CBA on a Roland FR-18?

[Daddy Long Les]

Hi,

I wanted to try a chromatic set up - B or C system, not sure. I was wondering if I could cobble something together on my Roland FR-18. I know I'm a row or two short (not to mention the non-stradella bass) but was wondering if I might just create a basic set up to give me a feel for the direction of the notes etc. Probably a non-starter but you never know! Any help would be appreciated.

Many Thanks

Les

 

[george garside]

Hi Les and welcome to the forum, I thought you were a melodeon man! I cant see any reason why a 3 row roland cant be set up as a 3 row C system as each button can be programmed to play whatever including different or same notes on push & pull. ( anad there is a lot to be said for learning the continental as a 3 row).

having said that one of Rowlands own demonstrators failed to set one up as a BCC # for me to try despite me giving him 24 hours notice!!

as to bass agin I don't think there is a problem in setting the buttons to do what you want but as you can't alter the physical positions from sqare to diagonal you could only have a sort of clumsy mini stradella for test purposes.


Perhaps experienced rolandists could be more specific


geroge

 

[Daddy Long Les]

Hi Les and welcome to the forum, I thought you were a melodeon man! I cant see any reason why a 3 row roland cant be set up as a 3 row C system as each button can be programmed to play whatever including different or same notes on push & pull. ( anad there is a lot to be said for learning the continental as a 3 row).

having said that one of Rowlands own demonstrators failed to set one up as a BCC # for me to try despite me giving him 24 hours notice!!

as to bass agin I don't think there is a problem in setting the buttons to do what you want but as you can't alter the physical positions from sqare to diagonal you could only have a sort of clumsy mini stradella for test purposes.


Perhaps experienced rolandists could be more specific


geroge

Thanks George

Any chance of a button layout that I could copy onto the Roland?

Les

 

[george garside]

Les, have a look at http://www.thecipher.com for keyboard charts for 5 row c system. You just ignore the two inner rows i.e the outside row is the one with C and A on the outside row. Each octave is exactly the same unlike the diatonics! To play in 12 keys you only need 3 patterns of scale.

on a 4 row continental the 4th row is used mailnly as a helper row to ease tricky bits of fingering

on a 5 row it is possible to play 12 keys with one fingering pattern ( same as the C scale on the 3 row)

george

 

[Daddy Long Les]

Ok,

I've successfully programmed this (see attachment) into my FR-18 and made a rudimentary stradella bass as well. Amazingly it worked!!
How do you suggest I finger an ascending major scale starting on the C on the middle row, fourth note from the left?

This is what I've come up with:- starting with my index finger on C and playing the D with my thumb, then the E with my index finger, F with thumb again and then G, A and B with index, middle and ring - ending with middle finger on C.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

les

 

[Daddy Long Les]

Heres the stradella bass, while Im at it!!

See attachment.

 

[Glenn]

Ok,

This is what Ive come up with:- starting with my index finger on C and playing the D with my thumb, then the E with my index finger, F with thumb again and then G, A and B with index, middle and ring - ending with middle finger on C.

les

Well Im a newbie with the CBA but for scales I dont use my thumb at all.
Assuming thumb is (1) and little finger (5) I use the following for the C-scale.
2,4,3,4,3,2,4,3

Oops, Ive just noticed youve programmed the C-system.
Just disregard what I said... :?

 

[george garside]

Les - you've programmed the 3 inner rows instead of the 3 outer rows. It the 3 outer roes that a a3 row continental uses. The row nearest your hand should have the following notes



F# A C Eb F# A C Eb F# A C Eb F# etc

the middle row wil be E G Bb C# etc etc

the inside row will be F G# B D etc etc

the 3 scales to provide 12 keys aare

C scale starting on outside row ( next to hand)

G scale starting on middle row

D scalke starting on inside row.

george

 

[george garside]

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Heres the stradella bass, while Im at it!!

See attachment.

Les, not sure what you ae trying to do here? it looks like you have programmed major and minor chords on the outside 2 rows but what are the inside row (nearest bellows ) assuming you have set maaj & minor chords on the outside 2 rows the inside row should be the bass note same a s moj or min eg BbFCGDA. if on the other hand you want counterbass on the inside row thay are the third of the other rows i.e DAEBF#C#

george

 

[Daddy Long Les]

Les - you've programmed the 3 inner rows instead of the 3 outer rows. It the 3 outer roes that a a3 row continental uses. The row nearest your hand should have the following notes



F# A C Eb F# A C Eb F# A C Eb F# etc

the middle row wil be E G Bb C# etc etc

the inside row will be F G# B D etc etc

the 3 scales to provide 12 keys aare

C scale starting on outside row ( next to hand)

G scale starting on middle row

D scalke starting on inside row.

george

Thanks George

I'll have another go tomorrow!

Les

 

[Daddy Long Les]

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

Heres the stradella bass, while Im at it!!

See attachment.

Les, not sure what you ae trying to do here? it looks like you have programmed major and minor chords on the outside 2 rows but what are the inside row (nearest bellows ) assuming you have set maaj & minor chords on the outside 2 rows the inside row should be the bass note same a s moj or min eg BbFCGDA. if on the other hand you want counterbass on the inside row thay are the third of the other rows i.e DAEBF#C#

george

The row nearest the bellows has the bass notes for the chords. If you look Ive aligned them diagonallly to the chords as an approximation of a stradella set up. I never use the counterbass notes on my wifes PA so as I only have 18 buttons, I left these out. Hope all this makes sense. I might try a different set up tomorrow.

Thank you for your kind help.

Best wishes

Les

 

[Daddy Long Les]

Ok George - here's my amended treble layout. See attachment.

I decided to leave the bass side as it is for the moment as I think it kind of works.

This of course is an experiment to see how I get on with the CBA and might lead to more MADness!!!

Cheers

Les

 

[george garside]

that looks spot on Les!

the fingering I would use for C, A, etc scale is (thumb counting as finger 1) C1 D2 E3 F2 G3 A4 B2 C1 i.e bringing the thumb across fro the next C whilst playing the B with finger 2

hope this helps


george

 

[Daddy Long Les]

that looks spot on Les!

the fingering I would use for C, A, etc scale is (thumb counting as finger 1) C1 D2 E3 F2 G3 A4 B2 C1 i.e bringing the thumb across fro the next C whilst playing the B with finger 2

hope this helps


george

Thanks George, that works really well.

Any suggestions for a CBA starter box? Weltmeister perhaps?

Les

 

[First Pilot]

Are any of you familiar with the tablature tuning as per traditional accordion. I need ADG. The Scottish tab. (12) is BCC#. Your help is appreciated. Thanks. . . .Pilot

 

[george garside]

Hi again Pilot!

what you are referring to as standard accordion tablature eg ADG is generally refered to a melodeon tuning in the UK. keyboard charts for all 2 and 3 row diatonic boxes are available on melodeon.net commonly refered to as melnet.

This is a very well established forum with worldwide members

george