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Author Topic: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group  (Read 213134 times)

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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #500 on: September 11, 2014, 11:07:34 AM »

Thanks Steve for sending me that, your idea is really useful.

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Clive Williams

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #501 on: September 11, 2014, 03:47:31 PM »

Here you go folks, Steve's very useful diagram is attached.

Daddy Long Les

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #502 on: September 11, 2014, 04:59:50 PM »

Thank you Steve and Clive - incredibly useful!!
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DaveW

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #503 on: September 11, 2014, 05:57:52 PM »

As my first "fix" I've produced a diagram of the keyboard (seen from the player's viewpoint) which clearly shows functions on their individual keys.
As this might be of some use to others, Clive has kindly attached it to this thread - just scroll down a bit.
Great stuff Steve thanks to you and Clive
DaveW
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DaveW

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Suppards

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #504 on: September 12, 2014, 04:31:55 AM »

 (:)      My next job is to try to devise a simple chart of parameters on a single A4 sheet to liberate the player from the handbook and the constant page flicking.  Watch this space....
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Steve
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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #505 on: October 19, 2014, 06:27:12 PM »

Hi all.  This is a new question that I am hoping someone can help with.

I have an FR-18 along with a KC110 amp that came with the package (Costco.com).  I'm finding playing with the headphones sounds amazing, but definitely something is being lost relative to the sound through the amp.  Doesn't seem to matter if I use a stereo output/input cord or 2 mono cords.  If necessary, I may need to purchase a new amp., however if anyone can provide some knowledge as to how I can make the amp sound like the headphones, I would really appreciate it.  If not does anyone have a suggestion as to an amp I can purchase that will give me comparable sound?

Thanks!
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Suppards

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #506 on: October 19, 2014, 07:02:12 PM »

Hi.  The amp I use with my Roland is just a fairly cheap acoustic amp intended for ukuleles.   I get a better headphones sound if I play through the amp (using a wireless link but a cable is just as good) and then plug my headphones into the amp rather than the Roland. A bit of a faff so I don't often bother.

Of course, sound quality (or lack of) is, I feel,  a subjective judgement. I think my little amp sounds okay but someone else might hate it. I wonder whether the best tactic is to take the Roland to an amp dealers and try it with various makes/models until you find one that sounds good to you?
« Last Edit: October 19, 2014, 08:32:05 PM by Suppards »
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Steve
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #507 on: October 19, 2014, 07:31:49 PM »

I think there may be more to this question - I find the L and R channels on the output seem to do very funny things, and the headphone socket seems to give a different mix.  I know there has been discussion about the main outputs not working as they should - what exactly is the problem, does anyone know?  I found recently that using both L and R channels managed to cut out one of the Bass notes, I've no idea why.
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Suppards

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #508 on: October 19, 2014, 08:37:44 PM »

It will be interesting to see if anyone else on here has has the same problem Chris.  I haven't experienced it myself as I have only used the left mono output so far.   Worth registering the issue with Roland perhaps?
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Steve
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Vector

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #509 on: October 20, 2014, 01:28:59 AM »

is there any plans to start a section on the forum just for midi button accordions? Or are there any web forums dedicated to the roland midi boxes?
Vector
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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #510 on: October 20, 2014, 01:42:47 PM »

I think you'll find that this thread represents the FR18 user group on Melnet and, from what I gather having read all 25 pages, it's the best source of FR-18 knowledge on the net. 

I don't myself feel that there are sufficient FR-18 players to make a separate forum visble. And the traffic on this thread would seem to bear that out. But maybe others feel/know differently.  They usually do!  (:)
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Steve
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #511 on: October 21, 2014, 10:01:38 AM »

Quote
Hey guys,

I've had an FR-18 for a few months now and after struggling with making quick key-changes and using my own sounds, I've come up with a solution and decided to make it into a bit of a walkthrough/project. If you want to read about it, check out the first part at http://www.lazyengineer.com/roland-fr-18-part-1-midi-software/

Hope it's okay to post this here!

Simon

Simon, I've just read this in full (previously I hadn't realised there was more than one page because it was obscured by an advert!), and am very impressed by all you've done.  In terms of immediate practical implications, I think it's still the case, isn't it, that unless one carries around a lot of extra kit, we can't yet modify the fundamental sound produced by each FR18 'voice', despite what the manual says?  Am I right in thinking that your conclusion is that Roland hasn't actually developed this yet, and using the MIDI output as you have done is the only option?
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Michael Eskin

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #512 on: October 21, 2014, 05:11:08 PM »

Yes, that is correct. There's no provision for modifying the sample sets on the FR-18.
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Sven

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #513 on: October 30, 2014, 03:40:45 PM »

Yes, that is correct. There's no provision for modifying the sample sets on the FR-18.
I'm thinking about buying one of these accordeons. And regarding this, i'm wondering if there are people that have been looking into "hacking" the accordeon to add their own sounds. I'm a programmer, and i've got a colleague who loves reverse engineering, we spent a lunchbreak looking at what we could find based on a firmware update i downloaded from roland, and we've already found some technical details about the inner workings (the kind of processor that's in the accordeon (we were already able to decompile a part of the software)), how the update process works, a way we could use to dump what's currently stored in the accordeon to a usb stick, since the update probably doesn't contain everything). We also found it's running an open source kernel (ITron).
But if other people have already done such work, it would be nice to know, it would be stupid to do all that work all over again (even if it is fun :) ).

I'm also wondering after seeing the demos, what kind of sounds does it already support? I'm from western europe, and the music i play/like is more traditional french style, the kind of accordeons we usually purchase here are castagnari/saltarelle/... with a pretty dry sound compared to other regions. Can this accordeon be configured by default to give a sound in that style? and does it sound nice when you do? :)
« Last Edit: October 30, 2014, 03:45:53 PM by Sven »
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #514 on: October 30, 2014, 05:23:55 PM »

Sven, it will certainly allow a dry sound to be defaulted, though I would really like more gradations on this adjustment.  However I think you are right that you could achieve a lot more if only you could alter the parameters of each of the voices a bit more, as I find the RH sound to be somewhat shrill and unnatural - it would be great if only you could adjust the treble and bass on each voice, for example.  Sure, you can apply a graphic equaliser on the whole signal afterwards, but that's not the point.  I think you and I are in much the same position, except that it looks as if you might be able to sort it out, whereas I don't have those skills.
 
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Michael Eskin

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #515 on: October 31, 2014, 12:00:49 AM »

Rather than trying to hack the FR-18 to play my own samples, I just went with an external MIDI solution using an iPod Touch (would also work on iPhone/iPad) running MIDI stream processing and sample-based synth apps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9xywp2woEY


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Sven

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #516 on: October 31, 2014, 07:11:46 AM »

Rather than trying to hack the FR-18 to play my own samples, I just went with an external MIDI solution using an iPod Touch (would also work on iPhone/iPad) running MIDI stream processing and sample-based synth apps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9xywp2woEY
I know that's also an option, but i'm wondering what the accordeon itself would be capable of :)
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #517 on: October 31, 2014, 08:23:53 AM »

seisiuneer, that's a stunning improvement in the sound!  Roland, you need to listen to this and do something about it!
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #518 on: November 03, 2014, 08:49:33 PM »

Is the latency OK with your system, btw?
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Michael Eskin

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Re: Roland fr18 diatonic accordion - user group
« Reply #519 on: November 04, 2014, 03:19:39 AM »

Is the latency OK with your system, btw?

Essentially non-existent.
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