MIDI/Tracking Timing Tests

How fast is the GR-300?


Editing to the sample start edge in Digital Performer	Ibanez IMG-2010 and SBC+ were used with a Mark of the Unicorn 2408 MKII for these timing tests.

Below are the results of speed tests comparing various vintage and new synthesizers. I played open strings, fretted at the fifth fret, and the twelfth fret. I recorded the direct output from the 1/4” jack on the guitar and the output from the synthesizers. I recorded the audio tracks into Digital Performer at 44.1kHz. I edge edited to the start of the sounds, and I then wrote down the actual sample number of the start of the sound. The difference in sample numbers was converted back into the more understandable millisecond unit.

So, for example, with the GM-70, the guitar sound was recorded at sample number 4470612, and the synth output was recorded at 4473326. So 4473326 minus 4470612 equals a delay of 2714 samples. 2714 samples divided by 44100 samples equals 0.06154. Multiply by 1000 to convert to milliseconds: 61.54. Or a 61.54 millisecond delay for a GM-70 to play a low "E." Ouch! Compare that to 5.8 milliseconds for the GR-300!

For the MIDI only modules, like the GM-70 or GI-10, I used the output of a Yamaha CS6R. It was the factory piano patch, with the attack time set to zero. The CS6R is a few years old, and is a fairly "middle-of-the-road" module. So, when you see that the average response time of the GI-10 is 21.99 milliseconds, this is the total time from when the guitar is picked to when a note is actually heard from the module. I felt this was more of a real world test. Also, depending on the MIDI module you use, you may have a slower or faster response time.

The analog hybrid GR-700 synthesizer has notoriously bad tracking, so I was very curious to use a modern GI-20, which has fast tracking, with the MKS-30, the rack-mount version of the GR-700/JX-3P synth engine. In short, the GI-20 and MKS-30 combination was faster than the GR-700 stand-alone synthesizer by a consistent margin of 2 milliseconds. 2 milliseconds may not but a big speed increase by itself, but consider also the tracking is much more accurate than anything ever possible on the GR-700. At last, GR-700 players can enjoy "glitch-free" performance from a GR-700 type setup. You might notice that the GI-20 alone is rated about 7 milliseconds faster than the GI-20 and MKS-30 combination. This is because the GI-20 was actually tested with a Yamaha CS6R, which has a faster MIDI response time than the analog hybrid MKS-30.

I have also included the Roland VG-88 and GR-300. At an average response time of 3.3 milliseconds, you can see that the GR-300 deserves its reputation as the "world’s fastest guitar synthesizer."

For the VG-88, I used two different VG-88 patches. The first patch used polyphonic pitch shifting, with each string being individually pitch-shifted. The result was similar to putting a capo on the third fret of the guitar. In addition to the pitch-shifting, there is the additional guitar and amp modeling. The second patch is the GR-300 simulation patch that I wrote that sounds very much like the GR-300. Details about this patch are available at the bottom of the inside GR-300 page.

You will notice the VG-88 does nearly as well as the GR-300, only a few milliseconds faster. Pretty impressive! I am always a little surprised that the VG-88 is not the most popular guitar processor on the market.

And, many of you may be wondering about the GR-100! It basically has no delay. The GR-100 is six fuzz circuits with a low pass filter and chorus. So, in light of the tedium required to measure the MIDI timing/tracking of all these synths, I skipped the GR-100.

GM-70: 40.39 milliseconds.

MC-1: 33.62 milliseconds.

GR-700: 29.87 milliseconds.

MKS-30 with GI-20 (GR-700) : 27.24 milliseconds.

Korg Z3: 20.15 milliseconds.

GI-10: 21.99 milliseconds.

GI-20: 19.77 milliseconds.

VG-88 (Polyphonic Pitch Transpose): 7.34 milliseconds.

VG-88 (GR-300 Simulator): 5.38 milliseconds.

GR-300: 3.32 milliseconds.

