I acquired Roland GR-33 guitar synthesiser in March 2001 and since
then it has been my favourite toy. Not that it is perfect in every
respect, but once you delve into it, you're going to love it (IMHO).
See also a new page: GR-33 tracking tips,
for those who have problems playing their GR33.
Some say it is extremely easy to program and ... I have to agree with them. Some say the sounds are fabulous and ... there is much truth in it. However, I donn't think much of the factory presets (patches), apart from a few, that is. Some of my favourites are:
Many others are useless, I don't even want to mention them. But as I've been into synth programming since early 90's, playing mainly with CASIO VZ1 (an unusual case of additive synthesis) Roland D-50 (a hybrid: very short samples + additive synthesis) and some EMU stuff, the mediocre factory patches didn't put me off. Just after two months I came up with a large collection of very playable patches (this is the "original collection" listed below). Afterwards I also created a few other collections, which you can get from here (they're above the first collection, latest first). There's no detailed listing for each of them on this page, but they have a "readme" file inside the .zip file. The patches are in raw format (suitable for Grape - a newly created GR-33 editor/librarian). If you don't have Grape, you can get it from www.ludgerhesse.com or by joining the Yahoo GR-30 mail list, by which you get access to the "files" area. Judging from the format, the patches could be sent into GR-33 by virtually any program that can send sys-ex data. Just remember to set your GR-33 into SYSTEM - Bulk load (waiting...) mode. If you don't know what SysEx is or how to load it into your synth, you might want to look at the following links:
Remarks: • some of the patches below are just modified factory patches, there are, however, enough differences between the original and my edited version to make something useless into something quite useful (IMVHO). • Some patches may require adjustments in the tracking mode: they work fine in the case of my acoustic guitar and a Godin Multiac ACS coupled with my very soft finger style of playing. If you use a pick, adjust the tracking mode to a weaker one (eg. "normal" or "hard picking"). • The mp3s are here only to demonstrate the sounds, not to advertise my playing skills (they are usually "take 1", without much preparation).
| New collections | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn 2003! "Ambience-n-spice". 29 patches. | Get this collection. All patches in one .zip file. There is a readme.txt inside the zip file, so just a short explanation. Some of these patches are "ambience" sounds, some are jazz-like or reggae-like. The most important bit is the use of the expression pedal. Don't forget to check what happens when you swing it up or down! | |||
| Autumn 2002! "10-2002 Collection". 20 patches. | Get this collection.. All patches in one .zip file The readme.txt inside the file explains all. | |||
| Spring 2002. Gospel collection. 14 patches. | Get this collection.. All patches in one .zip file The readme.txt inside the file explains all. | |||
| 2 Bagpipe patches. You can tweak the sound changing the effect (spectrum) parameters. | Yes, I confirm I am a highlander and want these patches :). One zip file in Grape format. | |||
| Christmas 2001 Collection. Includes several "carol type" patches and many others. | Get this collection. One zip file: has all the individual patches and the whole collection in Grape format. | |||
| The original collection | ||||
| Get all the patches listed below at once... | ||||
| Patch name (GR33) | File name - Get it! | mp3 - example of use | Remarks | |
| Real-life-like patches | ||||
| Violin Barq | violin-baroque | I use this to play Bach's Violin Partitas | ||
| Violin solo | violin-solo | Much better than "fiddle" | ||
| Cello Barq | cello-baroque | Well, you've guessed it. It's for Cello Sonatas/Suites | ||
| GRAND PIAN2 | grando-piano2 | Similar to factory "Grand Piano" | ||
| GRAND PIAN3 | grand-piano3 | This piano is a lot darker than the factory "Grand Piano" - it is also a lot better with classical music. | ||
| e-piano | e-piano | |||
| sop-sax | sop-sax | |||
| alt-sax | alt-sax | |||
| Clarinet | clarinet | I dare you to play the "Clarinet Polka" with this patch. The most difficult bit is not to let any two notes sound at the same time (how on earth do you expect a clarinetist to play two sounds together!?) | ||
| Strat-fl | strat-flanger | Strat with added flanger | ||
| JC STRAT | strat | Slightly modified factory patch (to suit my playing style) | ||
| CLEAN TELE | tele | Slightly modified factory patch (to suit my playing style) | ||
| Strat pad | strat-pad | |||
| Flamenco | flamenco-mg | Chromatic. Maybe not absolutely perfect classical guitar, but better than the factory one and you can play tremolo with this patch (at least I can...) | ||
| NYLON STR GT | nylon-str-mg | Another try at a classical guitar (this one is non-chromatic) | ||
