What is the best way to use a GR-20 guitar synth with AxeFxII?

pamisano

pamisano

Inspired
I am trying to figure out the best way to use my Roland GR-20 guitar synth with my AxeFxII. So I am doing Rio by Duran Duran. Currently I have my guitar preset for the guitar parts and an empty preset that I am using for the sax solo via my GR-20. I am using the 13 pin cable and GK-2A as the pickup, then into the GR-20 and from the GR-20 out into the front input of the AxeFxII. I then switch between the two patches and the guitar/synch on the GK-2A.

The drawbacks, obviously using the GK-2A as opposed to the installed Seymour Duncans doesn't give as good of a guitar sound, so I am wondering if anyone else has done this and how it was done.

Thanks in advance,

Pete
 
pamisano said:
I am trying to figure out the best way to use my Roland GR-20 guitar synth with my AxeFxII. So I am doing Rio by Duran Duran. Currently I have my guitar preset for the guitar parts and an empty preset that I am using for the sax solo via my GR-20. I am using the 13 pin cable and GK-2A as the pickup, then into the GR-20 and from the GR-20 out into the front input of the AxeFxII. I then switch between the two patches and the guitar/synch on the GK-2A.

The drawbacks, obviously using the GK-2A as opposed to the installed Seymour Duncans doesn't give as good of a guitar sound, so I am wondering if anyone else has done this and how it was done.

Thanks in advance,

Pete
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Not sure I'm getting all of this Pete. If you are using the GR-20, you should be getting the sound from your pickups. The 13 pin carries the magnetic signal from your pickups so you should be able to get that.

I used to have a GR20 and now use the GR55. I've always used guitar out from the synth and the "mix out" to the PA. This way I have the synth sound on a separate channel. The guitar out goes to the fractal with my guitar pickups.

I'm not sure if the GR20 will let you mute the guitar while you do the sax solo.The GR55 enables you to do this without having to touch the volume controls on your guitar

Not sure how helpful but let me know.

MM
 
You're right didn't relay that correctly, the sound from the pickups goes through the GK-2A and then the GR-20 before hitting the AxeFxII which tends to lose a little in the translation. I have A/B'd the GK versus plugging straight into the AxeFx and there is a noticeable difference.

Have you seen any issues with the output from the GR to the AxeFx? How do you adjust the output etc going into the AxeFx.

Thanks for the help!

Pete




WITELITE said:
Not sure I'm getting all of this Pete. If you are using the GR-20, you should be getting the sound from your pickups. The 13 pin carries the magnetic signal from your pickups so you should be able to get that.

I used to have a GR20 and now use the GR55. I've always used guitar out from the synth and the "mix out" to the PA. This way I have the synth sound on a separate channel. The guitar out goes to the fractal with my guitar pickups.

I'm not sure if the GR20 will let you mute the guitar while you do the sax solo.The GR55 enables you to do this without having to touch the volume controls on your guitar

Not sure how helpful but let me know.

MM
Click to expand...
 
I run my GR55 in then back out the effects loop, use wireless to send the regular guitar pickups straight into the AxeFx. That way I can apply the effects from the ax to the GR55, turn the synth on/off via scenes and GR55 has no impact on my guitar sound. Everything gets its own channel on my rack mixer then to the matrix and FOH.
 
The way is to use your Gr20 through the FX loop of the AxeFx2. I've been using it like that with excellent results. Just add an fxloop at the end of the grid on a separate row, adjust volume level of the fxloop block and you are set.
 
I've also used the effects loop method for the synth signal. It means that you've got two cables coming out of your guitar, synth and normal pickups, but gives a better guitar sound than running the guitar through the multi-core cable. IMO it also gives better control over the switching. One step can change from guitar rhythm to synth solo. It also allows you to fade a synth backing, for example a string or vocal pad, with a foot pedal whilst using both hands to play. Very useful for bringing in strings for the final werse of a finger-picked ballad.
 
I use a GR33, and keep the guitar and synth signals entirely separate. To mute the guitar, I tell the IA switch I am using for the synth patch to send an Amp Bypass command to the Axe.
 
Stringtheorist said:
I use a GR33, and keep the guitar and synth signals entirely separate. To mute the guitar, I tell the IA switch I am using for the synth patch to send an Amp Bypass command to the Axe.
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OK guys you've got me curious and I'm hijacking Pete's thread!

Today i run the GR55 direct to the pa totally bypassing the Axe. I use Output 1 for my guitar backline signal and output 2 for my FOH signal.

Can I retain that if I plug my GR55 outputs to input 2 of Axe? I can see some expanded switching possibilities that would minimize the tap dancing but I'd still like a FOH signal and a backline signal controllable from the Axe

MM
 
There are at least three ways of doing this, depending on how complicated you want to make it:

First, you can route the synth through Input2, and mix synth and guitar signals in the Axe. That's what I do, and it works for small gigs.

Second, you can pan synth and guitar signals left and right in the signal you send to FOH, allowing the sound man to mix for you. I've played with this, but most of my Ultra patches are memory constrained, so I haven't used it.

Third, you can keep axe and synth separate, as you currently do, and use midi-thru in the Axe so that your floorboard controls both units. This is one of those projects that I've never got around to because I don't use synth with my current band.
 
Roland said:
There are at least three ways of doing this, depending on how complicated you want to make it:

First, you can route the synth through Input2, and mix synth and guitar signals in the Axe. That's what I do, and it works for small gigs.

Second, you can pan synth and guitar signals left and right in the signal you send to FOH, allowing the sound man to mix for you. I've played with this, but most of my Ultra patches are memory constrained, so I haven't used it.

Third, you can keep axe and synth separate, as you currently do, and use midi-thru in the Axe so that your floorboard controls both units. This is one of those projects that I've never got around to because I don't use synth with my current band.
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Thanks Roland. Leaning towards your option 1 as I can blend the sounds in both the backline and FOH and use the FX Loop to turn synth on and off at times. So two questions

- Assume FX loop goes at end of signal path assuming all effects are driven from GR
- Most importantly can I use both output 1's on the Axe (XLR and TRS) at the same time??

Thanks

MM
 
Roland said:
yes, XLR and TRS are just different physical connections to Output 1
Click to expand...

Thanks so much. I think this is the best way to go. All I'm doing is putting an FXL block at the end (Row 1 Last Column) not connected to anything but the output (as I'm not interested in the Axe FX for it, just the blending of the sound). Then between a switch on the MFC and the modifiers, I can turn it off and on .

See any downsides with this?

MM
 
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