Slash With a GR-55 Guitar Synth

A self-described film buff, Slash has had many small acting roles in both film and television. This has naturally progressed into a new side venture: the business of making movies, and horror movies in particular. His production company, Slasher Films, is currently finishing work on its first release titled Nothing to Fear, a horror thriller about a small-town family haunted by a bloodsucking demon.

Slash – Scoring with the GR-55 Guitar Synth…

Roland GR-55 Guitar Synth

Among his many projects, Slash has taken on the role of musical director for his fledgling movie production company, scoring much of the film music himself. To extend his capabilities on his primary instrument in this new realm, he’s turned to the Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer to help generate and create the many sounds required to bring a movie production to life. “The GR-55 has been a great tool for me to use in a movie scoring capacity. There is an endless range of sounds/instruments I can transpose onto the guitar very effectively,” says Slash. “This is a way for me to record synth sounds without using a keyboard. I can also use the GR-55 to trigger soft synths in my computer via the USB output on the GR-55.”

Yes, Guitar Sounds are Still Included…

With over 900 synth sounds to choose from, including orchestral voices and sound effects such as screaming people and blowing wind, any guitarist/composer using a GR-55 can find the sounds they’re looking for. The GR-55 also features COSM® tube amp and humbucker-pickup guitar models, spot-on emulations of the classic sounds that Slash has built a career on.

Slash has shared some of his custom patches for the GR-55, and you can download and play them yourself. Grab ’em now at the GR-55 Artist Patches site! Other artist patches include Eric Johnson, Steve Stevens, Jeff Loomis, Gary Willis, and Robert Marcello. Play their patches or edit them even further.

GR-55 Technology…

For those of you that are not satisfied with 900 sounds, the GR-55 has MIDI IN and OUT for connection with other units (keyboard synths, sound modules). The GR-55 also features a USB port to trigger soft synths or to connect directly into a DAW for MIDI and audio recording. This unit truly offers endless possibilities, which is why film scoring is not just for keyboardists any more. Regular guitars and basses not outfitted with a 13-pin connector could be equipped with a divided pickup accessory for connectivity.

Related links and articles:

• The VG-99 Inspires
• Play an Entire Live Set with Just the GT-100!
• Herman Li of DragonForce

Weird Al Yankovic

There are few artists in the world who’ve had songs and albums at the top of the Billboard charts over a span of three decades. Among those elite few is perhaps the most famous parodist in pop music history, “Weird Al” Yankovic. Since the beginning of MTV in the ‘80s, Al has been there with his hilarious and spot-on parodies of popular songs. Those songs along with a polka-laden library of original songs have gained him legions of die-hard fans around the world. An accordion player first and foremost, Al uses Roland’s FR-7 V-Accordion.

Weird Al’s Take on Mics…

According to Weird Al, there are tons of options on the FR-7 V-Accordion that regular accordions don’t have. His favorite is being able to record directly and digitally without having to use microphones, this speeds up the setup process in the studio and for live performance. He explained that the accordion is a hard instrument to mic, because if you put a microphone next to an accordion – especially the left hand – the bellows are always moving.  So it’s kind of hard to get an even sound, because the mic is always going to be closer and then further away from the sound source. Internal microphones are also always a problem, because you still get the sound of the bellows. With a V-Accordion, all one needs to do is plug in or play through the on board speakers.

“V” For Versatility…

Imagine being able to program the bass buttons for one instrument say acoustic bass, and the chord buttons for another instrument say baritone tuba, and the keys for yet another instrument, you could be a one man band. Traditional and orchestral sounds combination scan be created and played back, compete with full bellows articulation. You can instantly switch between instruments because it doesn’t depend on moving parts for sound generation, the V-Accordion is always in tune, and both keyboards can be transposed to play across a wide range octaves.

FR-8x and FR-8xb V-Accordions

Behold the FR-8X V-Accordion…

We haven’t told Weird Al, but we introduced our new flagship accordion, the FR-8X last month during the Frankfurt Musikmesse. This V-Accordion can do anything the FR-7 could do and more. Some of the most notable features are:

• Newly developed Dynamic Bellows Behavior technology which, emulates the true bellows response of an acoustic accordion in every register
• On board battery charging
• 180 orchestra, percussion, and Virtual Tone Wheel organ sounds
• A new interface with a large, easy-to-read color display with programmable buttons
• Built in looper for backing accompaniment
• A multi-effects engine
• The ability to record, playback and connect to a computer via USB

What are your thoughts on the new FR-8x? What is your favorite Weird Al parody? Drop us a comment!

