Marriage of FR3sb & BK7m

[Cowachan]

Hello All Accordionists
I am a newbie to the forum and probably have had too many birthdays. I have a Roland FR3sb which I have now possessed for about a year, my previous instrument was an acoustic CBA .(35 years ago)
I play(?) for my own amusement at home and the FR3sb fits my circumstances in that I am able to play with headphones on and not disturb anyone else, just blow my own brains out so to speak.
A couple of months ago I had the idea that I would like to have a few more "gizmos" and decided to obtain a BK7m to marry alongside the FR3sb and being Roland manufactured thought (WRONG !) that it would be a relatively easy marriage.
What I wanted to achieve was the rhythm's to play along with plus a few more tones for the right hand. I didn't want anything to technical from the BK7m, a unit which is probably wasted on me for the use I was able / want to give it and would appear for my use to not use 5% of its capabilities.
This "thing" is driving me "balmy" what I thought would be an easy 'set up' is just not so for me. I have all the instruction books for both items, have explored Google and You Tube until my head is just swimming with information over-kill. Whether it is that for whatever reason I am unable to understand what is written or spoke about or the fact that I am just 'plain dim' I find that for me it is just not "basic" enough.
I am unable to get the two units to work together, I can get them linked by the 'Wizard" and get the BK to play the rhythm through the headphones but not through the FR3 and I still have not heard any of the so called "tones". Rhythm volume no problem through the phones but nothing audible from the BK to the FR.
What I need (save your comments for any reply) is some very, very BASIC instruction information that I can follow to try and achieve my very basic requirements from these units.
This is my last chance saloon so to speak, much more failure and I can see the BK7 finding a new home
Regards
Cowachan

 

[Thomas N]

I have the FR-8X and the BK-7M. They do work quite well together without any issues for me.

I plug the headphones into the headphones output on the BK-7M. I have the L/OUT and R/OUT of the FR-8X going into the BK-7M.

I turn the bass completely off on the FR-8X (so treble turned all the way to the right on the FR-8X). This eliminates the bass from the FR-8X from playing through the headphones and uses the bass section from the BK-7M backing.

I then adjust the audio on the BK-7M to make sure the FR-8X and BK-7M are roughly equalized. And that's it.

 

[pentaprism]

Cowachan,

Don't be discouraged.

Please check your private email (the envelop on the right of your login name near the "Search" button).

 

[Cowachan]

I have the FR-8X and the BK-7M. They do work quite well together without any issues for me.

I plug the headphones into the headphones output on the BK-7M. I have the L/OUT and R/OUT of the FR-8X going into the BK-7M.

I turn the bass completely off on the FR-8X (so treble turned all the way to the right on the FR-8X). This eliminates the bass from the FR-8X from playing through the headphones and uses the bass section from the BK-7M backing.

I then adjust the audio on the BK-7M to make sure the FR-8X and BK-7M are roughly equalized. And that's it.

Hi T.
Many thanks for your reply. I will get to try the adjustments hopefully before the weekend. Rgds. C.

 

[JerryPH]

A couple of months ago I had the idea that I would like to have a few more "gizmos" and decided to obtain a BK7m to marry alongside the FR3sb and
being Roland manufactured thought (WRONG !) that it would be a relatively easy marriage.

It doesn't get any easier! The BK-7m, when turned on, senses a V-accordion and simply configures itself to it. After that, all you do is choose a rhythm, and press the start/stop button on the foot pedal... and play!

Now... anything after that is going to be a head-scratcher if you are totally unfamiliar with the BK-7m... because there is a LOT of available toys in there. That is where some reading and learning and LOTS of testing comes in.

At this point, that is when you download the free manual from Roland (https://www.roland.com/ca/support/b..._manuals/b430cf66-ba7c-41ba-9f1d-da35b01f0dd3) and start reading. Go slow and assimilate the things you need to start with, and then slowly add the things that you want to add (how to select different tones/instruments for the right hand, etc...).

