Roland GR-09 Guitar Synthesizer

Pretty simple- good manual and lots of options/features. It's not as easy as the GR-1 but it's not made with as much functionality. Example- the display is a very simple three character set up. Same group/bank/patch identification and location process for the sounds. It's pretty easy to use given all that it can do.

Sounds are very nice. I love the contra-bass, and many of the pads are good. The horns are better than on the GR-1. The GR-700 synth sound is a classic, LOVE IT. I'm using it plugged into my powered mixer. Built in effects are the same reverb and chorus as on the GR-1, with less onboard ability to tweek the efx, but that's ok.

It's at least 15 years old (best guess is it was made in '93?), and works fine, no problems with switches/knobs/tracking. I'd only worry about the 13 pin cable shorting out, not that they are prone to breaking. It's just that if they do short out or get kinked, they will surely make you sound like crap. Those cables either work or they don't. I've had no problems with the cables I bought 4 years ago, but I do take care of them. The GR-09 itself seems great, no issues, and yes, I would use it without backup.

no opinion, never tried to contact them.

I play various kinds of music, and the GR-09 is very usable. I love the sax(es), the contra-bass, the gr-700, the horns, some of the strings, and a surprising amount of pads, organs, keys sounds.
I've been playing music for 29 years, mostly guitar. If it were lost or stolen, I've got a GR-1 to fill the synth duties, so I'd probably not replace it with the same thing. I'd love to have something with newer patches, but it's not a deal breaker for me. This thing is great.

Roland GR-09 Users Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/roland_gr09

Most of the sounds are usable out of the box. The Pianos and Strings are exccelent. It very easy setting up your own patches and the manual I found easy to follow.

Some of the sounds are a bit naff but most of them are very good and shape up well against todays equipment. The Pianos have a richness that stand out, some of the stings and pads are exccelent. Where this really comes in to its own is with the growling sax sound. I love soloing using it. The natural expresivness of playing a guitar blends perfectly with the sax.

Dont bother puting this through a guitar amp. I tried this through several including a Roland JC77 and none of them cut it. Through a PA on the other hand and the GR09 sound vibrant and rich in tone.

I used it live in about 30 odd gigs and never had any problems with it. Its made of plastic but feels solid enough

Never used them

When I origionaly bought this (11-12 years ago) I was playing in covers band doing stuff from Queen, Elvis, Stones, Tina Turner etc... I had been using a GR50 but needed something at my feet and this fitted the bill. Used it on numerous solo's (Queen - I want to break free, Carless Whisper etc) and to pad out the songs (Simply the best, You'll never walk alone etc). It sounded great and tracking was never a problem, at least with its own internal sounds. The only thing I didnt like about this was using it with a PC or external sound module - Tracking really sucked big time.


I recently sold mine as I am moving on to other things but already I miss it. I may replace it or buy a newer model in the near future.

The only reason I'm giving it an 8 in terms of value is because I payed #750 12 years ago. I guess you can pick them up now for around a #100 + GK2 P/U which in my books would give it a full 10

As easy as they could have made it. I have used it for MIDI recording into a 486 computer, which I still use because of the old 16-bit Soundblaster card to which I added a Roland SCDB-7 Sound Canvas wavetable daughterboard. That 10 year old SC board sounds better than the MIDI on new sound cards, and for some reason has less latency.

The realism (or lack of realism) of synth sounds from the guitar synth has to do with bend range, which you can adjust on the GR-09. For example, a piano patch doesn't sound like a piano unless the bend range is set to 0. That way, notes do not bend at all. On the other hand, other instruments such as violins or saxophones can bend notes.

Although I don't find most of the guitar sounds convincing, I still give it a 10. Growling sax is one of my favorite patches. Incredible for live playing.

Very reliable, except the 13-pin cord. wiggle it and you get noises and dropouts. Replacement cords are a good fifty bucks, and there is no cheap substitute.

Never dealt with customer support, but the product is so good I never had to.

I would not want to go without my GR-09. I would replace it with another Roland guitar synth, probably a newer model, at the first opportunity. It gives me powers of sonic expression I wouldn't have otherwise.

