56:
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this section is very close to a traditional analog monophonic synthesizer. Using the same proprietary Roland "fundamental generator" chip, the possible waveforms include 16' pulse, 8' pulse, and sawtooth waveform. The -24 dB per octave voltage-controlled filter is self-oscillating, with string-pitch
160:
This is a true, pitch-to-voltage analog guitar synthesizer section. The pitch detection circuit makes use of another proprietary Roland part: the "fundamental generator" chip. Like the polyensemble, the bass output passes through an ADS Envelope
Generator. Bass can be output on all six strings, just
132:
system: the frets in the GR-500 are connected to its electrical ground, and when a player frets a string, an electric current passed through the string. The electric signal passing through the string is a greatly amplified version of the string signal detected by the divided hexaphonic pickup. Large
180:
The most effective use of the GR-500 may be found in the
Polyensemble section, which, when combined with the infinite sustain system, made for a rich, symphonic sound. Also, the Polyensemble section, being basically a complex distortion circuit, did not require any pitch-to-voltage tracking, and so
127:
The GS-500 controller used a special pickup system that connected to the synth module via Roland's own 24-pin interface. Controls on the guitar primarily were for adjusting the relative volume of the different sections: guitar, polyensemble, bass, solo section, and external synth. The GS-500 guitar
153:
this is not a true synthesizer section, but rather a unique distortion circuit using custom Roland "trigger pulse generator" chips. These chips are covered in epoxy so the actual circuit is unknown. The output of the
Polyensemble is sent to an Attack/Decay/Sustain (ADS) Envelope Generator, one of
116:
The synthesizer module included
Polyensemble, Bass, Solo Synth, and External synthesizer control. Much of the voltage-controller filter and voltage controlled amplifier sections were based on previous analog mono-synths from Roland. Sliders adjust the VCO, VCF, VCA, and LFO sections; there is no
168:
tracking. In addition to the same ADS Envelope
Generator found in the Polyensemble and Bass, there is a triangle wave LFO to modulate pulse width or the filter cutoff. The filter can also be used to process the output of the polyensemble section, and an external input.
137:, the alternating electric current in the string passing through the strong magnetic field caused the string to vibrate and create a feedback loop and infinite sustain. The GS-500 used a bridge with plastic saddles to electrically isolate each string.
484:
146:
this is the output from a humbucking pickup. A three position EQ switch, plus tone control, provided variation to the guitar signal. There is also an optional mild peaking filter, somewhat similar to a wah-wah pedal, on the GR-500 module.
497:
188:
177:
There are two versions of the GR-500. Later versions added an extra oscillator so that the Solo Melody section could be detuned from the rest of the synthesizer, resulting in a richer, "fatter" sound.
184:
Roland also produced the very rare FC-50 Foot
Controller for the GR500 which allowed three presets to be saved and recalled by the user as well as a selector for manual control.
120:
The synth module is controlled by a highly modified guitar: the GS-500 guitar controller was built in a partnership between Roland and the large
Japanese guitar builder
1371:
557:
181:
was not plagued by the pitch tracking errors common with early guitar synths. The Bass and Solo Melody sections work reasonably well.
128:
does not have a standard 1/4" guitar output and cannot be used without the GR-500 synthesizer module. It has a particular infinite
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124:. The result was the Fuji Roland Corporation, established in 1977 through a joint capital investment.
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482:, Ikutaro Kakehashi, "Electrical String-Instrument", issued February 6, 1979
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495:, Noboru Suenaga, "Electrical String-Instrument", issued January 1, 1980
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Schwartz, Jim (June 1980). "Alex
Lifeson - Rush's Kinetic Lead Guitarist".
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Mitchell, Tony (September 1, 1979). "Police In Big Guitar Hall Shock".
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511:
Loney, Robert D. (July–August 1981). "More GR-500 comments and mods".
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This section was designed for control over external synthesizers.
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magnets replaced the traditional "neck" pickup. As a result of
805:
154:
three identical ADS Envelope
Generators in the GR-500.
1338:
191:Roland GR 500 Guitar Synth Controller used by
551:
195:while recording with David Bowie and Lou Reed
140:Here is a brief description of each section:
84:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
558:
544:
1372:Musical instruments invented in the 1970s
104:Learn how and when to remove this message
465:
430:
365:"Roland GR-500 | Vintage Synth Explorer"
186:
515:. Vol. 7, no. 1. p. 28.
411:
1339:
565:
271:"Hey, what's that sound: Guitar synth"
539:
510:
325:Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground
82:adding citations to reliable sources
49:
13:
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14:
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35:in 1977, it was one of the first
804:
449:, p. 284, Genesis Publications,
412:Hackett, Steve (December 1978).
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161:4, 5 and 6, or only on 5 and 6.
54:
459:
439:
345:David Bowie: We Could Be Heroes
303:Prown, Pete and Newquest, HP -
424:
405:
381:
357:
337:
317:
297:
291:"The history of guitar synths"
283:
263:
233:(and former Genesis guitarist
1:
414:"Roland GR-500 (SI Dec 1978)"
256:
16:Guitar synthesizer by Roland
7:
389:"Welcome to Buck-Tick Zone"
45:
10:
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117:memory to store settings.