What I wanted to achieve was the rhythm's to play along with plus a few more tones for the right hand. I didn't want anything to technical from the BK7m, a unit which is probably wasted on me for the use I was able / want to give it and would appear for my use to not use 5% of its capabilities.
This "thing" is driving me "balmy" what I thought would be an easy 'set up' is just not so for me. I have all the instruction books for both items, have explored Google and You Tube until my head is just swimming with information over-kill. Whether it is that for whatever reason I am unable to understand what is written or spoke about or the fact that I am just 'plain dim' I find that for me it is just not "basic" enough.

Why not start out even easier? Break down the BK-7m in to 3 areas:
- The basics of using it just as a rhythm unit
- Adding the extra sounds that the BK-7m has integrated in to the right hand
- The more advanced functions that you CHOOSE because you feel they are either interesting or are something you would need.

Do you have a foot pedal for the BK? Without one it is just a pain to use... if you don't have one, get one, it will make things so much better.

The other error you made was jumping in with both feed oversaturating the brain with the (at this point) totally unnecessary info. First let the wizard do what it does, get comfy with the unit from there... the rest, ONE feature at a time!

I am unable to get the two units to work together, I can get them linked by the 'Wizard" and get the BK to play the rhythm through the headphones but not through the FR3

Stop right there. If I am understanding correctly, you want the BK-7m sounds to come from the accordion? Not going to happen. The Accordion is an OUTPUT device, it has no sound input capability...but the BK-7M *is* an in and output device, you plug the accordion in to the inputs of the BK and plug your headphones in to it, not the accordion. All sounds will come out of the BK-7m in to your headphones from the headphone output of the BK-7m.

and I still have not heard any of the so called "tones". Rhythm volume no problem through the phones but nothing audible from the BK to the FR.
What I need (save your comments for any reply) is some very, very BASIC instruction information that I can follow to try and achieve my very basic requirements from these units.
This is my last chance saloon so to speak, much more failure and I can see the BK7 finding a new home

You are making it *way* harder than it needs to be. You did not just put on the accordion the first day you ever saw one and started playing a concerto, did you? Why would you expect to be a master of an advanced arranger without devoting some PATIENCE, TIME AND STUDY?

Do you know how to disable the sounds on your FR-3x so that it only sends the MIDI info and then EVERYTHING you hear is nothing but what is in the BK-7m? If not, time to look in the manual. I do not known a FR-3x, but an 8X and to disable all right hand sounds, I press and hold ANY of the 14 registers for 4 seconds and all audio on the right hand is disabled, but it still sends all MIDI info to the BK-7m and hence, all I hear from the right hand is the sounds the BK-7m makes. A very easy and basic trick!

I'll make it super easy for you...
Ask me 5 questions (to start) you would want answered about the BK, I'll make you a video that is so easy and basic that a 2-year old would understand. As mentioned I do not have a FR-3x, anything concerning that will be your responsibility to find out.

Let me know if I can be of service.

 

[Dingo40]

Jerry,
An excellent post and a most generous offer!??

 

[JerryPH]

Jerry,
An excellent post and a most generous offer!??

Thank-you sir!

Addendum... page 31 of the Roland PDF manual for the FR-3Sb:
(1)To switch off a section you do not want to hear, press and hold any single register for a while. Use a register in the Treble section to mute the Treble
or Orchestra part; use a Bass register to mute the bass, chord, Free Bass, or any of the associated orchestral parts. The section in question must be assigned to the associated registers. See the previous pages for how to decide which section can be muted.

(2) To switch a muted section back on, briefly press any of the associated registers.

 

[Cowachan]

It doesn't get any easier! The BK-7m, when turned on, senses a V-accordion and simply configures itself to it. After that, all you do is choose a rhythm, and press the start/stop button on the foot pedal... and play!

Now... anything after that is going to be a head-scratcher if you are totally unfamiliar with the BK-7m... because there is a LOT of available toys in there. That is where some reading and learning and LOTS of testing comes in.

At this point, that is when you download the free manual from Roland (https://www.roland.com/ca/support/b..._manuals/b430cf66-ba7c-41ba-9f1d-da35b01f0dd3) and start reading. Go slow and assimilate the things you need to start with, and then slowly add the things that you want to add (how to select different tones/instruments for the right hand, etc...).



