Roland VG-88 User manual

Thank you, and congratulations on your choice of the Roland VG-88 V-
GUITAR SYSTEM.
Before using this unit, carefully read the sections entitled: “IMPORTANT
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS” (Owner’s manual p. 2), “USING THE UNIT
SAFELY” (Owner’s manual p. 3), and “IMPORTANT NOTES” (Owner’s
manual p. 11). These sections provide important information concerning the
proper operation of the unit. Additionally, in order to feel assured that you
have gained a good grasp of every feature provided by your new unit, Quick
start and Owner’s manual should be read in its entirety. The manual should be
saved and kept on hand as a convenient reference.
Copyright © 2000 ROLAND CORPORATION
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form
without the written permission of ROLAND CORPORATION.
Quick Start

2
First, you will need to attach the GK-2A divided pickup to your guitar. To learn how, refer to the owner’s
manual for the GK-2A.
* Use the normal guitar cable included with the GK-2A to connect your guitar to the normal guitar input jack of the
GK-2A.
* Set the GK-2A select switch to the “MIX” position.
Connect the VG-88 to the amp’s RETURN or MAIN IN jack.
This allows you to get the sound of the VG-88 itself without bypassing the amp’s preamp section, which
determines the amp’s individual sound qualities.
fig.q01
* If the amp has no RETURN or MAIN IN jack, connect to the INPUT jack, then adjust the amp’s tone controls as
follows.
BASS=0, MIDDLE=10, TREBLE=0
The suggested settings of BASS=0, MIDDLE=10, and TREBLE=0 are general guidelines. The optimal settings
may be different for your amp. Adjust the tone controls of your amp so that its frequency response is flat.
* If the amp features L and H INPUT jacks, connect the VG-88 to the L jack.
* If the amp features channel switching, select NORMAL (CLEAN).
Press the OUTPUT SELECT button and select “POWER AMP+SP/RETURN.”
COMBO: Combo type (single unit containing amp and speaker)
STACK: Stack type (amp and speaker are separate)
fig.q01a
Installing the GK-2A on your guitar
Make connections appropriate for your equipment
OUTPUT RETURN or MAIN IN

3
The VG-88 features 260 internally-stored effect sounds. Each of these sounds is called a “patch.”
Patches are grouped in “banks,” sets of four patches that can be switched by pressing the number pedals [1]
through [4].
fig.q02
Switching Patches with the Pedals
fig.q03
■To switch patches within the same bank:
Merely press one of the Number pedals [1] through [4] to switch the patch.
■To switch to a patch in another bank:
Press the BANK [▼] or [▲] pedal to switch the bank, then press one of the Number pedals [1] through [4] to
switch the patch.
Switching Patches with the VALUE Dial
You can select patches by rotating the VALUE dial, from Bank 1, Patch 1 to Bank 65, Patch 4, without
concern for the particular bank.
* If you wish to prevent tones being switched should the VALUE dial be moved inadvertently during your
performance, please see “Preventing accidental operation of the VALUE dial” (p. 66) in the Owner’s Manual.
Selecting sounds (patches)
Bank 65
Bank 26
Bank 25
Bank 1
Number Pedals
Bank Pedals

4
The built-in EXP pedal can also be assigned to parameters other than volume.
ffig.q40 1. Make sure you’re in Play mode.
If you’re not in Play mode, press [EXIT] several times.
2. Press [EFFECT].
ffig.q30
fig.q05
3. Press [F2] (ON/OFF) to turn WAH “ON.”
fig.q39
4. Press [F5] (EDIT) to access the WAH EDIT screen.
5. Press [F1] (TYPE).
6. Turn [VALUE] to select “PEDAL WAH.”
7. Press [F6] (SET PDL) to assign WAH to the built-in EXP
pedal.
* If you wish to save the sound, perform the Write operation
(Owner’s Manual; p. 25).
Using the expression pedal (using the wah pedal)

