Hello everybody,
Here we are!

In this workshop I would like to talk about the OS Version 2 of the G-70 that you can download for free on this website. If you have it not installed yet into your G-70, please do so before we continue.
In this workshop I would like to talk about the new Guitar Mode, one of the amazing and unique new features in the G-70 Version 2.

So first, let’s have a look at the background a little bit.
The guitar sounds in today’s Keyboards are getting better and better. 
Still it is really not that easy to play on the keyboard in the way a guitar player would play on his Guitar. In other words, the final result of the performance is not only depending on the quality of the sounds, but also very much on the way of playing.
And to play as authentically as possible on the way a Guitar would be played is not an easy thing to do, I would even say some Guitar playing techniques are impossible to be reproduced on a keyboard action.
In order to solve this problem ROLAND R&D made a lot of deep research and as a result of this research you will now find and benefit from the new Guitar Mode in the G-70 Version 2.
The Guitar Mode enables you to perform authentic guitar strumming and picking on the keyboard action of the G 70, something that is completely impossible to achieve by just playing in realtime.
You can include this into your real-time performance, and even sing on top of it, using the built-in Vocal Harmonizer.
Or you can use the Guitar Mode in the Sequencer or Style Composer environment for creating the Guitar Tracks.
In other words, this is the first time that it is possible to create an authentically sounding guitar track in a standard midifile or in a style in no time.

And that’s what we want to do in this workshop: We want to create an easy 8Beat type of groove in the Style Composer environment.
Before going into the Style Composer we will have to make ourselves a little bit familiar with the Guitar Mode.
So let’s switch on the Guitar Mode by simultaneously pressing the Piano and the Arranger button in the Keyboard Mode field on the Panel of the G 70.
This will transform the G 70 into a Guitar with a Keyboard Action.

On the display you will now see 3 Zones on the Keyboard:

- The left Zone is for playing the chords with your left hand. (Exactly like you have always done it)
- In the middle Zone you will be able to play pickings with the 6 guitar strings by just playing on the keyboard.
Please play any order of notes from C – A (the Octave underneath the Drawbars) and the G 70 will sort them out in accordance to the chord that you have played with your left hand.
- In the right zone (one Octave higher from C – C - F) you will be able to play many different types of guitar strummings and articulations, again in accordance with the chords that you have played on the left side.
Please try the different notes on the right side and have a listen to the musical result.
Did you ever play a nice guitar strumming like this before? Well, I certainly didn’t!
For me this is really amazing, and I am confident that after a short while you will get comfortable with the new way of playing and it will feel very natural to you.

So let’s move on in the direction of creating the style.
As we want to just focus on the Guitar Track I have created a tutorial style with the name G-Mode ready for you to be downloaded here.

G MODE.STL

DOWNLOAD

After downloading the style you will have to transfer it into the G-70.
So please connect a USB cable from your computer to the G-70, press Menu (next to the display on the right side), USB Data Storage and “Internal Memory” on the Touch Screen of the Keyboard.

You will now find an additional hard drive with the Name G70_SSD on your computer.
Please copy the style into the folder “Put New Styles Here”.
After that please close the connection between the G-70 and your computer by pressing, “disconnect” on the touch screen. (Mac Users will have to unmount the Hard Disk that they will find on the desktop of their computer).

You may then press the flashing Exit button and disconnect the USB cable. Now please press the Style Switch in the Finder area on the Panel of the G-70.
This will update the Database and you will be able to find the style in the style list of the finder.
Please select the style “G-Mode” and listen to it. (You may have to switch on the Arranger in the Keyboard Mode field of the G-70).

Press Exit.
Main 1-3 are absolutely identical and in Main 4 you will hear a nice Guitar Groove playing along with the Bass and the Drums.
As this is just a tutorial style you won’t find any Intros, Endings or Fill Ins.

Before going into the Style Composer Area, let’s try the feeling of the Guitar Mode playing along with the Style.
Therefore please use Variation Main 1 and switch on the Guitar Mode. (By pressing simultaneously Arranger and Piano in the Keyboard Mode Field on the panel)
Press Start, play a chord on the left side and play along with the Style using different possibilities of the Guitar Mode.
Are you getting familiar with it? I am sure it sounds great!!!
Maybe you want to sing along with it? – Go for it!