Why not start out even easier? Break down the BK-7m in to 3 areas:
- The basics of using it just as a rhythm unit
- Adding the extra sounds that the BK-7m has integrated in to the right hand
- The more advanced functions that you CHOOSE because you feel they are either interesting or are something you would need.

Do you have a foot pedal for the BK? Without one it is just a pain to use... if you don't have one, get one, it will make things so much better.

The other error you made was jumping in with both feed oversaturating the brain with the (at this point) totally unnecessary info. First let the wizard do what it does, get comfy with the unit from there... the rest, ONE feature at a time!



Stop right there. If I am understanding correctly, you want the BK-7m sounds to come from the accordion? Not going to happen. The Accordion is an OUTPUT device, it has no sound input capability...but the BK-7M *is* an in and output device, you plug the accordion in to the inputs of the BK and plug your headphones in to it, not the accordion. All sounds will come out of the BK-7m in to your headphones from the headphone output of the BK-7m.


You are making it *way* harder than it needs to be. You did not just put on the accordion the first day you ever saw one and started playing a concerto, did you? Why would you expect to be a master of an advanced arranger without devoting some PATIENCE, TIME AND STUDY?

Do you know how to disable the sounds on your FR-3x so that it only sends the MIDI info and then EVERYTHING you hear is nothing but what is in the BK-7m? If not, time to look in the manual. I do not known a FR-3x, but an 8X and to disable all right hand sounds, I press and hold ANY of the 14 registers for 4 seconds and all audio on the right hand is disabled, but it still sends all MIDI info to the BK-7m and hence, all I hear from the right hand is the sounds the BK-7m makes. A very easy and basic trick!

I'll make it super easy for you...
Ask me 5 questions (to start) you would want answered about the BK, I'll make you a video that is so easy and basic that a 2-year old would understand. As mentioned I do not have a FR-3x, anything concerning that will be your responsibility to find out.

Let me know if I can be of service.

Hi JPH.
Many, many thanks for your most comprehensive reply. All constructive points and itemised in such a manner that even I can follow the path I should be taking. What a wonderful resource this forum is with access to such folks as yourself that give time etc. to the likes of me who for whatever reason are having difficulty grasping many situations.
I do apologise to all for my lateness in reply but like I said in my initial post I think I have had too many birthdays and appear to have more ‘down’ time than ‘up’.
I will get started into some of the advice given, maybe I can take a ‘rain cheque’ on the video offer, one in the bank so to speak.
Meanwhile take care and stay safe.
Rgds and thanks once again.
Cowachan

 

[pentaprism]

Hello Cowachan,

For "I can get them linked by the 'Wizard' and get the BK to play the rhythm through the headphones but not through the FR3 and I still have not heard any of the so called 'tones'," please make sure on the BK-7m the indicator of the "PART" button and the indicator of the "UP1" button are lighted up. If any of them is not, push the respective button to activate it. The row of buttons labeled "MBS - LWR - UP2 - UP1 - PART" is below the LCD screen.

When you play the treble part on the accordion with the volume on the accordion all the way down, you should hear what you play through the headphones plugged in the BK-7m.

If the treble sound is very low compared to the bass, try setting 'Velocity TX' (UEL on the LED display) to 127.

Please report back.

 

[pentaprism]

>> If the treble sound is very low compared to the bass, try setting 'Velocity TX' (UEL on the LED display) to 127.

That’s on the FR-3b.

Another way is setting “Velocity RX” of “Tone Parts” on the BK-7m to 127.

Menu -> MIDI -> Edit Tone Parts -> Rx Velocity

Make sure to “write” the settings.

 

[Cowachan]

Hi P.
Many thanks for your mail and advice. From my limited knowledge and other mailings - this is the ‘right’ track and as JPH said “no sound is going to come out of the accordion’, which to be honest that is what I was expecting ! it is this sort of information which is invaluable because as far as I am aware I have not seen it ‘written’ or said before. I am still processing information very gradually and will then “Factory Reset” both units and commence from the basics in the manner advised by JPH and yourself.
P. I will P/m you further.
Rgds. C.