Easy to work with and edit sounds. Too bad the display is so small and terse. Manual is quite clear. I should have bought a unit with the expansion card though. Pedal board in conjunction withe the GK2-A is very easy to use to change presets and user sets on the fly.

Nice set of patches of which I mostly use basses, organ and grand piano. Using a Mexican Fat Strat with GK2-A through RP80 guitar pedals then to a Marshall AVT-50 (direct guitar sound) and sending the synth output through the PA or a Yorkville KB100 amp.

So far, it has been holding up very well, and I am using it for rehearsal studio and live activity. Just the 13-pin cord that worries me, so I have backup just in case.

N/A

I play progressive hard rock and metal, and it's very useful for getting the mood and atmosphere sounds as well as extra deep and clean bass for the heavier metal tunes we play. I've been playing for over 35 years and own another Strat and an SG, as well as some other various instruments, effects and amps. I also own a Roland GR-1, which I use at my home studio.

Not to bad to work with the newer units got easier and better sound but, used it can be a bargain.

not too bad in the sound department but, later I hooked it into PC Sound modules (NI FM very cool) and hardware modules. It can get you started just watch out for secondhand pickups your better off with a new one.

Seemed to be reliable enough but, I upgraded pretty quickly so I didn't keep it for more then a year.

Who knows it was secondhand and out of production so, I never tried or had too

Good unit to get started with as they can be bought cheap used.

two knobs step through most of the patch editing.
the 3 digit display is somewhat archaic.
too bad it has no display so you can name your patches but you get 128
bank-group-pedal patch combinations

arguably the best sound tones roland has.
its got two grand pianos and several sax as well as all kinds of horns basses organs synth leads and backing pads.
I have the expanded tone set to go to 360 fron the standard 180 so I also
get sound effects like explosion gun shot thunder and wind

very reliable. rarely needs to be reset or have the expanded sound board reinstalled

have not dealt with roland tech support

works great for pink floyd.
I've been playing for 10 years. I got it with a gig bag and pickup, all cables etc.
if it was lost ot stole i'd look for a replacement or similar unit.
it does help you make music more than it gets in the way
the tracking can be sloppy like other guitar synths, but its ok if you pick and strum close to the pickup

I have used this for at least 5 years now and I still have trouble editing on the fly. I guess part of that is my fondness for fiddling. With that exception the ease of use is quite high. I use it for recordiing live with a godin LGXT into a VGA-3 modelling amp. Between the amp and the synth I can sound like an entire band.

The only reason I dinged it one point is because the GR-30 and GR-33 have better sounds. I love the strings and some of the brass patches but the guitar patches just plain suck but then why would use them on a guitar anyway? I like some of the unusual patches like rain and thunder which are great to add to some pieces at a volume just above inaudible.

I have never, never, never had a problem with unit. The cord, that is a different matter. Get a spare, get a couple of spares.

never had to deal with them directly but their website sucks for support.

I use this device for layering over live playing and for recording individual tracks. I am not a keyboard player so I use this for recording simple piano and organ parts which it does very well. If I lost this unit I would probably upgrade to a GR-33 or even a GR-20 but I would prefer the same unit.

Bought it new in 1994. One of my best purchases.

Ease of Use???? Read the manual. You can get it. But read the manual. Editing easy enough and there are plenty of quality sounds in there to get you started.

Sound Quality is excellent. I've got an old strat copy guitar which I've refurbished. Got about $200 in the whole thing and it sounds and plays great. Practically stole it off a guy who owned a music store that went bankrupt. Even had a hardshell case! But I digress.... I installed the GK-2 pickup and it's been great.

I have the following amps with this rig: Crate 212, Fender Super Reverb, Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Peavey Bandit Transtube, and now a Tech-21 Trademark 60 (which I love). My guitar/synth combination has sounded excellent with all of them. No problems.

I've gigged regularly with this unit with a 60s/70s/80s classic rock band. Our setup is 6 pieces. Other guitarist plays bass on 50% of the tunes. When he plays guitar, keyboardist kicks bass and me and the sax player become the horn section with the brass settings doubled with the trumpet or trombone doubled. Adding a real sax gives us a real fat sound.

