Roland GR-700 Guitar Synth & 707 Guitar Controller

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I've been meaning to do this for awhile. I scrolled thru some of the factory presets. I'm not really a guitar player but I got the GR-700 to do ambient textures and fat pads, etc. The GR-700 has the same synth engine as the JX-3P but has a more "organic" sound because each string can send pitch bend so you can get a really nice slight de-tuning. Two digitally controlled oscillators per string and a fat 24db analog filter. The filter is the key for the sound. It has grit and balls. The new sample playback guitar synths may have more sounds, but they can't compete in the "balls" category. I used the G-707 guitar controller.

I went thru 4 different 707 controllers on Ebay before I found one that really worked well. The 707 I own has been completely tweaked by a tech who knew how to set the guitar up. The 707 also sounds awesome on its own - the humbuckers are fat! When I enventually sell this the buyer will know he (or she) is getting a kick-ass collector's piece that works beautifully.

Channel: Music
Uploaded: October 4, 2007 at 7:15 am
Author: Analogger

Length: 00:05:53
Rating: 4.58
Views: 27185

Tags: analog synthesizer moog arp oberheim sequential dave smith buchla doepfer motm serge

Video Comments:
kronix420 (October 5, 2008 at 12:59 pm)
dude! which would be better, a gr-20 or a electro harmonix micro synthesizer? what would you prefer? does a gr-20 have that fat square wave analog sound? thanks so much!
Analogger (October 5, 2008 at 7:04 pm)
I would go with the gr-20. the ehx is very limited in what it does - although it sounds cool as hell. the gr-20 has tons more sounds including sampled square and sawtooth waves. the gr-20 is just plain more versatile. the micro synth is basically for single note leads. the gr-20 has gorgeous pad sounds as well.

i don't have an ehx micro synth but i plan on getting one someday just to have it. i just sold this gr-700 and guitar on ebay. it now resides somewhere in british columbia.
blueredfred2 (August 28, 2008 at 5:13 pm)
how much did that cost you? my band is lacking a synth player but seeing as only a few of our songs actually need a synth i was thinking of getting one
Analogger (August 28, 2008 at 9:16 pm)
The GR-700 was discontinued in the 80s. Check out the new Roland GR-20...you can also get GR-20s used on Ebay. Good luck.
Kurisublack (September 4, 2008 at 4:17 pm)
I don't really understand that numeration, you mean that GR-700 is older than GR-20? What about GR-30, GR-33 and GR-300? I'm lost now :/
Analogger (September 5, 2008 at 4:49 am)
i am not familiar with all those other models. i just have a couple of the vintage ones. i don't know the chronological history of the roland line. check out the roland site and choose the one that's right for you - and only you can determine which one is best for what you want. you might go to a local music store and ask someone in the guitar department. i bet there is a salesman just waiting to have his balls busted all day long!
jamesvla (August 18, 2008 at 2:24 am)
powerful device, although nowadays you can pick up a pitch to midi interface or even a max msp patch based of fiddle/analyzer to play any synths in software or hardware (even native instruments stuf).. although this pure analogue hardware will not be 100% emulated in the near 10 years I guess (you can get close results with software but it's never the same thing)
VUZOOKA (August 13, 2008 at 2:20 am)
this may be a bit of an irrelevant question, but about the gr-20, how well does it track other synthesizers through MIDI?
eddievhfan1984 (August 9, 2008 at 2:33 pm)
How's it track in comparison to the GR-300? Could you shred on it?
Analogger (August 9, 2008 at 6:37 pm)
This does not track nearly as well as the GR-300. The 700 is great for synth pads, etc. You have to really get used to it...and then its okay. The best thing about the GR-700 is the fat synth pads, bass and "spacey" sounds you get from it - but the GR-300 blows it away in the tracking department. The 700 is a true collector's synth.