The Roland GR-1 is a
guitar synthesizer
A guitar synthesizer is any one of a number of musical instrument systems that allow a guitarist to access synthesizer capabilities.
Overview
Today's guitar synths are direct descendants of 1970s devices from manufacturers (often in partners ...
that was manufactured by
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment, and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on 18 April 1972. In 2005, its headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. It has f ...
. It was introduced in 1992.
The GR-1 can be played through a divided pickup/controller (
GK-2 or newer, or a guitar with built in divided pickup, like the Godin Multiac) and has
MIDI
MIDI (; Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, computers, an ...
in and out.
The actual synthesizer module sits on the floor and has the appearance of a large
effects unit
An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing.
Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in e ...
. It is connected to the controller with a 13-pin cable and has six foot pedals for sound switching and bank switching.
The synthesizer features 24 polyphonic voices and has a library of 200
PCM sounds, which can be expanded with an optional expansion board to 400 sounds. The sounds can be tweaked with controls for attack, decay, release, cutoff, resonance and vibrato. Reverb, delay, chorus, or flanging can be added. It also has a built-in
audio sequencer
Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to:
Sound
*Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound
*Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum
* Digital audio, representation of soun ...
of 2000 notes.
Notable users
*
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...
[Roland GR-1 Guitar Synthesizer]
''encyclotronic.com''
*
Adrian Belew
Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
[
* ]Al Di Meola
Albert Laurence Di Meola (born July 22, 1954) is an American guitarist. Known for his works in jazz fusion and world music, he began his career as a guitarist of the group Return to Forever in 1974. Between the 1970s and 1980s, albums such as ' ...
* Underworld
The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld ...
Underworld's Roland GR-1 Guitar Synthesizer
''Equipboard.com''
References
External links
* http://llamamusic.com/gr1/gr-1.html
* https://encyclotronic.com/synthesizers/roland/gr-1-r1622/
* http://www.honles.com/egx/gr1.htm
GR-1
Guitar synthesizers
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