Related links and articles:

• US’ First V-Accordion Orchestra
• New Products: FR-8x and FR-8xb V-Accordions
• Recording with AUTO-SENS Technology

Electronic dance music DJ and producer Richard Vission discusses his use of the INTEGRA-7 in his remixes and original music productions.

Richard Vission has been a preeminent house DJ and producer in Los Angeles since the late ’80s. His musical career started when DJ culture was first taking flight in Los Angeles, becoming known for a freewheeling mixing style that cycled through dozens of records per hour. He took the same frenzied sound into his production career, scoring big in 1992 with the sports-anthem classic “Jump” as a member of The Movement.

Static Revenger’s First Look at INTEGRA-7

Since then, Richard has produced and remixed top dance tracks for artists such as Donna Summer, Radiohead, Todd Terry, Lady Gaga, RuPaul, Ace of Base, Taylor Dayne, Crystal Waters, The Black Eyed Peas, Madonna, and many others. In 2001, he earned a GRAMMY nomination as Remixer of the Year. For over two decades, Richard’s hosted Powertools, the longest running mix show on U.S. radio. Powertools airs weekly on KPWR (Power 106 FM) in Los Angeles, and is syndicated in other markets.

As a busy producer who works on up to ten songs at any given time, Richard needs fast access to great sounds. That’s why he’s recently turned to the INTEGRA-7 SuperNATURAL® Sound Module, calling it Roland’s “best sound modules, all in one.”

We recently talked with Richard about his long career, current projects, and how he’s integrating his newly acquired INTEGRA-7 into his everyday production process.

INTEGRA-7

How many projects do you work on at a time?

In the studio, I’m working on nine or ten songs at one time. Usually, the norm is about seven in the pop world and about three in the EDM world. There’s just a constant flow. For good or for bad, I’m one of those tweakers—I’m never, ever done until it’s done done. You know, sometimes we’re writing pop stuff and we’ll be editing those vocals and working melodies out, and then at night I’ll be working on an EDM track. We’re also developing new tracks at the same time. It’s just ongoing, like nonstop here for us.

How does the INTEGRA-7 help you with your workflow and the demands of your schedule?

What’s cool about the INTEGRA-7, what I really like about it, [is that] it’s going to cut down on my time that I have to go searching for sounds. Right now, in the computer, we probably have 50 [virtual instruments] to choose from. But it’s very nice to know that I can get a lot of answers for what I’m looking for in my head [faster from the INTEGRA-7 hardware]. The INTEGRA-7 is going to make things really, really cool and help the workflow work faster.

Also, working from the INTEGRA-7 Editor for the iPad just makes it a little cooler. Looking at a sound module, sometimes it’s just difficult to get your head around it. The way [Roland has] laid it out in iPad form is very, very simple—touch here, press here, touch there—as opposed to [going] into different pages. An iPad just makes it [more fun].

How do you think other musicians and songwriters will use the INTEGRA-7?

I think the INTEGRA-7 is going to be used by a lot of different people, from studio rats like myself to live musicians. I can see every band wanting to have access to all these different synths when you’re on the road; you’d probably have to bring 20 different synthesizers to bring what’s in that box on the road. I think for songwriters, too, they just want access to a lot of different sounds to get their ideas out.

You’ve been ahead of the curve for a long time with EDM groups like The Movement and Stranger Days. Could we possibly see you forming a new group in the future?

I always like to look at history; history always repeats itself, but with a twist. And I think it’s really cool to see DJs play music, and I think the next thing for an EDM fan is to actually go and watch the person play the music. I mean, the best EDM show in the last 20 years is Daft Punk. So I think there’s going to be an evolution of that. Kids are going to be like, “There are a million DJs out there, but I want to play my stuff live.” I think you’re going to soon see four, five people on stage. I think that’s going to be the next thing. I think an electronic outfit having access to all the sounds that the INTEGRA-7 has is going to help them. If you’re doing your records live, you’re going to need access to a bunch of different sounds.

