Chromatic Button Midi Keyboard?

[Acon]

Has anyone been using chromatic button midi keyboard? I am learning MuseScore the score making software and I think a midi keyboard will help a lot in terms of input speed. I use a C-system converter accordion so I dont want a piano midi keyboard.

Just found this product:
http://mastermidi.weebly.com/chromatic-midi-keyboards.html
An English page with the same product:
http://www.media-konkret.de/akkordeonshop/product_info.php?language=en&products_id=160

As you can see from the first link this product is made in Castelfidardo, Italy (the small town where all the best accordions are made, including PIGINI), so I guess its quality is promising. It even has the left hand buttons, but Im not sure if they can be used as a free bass system. I think the weight, size and price are just too high. I dont need a full sized keyboard to make scores (in the software a simple Ctrl click would change the octave)! They got right/left hand only version and I think they are more suitable for score making.

Has any one had the experience with this kind of product? I think the price is just too high compared to normal simple piano midi keyboards (usually $200 you can get a basic one), but I really want a midi keyboard exactly the same as the keyboard on my instrument.

Maybe I can get a Roland V-accordion with that high price, but I dont know if it can be used as a midi keyboard, and I dont want to carry a huge instrument when making the scores without being able to look at the buttons. I need a simple midi keyboard, not a digital instrument or synthesizer anyway.

 

[JerryPH]

The only button accordion with free bass and MIDI instrument in existence to my knowledge is the Roland or Bugari Evo. Time to start saving your pennies if this is something important to you.

 

[JerryPH]

Uwe Steger doing one of my favs Coucou.

 

[maugein96]

Hi,

These keyboards with chromatic buttons are widely used in France, with most popular makes being Ketron and Musictech. Unfortunately they are about the same price as the one you've found, and they are a bit of a risk used.

You won't be able to get one equipped with a bass converter, as the only options you can get are Belgian bass layout, and treble keyboards relating to the two B systems popular in Belgium. They do not have the facility to change button configurations like Roland accordions.

Because of the fact they lie flat, they might take a bit of getting used to, but I have never used one so cannot really make further comment.

 

[Seisiuneer]

You could use an iPad and my Hohner Chromatic MIDI controller app with an external MIDI interface:

http://www.tradlessons.com/HohnerMIDIChromaticAccordion.html

 

[JerryPH]

You could use an iPad and my Hohner Chromatic MIDI controller app with an external MIDI interface:

http://www.tradlessons.com/HohnerMIDIChromaticAccordion.html

Where is the option for the Free Bass that he stated he needed?

 

[acordiansam]

A thought not sure if possible or in price range.

As just a midi controller maybe a reg. Button 120 bass and when midi is installed. The midi part of the bass could be free bass. Just not the sound of the acoustic box it's self. I still think it's a reach but possable?

 

[JerryPH]

As just a midi controller maybe a reg. Button 120 bass and when midi is installed. The midi part of the bass could be free bass. Just not the sound of the acoustic box its self. I still think its a reach but possable?

A good idea. Is it possible? Sure, and not all that hard, though if you happen to have an acoustic box and pull a little, it sure will sound wonky... lol Again, I dont think anyone has implemented this. At least I have never heard of it. Searches amongst the major accordion manufacturers show nothing. In theory it can be done.

Hohner can add MIDI on their Free Bass Golas, however, its UBER expensive because the Gola is not a converter instrument, but a full 185 bass instrument. This actually was on my order list (though mine was a PA, not button), BTW, before life crept up and slapped me up the side of my face and I had to cancel the order for the time being.

 

[simonking]

If youre handy you could make your own - could be a fun project...
http://www.midikits.net/midi_chromatic_button_accordion/midi_chromatic_button_accordion.htm

Or get a full MIDI kit to adapt an old beater accordion. If you just want to using it for input to a notation program, something on the desk would probably be best though. Do you really need the bass side at all? I would just use a single familiar keyboard since its not for actually performing and nothing really has to be in real time.

 

[JerryPH]

MIDI is not the problem, its programming it to reassign the bottom 3 rows (minor, 7th and diminished) of chord buttons to transpose them to specific single notes laid out in chromatic fashion, kind of like a 3 row button accordion has on the right, but on the left, and to do this at the touch of a button so that you can go back and forth between the 2 systems. Another challenge is what system do you want, C-Griff, B-Griff or Bayan? And once this is all done, if done on an acoustic accordion... lock the bellows down tight.

http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/converterbass.jpg>

 

[acordiansam]

I would just take the bass reeds out at that point.

Like Jerry said, the big hick up is the soft ware.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

I can vouch for the quality of Master Midi products. Their midi is installed in my piano-accordion, and I would guess that the same quality would be found in the keyboards you mentioned. (By the way, the accordion was ordered from Cooperfisa in Vercelli, who shipped it to Master in Castelfidardo for midi and mike installation. Master then shipped it back to Cooperfisa in Vercelli to be checked out. Finally, it was shipped to my dealer who checked it again, and then I picked it up from him.)

But, I digress. As others here have mentioned, there are several manufacturers making the keyboards you are investigating, but none of them have converter or free bass. Building midi and installing it into your accordion is a daunting task. Re-doing the software or firmware to translate chords into free bass single note messages is even more difficult. I imagine it could be done with something like a Midi Solutions Event Processor Plus, but it would take a lot of time to do.

I'm not a professional -level player by any means. After a few attempts at entering a song into a notation program (I have several, including MuseScore) with my accordion I gave up. Instead, I use a midi controller keyboard and I enter the bass and treble separately. It's a slow process, but it's accurate.

My accordion teacher seems to feel that even the best notation programs are slower than writing the music down on paper. But then again, he's also a trained music copyist :lol:

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

Alan

 

[JerryPH]

My accordion teacher seems to feel that even the best notation programs are slower than writing the music down on paper. But then again, hes also a trained music copyist :lol:

Now, that I can see as being easily true! :lol:

Its definitely faster than trying to learn programming, and then trying to apply that programming to create a bass keyboard midi compatible system and remap it. Not even considering the time, the costs associated with that would be much higher than it is worth. By the time everything is done, you likely spent enough money to buy a couple of Roland FR-8xbs.