complete GR-300 rig, including pitch sweep
controls, envelope filter modulation, LFO and
even hex fuzz, a feature that was actually a
part of the vintage guitar controller and not
the GR-300 itself. When Roland claimed to
completely emulate a GR-300 in
the VG- 99, they
were serious.
The new VG-99/
GR-300 has more
creative options,
along with the
bells and whistles
of modern technology: USB and
coaxial digital
outputs, and more
effects than an
entire eighties studio. For the critical
tests, I plugged
a Roland-Ready Fender Stratocaster into a
converter/splitter so that I could play the
VG- 99 and GR-300 at the same time. Audio
samples of these tests are available online,
First, the waveform generated by the VG-
99 looks exactly like the diagram of the
waveform found in the original Roland
GR-300 patent application. But the actual
GR-300 waveform lacks the crispness of the
emulation, and
has a very slight
harmonic peak.
Consequently,
with the filters
wide open on
both synths, the
VG- 99 is perhaps
a bit sharper and
brighter in tone.
However, once you
start to close the
- 24 dB low pass
filters down, the
waveforms become
Left: The VG- 99 is the top waveform and the GR-300 is below. Notice the VG- 99 has sharp edges to the waveform,
and the GR-300 is slightly rounded. Right: The next photo shows both waveforms with 50 percent low-pass filter. nearly identical.
As you roll-off the high end, the waveforms become identical. Speaking of the
lation of the GR-300 is virtually indistin- filter, the emulation of the dramatic analog
guishable from the original. However, criti- filter is also amazingly accurate, though the
cally comparing the two synths side-by-side resonance is a bit more aggressive on the VG-
reveals a few minor flaws in the emulation. 99 than it is on the original GR-300.
along with waveform photos and more info
for the guitar geek.
VG- 99 and GR-300 Under the Oscilloscope
