I'll post something else with the magnetic pickups blended in so you can really hear the latency and compare the tracking.... Give me just a bit and I will reply with a link if I can get off the phone with a client.
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BOSS GM-800 Synthesizer
- Thread starter Krisfield
- Start date
I'll post something else with the magnetic pickups blended in so you can really hear the latency and compare the tracking.... Give me just a bit and I will reply with a link if I can get off the phone with a client.
Okay, here's another horrible video that I put together while trying to get the GM-800 closer to playing out in an actual show..
What you see is my Lakland 55-02 Custom with a very old Roland GK3b divided pickup, with a 13 pin hex cable (cheap one - not from my gig rig), into the Roland BOSS GKC-AD which splits the 13 pin signal off to 1/4" TRS that feeds the GM-800 and a 1/4 from the bass magnetic pickups.
Both of those feed into a Morley 2 channel mixer then my amplifier.
There's also an expression pedal connected.
In the video go through a few of the stock scenes/patches that I have modified ONLY the octave on so it works better with bass.
I also have modified each one to accept control from my expression pedal.
Somewhere in there, I attempt to cover the steps required to make these simple mods:
Change the octave for a patch
Enable expression pedal for control for that patch
Save it...
I attempt to show the tracking and latency, such as it is. I know it can be better, but dang, it's pretty darn good now.
I apologize for cruddy video - I just had my lunch time to play around and really should have been working through lunch so video was not the important thing for me - just wanted to share with you.
What you see is my Lakland 55-02 Custom with a very old Roland GK3b divided pickup, with a 13 pin hex cable (cheap one - not from my gig rig), into the Roland BOSS GKC-AD which splits the 13 pin signal off to 1/4" TRS that feeds the GM-800 and a 1/4 from the bass magnetic pickups.
Both of those feed into a Morley 2 channel mixer then my amplifier.
There's also an expression pedal connected.
In the video go through a few of the stock scenes/patches that I have modified ONLY the octave on so it works better with bass.
I also have modified each one to accept control from my expression pedal.
Somewhere in there, I attempt to cover the steps required to make these simple mods:
Change the octave for a patch
Enable expression pedal for control for that patch
Save it...
I attempt to show the tracking and latency, such as it is. I know it can be better, but dang, it's pretty darn good now.
I apologize for cruddy video - I just had my lunch time to play around and really should have been working through lunch so video was not the important thing for me - just wanted to share with you.
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on latency/tracking improvement vs the GR-55? I hear alot of the same suspected issues in your video as I've gotten used to with the GR-55 with sounds that have a pronounced attack like piano/electric piano/etc where the glitching/latency/missed notes are more prominent, but it definitely sounds like there is less overall tracking lag to my ears particularly in the low register which makes some of the synth patches sound more punchy. I'd guess the processors in this new device are lightyears beyond what were in the GR-55 and those were apparently a big part of the lag in that device due to the sheer amount of processes going on with each patch (presumably why some of the older Roland units seemed to have faster tracking on many patches and via the MIDI out despite having even older processors).
Today I finalized placement on my pedalboard, and it's ready for a show tomorrow. I will have a much better idea just how good (or bad?) it is once I play it live with a band....
As as (completely non-scientific) test, I ran the output from the GM-800 set to a patch with instant attack into one track on my DAW and the output from the magnetic output to another channel.
Then I did some picked and snapped sounds and measured the difference between the two.
At best, on the G string, above the 12th fret, I got as low as 3ms... Beating out my GR-55 test (4ms was the lowest I ever got with it when testing).
On the B string, it was obviously the highest response - 8ms. That is 2ms than the best the GR-55 measured.
Now, can I tell it when playing? No. I just think the sounds are far better and more responsive on the GM-800.
The odd thing is, this GM-800/GKC-AD setup seems to to glitch less than the GR-55 with the same GK3b pickup and bass.
I can beat the heck out of it and it doesn't freak out. Here's an example using the "EP BALLAD" patch.
I am NOT imagining it, am I? You know how you WANT or feel the need to justify spending a bunch of money, and tell yourself it was worth it. =)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rkT_G59UFeE
Hi, thanks for sharing.
(Stupid) question: Does this work as a multi fx bass pedal or as just as a synth?
(Stupid) question: Does this work as a multi fx bass pedal or as just as a synth?
This one is synth only + multi-effects on the synth tones.
No analog signal is processed in the GM-800.
If you want something that does synth + bass effects, look at the Boss SY-1000 or Roland GR-55.
No analog signal is processed in the GM-800.
If you want something that does synth + bass effects, look at the Boss SY-1000 or Roland GR-55.
I just got one of these, only had a quick play so far, it’s fun, stuck the pickup on a jazz with flatwounds, the tracking wasn’t bad but I think tweaking my setup may help.
I have a GM-800 and GKC-AD converter both incoming, hoping by the end of the week.
It will make a nice compliment to my SY-1000, and can then finally retire my rather worn out GR-55.
the setup will be:
various GK-3B/GK-Kit basses (5 & 6 string).
PRIMOVA GX-2 (GK in to 2 x GK out + modulations and string routing).
GX-2 out1 > GKC-AD > GM-800.
GKC-AD guitar out > Tech21 VT-Bass (analog preamp/dirt) > SY-1000 loop return (this minimizes an extra AD/DA conversion not using the SY-1000 send).
GX-2 out2 > SY-1000 GK input.