When you feel confident about it we can go to the Style Composer by pressing Menu and the Style Composer on the touch Screen.

1.) Now let’s select Division Main 1 and Major mode.
Now let’s select Track Accomp1, press Record on the left side of the Panel and change REC Division Mode into M=m=7.
Like this we can record the Guitar Track into the variation Main 1 and the G-70 will automatically create the appropriate tracks for the Minor and 7th Pattern. Naturally we will record the Guitar Track in the Key of C and with a simple C Major Triad.
The Rec Division Field should be on Main 1, and the Rec Track should indicate Accomp 1.
Also we will have to select Input Quantize to 1/8. This will automatically smoothen the timing of our playing. The great news here is that we won’t loose the strumming effect of the Guitar. This is actually quite unique, because usually quantizing will set all the notes on the same place.

Now please switch on the Guitar Mode on the Touch Screen.
On the left side you should play a C Triad (C-E-G) before recording.
You can now start the recording by pressing Start in the Style Control Section.
During the 1 measure of Count In, where you will hear a Metronome, you should get prepared for playing.
After you finished the recording, please press Stop.

In order to listen to what you have just recorded you will have to press Play in the Style Control Area.
If you would like to redo please start again from the top of this chapter. The only thing that you’ll have to change now is after pressing the Record Button you should switch the REC Mode back from Mix to Replace. This will then automatically overwrite your previous recording.

2.) If you are happy with the result, then you might have to adjust the length of the recording. (For my Version in Main 4 I decided to use a 2-measure loop)
But first (and just in case) we will save the style first by pressing the Save Switch in the Touch Screen. You should slightly modify the Name, so that you won’t overwrite the Original Style. I suggest that you might simply add your initials to the Style Name.

After saving you have to reselect Main 1 (2 or 3, depending on where you have made your recording) and the referring Track. (Possibly Track 1)
For changing the track length please press Track Edit and Track Length.
Now you can modify the Track Length of each Track that is used in the Style.
The easiest way is to correct M=m=7 Tracks at the same time by switching on the 3 Blue Switches in the Mode section on the Touch Screen.

Then you can select the appropriate Track Length (2, 4 etc measures) in accordance to your recording in the Length Field on the Screen, after that just press “Execute”

and "Back".

You might again want to save the style after confirming that you have made the right choice in track length. In case you have made a mistake, please reload the style and redo the above procedure.

3.) As a next step we should add the Chord Alteration Parameter which allows us to benefit from ROLANDS great Adaptive Chord Voicing technology.
(ACV will always select the nearest notes when you change the chords. Like this you will have very smooth and natural chord progressions).
To do this, please press Track Edit and Global Change, both on the screen.




 

Select Track 1 (or whatever Track you may have recorded into) Select All in the Mode Field and select the appropriate Division, possibly Main 1.
After that please select “Nearest” in the Alteration Mode field and press Execute.

After pressing “Back” on the Screen you can leave the Style Composer environment with the flashing Exit button on the panel of the G-70.

You will be asked if you would like to save the Style, which you should do if you are sure that your programming has been correct. If you have some doubt and you’d prefer trying the style first, you should press “NO” on the Screen.
After that you can try the style. Be sure that the Arranger (KBD Mode Area on the Panel) is switched on, start the style and try playing different chords.
Listen to the result!
Also you could always go to Main 4 in order to compare your programming with my suggestions.
If everything is like you want it you should now certainly save the Style.
In order to do so, you will have to re-enter into the Style Composer environment by pressing Menu and Style Composer.
After that press Save on the Screen and follow the routine.

Remark: in Main 4 I recorded a simple short guitar stroke on Beat 2&4 on Track 2 with another Guitar Sound, still by using the Guitar Mode. This gives an even more realistic feeling to the style.

You have now successfully used the Guitar Mode, and created a nice Guitar Style –

Congratulations!

Actually you could do similar things for recording Guitar Tracks in Standard Midifiles.
Personally I am quite sure, that the Guitar Mode will have a great influence in Style and SMF programming in the future.

I would like to wish you a lot of fun and great music with your G 70 Version 2!