I have also filled in for various other bands keyboard players using the synth/piano/organ settings. Folks wonder where all the key sounds are coming from.... it's really funny to see them looking around for keys. Piano, organ and other keyboard sounds will require you to finger pick for a realistic keyboard sound. A piano player doesn't "strum".

Can I depend on it? Have been since 1994. Without backup. It's been stomped on, spilled on, rained on, dust & dirt, and so far it's been a workhorse.

However, the replacement cable is ridiculously expensive.

Never dealt with them. Fortunately haven't had to.

In addition to gigging with this, I also use it to drive my midi studio so I can add piano/bass, etc. to midi files for backup on solo jazz gigs. I don't use this guitar on the gigs, just for the data input and it is excellent for that as well.

This rig is a good match for me.

I turn 50 this year. I started playing when I was 10. Saw the Beatles on TV and figured that looked like a pretty good job. Own about 8 guitars, all high quality, but none of which are collector pieces except for an old Guild acoustic. However, they all do different things and sound good to me.

I'd replace with one of the newer models if stolen.

This is a quality instrument that has been a good companion for about 10 years. It's taken me thru a lot of music and the trip is not over yet.

the Roland Gr09 was very easy to use right away ! I did have a problem getting the pick-up to to work on my Martin-Sigma Acoustic-electric so i decided to put the pick-up on my Horner-pro les Paul copy wiht some 2-sided tape. it's been two years and it's still going!!

mostly, I use the unit at home in my studio to controll other (older) synths such as a TX-7,Roland D-110.Casio CZ 101 and Alesis Nano-Synth. Seems the older the synth the better it tracks!Some of the sounds i get remind me of Lee Ritnour.I've started to tweak the effects and the make a difference.

i bought the unit used with a pick-up (about $300 for both!)and the 13-pin cord made alot of noise if you wiggled it.however.i was fortunate enough to find "some" in a cut-out bend at a local music store foe about $15 a peice!I lok forward to using it live but first ,i have to get a way to get sustain like a keyboard!If anyone knows how to please let me know!! I've tried everything i know down to using a "POCKET PEDAL"and no good. No problen with outboard gear,just the Gr-09

Roland has discontinued the GR-09 and there is no referance to it on it's site ;which I think is a shame.i would like to be able to get the patch names to show in SONAR as do my other synths .Anyone having info on hor to do this with out doing a lot of typing is encouraged to reach me! Also,if anyone knows where to find a expander card write me as well!

I play everything from R&B to latin Jazz and does what it does very nice i also have an old IBANEZ controller that i used befoer i got this so I'm not afraid to use the Roland as a "live"synth controller instead of mixing it with the guitar only

No problem accessing any of the patches. Editing requires quite a bit of reading.

Sound quality is great, especially the string, horn & synth patches. The guitar sounds were kind of weak. The GR-300 patch was pretty cool, though.
The tracking is nowhere near the quality of the GR-33, you can't really burn on it & will probably have to adjust your technique. Still a very useful synth.

Haven't used it in a live application, yet. I've been using it at home extensively & it seems to be a sturdy reliable unit.

I haven't had to use the support for this unit, but Roland has always been a reliable & helpful company.

Great sounds, relatively easy to use. Worth getting if you can't afford the GR-33. Haven't had the chance to get the expansion board, but there are plenty of useful sounds to keep you interested & experimenting for a long time. Recommended.

Straight out of the box and initial patch A1 is a beautiful organ patch. You have to read the manual. I know it hurts but the old rule RTFM works for all environments, I must admit laziness and the plug and play mentality makes it hard to learn these fine work of ingenuity. The manual though not user friendly can be deciphered slowly. These guys who write manuals have this attitude of "assuming" everyone has their same mentality and IQ. I bought it from a stack of old stocks from Swee Lee in Singapore and a friend bought the expansion board from Tom Lee in Hongkong. A nice blend of Chinese selling and Japanese Technology.

I use a Godin Multiac SA with a SWR Strawberry Acoustic Amp. The noise I suppose should be coming from patches that has this unique whistle (flutes, fantasia etc . . .) but must say that the blend of guitar sound and strings and fretless basses make it a strong accompaniment instrument. It never fails to make heads turn.