I also noticed something strange about the tests. For example, the MC-1 seemed faster on the open strings and twelfth fret, but the GM-70 faired better on the fifth fret. I have no idea why this is the case. And there are a few numbers that seem out of the expected range, which may have to do with the tone of the string at that point, or some quality in my picking style. The controller for all these tests was the Ibanez IMG-2010. For the 13-pin synths, I used either a SBC+ or DC-13 to convert the 24-pin signals to 13-pin signals.

GR-50 Speed Tests

Guitar synthesists Claudio Flabiano also conducted MIDI speed tests with a GK3 equipped guitar and a GR-50. He compared the response time of the internal sounds in the GR-50 with the response time of the GR-50 MIDI’ed to a Roland XV-2020. Claudio is of the opinion that the external response time with the XV-2020 is just as fast, if not faster, than the internal GR-50 sounds. He also thinks the tracking is more accurate. Here are his results:

Test 1: Internal GR-50 Custom Brass Sound.

E1 Open String: Average 25 ms.

E3 Open String: Average 17 ms.

E4 Twelth Fret: Average 15 ms.

Test 2: External XV-2020 Piano Sound.

E1 Open String: Average 27 ms.

E3 Open String: Average 16 ms.

E4 Twelth Fret: Average 15 ms.

Test 3: External XV-2020 Organ Sound.

E1 Open String: Average 30 ms.

E3 Open String: Average 20 ms.

E4 Twelth Fret: Average 18 ms.

Timing Tests Raw Data:

GUITAR

Synth	Guitar	Synth	Delay (ms)
GM-70	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	4470612	4473326	61.54195010944
A1	4581622	4583999	53.90022675392
D2	4694906	4696746	41.7233560064
G2	4814867	4816817	44.217687072
B2	4922194	4923655	33.12925169856
E3	5023657	5025408	39.70521541696

A1	5185757	5188244	56.39455781952
D2	5279092	5281077	45.0113378656
G2	5375167	5377134	44.60317460032
C3	5469532	5471032	34.01360544
E3	5561485	5563066	35.85034013376
A3	5664636	5665980	30.47619047424

E2	5793350	5795134	40.45351473664
A2	5893536	5895309	40.20408163008
D3	5988539	5990099	35.3741496576
G3	6074416	6075817	31.76870748096
B3	6159228	6160707	33.53741496384
E4	6240884	6241988	25.03401360384
		AVG	40.38548752576


Ibanez MC-1	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	2456723	2458807	47.25623582464
A1	2549949	2551715	40.04535147136
D2	2645790	2647162	31.11111110912
G2	2735307	2737162	42.0634920608
B2	2833615	2835037	32.24489795712
E3	2925316	2926463	26.00907029312

A1	3085390	3087548	48.93424035968
D2	3179239	3180948	38.75283446464
G2	3263531	3265297	40.04535147136
C3	3349252	3350572	29.9319727872
E3	3440147	3441428	29.04761904576
A3	3532322	3533458	25.75963718656

E2	3683749	3685642	42.92517006528
A2	3770416	3771915	33.99092970304
D3	3860146	3861324	26.71201813888
G3	3946532	3947728	27.12018140416
B3	4033428	4034369	21.33786847936
E4	4124588	4125550	21.81405895552
		AVG	33.6167800432


GR-700	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	147834	149918	47.25623582464
A1	290606	292329	39.07029478208
D2	421575	422658	24.55782312768
G2	545726	546967	28.14058956736
B2	668461	669455	22.53968253824
E3	794883	795870	22.38095237952

A1	1045027	1046510	33.62811791168
D2	1153847	1155163	29.84126983936
G2	1264318	1265433	25.2834467104
C3	1372097	1373294	27.14285714112
E3	1481709	1482862	26.14512471488
A3	1593429	1594597	26.48526076928

E2	1715733	1717283	35.147392288
A2	1809154	1810618	33.19727890944
D3	1910751	1911908	26.23582766272
G3	2010665	2011861	27.12018140416
B3	2108370	2109810	32.6530612224
E4	2210799	2212161	30.88435373952
		AVG	29.8727639184711


MKS-30 with GI-20	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	85752	87817	46.8253968224
A1	172938	174498	35.3741496576
D2	254783	255807	23.21995464704
G2	339415	340675	28.5714285696
B2	424122	425146	23.21995464704
E3	505024	506056	23.40136054272

