 
Yeah, my bad. Should have qualified my statement. The Tripleplay is the way to go if you need pitch to midi to trigger external synths or want an easy way to create tablature. If you're looking at the VG-99 for modeling, then the AFX is better.

The VG-99 is a cool product, but the 13-pin requirement holds it back(But also makes it possible) from heavy adoption imo.
 
Roland jumped the shark when they invented the VG.
The GP was a superior concept, and in my opinion, had better sound and effects.
 
steadystate said:
I don't use any of the amp modeling or cab modeling in the VG. I strictly use it for per-string pitch shifting, pickup modeling, and acoustic guitar modeling.
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Ditto, except I also like playing with the HRM synth stuff. After spending some time with this and the GP10, I can't stand COSM modeling. Its overdrive just sounds like nails on a chalkboard to me.

I'd consider incorporating my GP10 into my live rig if it had a traditional MIDI interface for preset selection.
 
I was thinking more about the synth effects and midi triggering one could do. Either way though - glad to read all of this!
 
Even though you said synth effects perhaps check out the Roland GR-55. It has COSM modeling but also traditional synth sounds. The VG-99 was short, for me, in that department.
 
If you're into the guitar synth stuff, the GR-55 is a much better product to look at than the VG-99. The GR-55 is really fun out of the box. I'd still have to vote for the TriplePlay being the goto item for pitch to midi though. You would need a box like the iConnectMidi4+ or Kenton makes one, that will take the TriplePlay USB stick and convert it to Midi.

Tracking of pitch for the Roland line of products utilizes what amounts to a zero-line crossing counter. For a low E string, which oscillates at under 100Hz, you're looking at around 30ms for the low E to travel across the zero-crossing enough times to detect pitch. The higher the frequency of the note you are playing, the faster the Roland unit detects pitch. So, the high E string tracks faster than the low E. It can be a little off putting at times. I never really had a problem with it, but have heard of others not being able to adjust.

The TriplePlay/Axon uses a statistical method, "neural network", in their marketing. You strike the string and the TriplePlay uses what it knows to guess the string pitch from the initial pick attack. This allows the TriplePlay to guess pitch, very accurately btw, much faster than the Roland. I believe all strings can be detected in under 10ms. Maybe it is something like 13ms for the low E. Regardless, it is faster across the board and latency between strings is similar instead of having a 20ms spread.
 
I considered the GR-55, which is a cool unit. I chose the VG-99 based on my own personal priorities. The GR-55's COSM guitar modeling section is not nearly as comprehensive as as the VG-99's. The VG-99 allows you to use two simultaneous modeled guitars, making possible such things as 12 string sims with altered tunings. But the 55 has an onboard sample playback 'synthesis', which is pretty cool if that's what you want, and is absent in the 99 (although the 99 does have the same COSM synth tones as the 55). Two different products for different uses. Pitch-to-midi is not the 99's focus. It was added after so many users requested it in the VG-8 and VG-88. The Triple Play and Axon have no modeling capabilities whatsoever, despite their superior pitch-to-midi conversion. Apples and oranges. If I needed the best tracking for midi conversion, I'd have an Axon and a VG-99.

The GP-10's lack of midi interface is a fatal flaw imo. Useless for me. I do wish another company would make major strides in pickup modelling. Until then, the Roland VG-99 is my best bet.
 
ethrbunny said:
I was thinking more about the synth effects and midi triggering one could do. Either way though - glad to read all of this!
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If that is the case, then the GR-55 or Axon with a separate synth would be your best bet, depending on the budget and amount of complexity you desire.
 
Had or have a VG8, VG88, VG99, GR33, GR55 and GP10. The GP10 tracks the best without latency issues that are more obvious at times with earlier models...I use it almost exclusively for it's alternate tuning functions. I have my guitars physically tuned down a half step and pitch shift and/or change tunings via the GP10 on the fly. In this context the GP10 works like a charm and does not take up too much real-estate on my board. The built in volume/expression pedal is useful as well.
 
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steadystate said:
The VG also has a few effects that are unique and not available in the Axe.
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I have also been building presesets mixing the VG99 at the end of the signal chain. I bring it in with the FX LOOP block, both L&R channels . All of these are relatively clean (both processors) because I really don't care for the distortion/overdrive type tones the VG produces. Roland, (IMO), really missed the mark for the vintage rock guitar sounds. All this said, The mellower tones accomplished with the COSM engine are unique and, as sreadystate says, not possible with Axe-FX. The pitch shifting capability goes to a higher level due to the ability to process each string independently. As I have stated in earlier threads, I almost sold the VG-99 when I bought the Axe-FX, but one day I realized that what I have learned to do with it cannot be replaced. Retaining this unit allowed me to use the companion FC-300, which serves as a good MIDI interface, regardless of the fact that the Axe-FX is the one most often heard.
 
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I have a VG-99. I love how the controls work with my GK and Ghost equipped guitars. You can do all the virtual pick up switching from the guitar which you can't do with the GR-55. Unfortunately, the balance between normal pick up and VG sounds is difficult to achieve on the VG-99, because the center volumes are greatly different. And, it steals tone from the normal channel. Then, there is also the design flaw that left out the subsonic frequency filtering circuit on that VG unit and on the GR-55 which Roland promised to fix with a software upgrade that never happened. It doesn't track nearly as well as it should which makes the synths sounds on both units practically usable. Luckily, a third party makes a box that does that, so that's fixable.

More often than not, I use the GR-55 and control the pick up switching with my foot these days which is less than optimal, because they didn't make that parameter assignable. I just wish Roland would be consistent. It's like they're switching off between a guitar team and keyboard team for each new product.

Also, I have JTV's with HD models which don't play as well as the PRS Private Stock with the Ghost and actually don't sound as good either as the PS through the GR-55. There is something about the underlying quality of the guitar that effects how the models perform. More resonant guitars sound better with guitar modelling, but they track worse for synthesizer triggering and virtual alternate tunings.
 
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Dancing Frog said:
Then, there is also the design flaw that left out the subsonic frequency filtering circuit on that VG unit and on the GR-55 which Roland promised to fix with a software upgrade that never happened. It doesn't track nearly as well as it should which makes the synths sounds on both units practically usable. Luckily, a third party makes a box that does that, so that's fixable
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Yep. It causes problems with acoustic sims as well. I use the Axe's PEQs to filter out the subsonic info.
 
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