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Foot Switch Features on the GR-300:
The Roland GR-300 has three connections on the back for foot switches: compression, pitch sweep, and string select. The switches all work a little differently. For example, the compression feature also has a top panel switch to turn compression on or off, with a status LED as well. Plugging a foot switch into the rear panel compression jack defeats the top panel switch.
As for pitch sweep, this feature is always on. As a result, most GR-300s have the "rise time" and "fall time" knobs turned all the way counterclockwise to a setting of zero. The pitch sweep feature also has a status LED. Notice that it is always on! Plugging a foot switch into the rear panel sweep jack lets you turn this feature on or off.
Finally, there is the string select jack on the back. String select only works in mode 3, the "synthesizer only" mode. This is the mode the GR-300 is in when the switch on the guitar is in the "up" position. In mode 3, you can individually turn strings on or off using the six string select switches on the top panel. There is no dedicated status LED for string select, like there is for compression or sweep, but if you have a string switched off with the top panel switches, the associated LED will not light when the string is played. I have to admit that a few times I thought I had a problem with my GR-300, only to notice I had inadvertently switch a string off!
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The GR-300 Foot Switch Options:
You might be wondering why you even need a foot switch (or three) for the GR-300. Well, given the very limited sonic palette of the GR-300, I think anything that helps to expand the possibilities of this great synth is very valuable to the creative musician. We are all very familiar with the classic "Pat Metheny" lead tone, but the GR-300 can do much more. I think incorporating the foot switch features into your performance can open some new avenues of expression.
There are three ways to easily add foot switch controls to the GR-300:
- Roland FS-3 foot switch, the original foot switch for the GR-300.
- Boss FS-5L or similar latching foot switch.
- Custom built foot switch using three SPST foot switches.
Roland FS-3 Foot Switch:
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The FS-3 is a little hard to find nowadays, but it was pretty popular back in the eighties. There is nothing magical about the FS-3, it is simply three SPST foot switches in one enclosure. The switches are very smooth and easy to use. The connections are also color coded: the gray, red and black rings on the top of the footswitch match up with similar gray, red and black colored 1/4” jacks.
If you are the collector-type, you want this foot switch to match the rest of your vintage rig. Otherwise, move on to the next option, the Boss FS-5L.
Boss FS-5L:
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I like this little foot switch a lot. There is a polarity switch for systems that prefer a "normally open" or "normally closed" switch. If you add two "AA" batteries to the unit, there is an LED that will tell you if the pedal is on or off. This is nice for the GR-300 pitch select feature that does not have a dedicated status LED. And, finally, a nice mounting feature allows you to link FS-5L pedals (and the unlatching FS-5U) pedals together.
Custom Built Foot Switch:
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This last option is for the "do-it-yourself" crowd. Grab a box, drill three holes for foot switches and three holes for input jacks, and you are set! Wire the switching terminals to the sleeve and tip connections on the output jack. I picked up a junked foot switch at a used gear shop, sanded it down and gave it a coat of primer, and used to transfer lettering to label the switches. Several coats of clear coat were added to protect the lettering. You might notice that the schematic is from the Remote Control page. This foot switch circuitry is also contained in the Remote Control as well.
