Just scored a GI-20 w/ GK cable, power supply, CDRs, Manual and original packing for $175 shipped off of Craigslist! I'm now making strange noises in the night with my Stick using an ol' EMU Proteus.

I'm needing to refine either:
- the GI-20 settings
- the GK2 pickup
- the stick set-up
.......as I am getting some tracking / mis-triggers / multiple-triggers......It's not clean or accurate.

I'm thinking the Stick set-up is pretty critical. Any advice?

Also.....does anyone have a core set-up list for the GI-20 when used with a stick? I find the Manual kinda sketchy.

Regards,
dmm

It's hard to know what's causing it but make sure the dampers are working well and no open strings are ringing.

You only have 2 things to look for with "adjustments".

First, if your pickup came with all the mounting hardware there should be a little "L" bracket/tool that you use to adjust the pickup height and space between each string and the pickup. This is important as a string too close will pickup the magnetic interference with the stick pickup but does need to be close enough for good tracking.

Then there is a setting in the GI20 for tapping somewhere. Once set to "tap" mode it should be more sensitive. Also you can adjust each strings sensitivity in the GI20. You may notice some strings are louder than others and have to adjust accordingly.

Bill Ruppert at Electro Harmonix does some amazing things just with EH pedals. For example, mellotron flutes using a compressor, POG and Tremelo - here is a link:
http://www.ehx.com/blog/effectology-vol-6

I've gotten a similar sound using the POG and other plugin effects in KORE or Reaper. Plus I've run both sides of the stick into the POG at the same time and tracks pretty darn good. Still not the same as GK-synth connection, but usable none-the-less.

It will be interesting to see what the Roland GR synth has in it.

Pretty much what Panther said. The strings are going to be very close to the GK pickup. Also, try using the 'tP' mode (I think that is the tapping mode setting indication). Make sure the velcro mute is working well too. I've also found that I am getting much better tracking now that I'm using medium gauge strings. One thing about using a GK/guitar synth system is that they really want clean, accurate playing. Try practicing slowly, getting used to what the system likes/doesn't like. There is also a poly mode and a mono mode. One (poly I believe...) puts all 6 (or 5) strings on one MIDI channel. I use this most of the time and it works ok. The other mode (mono) puts each string on it's own MIDI channel. What this does is allow you to play a guitar patch for example and have individual pitch bend on each string. Can sound rather 'out of it' on a piano type patch... This mode also allow you to assign different instruments to each string. Your sound module needs to be able to receive on individual channels (like performance mode on Korg synths) so you can assign different sounds to each channel.

The patches you select on the synth will contribute to how much you can 'get away with'. sounds with fast attacks (pianos, etc.) are less forgiving then slower-attack patches like flutes, string pads, etc...

Thanks folks!

I'll check the Stick / GK pick-up geometry settings as suggested. Also, the dampers are original from like 2001. I should prolly replace...particularly since I'm using light strings. I did notice that some of the triggering was comming from sympathetic vibrations (harmonics?) on other strings. I'm tuned DBR, so the GI-20 Bass setting works much better than Guitar setting.

Love the EH POG! Have not used it w/ Stick, but have made plenty of fun sounds on a TUBA w/ electronics duo using a POG. I should give it a go w/ the Stick.

I've tried in both mono & poly modes and am happiest using poly. Separate patches on each individual string was just a little too complicated for me at this point in time.

I messed around a little with the string attack settings.....tP did indeed seem best for most patches. I'm begingin to think that the GI-20 parameters may need to be tailored depending on the patch...this is doable, but tedious.

Cheers,
dmm

Hi there, I am a GI-10 user, so I am not aware of the specific settings you get in the GI-20, but below you will find a couple of things that I hope could help you, beyond all the good advice you have already received here:

-I would suppress any bending in all the strings. At the end of the day, even in the bending is set at "0", the unit will interpret any specific bending behavior like a +/- 1/2 tone messaging and will generally sound good enough. I assume, as you play the Stick, that bending is not the principal feature in your playing.

-Do not assume that higher sensitivity = better, as it is not the case. You will see that if the unit is too sensitive, whenever you depress the string, there will be a bouncing effect when the damper mutes the note, that makes the note sound 2 times. I would say that sensitivity in strings 1 and 6 should be very very high (7-8, if the settings are the same as in the GI-10), strings 2-3-4 around 5 and string 5 around 4)

-Poly/mono does not really change anything for the unit, as the info is captured the same. It is the "GK to MIDI" or "GK to internal sound" internal module that triggers individual notes or chords depending on your setting. The better-sound effect that you feel by playing in mono is that secondary notes (that you do not want to play) are filtered by the module.

- Tracking will always be an issue with these units (for some people a total show-stopper, for most something you can work around), as they use MIDI to generate the sounds. With the GK2/3 in your Stick you will have way better tracking results with units such as VG-88/VG-99/GR-50/GR-55/Axon that access internal sounds to generate the tone. The processor capabilities of the MIDI module you may end using (synths, samplers, your computer) play a role in how fast the notes are received and reproduced. The GK-2/3 series pickups also cut some bandwidth, as you can easily feel the difference with piezo-equipped instruments which are definitively and scientifically proven to be faster. In any case, keep trying, as it is possible to get your GI-20 to perform very well and get very decent results if you get to an optimal set of settings based on your instrument, playing style.

I hope it helps.

Gustavo

This new thing from Roland looks interesting! Anyone got a chance to check it out yet?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwmVXbW9Guo[/youtube]

The GR-55 looks pretty impressive.

Can anyone tell me what happens when you have MIDI on the melody side only, and the regular bass/melody signals running in MONO (via preamp or A/B box) into the guitar input of a GR synth? Would it have any adverse effect on the (non-MIDI) bass signal?

Also, any comments on the difference between GK-2 and the newer GK-3 MIDI pickups? I've been told it's mainly the size.

Cheers,
Andy

Hi there, just bumping the topic... Has anyone here tried the GR-55? I am sort of curious about the Guitar-to-MIDI conversion, as the one the VG-99 has is truly crappy. Would this be a good way to replace a VG-88 and GI-10?

To Andy: I have both GK-2 and GK3 and they react the same way. It seems to me that the physical installation of any of these units is way more important than the technological differences these units may have between each other.

Regards