5
Using EZ Edit to create sounds intuitively
You can create sounds easily and intuitively just by selecting one of the EZ Edit basic sounds, and adjusting four parameters.
fig.q11
(Example) Here we will create a lead sound with a chorus effect.
1. Press [EZ EDIT].
2. Select a sound.
Press [F1] (TYPE), and rotate [VALUE] to select “LEAD.”
fig.q12
Press [F4] (COLOR), and rotate [VALUE] to select “1.”
3. Adjust the depth of distortion.
Press [F2] (DRIVE), and rotate [VALUE] to set this to
“50.”
4. Adjust the brightness.
Press [F3] (TONE), and rotate [VALUE] to set this to
“30.”
5. Adjust the amount of modulation.
Press [F5] (MOD), and rotate [VALUE] to set this to “40.”
6. Adjust the reverberation.
Press [F6] (DELAY), and rotate [VALUE] to set this to
“30.”
7. Press [EXIT] to return to the Play screen.
* If you wish to save the sound, perform the Write operation
(Owner’s Manual; p. 25).
Creating sounds
Press to start using EZ Edit.
Press and turn to select the basic sound.
Use and to create the sound.
Press to exit EZ Edit.
DRIVE: Amount of distortion
TONE: Tone brightness
MOD: Tone breadth and modulation
DELAY: Delay added to the sound

6
Make COSM guitar and COSM amp settings
■Make COSM guitar settings
(Example)
Here we will select “LP FRONT.”
1. Press [COSM GUITAR].
ffig.q18
2. Press [F1] (ON/OFF) to select “ON.”
ig.q19
3. Press [F4] (TYPE), and use [VALUE] to select “VARI
GT.”
4. Press [PAGE ] to access page 2.
* You can also move to the next page by repeatedly pressing
[COSM GUITAR].
fig.q22
5. Press [F1] (PRESET), and use [VALUE] to select “LP
FRONT.”
6. Press [EXIT] several times to return to the Play screen.
* If you wish to save the sound, perform the Write operation
(Owner’s Manual; p. 25).
■Make COSM amps/speakers
settings
(Example)
Here we will select “CRUNCH.”
1. Press [COSM AMP].
ffig.q24
2. Press [F1] (ON/OFF) to select “ON.”
3. Press [F4] (TYPE), and use [VALUE] to select
“CRUNCH.”
fig.q25
4. Press [EXIT] several times to return to the Play screen.
* If you wish to save the sound, perform the Write operation
(Owner’s Manual; p. 25).

7
Make multi-effect settings
1. Press [EFFECT].
ffig.q30
fig.q31
2. Press [F1]–[F3] to select each effect.
3. Turn [VALUE] to select the effect setting.
4. Press [PAGE ] to access the effect ON/OFF screen
located in the next page.
* You can also move to the next page by repeatedly pressing
[EFFECT].
fig.q33
fig.q34
5. Repeat steps 2–4 to turn each effect ON/OFF, and try
playing the effect.
Using polyphonic effects
(Example)
Here we will make settings for the polyphonic slow gear
effect.
1. Press [COSM GUITAR].
ffig.q18
2. Press [F1] (ON/OFF) to select “ON.”
3. Press [F4] (TYPE), and use [VALUE] to select “POLY
SG.”
ig.q36
4. Press [PAGE ] to access page 2.
* You can also move to the next page by repeatedly pressing
[COSM GUITAR].
fig.q38
5. Press [F2] (ON/OFF) to turn SLOW GEAR “ON.”
6. Press [F5] (EDIT) to access the SLOW GEAR parameter
setting screen.
7. Press [F1]–[F2] to select parameters, and rotate [VALUE]
to set their values.
8. Press [EXIT] several times to return to the Play screen.
* If you wish to save the sound, perform the Write operation
(Owner’s Manual; p. 25).

Quick Start
02123556 ’00-5-A3-21K