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.

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