INTEGRA-7

How does the INTEGRA-7 inspire your creativity?

The INTEGRA-7 is great for inspiration, because it has so many different sounds, from brass to synth sounds to live piano, and a lot of new sounds, which is really cool. I mean, it’s just amazing to get ideas down or take your production to the next level. Anytime there’s something new that comes out, it’s definitely inspirational. [The INTEGRA-7] has old sounds too, and a lot of people have never discovered those old sounds, so to bring them back in the mix is very cool.

One other thing I think is dope about the INTEGRA-7 is the history of sounds that it has, especially a lot of the old drum sounds that I’m always searching for. One of the first drum machines I ever touched was a Roland TR-909. So to have access to that history in the INTEGRA-7, and their history of all their synths from the old JUNOs on down, it’s just pretty amazing and cool to have all that at your fingertips. It’s a JP-80, and it also has every SRX board. It’s like your best sound modules, all in one.

Related links and articles:

• Static Revenger’s First Look at INTEGRA-7
• Kurt Kesedar on How to Create the Electro Wobble Bass
• The Making of “Egypt, Egypt”
• 5 Tips for Choosing an Audio Interface

Netsky Live at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles, CA.

A celebrity in his native Belgium and growing in popularity worldwide, Boris Daenan—better known as Netsky—has received numerous awards and accolades for his new-school brand of drum and bass. In 2009, Hospital Records signed him to an exclusive deal, and his first release with the influential UK label was the highly successful single “Memory Lane,” followed soon after by the chart-topping debut album “Netsky.” In 2012, sensing that he could take his show to another level, the DJ and producer put his turntables aside and unveiled Netsky LIVE!, an EDM stage show featuring a complete band.

What’s the difference between the SPD-SX and the SPD-30? Find out here!

Netsky LIVE uses a full arsenal of Roland gear

Netsky plays the SPD-30 and A-500 PRO, keyboardist Babl plays the JUPITER-80, VP-770, and A-800 PRO and drummer Michael Schack plays the TD-30KV V-Drums and SPD-SX Sampling Pad. Michael has a long history with Roland, both as as a product demonstrator and advisor. We caught up with him at a recent show date in Los Angeles for some insight into his gig with Netsky, including how the band uses Roland gear to deliver a more rich and dynamic live EDM experience than a one-man DJ show can.

Q. How do you prepare your V-Drums set for the Netsky show?

A. Actually, there’s this incredible thing that happened a few years ago: I was playing V-Drums with Kate Ryan, who is really popular in Eastern Europe. We arrived with the tour bus, and I see all kind of microphones set up close to the V-Drum pads. So, a very strange situation, because the guy didn’t actually realize that it was an electronic drum set!

With electronic drums, and especially the TD-30 today—which is fast, low-latency, the best SuperNATURAL [sounds]—you can go single outs for everything. For instance, I’m using the kicks and snares in stereo, layered with the TD-30, but they’re coming out of the SPD-SX. So [they’re] triggered at the same time. And then we have the toms on separate channels, we have the hi-hat on a separate channel, the ride on a separate channel, and the two crashes on a separate stereo channel. [With] so many separate channels, [the sound engineer] can actually make it sound very wide.

You can adjust the panning to every concert hall. You can totally go wild in making the sound as broad as possible, which is much more impressive than a USB stick just playing a stereo out through a DJ mixer. Same for the keyboards—it’s hardware and software combined. So all the synth sounds, all the pianos [have] separate stereo channels, so that’s really a very important main difference with any DJ set, which actually sounds a little bit more compressed, and not so wide-spectrum, not so dynamic.

Q: With all that Roland gear on stage, how long does the sound check usually take?

Michael Schack, drummer for Netsky Live

A: Actually, we have a very good system. First of all, we don’t have to put mics on the V-Drums, which is already a big time saver. We have all the sounds and patches very well prepared, [and] everything connects very easily to the laptops. We have a flying rack with us, which holds some very nasty sound cards and everything, so it’s actually jut a matter of getting the engine started and then really tweaking the PA for what’s coming out of these instruments for the front of house. Frank, our sound guy, is a champion in tweaking a PA for really good drum and bass vibes. It’s very important with electronic music that everything is very consistent and very glued together, and that makes the people dance. It takes us not too much time to really get going.

