Roland VB-99

[derg]

Nice! I use a GR-55 with mine.

 

[gumtown]

I wish Roland would make a successor to the VB-99, one that is not dumbed down or feature reduced, in a foot-pedal format (like the V-Bass)

 

[Rowka]

I wish Roland would make a successor to the VB-99, one that is not dumbed down or feature reduced, in a foot-pedal format (like the V-Bass)

I kinda hope not, as I just got my VB-99 Tuesday , but I do already miss the V-Bass, GT-10B pedal board and Manual "stomp box" functionality.

Speaking of which...

I use it mainly in sysex mode but also in CC "stomp box" mode.

Please tell me more about this. Does it do a true stomp box mode, or do you have to program assigns in each patch?
Does it work with the number pedals, or just the CTL pedals?
A full run down would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fokof]

I'll try

Yes you have to program some stuff.
VB99/FC300 can be very complicated (that's why it didn't sold that much me thinks ..... well..... that and the price !) but the possibilities are 100 times of the old V-Bass

So....

FC300 is normally in Sysex mode to get all the features/names/tuner of the VB99 etc....

Switch the FC300 to CC mode
When you're in CC mode , it send CC control data to the VB99 like any other controller would.
So you have the 10 on/off pad + the 2 controllers + 2 Pedals + 2 pedal switches + whatever you plug in the 8 controller inputs (switches or pedals)
That's a possibility of 20 On/Off switches + 2 pedals or 12 On/Off switches and 5 pedals ..... whatever you want
That's without counting what you have on your bass + the possibilities on the VB99

You just have to program the CC in the section : control assign/page 7-8-9
Then you could use whatever controller you want to change your FX , a FC300 , a USB kbd even CC coming from a CPU if you run sequences in your band....

Sky is the limit....

I use a foot switch in the "Mode" insert of the FC300 to switch between Sysex and CC mode.
I change patch and tune myself in sysex.
I just have to press it to switch between "stomp box mode"(CC Mode) and Syses mode.

A tip:
Make yourself a patch with all the controllers and use that same patch as default to build all your others patches, that way , you won't have to reprogram all the Assignations each time you do a new patch.
(unless you want something different on all your patches)

Lot's of good info in V guitar forum , in the FC300 section , or in the VG99 section.

 

[Rowka]

Thanks fokof. This answers a questions that I haven't figured out from the forums at V Guitar.
I did see over there, though, the suggestion that GT-10B (which I already own) might make a very capable controller. Although getting my head around the complexities of programming the CC sends on the GT and coordinating them with CC receives on the VB99 is proving a task. I do like the idea of having a backup ready to go on stage all the time. I might have to really dig into that. Any suggestion on where to start figuring that out?

 

[fokof]

I'll post a patch @ V guitar in VB99 patch exchange>Patch request

It's my basic/general FX patch

I've programmed my FC300 so it sends CC#65 and up starting from pedal #1

pedal 1 = #65 = Mutron
pedal 2 = #66 = Octaver
pedal 3 = #67 = Chorus
pedal 4 = #68 = Deeper 2X2 Chorus
pedal 5 = #69 = Freeze/hold (pedal 5 on the FC300 is @ momentary)
pedal 6 = #70 = Reverb
pedal 7 = #71 = Delay
pedal 8 = #72 = Distortion
pedal 9 = #73 = Amp Sim
pedal 10= #74 =Main Delay
CTL 1 = #80 = Volume boost 30%
CTL 2 = #81 = Tap tempo
Pedal 1 = #7 = Foot volume (to sweep delay)
Switch ped 1 = #82 = nothing
Pedal 2 = #1 = Wha Wha control
Switch ped 2 = #83 = On/Off Wha Wha

You can Add 8 switches/controllers to the FC300 + you can assign controllers from the VB99 and your GK .......

 

[JoshAckerley]

im not sure if this thread is still going but I have a question about my VB-99. When I am strickly on direct bass does my signal go through and of the processing, like can i use the efffects, compressors, eqs, etc

 

[gumtown]

im not sure if this thread is still going but I have a question about my VB-99. When I am strickly on direct bass does my signal go through and of the processing, like can i use the efffects, compressors, eqs, etc

V-Guitars Forum will have plenty of VB-99 answers for you

VB-99 General

 

[derg]

If you're referring to plugging into the guitar in jack on the back - yes you can route and use all of the VB-99 other than the bass models and the Hex effects. The amp and effect models are yours for the using.

 

[JoshAckerley]

If you're referring to plugging into the guitar in jack on the back - yes you can route and use all of the VB-99 other than the bass models and the Hex effects. The amp and effect models are yours for the using.

No using the 13 pin. So will the signal from direct bass still be processed?

 

[gumtown]

Yes, you will only get the generic effects, without the 13pin GK pickup, you will not get alternate tunings, poly distortion, modelled instruments, or GR-300 synth.
It will work just like an ordinary effects unit with a normal mono guitar jack type input plug.

 

[JoshAckerley]

Yes, you will only get the generic effects, without the 13pin GK pickup, you will not get alternate tunings, poly distortion, modelled instruments, or GR-300 synth.
It will work just like an ordinary effects unit with a normal mono guitar jack type input plug.

Im saying I AM using the 13 pin. So my question is while using the 13 pin cable can I create a patch using the direct bass and effects over the direct bass.

 

[derg]

Yes you can - make sure the GK pickup is set to "Mix". You can set one of the channels to use the pickup and use all of the amp & effect models. You can also use the "Direct" button to put your regular signal through but I don't believe that signal path has any effects on it.

 

[Rowka]

I have a VB-99 paired with the FC-300 and GR-55.

I've been building patches in both and normalizing the levels with wither the V-Bass level (effectively a Patch Level) on the VB, and the Patch Level on the GR.

I have had the GK Volume globally disabled on both and have the control Hold activated.

If I needed to adjust the volume on the fly I use the FV.

I have recently added a US-20 to the mix to use both units live and am running into a problem.

The US-20 required the GK volume set to "Patch" Level to operate. Since I use Control Hold to keep the FV position between patch changes this results in the GK Volume position overriding my normalized patch levels.

If I have to default to a standard numerical patch level, what other parameter could (should) I be using to normalize my patch volumes?

Any suggestions?

 

[amadeusex]

Hi guys!

I'm using my VB-99 live but without the GK-3b Pickup and need suggestions on how to get a (semi-) convincing synth bass sound out of it.

So far I've tried combinations of Octave and/or pitch shifter and whatnot else but I don't really like what I get.

Any suggestions ?

 

[JoshAckerley]

I’ve done a few different synth patches by layering A electric models with octave and B with a synth model or filter

 

[gumtown]

I wish Roland would make a successor to the VB-99, one that is not dumbed down or feature reduced, in a foot-pedal format (like the V-Bass)

Looks like my wish came true !!

https://www.boss.info/nz/products/sy-1000/

 

[seamonkey]

Looks like my wish came true !!

BOSS - SY-1000 | Guitar Synthesizer

View attachment 3686661

There's some vids on Youtube from Namm and it sounds really good!

 

[gumtown]

There's some vids on Youtube from Namm and it sounds really good!

Those videos are not that great, in some videos, they make the SY-1000 sound like an awful chiptunes Nintendo,
The medley vid is OK if you like Ghost Busters I guess.

 

[seamonkey]

The vid I saw