I have heard Pat Metheny and Al DiMeola's work on synths but I guess the GR09 sounds best live beacuse you can feel the breath of instruments come alive. The choruses and reverbs are standard of any Roland make but they do add dimension to the over-all sound.

I have used this in my trio, duo and church Praise and Worship team and must say that it has worked well for the last two years, have not changed the backup battery, cables etc. Yes, the cable ends are brittle and must be taken good care of. They are expensive and find the pricing ridiculous. I have tried the GK2A on a Fender Strat but find it difficult to handle than when used on my Godin.

I have not tried calling them and hopefully never, a prayer of many of us who could not afford a second unit. The GR33 should less by the end of this year.

I play accompaniment style and back up singers. I have played for over 30 yrs and must say the GR09 has expanded the sound horizon that I produce. The unique blend of strings, cellos and organ sounds with the nylon string guitar inspires my church and leaves my audience during wordly performances in awe. I will wait awhile for the newer synth technologies and for now as they say, "if it ain't broke don't fix (change) it."

VERY EASY EDIT,GOOD MANUAL,DEMO SAMPLES SOUND A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE SOUNDS

SOUNDS ARE SC 55 QUALITY ,A LITTLE TOO DYNAMIC(UNCOMPRESSED) FOR DIRECT RECORDING. IT HAS A TIME OF REACTION THAT REQUIRES ATTENTION AND A RELAXED RIGHT HAND . I USE IT AS A MIDI SEQUENCING TOOL.

28 VOICES 128 PATCHES 2x180 SOUNDS 52 EFFECTS E1 IS THE EXPANSION BOARD . HAS MIDI IN/OUT .PRESET RESPONSE CURVES(NEEDED DISTINCT VELO/OFFSET ).

RELIABLE 90% THE GK2A PICKUP HAS TO BE VERY FIRMLY FIXED OR YOU'LL ASK WHO'S PLAYING.WORKS BEST WITH A BRIGHT SOUNDING GUITAR ,AN ALDER/MAPLE BODY IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST CHOICE.

RELATIVELY HELPFUL

IT IS A GOOD COMPROMISE BETWEEN A MIDI CONTROLLER AND A STAGE GUITAR SYNTH.I PLAYED AND RECORDED WITH IT ,ALSO THROUGH A SOUND MODULE .NEEDS PATIENCE BUT IT'LL PAY OFF.I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE NEW GR 33.I HEARD IT IS FASTER IN RESPONSE.

My general rating is 10 but: I'm crying for help as there's no effective assistence for Roland products in the Czech Rep.
My GR-09 (expanded) suddenly started to produce distorted synth sound and afterwards it stopped. Communication with another midi device (keyboard) still works and the normal, or processed, guitar sound is also O.K.
I would be very grateful for any advice or hint.
Many thanks. lkolenaty@post.cz or> fax 004202 67213419

Until breakdown it was perfect.

I don 't know how to reach a support

Easy to use..

Very Good Sound Quality. The Horns are fantastic.. The Bass and the Banjo are fantastic. I find these sounds and the effects very useful..

I have had problems with the GK-2 Pickups the Cables and Power supply. I am on my third Gk-2 pickup, and am on my 3rd 15 pin cable and my second power supply. These parts are hard to find to replace and The cost is RIDICULOUS.. Also, the expansion board pops out sometimes and it causes the unit to not output sound.

No support on website. No way to contact them on the website. No Toll Free number.

For the time it was created, it had excellent features.. The accessories (The Proprietary cable and Adapter as well as the GK-2 are not very reliable and TOO expensive to replace). In my 4 years with this unit. I have gone through 2 GK-2 pickups, 2 Cables and one power supply.. In my book, thats not very reliable..

This unit is awesome. I have played with the GR-1 and the GR-30. Overall the GR-30 sounds better and has more options, but for the money this unit is awesome! As far as the GR-1, it has great sounds and I love the sequencer but the sounds are not as clean as the GR-9. The manual is great if you have trouble with it. What is the firmware revision number? I dont think mine has been upgraded. If you know anything about that stuff email me.