Q: What’s your involvement with Roland V-Drums?

A: My involvement with Roland V-Drums has been a love story [for] 20 years. Before the V-Drums came out, I became a demonstrator in Belgium, Holland, and Luxembourg through Roland Benelux, when the TD-7 came out. I was a very young guy, but I was interested in electronic drums. Most of my colleague musicians, they named me “Mr. Tupperware” because they didn’t believe in the potential of electronic drums. Then the V-Drums came out [in 1997], and in 2001, for the very first time, I was invited by Roland Japan to play at the Frankfurt Musikmesse.

Netsky Live on stage

From then on it took off—I got to know the engineers more personally, [and] they were asking me things about the music I was playing. They found it really strange that as a drummer I was also interested in using samples and triggering samples, and not just playing along with linear tracks from a CD or whatever. I’m really a little bit freaky on how it sounds and how it’s compressed and how fat you can go, and it took off from there.

I [also developed] a very good relationship and [friendship] with Steve Fisher from Roland U.S., who has been a main guy in getting the V-Drums program going, [and] also Tommy Snyder, another very important Roland demonstrator. I learned so much from them. In 2004, I had the incredible opportunity to play together with Steve when the first TD-20 set came out, and then again the success story continued.

I’m so happy that I could serve along on this wave of continuous development. The engineers in Japan, they’re just great, and they dig electronic music, acoustic music, old-school blues—they really have their thing together. I try to [advise] them [based on my experience]: “Hey, this kick sound, you need to make the people dance, this needs to be a little bit more punchy, more in the face, less effects, more compression,” and so on. Johnny Rabb is also a very important contributor. Through all these people working together, the presets in a V-Drum set are actually very representative of what it already can do, and then the user, the drummer, can go as far he wants. That’s my role in this story.

Related links and articles:

• Michael Schack looping on the Octapad
• Michael Schack – Drumeo Edge (FULL DRUM LESSON)
• Omar Tavarez: How I Use my SPD-SX
• Aaron Rossi on how to land a gig like Ministry

Key Tracks: Egyptian Lover “Egypt, Egypt” from Red Bull Music Academy on Vimeo.

In January, the Red Bull Music Academy debuted their Key Tracks series with dublab, an LA based non-profit public broadcasting Internet radio station. We were pleased to learn that the series opened with Electro legend Egyptian Lover who happened to make his monster 1984 track “Egypt, Egypt“ on a Roland TR-808 drum machine and a JUPITER-8 synth. In this video, the Egyptian Lover takes us back a couple of decades by recreating his original tune and talking about his inspiration for the song. Check it out!

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Related links and articles:

• Afrika Bambaataa – Rob Ricketts TR-808 Programming Posters
• Throwback Thursday – Ed Diaz & His XP-50
• MIDI: The Essential Standard Turns 30
• Synth Legends: TB-303
• Synth Legends: Howard Jones | JUPITER-80

Most guitarists know that Randy Rhoads used stack amps on stage. However, he also used a very special combo amp. What was it? Bassist Rudy Sarzo revealed that amp on the set during an in-depth interview with Gary Lenaire at the Roland Studio in Los Angeles.

Watch the full interview on our Livestream channel

Rudy Sarzo’s resume spans four decades and multi-platinum success. His resume includes Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Dio, Yngwie Malmsteen, Blue Oyster Cult and Queensryche. Rudy discusses his time jamming with Ozzy, Randy Rhoads and many others. He also talks about some of the amazing gear he has used including guitar and bass effects, bass synth, Roland GR-55 and guitar amps. From the stompbox to the tour bus, Rudy’s stories captivate and entertain.

Related links and articles:

• The Arrival of the Digital Guitar Amp
• Digital Guitar Amp Roundtable
• Play an Entire Live Set with Just the GT-100!

Published by Jude Gold

Jude Gold is a true Renaissance man in the world of guitar. He splits his time between Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, working as a session player and sideman for many artists, including Jefferson Starship, Brendon Small, Miguel Migs, JGB, Eddie Money, and more. He’s also a noted guitar journalist with Guitar Player magazine, with hundreds of interviews and articles to his credit. To top it all off, Jude is a devoted educator who served as the Director of the Guitar Program at the esteemed Musicians Institute for four years and is currently an instructor there.

