Fr-4x First Impressions (after a whole 3 days of ownership)

[JOSE']

Thank you very much for your reply. My headphones are only temp. until I move in my new home. This new Roland is my first accordion with internal speakers. My thought is to replace my Polytone 15" 3 channel to a smaller 1 channel just for the Ketron module.

 

[JerryPH]

Depending on how finicky your musical/audio tastes are, one could even get away with using some cheaper computer speakers. I use a set from Altec Lansing that are 3-way and were under $100 and they're rated for 150 watts (likely 50 watts real life... lol), but they are more than loud enough to be used in a small restaurant of about 40 people in size. Sound is ok (but not amazing), and they support a stereo image, which I like.

 

[JOSE']

Depending on how finicky your musical/audio tastes are, one could even get away with using some cheaper computer speakers. I use a set from Altec Lansing that are 3-way and were under $100 and they're rated for 150 watts (likely 50 watts real life... lol), but they are more than loud enough to be used in a small restaurant of about 40 people in size. Sound is ok (but not amazing), and they support a stereo image, which I like.

Thank you very much for your time and interest to post. I am glad that you shared.
Do you play a Roland FR-4x? I just received mine which included Richard Noels programs. My plan is to always play with my Ketron sound module so this will eliminate the need for the drum section on the Roland. Plan to go through and select the most desired sounds for the treble or right hand. Thinking that the equivalent of one bank will be sufficient for my needs. Not certain as to the easiest and best way to do this for recall. Also, am wondering if the shift octave down will work for only one sound or does this function shift the entire keyboard? If you have the time and would offer your comment I would certainly appreciate it. Thank you again.

 

[JerryPH]

Do you play a Roland FR-4x?

No I own an 8X, also with the Noel sets and a few of my own creations.

My plan is to always play with my Ketron sound module so this will eliminate the need for the drum section on the Roland.

I really like playing with an arranger or backing module, but I purposely play most of my songs without an arranger because it is easy to build a dependence on the arranger, and then without one, it becomes harder to play without it (I own a BK-7m and a Ketron X4).

Plan to go through and select the most desired sounds for the treble or right hand. Thinking that the equivalent of one bank will be sufficient for my needs. Not certain as to the easiest and best way to do this for recall.

Learn how to export and import a register and place it in to a new UPG. Place up to 14 sounds in to a single bank or use multiple sets to with sounds that you specifically want "together" for convenience.

Also, am wondering if the shift octave down will work for only one sound or does this function shift the entire keyboard? If you have the time and would offer your comment I would certainly appreciate it. Thank you again.

I believe it affects the entire keyboard... unless you make the change using the Roland editor or manually in the set.

 

[JOSE']

No I own an 8X, also with the Noel sets and a few of my own creations.

I really like playing with an arranger or backing module, but I purposely play most of my songs without an arranger because it is easy to build a dependence on the arranger, and then without one, it becomes harder to play without it (I own a BK-7m and a Ketron X4).

Learn how to export and import a register and place it in to a new UPG. Place up to 14 sounds in to a single bank or use multiple sets to with sounds that you specifically want "together" for convenience.

I believe it affects the entire keyboard... unless you make the change using the Roland editor or manually in the set.

Thank you very much for your comments. As stated, am in the beginning stages of learning the FR-4x. I believe I need to invest a lot of learning time before establishing a set or program. I already see the value in this forum. It is a comfort to know that others with experience are willing to share their time and knowledge. And I thank you all.

 

[Riverclinic]

Sadly I'm one the people that live outside the USA and therefore can't benefit from the wonderful sound setups and expansion sets loaded into a new FRX4. Here in the UK - it comes straight out of the box from the factory. I'm confused about the sound sets and expansion sounds - Roland say the Alpine and Dalapp are preloaded - but how would know? I love alpine and German music and would like to play this on my new box - bit loading the expansion set from Roland doesn't seem to gwt me anywhere. Frustrated!

 

[dunlustin]

Re Alpine/German:
It might be worth a look at the Supplementary Manual
( https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FR-4x_Supplementary_Manual_eng01_W.pdf )
For example 'Set 032 Alpine'
Also Set 061 (1871) and Set 062 (Liturgi 1) are, I believe, part of the Dallapé 'collection' so you may find what you want there?

I agree that it's hard finding your way around but I guess that's down to the amount of choice on offer?

 

[Riverclinic]

Re Alpine/German:
It might be worth a look at the Supplementary Manual
( https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/FR-4x_Supplementary_Manual_eng01_W.pdf )
For example 'Set 032 Alpine'
Also Set 061 (1871) and Set 062 (Liturgi 1) are, I believe, part of the Dallapé 'collection' so you may find what you want there?

I agree that it's hard finding your way around but I guess that's down to the amount of choice on offer?

Thank you - good advice. The sets that Roland offer in the download section of its website are two Alpine and a German set - are these already loaded in my FX4 ? Might be why I get "format error" on the menu screen when I tyr loading them from a USB?

 

[Ventura]

the soundfonts for the Alpine set are fully contained in the original chipset, so
it is just the set programming you need to find to hear them...
nothing special needs to be loaded... if you study up the programming
you should find the Morino sample set or the other German set, i never
was able to identify which accordion they sampled for the second German bank...
it does have sampling to the Sterieche level on Bass (which, on the FRx series
could be used/mixed with ANY treble waveset and when combined with
the TUBA gave you some real WHOmping OohmPa

i do not know how much Programming power they have allowed on the 4x

the Dallape sets DO have their own Waveforms, which need to be loaded
into the user RAM area(s) available for extra stuff, then the shift programs
that take advantage of the Dallape samples will work properly

 

[JerryPH]

First make sure the expansion is already installed on the 4X, and if it is there like Ventura mentions, you don't need to learn to program anything big, just download the alpine set from the Roland website for free and open it up:



the .BIN file is what is mentioned to have been installed all ready. Learn how to install your user programs (thats the .UPB files). Don't know how? The instructions are in the Manuals folder:



Jerry