Hi all,

I'm the type that buys equipment, and doesn't begin to use it until several years later, when it's about to become obsolete. Then I work toward buying the new equipment, and the same cycle begins again. Someone has to help the music gear vendors. I also spend more time studying the equipment manuals and features than I do actually playing (that's why my musical progress isn't faster - any of you distracted by the technology to the detriment of your musical progress ?)

All that said - I'm finally learning to hook up and use my Roland GI-20. Funny enough, I do find the delay, no matter how small, annoying. I could see it throwing me off when playing with a live band. And I do find that the thinking/composing/jamming using synth sounds is extremely different. The easiest sounds for me to use are those where the attack is fast, like on the guitar, and the sustain of sounds are relatively short, like the guitar.

One think I thought the guitar synth would do for me is allow me to emulate some of the instruments I really love but don't play - like the fiddle (love double stops, bow tricks, and volume swells in bluegrass), and I love the sound of the pedal steel in Yes and Neil Young. Alas - after playing around a little - I don't think I'll ever get satisfaction in trying to emulate and play these instruments on my guitar synth.

Please comment on your experiences with the above, and tell me:

Guitar Synth players - what sounds do you use, and how do you use your guitar synth ?