Catch Jude Gold this weekend in L.A. for the debut of Brendon Small’s Galaktikon at The Roxy during Wesfest.

While he’s a highly versatile player and proficient in many different styles, Jude is noted for his signature “full-contact” slap-guitar playing. With a unique, energetic approach, he abuses his axe with slaps and taps to produce rapid-fire rhythms, harmonics, and raw funk grooves. You can sample Jude’s impressive and entertaining playing in this style by firing up YouTube and searching for his debut music video, “Funkytown.”

Jude Gold on Facebook

Jude has been a BOSS player for a long time, and he currently uses a wide range of BOSS stomps for his various playing activities. He also employs the Roland G-5 VG Stratocaster®, which he loves for its instant access to different sounds and altered tunings. For Edition 35 of the BOSS Tone Radio podcast, we talked with Jude about his diverse career, favorite BOSS gear, and more.

To listen to the complete conversation, visit BOSS Tone Radio.

You’ve played a lot of gigs with Jerry Garcia’s band, Eddie Money, Greg Howe, Stu Hamm, Jeff Berlin, and others. Are there any that stand out?

Oh man, there are so many. I guess for me, it always comes down to the same thing though, which is the reason why many of us play guitar—once in a while, we all have those gigs where your feet don’t touch the ground, you know? For whatever reason, everything is just working and the music is flowing through you and you’re playing stuff that you didn’t even know you could play. I live for those moments, and those moments can happen anywhere. I think that’s the beauty of music. You never know when that magic can happen, and I do remember those gigs.

You’re definitely into the groove, and you describe your playing with the terms “deep pocket” and “evil funk.” What do they mean to you?

Continue reading this article on BOSS Users Group

Related links and articles:

• Play an Entire Live Set with Just the GT-100
• G-5 VG Stratocaster Review
• Guitar Amp Roundtable

Led by guitarist Billy Duffy and vocalist Ian Astbury, British post-punk band The Cult is still going strong after nearly 30 years. Formed in 1983 and strongly influenced by classic rockers from the ’60s and ’70s, the group unleashed a hard-edged sound with shades of psychedelia that presented a strong contrast to the drum machine-driven synth pop that led the UK music scene at the time. Powered by Duffy’s melodic riffage and Astbury’s bluesy wail, the essential ’80s albums Love, Electric, and Sonic Temple saw the group evolve in an increasingly heavier direction, a tradition carried on today with their latest release, Choice of Weapon.

From the very beginning of The Cult, BOSS and Roland gear has been at the heart of Billy’s guitar tone. BOSS stomps have been his pedalboard mainstays for three decades, while the Roland JC-120 amp and its built-in chorus effect has a permanent home in his backline. “She Sells Sanctuary,” recorded in 1985 and one of the band’s most enduring songs, features this setup prominently, with multiple BOSS pedals and JC chorus shaping the tune’s memorable guitar intro.

BUG recently sat down with Billy to discuss The Cult’s music, his thoughts on tone, and his long history with BOSS and Roland. He also gave us a demonstration of how he developed the classic sounds in “She Sells Sanctuary” and “Fire Woman,” another iconic song that showcases Billy’s unique style.

When did you start using BOSS pedals?

The first time I got my hands on a BOSS pedal was really early in ’83. A guy called Jamie Stewart joined The Cult [on bass] when we put the band together in England. He used to be a guitar player, so he came with guitar effects. He handed them over and said, “I won’t be needing these anymore.” One of them was a BOSS Super Overdrive, which I’ve pretty much used until today. That was the first time I’d seen a BOSS pedal. Very quickly thereafter I started getting into BOSS delays—the old DM-2, the analog one, and I think it was a DD-2. And then I used a [BOSS] flanger. I never used chorus, because I always used [the built-in chorus in] my Roland JC-120.

A funny story about that: the first gig I ever did with The Cult was in a club in Oslo called Rats. We kind of debuted the band out of the UK. We did our first Led Zeppelin copy, which was “play outside the UK first, get your chops up, and come back.” So we did a gig in Oslo, and they gave me a thing called a JC-160, which I believe was a 4×10 [version]. I’ve never seen one since. That was the first amp I ever used [live with The Cult].

What is it that makes BOSS pedals appealing to pro players like you?