GM-800 stereo out + SY-1000 stereo out > passive mixer (stereo to PA, mono to stage amp/monitor)
D.I.Y 12 footswitch to midi note (single row across the front of pedalboard) > midi out > GM-800 midi in play one or two GM-800 partials with feet.
also a Boss VE-500 for vocals and Boss EV-5 expression pedal.
It will make a nice compliment to my SY-1000, and can then finally retire my rather worn out GR-55.
the setup will be:
various GK-3B/GK-Kit basses (5 & 6 string).
PRIMOVA GX-2 (GK in to 2 x GK out + modulations and string routing).
GX-2 out1 > GKC-AD > GM-800.
GKC-AD guitar out > Tech21 VT-Bass (analog preamp/dirt) > SY-1000 loop return (this minimizes an extra AD/DA conversion not using the SY-1000 send).
GX-2 out2 > SY-1000 GK input.
GM-800 stereo out + SY-1000 stereo out > passive mixer (stereo to PA, mono to stage amp/monitor)
D.I.Y 12 footswitch to midi note (single row across the front of pedalboard) > midi out > GM-800 midi in play one or two GM-800 partials with feet.
also a Boss VE-500 for vocals and Boss EV-5 expression pedal.
Had the GM-800 +GKC-AD for a week now, paired with my SY-1000, and OMG this smokes any previous Roland PCM rompler synth.
The tracking is rock solid, and you can load in new wavetable type expansion packs.
The GM-800 does everything the GR-55 should have been, I also run a DIY midi note foot controller into the GM-800 midi input, so I can also play with my feet.
Paired up with the modeling features of the SY-1000, on both units I can set specific fret positions where I want a particular sound to trigger at.
Very impressed I am.
The tracking is rock solid, and you can load in new wavetable type expansion packs.
The GM-800 does everything the GR-55 should have been, I also run a DIY midi note foot controller into the GM-800 midi input, so I can also play with my feet.
Paired up with the modeling features of the SY-1000, on both units I can set specific fret positions where I want a particular sound to trigger at.
Very impressed I am.
Any tips on making sure the tracking is as good as it can be, what’s your bass/strings setup?
So you are not using a GK-5B pickup then, but tracking is still tight? I didn't need to hear this! I am put off by the need to purchase the computer softsynth in order to get full editing capability
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My tips on setup for the GK-3B, set the input sense levels for each string so that the hardest picking peaks at 75% scale, when picking at one string, you don't want the gain or levels too high that other strings start registering on the level meters of the GK setup page.
For each patch/Scene, I set the Low Velocity cut from the default 3 up to 5 for better note release.
If you are getting stuck notes, it is due to EMI interference, usually if you have used a regular TRS guitar cable instead of the proper data shielded one, or power supply issues from daisy chaining supplies, If using a GK-3B and the GKC-AD converter, the converter prefers using a separate isolated power supply (or its factory supplied one).
I have 5 GK pickup fitted basses, a Fender jazz V Am deluxe, and the Squire equivalent both with external GK-3B, a Samick V PJ with a GK internal kit, a Manix 6 string bass with internal kit, and a Squire Bass VI with a GK-3 (guitar version) pickup due to the narrow string spacing. I didn't want to humiliate/butcher my Rick with a GK-3B so it is one of the few without a GK.
Strings I use are Rotosound Swingbass 66.
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No, not using the GK-5, as I already have 5 basses ( and 3 guitars) with either GK-3B pickups or internal GK kits fitted.
Also already have the Boss SY-1000 and a GK 13 pin splitter, so it made sense to get the GKC-AD converter for the GM-800.
I believe there is no difference in tracking whether using GK-5/GK-5B or GK-3/GK-3B (as tested by may on another Forum site) as the pitch conversion is done inside the GM-800.
I don't think I will need to use the Zen Core Pro software, as it is for creating new waveforms from scratch (would drive me nuts to tweak 1000 knobs to create a new sound), the free Tone Studio scene editor does quite a lot on its own, I can create almost any sound I want from that.
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Thanks for this, I will try playing with the input sensitivity. I have the GK-5B. Do you find string height/action makes much of a difference?
Thanks- to be fair I haven't yet seen a review video that shows all the available onboard editing parameters (it sounds like you are referring to the computer editor?), but the way they are set up in the GR-55 drives me crazy. I was hoping the GM-800 would offer the same kind of tweakability of filters and note envelope of each sound as the GR, but hopefully with an onboard editing menu more like the SY-1000 (which I find much easier to navigate). So far I tend to build most of my sounds on the fly during jams without easy access to a computer so onboard editing capability is important to me (the reason I can't jive with a pedal like the Future Impact, though I love the sounds)No, not using the GK-5, as I already have 5 basses ( and 3 guitars) with either GK-3B pickups or internal GK kits fitted.
Also already have the Boss SY-1000 and a GK 13 pin splitter, so it made sense to get the GKC-AD converter for the GM-800.
I believe there is no difference in tracking whether using GK-5/GK-5B or GK-3/GK-3B (as tested by may on another Forum site) as the pitch conversion is done inside the GM-800.
I don't think I will need to use the Zen Core Pro software, as it is for creating new waveforms from scratch (would drive me nuts to tweak 1000 knobs to create a new sound), the free Tone Studio scene editor does quite a lot on its own, I can create almost any sound I want from that.
Only relative the GK pickup, the GK/GM-800 doesn't care how your bass is setup, so long as the intonation is correct.
The pickup needs to be mounted as close as possible to the bridge (without contact against it), and as close as possible to the strings without contact on the strings while plucked at the last fret.
This video shows how to install the GK-5B