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447:Jimmy Page: The Anthology
347:(Thunder's Mouth Press)
305:Legends of Rock Guitar
196:
27:. Manufactured by the
493:US patent 4181058
480:US patent 4137811
190:
393:www.bucktickzone.com
369:www.vintagesynth.com
78:improve this section
1357:Roland synthesizers
1352:Guitar synthesizers
445:Jimmy Page (2020),
418:Sound International
279:. 16 February 2010.
237:in his solo career)
567:Roland Corporation
420:(Dec 1978): 42–47.
323:*Clapton, Diana -
197:
29:Roland Corporation
25:guitar synthesizer
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1295:Ikutaro Kakehashi
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814:Electronic drums
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866:TR-707 / TR-727
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505:Further reading
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293:. 21 July 2021.
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276:TheGuardian.com
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211:Tangerine Dream
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172:External Synth:
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1367:Effects units
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1230:Effects units
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470:. p. 44.
469:
462:
456:
455:9781905662593
452:
448:
442:
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433:Guitar Player
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353:1-56025-209-X
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313:0-7935-4042-9
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235:Steve Hackett
232:
229:
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217:
216:Steve Hillage
214:
212:
209:
207:
204:
203:
200:Notable users
194:
189:
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159:
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151:Polyensemble:
148:
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138:
136:
135:Fleming's Law
131:
125:
123:
118:
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105:
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87:
83:
79:
73:
72:
68:
63:This section
61:
57:
52:
51:
43:
41:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
21:Roland GR-500
1267:Boss effects
1205:Roland Cloud
1034:Workstations
610:
574:Synthesizers
512:
490:
477:
467:
461:
446:
441:
432:
426:
417:
407:
396:. Retrieved
392:
383:
372:. Retrieved
368:
359:
344:
339:
324:
319:
304:
299:
285:
274:
265:
251:Andy Summers
241:Alex Lifeson
221:Hisashi Imai
206:Chuck Hammer
193:Chuck Hammer
183:
179:
176:
171:
170:
165:Solo Melody:
164:
163:
157:
156:
150:
149:
143:
142:
139:
126:
119:
115:
100:
94:January 2024
91:
76:Please help
64:
40:synthesizers
20:
18:
1221:Jazz Chorus
917:Grooveboxes
781:Roland VK-8
776:Roland VK-7
756:System-100M
1341:Categories
1237:Space Echo
1214:Amplifiers
1100:Sequencers
761:System 700
751:System 100
726:SH-01 Gaia
676:Jupiter-50
671:Jupiter-80
581:Alpha Juno
529:1090378445
398:2020-08-08
374:2018-07-10
257:References
246:Jimmy Page
831:HandSonic
666:Jupiter-8
661:Jupiter-6
656:Jupiter-4
521:0163-4534
513:Polyphony
225:Buck-Tick
65:does not
1198:Software
1041:Fantom-X
963:Samplers
898:AX-Synth
636:Juno-106
46:Overview
1288:Founder
1179:SC-8850
1154:JV-2080
1149:JV-1080
1137:Modules
1128:MPU-401
903:AX-Edge
885:Keytars
876:V-Drums
836:Octapad
786:V-Synth
741:SH-1000
651:Juno-Gi
631:Juno-60
626:JP-8000
231:Genesis
144:Guitar:
130:sustain
122:FujiGen
86:removed
71:sources
33:FujiGen
1326:V-MODA
1311:D-Beam
1246:Organs
1164:MKS-80
1159:MKS-20
1144:JD-990
1091:SP-808
1086:SP-606
1081:SP-555
1076:SP-505
1071:SP-404
1066:SP-303
1061:SP-202
1025:SP-808
1020:SP-606
1015:SP-555
1010:SP-505
1005:SP-404
1000:SP-303
995:SP-202
954:SP-808
949:MC-909
944:MC-808
939:MC-505
934:MC-307
929:MC-303
894:
871:TR-505
861:TR-909
856:TR-808
851:TR-606
826:DDR-30
791:VP-330
766:TB-303
736:SH-201
731:SH-101
706:RS-202
701:MC-202
696:JX-305
646:Juno-G
641:Juno-D
616:JD-800
611:GR-500
606:GR-300
527:
519:
499:
486:
468:Sounds
453:
351:
331:
311:
37:guitar
1304:Other
1189:U-220
1184:U-110
1174:SC-55
1169:MT-32
1056:XP-80
1051:XP-50
990:S-220
970:DJ-70
821:CR-78
796:XP-30
746:SH-3A
721:S-220
691:JX-10
686:JX-8P
681:JX-3P
621:JD-XA
158:Bass:
23:is a
1321:Boss
1279:HM-2
1274:DS-1
1258:VK-8
1253:VK-7
1112:MC-8
1107:MC-4
1046:W-30
985:S-50
980:S-10
975:MS-1
892:AX-7
771:U-20
716:S-50
711:S-10
601:GR-1
596:E-20
591:D-70
586:D-50
525:OCLC
517:ISSN
451:ISBN
349:ISBN
329:ISBN
309:ISBN
69:any
67:cite
31:and
19:The
846:R-8
841:R-5
80:by
1343::
924:D2
523:.
416:.
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367:.
273:.
42:.
559:e
552:t
545:v
531:.
435:.
401:.
377:.
227:)
223:(
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101:(
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92:(
88:.
74:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