A1	1127863	1129261	31.70068027008
D2	1210976	1212244	28.75283446528
G2	1292455	1293755	29.478458048
C3	1376624	1377974	30.612244896
E3	1465939	1466988	23.78684807104
A3	1552084	1552970	20.09070294656

E2	1862914	1864272	30.79365079168
A2	1937192	1938403	27.46031745856
D3	2026279	2027596	29.86394557632
G3	2108156	2109034	19.90929705088
B3	2188205	2189115	20.6349206336
E4	2280891	2281623	16.59863945472
		AVG	27.2385991416178


Korg Z3	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	134912	136334	32.24489795712
A1	249328	250464	25.75963718656
D2	358547	359459	20.68027210752
G2	460327	461067	16.7800453504
B2	548816	549439	14.12698412608
E3	641108	641593	10.9977324256

A1	849650	851451	40.83900226496
D2	949386	950406	23.1292516992
G2	1051283	1052223	21.3151927424
C3	1142229	1142960	16.57596371776
E3	1240473	1241196	16.39455782208
A3	1344740	1345296	12.60770974976

E2	1517650	1519050	31.746031744
A2	1625720	1626581	19.52380952256
D3	1722071	1722932	19.52380952256
G3	1821640	1822350	16.0997732416
B3	1925438	1926057	14.03628117824
E4	2029968	2030395	9.68253968192
		AVG	20.1146384466844


GI-10	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	137261	139226	44.5578231264
A1	250444	251576	25.66893423872
D2	346924	348441	34.39909296832
G2	447295	448256	21.79138321856
B2	555967	556632	15.0793650784
E3	665990	666767	17.61904761792

A1	813257	814494	28.04988661952
D2	929081	930556	33.446712016
G2	1039295	1039998	15.94104308288
C3	1144954	1145723	17.43764172224
E3	1259248	1259942	15.73696145024
A3	1369784	1370432	14.69387755008

E2	1512408	1513453	23.6961451232
A2	1610698	1611630	21.13378684672
D3	1708863	1709761	20.36281179008
G3	1796051	1796628	13.08390022592
B3	1887800	1888669	19.70521541824
E4	1987436	1988025	13.35600906944
		AVG	21.9866465090489


GI-20	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	71083	72766	38.16326530368
A1	177756	178913	26.23582766272
D2	296006	296975	21.97278911424
G2	388460	389542	24.53514739072
B2	483077	483801	16.41723355904
E3	578794	579387	13.44671201728

A1	842548	844166	36.68934240128
D2	942413	943325	20.68027210752
G2	1042644	1043331	15.57823129152
C3	1141023	1141756	16.62131519168
E3	1234013	1234643	14.2857142848
A3	1335674	1336210	12.15419501056

E2	1470165	1471209	23.67346938624
A2	1566569	1567462	20.24943310528
D3	1656408	1657114	16.00907029376
G3	1747865	1748627	17.27891156352
B3	1838315	1838875	12.6984126976
E4	1934812	1935213	9.09297052096
		AVG	19.7656840501333


VG-88 Polyphonic Pitch and Modeling	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	99402	99669	6.05442176832
A1	213273	213880	13.76417233472
D2	296830	297223	8.91156462528
G2	380399	380612	4.82993197248
B2	467090	467241	3.42403628096
E3	556168	556360	4.35374149632

A1	768112	769065	21.60997732288
D2	850741	850966	5.102040816
G2	934025	934414	8.82086167744
C3	1018476	1018752	6.25850340096
E3	1106693	1106869	3.99092970496
A3	1201777	1201957	4.0816326528

E2	1384660	1385391	16.57596371776
A2	1465391	1465834	10.04535147328
D3	1540275	1540471	4.44444444416
G3	1615906	1616090	4.17233560064
B3	1701285	1701406	2.74376417216
E4	1784469	1784599	2.9478458048
		AVG	7.34063995921778

VG-88 Simulation of GR-300	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	122279	122746	10.58956916032
A1	252172	252520	7.89115646208
D2	347024	347190	3.76417233536
G2	443657	444016	8.14058956864
B2	575120	575279	3.60544217664
E3	710205	710382	4.01360544192