Continue reading on BOSS User’s Group  iPad magazine (Free iTunes download)

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Related links and articles:

• Meet the Loop Station World Championship 3 Judges
• Steve Stevens V-Guitar Experience Interview
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Featuring shred-masters Herman Li and Sam Totman, the British power metal band DragonForce delivers a high-adrenaline, twin-guitar onslaught that takes no prisoners. Riffing together with incredible precision at dizzying speeds, the virtuoso duo were recently recognized for their skills by axe fans around the globe, earning the Number 11 spot in a Guitar World readers’ poll that chose “The 50 Fastest Guitarists of All Time.”

Playing with accuracy at such a blistering pace requires the mindset of a world-class sprinter, with the adoption of a tenacious workout ethic and disciplined practice regimen. What does Herman Li use to help keep his chops in shape for the rigors of the stage and studio? The eBand® JS-10 Audio Player with Guitar Effects, of course! Like an increasing number of pro players, Herman has found that eBand’s convenient, all-in-one approach and great sound makes his practice inspiring, productive, and fun.

We caught up with Herman before he hit the road again to support the latest DragonForce release, The Power Within. During our visit, he discussed how he uses eBand, his favorite BOSS pedals, his thoughts on tone, and much more.

Lots of pro players have discovered eBand. Why do you use it?

I use the eBand because for many years I looked for a solution so that I can practice easily when I’m on tour. It’s always been difficult to move an amp onto a tour bus—it takes so much space. Or backstage, people care more about putting their riders around. [Laughs.] The eBand is so small, and it has everything I need.

In the past, I’d have a little amp and it never sounded really good. And it didn’t have any effects, [and I’d have to] plug my phone into my computer to get some sort of backing track to jam with. With eBand, you basically get everything in one. I can tune my guitar. I have my backing tracks, which I can store, and copy across from my computer onto it.

What specific features do you like to use in eBand?

Continue reading on PowerOn BOSS Users Group iPad magazine (Free iTunes download)

Continue reading online

Related links and articles:

• Play an Entire Live Set with Just the GT-100
• Win a Steve Stevens Autographed G-5 Strat
• G-5 VG Stratocaster Review

Miami-based rapper Pitbull is riding high, enjoying worldwide mega-success with his 2011 release Planet Pit and his latest release Global Warming. The CD showcases the sharp-dressed Cuban-American entertainer’s engaging charisma and features collaborations with a who’s who of today’s hottest music artists, including T-Pain, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, and many others. Planet Pit is was smash around the globe, spawning four hit singles in the U.S. alone, including the chart-topping “Give Me Everything” with R&B sensation Ne-Yo. Pitbull recently turned in a guest spot of his own, appearing on Jennifer Lopez’s hit “On the Floor.”

Known as “Mr. 305” and “Mr. Worldwide,” Pitbull is always in the spotlight, on the road nearly non-stop for the last six years delivering his South Beach EDM sound to millions of fans. With a roster of personnel dubbed “Team Pitbull,” the artist has assembled a close-knit family of musicians, managers, and support staff for his travels around the globe. The Agents, his backing band, features a number of highly skilled young players from Miami’s multi-cultural music scene; with their backgrounds in jazz, salsa, rock, and pop music, these talented and versatile musicians bring Pit’s dynamic sound alive on stage with a unique edge, using an arsenal of Roland keyboards and samplers to get the job done night after night.

“Our relationship with Roland has been great from the very beginning, and I couldn’t be more thankful,” says drummer, programmer, and musical director Omar Tavarez. With a SPD-SX Sampling Pad set up next to his acoustic kit, Omar has a full array electronic percussion at his disposal to bring the sounds of Pitbull’s records to the stage. He’s recently transitioned to Roland’s latest sampling pad after years of using the previous-generation SPD-S. “When I first started the gig with Pit in 2008, I was using the SPD-S,” says Omar. “I personally bought my first SPD-S because I knew that the Roland gear was just right. It was hip, it was something different, something new, and now [the SPD-SX] is the continuation of something great.”