I use an Ibanez RG with it, and when I switch from synth to guitar p/ups the guitar is a lot louder, kindy of a pain, but thats the price you gotta pay. For some reason when I added my GR-9 to my setup I got extra hum which annoys me, but it is not loud.

Ive only had it for a little while. I would depend on it, but when I start playing more gigs its good to have an extra cable. They are pricy, but they also seems flimsy

I have called them several times and the first time one guy was a prick and obviously thought I was wasting his time with my questions. The second time I called the guy was super cool and talked to me for like 20 mins giving me tips and what not (I think the nice guy's name was Paul)

This unit has become a crucial tool in my music, Im starting to use it as a midi interface and it works awesome for that. tracking can get funky but if you practice what your doing youll start to "get to know" when and where it likes to track. I hate the sound of guitars in general and thats the only instrument that I can play (10yrs) so this unit has defitnely opened new doors for me. I hate the layout of keyboards so once again this unit has done it for me!

Had problems with this unit without the manual.But I brought the instruction video and it became very easy to program the patches. Be sure to buy the video when buying this unit...

this unit Has very good sound .I use a soild state amp as the unit makes a little noise with a tube amp.. The sounds in this unit are total midi. meaning I can get horns,paino and over 250 other instrument that sound just like the real thing. I've also jacked the unit into my zoom 3030 that gives me all the sounds ill ever need. you will have to use the roland gk2-a pickup to trigger this unit.

The unit its self is cased in plastic but it seems very strong. and should last me a good long time.the pedals are very strong too and have hard rubber stomp pads..

I recommend getting bank switches,using the switches on the GK-2A is a bit distracting.Apart from that, the editing process is well documented and pretty easy.Be sure to get the voice update card if possible,many of my favorites are on the update card.

I do not like the effect that the (non-synth) guitar out has on my straight guitar tone.I wired a special cord that runs from my standard guitar jack straight into my tube amp, it has an extra ground that plugs into the G-K 2A 1/8" jack.This really beefs up the straight guitar sound.A good stereo amp is mandatory for best results with the synth signal.Going straight into most guitar amps really hurts your synth sound quality,it's best to go into a good mixer and power amp;I use a Mackie 1202VLZ and a Hafler P-3000 with good results.Built-in chorus and reverb are very good, but only work on the synth signal.Sample sound quality is great, tracking is very good,and carefull mixing of synth and guitar signals is very cool.Using a slide produces amazing results on flute and some of the other patches.The guitar patches are the weakest, but the Pat Metheny guitar synth patch alone is worth the price of admission, it's terrific for Ornette Coleman sounding outside jazz; used mixed subtly with distorted guitar,it's great for whammy effects too.

The multiconductor connectors are a little worrysome, I think a spare cord would be a smart thing to have. No problems in the year+ I've had mine.Powered by a wall wart, which means certain problems at some point.

I used to do warranty repair for Roland,they have historically been competent but very slow.

I play mostly bass in duos and trios, and use the GR-09 to create some different textures in my improvisational music.One bonus is that it works as a MIDI floor controller for my rack bass effects;that's a $250 savings right there, continuous controller and the whole deal.The reaction that this thing creates is amazing.You can get these used for very little money these days; I highly recommend it.You can literally go out and gig with it the first week you own it if you're a competent guitar player.

i had this box figured out before i even made the decision to buy it. good manual. the later ones came in a bundle with a gig bag, GK-2A hex pickup, and 180 extra sample presets. the new GR-30 is by far the better synth at a cheaper list price, but these gr09 bundles were going for less than $800 u.s. (mine was $749 plus tax), and that's still cheaper than the gr30.

the samples are great, except, ironically enough, the guitar patches. the piano sounds can track funny if you don't fingerpick of claw pick.

it's a boss, which means customer service will be hard to reach but good, once you can reach them.

i knew the gr30 would be better, but i also knew it wouldn't be out for awhile.i use this live every thursday night at canter's in west hollywood, mostly for sax, hammond organ, and bass sounds. last night the house bass was on the fritz, so i played 90 minutes on my larivee/GR09 and everybody craned their necks, looking for the bass player.hell yeah, i'd buy another one. i will no doubt sell my gr09 eventually to buy a gr30, or whatever replaces it, but i'm in no hurry. it's that good.

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