A1	876601	877012	9.31972789056
D2	960577	960840	5.96371882048
G2	1040160	1040371	4.78458049856
C3	1115908	1116091	4.14965986368
E3	1194384	1194533	3.37868480704
A3	1276050	1276198	3.35600907008

E2	1380882	1381207	7.369614512
A2	1458445	1458702	5.82766439872
D3	1534849	1535049	4.535147392
G3	1605457	1605639	4.12698412672
B3	1676714	1676891	4.01360544192
E4	1759586	1759677	2.06349206336
		AVG	5.38296800167111


GR-300	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	122279	122535	5.80498866176
A1	252172	252440	6.07709750528
D2	347024	347099	1.700680272
G2	443657	443925	6.07709750528
B2	575120	575222	2.31292516992
E3	710205	710291	1.95011337856

A1	876601	876892	6.59863945536
D2	960577	960863	6.48526077056
G2	1040160	1040348	4.26303854848
C3	1115908	1115977	1.56462585024
E3	1194384	1194465	1.83673469376
A3	1276050	1276130	1.8140589568

E2	1380882	1380916	0.77097505664
A2	1458445	1458713	6.07709750528
D3	1534849	1534918	1.56462585024
G3	1605457	1605502	1.0204081632
B3	1676714	1676817	2.33560090688
E4	1759586	1759650	1.45124716544
		AVG	3.31695641198222


GI-20 and Parker NiteFly with GK-2	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	93481	94973	33.83219954432
A1	230759	231833	24.35374149504
D2	362261	363101	19.0476190464
G2	487953	488639	15.55555555456
B2	598820	599396	13.06122448896
E3	701456	701950	11.20181405824

A1	997797	998951	26.16780045184
D2	1102248	1103113	19.6145124704
G2	1188772	1189491	16.30385487424
C3	1284516	1285072	12.60770974976
E3	1381243	1381699	10.34013605376
A3	1473736	1474049	7.09750566848

E2	1873361	1874206	19.1609977312
A2	2838245	2838906	14.98866213056
D3	2050192	2050752	12.6984126976
G3	2130806	2131458	14.78458049792
B3	2222245	2222646	9.09297052096
E4	2311691	2312017	7.39229024896
		AVG	15.9611992935111


GI-10 and Parker NiteFly with GK-2	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	152634	154147	34.30839002048
A1	539813	540975	26.34920634752
D2	654332	655202	19.7278911552
G2	775912	777086	26.62131519104
B2	888103	888722	14.03628117824
E3	996800	997331	12.04081632576

A1	1215453	1216611	26.25850339968
D2	1348012	1348915	20.47619047488
G2	1459197	1459895	15.82766439808
C3	1555908	1556553	14.6258503392
E3	1655625	1656260	14.3990929696
A3	1750603	1751127	11.88208616704

E2	2016452	2017583	25.64625850176
A2	2117818	2118675	19.43310657472
D3	2206954	2207621	15.12471655232
G3	2291146	2291869	16.39455782208
B3	2372719	2373193	10.74829931904
E4	2458419	2458882	10.49886621248
		AVG	18.5777273860622


GI-20 with IMG2010 and SBC+	GUITAR	SYNTH	AUDIO DLEAY
E1	52536	54080	35.01133786624
A1	221450	222620	26.5306122432
D2	362278	363077	18.11791383104
G2	489183	490073	20.1814058944
B2	609817	610432	13.9455782304
E3	732750	733423	15.26077097408

A1	884124	884835	16.12244897856
D2	1001113	1002029	20.77097505536
G2	1108195	1108843	14.69387755008
C3	1212773	1213327	12.56235827584
E3	1319095	1319677	13.19727891072
A3	1423484	1423959	10.770975056

E2	1564879	1565644	17.3469387744
A2	1682276	1683062	17.82312925056
D3	1786806	1787317	11.58730158656
G3	1888579	1889318	16.75736961344
B3	1980484	1980974	11.1111111104
E4	2075841	2076216	8.50340136
		AVG	16.6830435867378