This page about Roland GR-500 is a stub. You can help improve it:
Pricing and availability
* Product prices and availability are updated by Equipboard every 24hrs and are subject to change. Equipboard may receive compensation for purchases made at participating retailers linked on this site. This compensation does not affect what products or prices are displayed, or the order of prices listed. For more information, please refer to our affiliate disclosure.
Description
The Roland GR-500 is a pioneering synthesizer that merges the worlds of guitar playing and electronic sound manipulation, offering musicians an expansive palette of sonic possibilities. As part of Roland's esteemed lineup of sound modules, this instrument is designed to unlock the creative potential of both traditional and modern musicians. Its innovative guitar-to-synth interface allows for seamless integration with your guitar, transforming each string pluck into rich, synthesized tones. With the GR-500, guitarists can explore a new frontier of soundscapes, from lush, atmospheric pads to sharp, punchy leads.
The GR-500 is equipped with cutting-edge technology that translates the nuances of your guitar playing into dynamic MIDI signals. This enables real-time control over a wide range of synthesizer parameters, allowing for expressive performances that were previously only possible with keyboard-based instruments. The module's versatility makes it a valuable tool for both stage performances and studio sessions, offering a robust selection of patches and customizable settings for personalized sound creation.
Whether you're looking to add depth to your live performances or experiment with new textures in the studio, the Roland GR-500 provides a unique and intuitive approach to guitar synthesis. Its compatibility with various effects and amplifiers ensures that your sound can be tailored to suit any musical genre or project.
Key Features:
- Innovative guitar-to-synth interface for seamless guitar integration
- Real-time MIDI signal conversion for dynamic control
- Wide range of synthesizer patches and customization options
- Compatible with various effects and amplifiers
- Designed for both live performance and studio use
Videos
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER
GUITAR SYNTHESIZER ORIGINAL HOLY GRAIL THE ROLAND GR500
GUITAR SYNTHESIZER ORIGINAL HOLY GRAIL THE ROLAND GR500
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER
ROLAND Guitar Synthesizer GR-500 Played by Shiro Tanigawa
Junichiro Yamasaki
Roland GR500
Dauno Martinez
Steve Hackett - Roland GR-500 Showcase - Please Don't Touch - Vintage Analog Guitar Synthesizer
WayneJoness
The Roland GR-500 - guitarra sintetizador 1977 - Tenaz
FinlAndino Pletórico
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Roland GR-500.
Features and functionality
-
The GR-500's external synth connections are designed to control external synths rather than accept alternate signal inputs.
Source -
The hexaphonic pickup outputs are amplified and fed to a hex inverter and power transistor driver, enabling the string's infinite sustain feature similar to an E-Bow.
Source
Setup and maintenance
-
The guitar's preamp provides significant gain, suggesting the inputs expect signals around one volt.
Source
Use cases and applications
-
Without the specific GS-500 guitar controller, the GR-500 synth offers limited functionality, as it's primarily designed to work with this unique controller.
Source
Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 0 Reviews and 3 Ratings
Artist usage
Add artist
In an interview with Premier Guitar, John Frusciante mentions his affinity for synthesizers, including the Roland GR-500, alongside other instruments like the Roland MC-202, drum machines, and samplers, highlighting his diverse approach to music production.
At 26:15 in this video, it mentions Jimmy Page purchased a Roland GR-500 in Los Angeles in 1977.
In this screenshot from Coldplay’s old Q&A feed, Jonny’s head guitar tech Matt McGuinn describes using a 1978 Roland GR500 the recording setup for Violet Hill:
“A lot of the recorded version was done with a Roland GR500 Guitar Synth from about 1978 which was so temperamental it only worked about twice; we both refused to take it on the road as a result, and at gigs we just turned the Rat up really loud and used an Electro Harmonix Micro Pog pedal for the solo.”
Used on the song "Hemispheres" ...I remember seeing them on the Permanent Waves tour, and he used this guitar when they played the title track.
id you use basically the same setup on Hemispheres?
All the same guitars, with the addition of a new Gibson ES-345 and a Roland GR-500 guitar synthesizer. I eventually gave the 345 to one of our road crew as a birthday gift and bought a black 78345 to replace it. For amps I used Hiwatt [21750 Main St., Matteson, IL 60443] tops and bottoms exclusively.
Rrussel Bell : “I was the guitarist and I had five synths!! I had a Polymoog, two Minimoogs, Moog Taurus pedals, Synares and a Roland guitar synth !”
Source : Electricity Club
:format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-239478-1264518030.jpeg.jpg)
The GR-500 guitar synthesizer is listed on the album Last of Analog Sessions.
This site states that Cale used a Roland GR-500.
Included in this list of Martyn's Roland gear.
Roland GR-500 & GS-500 Hisashi acquired this in their indie days in 1986 or 1987
This Guitar Player article states that Phillips used a Roland GR-500: "Following Wise After the Event, Phillips’ music moved into a much more personal and uncompromising space. The third reissue, 1984—originally released in 1981—saw a major directional shift, as the album comprised almost entirely electronic music performed on a Moog Polymoog and a Roland GR-500 guitar synth."
You can clearly see Rypdal using a Roland guitar synthesizer in this YouTube video from 1977.
Album Usage
The Roland GR-500 has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Roland GR-500, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
-s.webp?v=1781794884)
-s.webp?v=1781881203)
Similar
Add recommendation1 alternative for Roland GR-500, curated by the Equipboard community.
$1,150.00
More Roland Sound Modules
-m.webp?v=1782054070)
$296.04
in Sound Modules Rank
$1,250.00 - $1,999.99
in Sound Modules Rank
$1,297.80
in Sound Modules Rank
$299.03
in Sound Modules Rank
$499.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$129.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$550.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$3,900.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$1,250.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$15.55
in Sound Modules Rank
$233.25
in Sound Modules Rank
$25.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$30.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$330.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$349.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$400.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$155.28
in Sound Modules Rank
$50.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$60.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$1,699.99
in Sound Modules Rank
$25.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$103.52
in Sound Modules Rank
$621.13
in Sound Modules Rank
$103.52
in Sound Modules Rank
$200.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$2,248.00 - $2,899.99
in Sound Modules Rank
$15.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$2,450.00
in Sound Modules Rank
$1,035.22
in Sound Modules Rank
-m.webp?v=1781942481)
Community setups
Most Popular Sound Modules
Most Popular Brands
-
Added to Equipboard on by
julianwolf2Gear IQ 13060
-