Continue reading on PowerOn iPad magazine (Free iTunes download)

Continue reading online

Related links and articles:

• Omar Tavarez Explains Production Technique – MIDI Mapping Samples
• Omar Tavarez (Pitbull) Explains Playing Songs Live vs. The Album Recording
• Omar Tavarez (Pitbull): How I Use the SPD-SX

Michael “Nomad” Ripoll (session, studio, and touring guitarist), Ritchie Fliegler (amp historian, author, and former Marshall and Fender product designer), and Jeff “Skunk” Baxter (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers) share their thoughts on Roland’s GA-212 and GA-112 digital guitar amplifiers.

Behind the scenes at the Roland GA Amplifiers Roundtable:

Michael “Nomad” Ripoll

Follow Michael:

• Website: www.ilikenomad.com
• Facebook: nomadsplace
• Twitter: @nomadsplace

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter

Follow Jeff:

• Facebook: skunkbaxter

Ritchie Fliegler

Related links and articles:

• Linkedin: ritchiefliegler

Tommy Walker stops by Roland studios to shoot an RC-300 Loop Station artist impressions video. We caught Tommy on break to discuss his history with BOSS and Roland products and also to catch up.

Tommy is a guitar player, composer, singer and overall a well rounded musician. Since the 90s, he has also been a worship leader at Christian Assembly, a church affiliated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Tommy has taken his Christian Assembly Worship Band on domestic and overseas tours. Tommy recalls his most memorable performance with his band being at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with Promise Keepers. Tommy’s newest project, Generation Hymns Live is a cross-over album of hymns for all ages.

For over ten years, Tommy’s pedal of choice was the GT-5. This multi guitar effects processor featured COSM technology which allows guitarists to play entirely new, synth-like sounds with guitar-based dynamics. It also featured the world’s first Acoustic Guitar Simulator which was later separately released as it’s own unit, the AC-2 Acoustic Simulator according to The BOSS Book: The Ultimate Popular Compact Effects.

Do you have any videos with the products mentioned in this blog post? Share with us, we want to know how you use your BOSS or Roland product.

Related links and articles:

• The VG-99 Inspires
• Steve Stevens Demos the G-5 Strat
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Published by Arturiaweb on Mar 21, 2007

Now available for your JUPITER-50 and JUPITER-80 is the legendary JUPITER-8. Get your free JUPITER Synth Legends Volume 1 sound collection download here. In the meantime, here are some JUPITER-8 facts.

Unlike anything else, the JUPITER-8 had a split keyboard, oscillator sync, cross modulation and polyphonic portamento. Its broad sonic range meant the electro pop community quickly adopted it as their synth of choice, and it appeared on the roster of stadium-filling artists such Duran Duran, Heaven 17, Howard Jones, and Erasure. Its big, room-filling sound defined the pop-music of a generation.

Vintage Synth Explorer called the Jupiter-8, “the biggest and fattest of them all (Jupiters and Junos)!”. According to Vintage Synth Explorer, here is a list of notable artists that use the JUPITER-8 as part of their signature sound.

Tangerine Dream, Orbital, Future Sound of London, Moby, Duran Duran, Underworld, Vince Clarke, Überzone, Jean Michel Jarre, Roxy Music, OMD, A Flock Of Seagulls, Depeche Mode, Rush, Meat Beat Manifesto, Banco De Gaia, Josh Wink, Thomas Dolby, Howard Jones, The Cars, Prince, Gary Wright, Jan Hammer, BT, Adrian Lee, Heaven 17, Kitaro, Elvis Costello, Tears for Fears, Huey Lewis and the News, Journey, Moog Cookbook, Toto, Yes, Devo, Freddy Fresh, George Duke, Greg Phillanganes, Jonathan Cain of Journey, Greg Johnson & Kevin Kendrick of Cameo, Stevie Wonder and Simple Minds.

Here is the complete list of all the synths emulations included in the JUPITER Synth Legends:

• JUPITER-8 (1981)
• SH-101 (1982)
• TB-303 (1982)
• JUNO-60 (1982)
• JUPITER-6 (1983)
• JUNO-106 (1984)
• D-50 (1987)

The contest to win a fully loaded JUPITER-50 ends December 14, click on the picture below to enter.

Stay tuned for more Synth Legends updates via Twitter with the hashtag #SynthLegends. Do you think we are on the right track with this latest sound collection? Drop us a comment!

