Workshop ®ÂØÒňΠ® GR-20 Guitar Synthesizer Getting Started with the GR-20 © 2006 Roland Corporation U.S. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Roland Corporation U.S.
About the Workshop Booklets Roland’s GR-20 Guitar Synthesizer opens up spectacular new sonic possibilities for the electric guitarist. With the included GK-3 Divided Pickup installed, any six-string electric guitar can play the GR-20’s amazing collection of synthesizer sounds and sampled real-world instruments. You can also mix your guitar’s own sound with those in the GR-20 to create new timbres that are all your own. Hot Links Each Workshop booklet is meant to be read in order from beginning to end.
When you first turn on the GR-20, its display shows: Working with an External Effects Loop Normally, the GR-20 and GK-3 allow you to mix GR-20 sounds with the clean sound of your guitar’s standard pickups. The GR-20’s effectloop jacks allow you to add in external stompbox or rack effects to your guitar sound: � Connect the GR-20’s rear-panel GUITAR OUT jack to your effect, or to the first effect in your external effects chain.
Working the GK-3 GUITAR/MIX/GK Switch Setting the GR-20 Sensitivity Since every guitarist has a unique way of playing, it’s important to set the GR-20’s sensitivity for your style and for the way your pickup’s installed. To set the GR-20’s sensitivity: The three-way GUITAR/MIX/GK switch on the GK-3 allows you choose between using the GR-20’s sound alone, the guitar’s sound alone, or mixing the two. You can flip this switch at any time as you play.
When you’re tuning your guitar, the SYSTEM EDIT/PATCH EDIT indicators—shown here circled in green—act as tuning indicators. � If you’re using the GR-20 with an external sequencer, the sequencer can also select patches using MIDI Program Change and Bank Select messages. Play the note again and watch the tuning indicators. Selecting Patches When You’re Not Playing If the note’s: • • in tune—the green SW MODE•RESO indicator lights green.
Once you’re in Switch Mode 2, you can press the GLIDE and HOLD foot switches to select patches. Press to select the next-lowest patch. Press to select the next-highest patch. To return the GLIDE and HOLD foot switches to their original settings, repeat the above steps, selecting Switch Mode 1 in Step 2. Selecting Patches Using the GK-3 In the default switch mode—Switch Mode 1—the GK-3’s DOWN/S1 and UP/S2 switches allow you to change GR-20 patches.
Wood Bass � It only makes sense that patches that emulate guitars and basses should be easy to play from your guitar, and they are. Check out Patch 23, Drum Kit—in this patch, each string plays a different sound in a drum kit. � Try out the other patches in this category. They run from melodic percussion instruments such as vibraphone, all the way to insanely fun rhythm patterns. � Turn the BANK knob until the BASS/GTR indicator lights.
Think Like the Instrument’s Real-World Player Many of the GR-20 patches emulate real-world instruments. If you play, for example, a sax patch like a guitarist, it’s obviously not going to sound like a sax. So you have to think like a sax player, playing notes the way a sax player would: Pause as a sax player would in order to take breaths, and play one note at a time. With a little effort, you’ll be amazed at the realism you can achieve.