| NYLON STR GT | nylon1 | Another try at a classical guitar | ||
| Piano strng | piano-string | |||
| EPiano Str | epiano-string | |||
| EpianoBrass | epiano-brass | |||
| guitar-pad | guitar-pad | I use this usually mixed with my acoustic guitar sound | ||
| gstrings | gstrings | ditto | ||
| bouzouki | bouzouki | For the 'Zorba' soundtrack... | ||
| Harp | harp | A 'thin' harp -- good to be used in arrangements that sound already 'fat' | ||
| Harp-Andreal | harp-andreal | An Andreas Vollenweider type harp (I use this one in connection with my CASIO VZ1) | ||
| Harp-Andreal | harp-andreal1 | A bit different variant of the above | ||
| Harp-Andreal | harp-andreal2 | A bit different variant of the above | ||
| Harp-Andreal | harp-andreal-fl | A lot different variant. This one is my absolute favourite. | ||
| cmaj-strings | cmaj-strings | A minor edit on the factory patch | ||
| ROCK Ld Soft | rock-ld-soft | |||
| Midi piano | midi-piano | A minor edit on the factory patch | ||
| Midi keys | midi-keys | A minor edit on the factory patch | ||
| Brass-bone | brass-bone | |||
| saint-string | saint-string | |||
| Organ patches | ||||
| cathedral | cathedral | I did play the Mendelssohn's Wedding March at a real wedding with this patch and certainly nobody took offence... | ||
| cathedral-big | cathedral-big | |||
| cathedral-sml | cathedral-small | |||
| church-hamm | church-hammond | Not a very realistic hammond, but still nice | ||
| e-organ2 | e-organ2 | |||
| b-organ-dyn | b-organ-dyn | |||
| Synth-sounding patches | ||||
| sweepy-crepy | sweepy-creepy | This combines both fast response and long "sweeping" effect | ||
| lead-cosmo | lead-cosmo | |||
| atmo-pulse | atmo-pulse | You don't have to be a J.M. Jarre freak to like this. | ||
| atmo-bright | atmo-bright | |||
| atmo-pulsar | atmo-pulsar | |||
| atmo-brassy | atmo-brassy | Well, even my wife loves this (although she is by no means a Jarre freak). | ||
| sndtr-lead | sndtr-lead | |||
| sndtr-choir | sndtr-choir | A lot of ambience... | ||
| sweep-brassy | sweep-brassy | |||
| sweep-singer | sweep-singer | Oh - ho... | ||
| atmo-saw | atmo-saw | Good both for solo and background | ||
| blower-string | blower-string | |||
| blower-wine | blower-wine | |||
| blower-air | blower-air | |||
| blower-air2 | blower-air2 | |||
| sitar-fairy | sitar-fairy | A bit funny | ||
| x-files | x-files | This should sweep some of your friends off their feet | ||
| Split performance patches (mostly with bass on bottom 2 or 3 strings) | ||||
| Mr S.Oboe | mr-s-oboe | Are you going to try "Concierto d'Aranjuez" with this one? | ||
| Violin&Orch | violin-orchestra | Well, the following three patches are somewhat special. I use them to play Vivaldi's "Winter". This is a violin (top 4 strings) and orchestra (bottom 4). | ||
| Viol&DarkOr | violin-dark-orch | Similar to the above, but the orchestra is 'fuller' - it's enough to play one string to make a deep impression... | ||
| 4season-winter | 4season-winter | |
This one is very special and requires a bit of comment: • Put your GR into pedal mode (s2) • Press pedal 3 (hold), Press pedal 4 (ctrl) simultaneously with the first chord of Vivaldi's winter (2nd part) • Press pedal 4 each time you change the chord. If you manage to do everything in sync, your friends' jaws are going to drop... | |
| Orch-timpani | orch-timpani | If your friends' jaws didn't drop with the previous patch, they're probably deaf, so you can hit their b***s with this one. | ||
| Shearing-vb | shearing-vb | You know the name of George Shearing? If so, you're gonna love this. | ||
| Bs/acoustic | bs-acoustic | |||
| Bs/Fantasia | bs-fantasia | |||
| Bs/NylonCho | bs-nylon-chorus | |
You can play virtually every pop tune with this patch (in fact I use it mostly during worship meetings). | |
| Bs/NylonStr | bs-nylon-string | ditto | ||
| Bs/Epno-Str | bs-epiano-string | ditto | ||
| Bs/organ B3 | bs-organb3 | |||
| Bs/brass | bs-brass | I use it for twist-type songs. | ||
| Hard comb | hard-combo | |||
| Hard comb2 | hard-combo2 | |||
| SOFT COMB2 | soft-combo | Pure delight... | ||
| Bs/flute | bs-flute | |||
| Bs/harmonica | bs-harmonica | Try some jazz standards with this one or ... La cumparsita | ||
| Bs + Lead sw | bs-lead-saw | |||
| guit-flute | guit-flute | The following three patches are useful if you them alteratively for each chorus, as a sort of second-voice/solo. | ||
| guit-oboe | guit-oboe | |||
| guit-flute-i | guit-flute-i | |||
| Performance patches with background drums | ||||
| dr-organb3 | dr-organb3 | Get into the pedal mode (S2), press pedal 3 (hold) and press pedal 4 (ctrl) when you start playing or want to change style. | ||
| pop-drums1 | pop-drums1 | |||
| dance-drums1 | dance-drums1 | |||
| dance-drums2 | dance-drums2 | |||
| pop-drums | pop-drums | |||
| board-drums | board-drums | |||
| bossa-drums | bossa-drums | |||
| cntry-drums | country-drums | |||
| dr-popstring | dr-popstring | |||
| kocham-wiec | kocham-wiec | |||