Related links and articles:

• Synth Legends
• Win a JUPITER-50
• Part 2 With James Dewees – Who Inspires Me

Published by endlessdrifter on Feb 14, 2006

In honor of the JUPITER Synth Legends, Volume 1, this post is dedicated to the real life legends who pioneered the movement during the golden era of synthesizers. The above video, “Synthesizer Medley” features Howard Jones, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby, and Stevie Wonder during the 1985 Grammy® Award Ceremony in Los Angeles, California. We chose this video as it symbolizes the time in history that made many of these sounds legendary.

In true throwback fashion, the “JUPITER Synth Legends” update honors the following Roland boards of the 1980s:

JUPITER-8 (1981)

TB-303 (1982)

SH-101 (1982)

JUNO-60 (1982)

JUPITER-6 (1983)

JUNO-106 (1984)

D-50 (1987)

The collection uses Roland’s SuperNATURAL® sound engine to capture these seven historical synthesizers which include all new Tones, Registrations, and Arpeggio Patterns. These classic synthesizers have between 10 and 20 iconic factory preset sounds that distinguish their character and are represented among 122 newly created single Tones for the JUPITER-80 and JUPITER-50. There is also 512 new Live Sets that combine the historic synthesizers together using layers and multi-effects processing. Here is a download of the full sound list. Download your free Jupiter Synth Legends Volume 1 today!

Win a Fully Loaded Jupiter-50

Roland US is hosting the Roland JUPITER #SynthLegends Giveaway. Enter the contest for a chance to win a JUPITER-50 pre-loaded with the patches from the Synth Legends Volume 1 sound collection. Join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #synthlegends and share with us your favorite patches from the Synth Legends Volume 1. Also keep following #synthlegends for more news and updates about Synth Legends Volume 1.

Related links and articles:

• Win a Jupiter-50
• Brockett Parsons: Vibing With The JP-80
• Roland Users Group: Beyond Retro

On Thursday, November 8th, Steve Stevens demonstrated his playing style and his use of guitar synths at the V-Guitar Experience event at Guitar Center in Hollywood, California. On stage with Steve were the GR-55 guitar synth and the G-5 Stratocaster®. The V-guitar experience tour consisted of 20 dates that started on September 22 through November 25th in various locations around the world.

Steve Stevens has long been a guitar synth advocate since the early 80s with his use of the GR-700 and GR-33. Steve explains that in his recent Billy Idol tour, he played all the keyboard parts with his guitar synth and completely eliminated the need for a keyboard player while Billy Morrison filled in as the second guitar player. Steve explained that his set-up worked flawlessly, even with keyboard heavy songs such as Flesh for Fantasy and Eyes Without a Face.

Published on Nov 9, 2012 by DANOV50

We found some really great footage from a member of the audience that night. Thank you YouTube user DANOV50 for posting these videos. The first video is of Steve Stevens being introduced by Roland’s product manager for guitar, bass, and BOSS pedals, Gary Lenaire. The second video of Steve is his demonstration of the G-5 V-Guitar Strat.

Published on Nov 8, 2012 by DANOV50

It was a real treat watching and listening to Steve demonstrate these instruments. He’s more than an average user, he explained how he really dives in to create his custom sound patches which he uses to perform and create material. Steve is also a song writer and producer and has toured with other bands and artists such as Michael Jackson, Juno Reactor, Vince Neil, and his own band of super musicians, Bozzio Levin Stevens. We say super musicians because the other two band members, drummer, Terry Bozzio and bassist, Tony Levin have a history of playing with some of the giants of music. Bozzio has played alongside Frank Zappa, U.K., Missing Persons, Steve Vai, and Jeff Beck while Levin has played with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, and Liquid Tension Experiment.

In writing this blog post, we stumbled upon some great material and history of Steve and our products. Perhaps one if his most memorable projects was his appearance on the 1986 soundtrack to the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun, for which he collaborated with keyboardist Harold Faltermeyer on “Top Gun Anthem” which earned Stevens a Grammy Award for Pop Instrumental Performance that year. So with this, we leave you on the way back machine with with Steve Stevens.

Published by rockssiddiqui on Mar 25, 2011

Did we miss anything? Do you have any questions about our gear or Steve? Leave us a comment. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Related links and articles:

• Steve Stevens Demos The G-5 Strat
• The VG-99 Inspires
• Billy Duffy on How He Discovered His Signature Sound