Rosie goes digital!

[Rosie C]

The only people that may complain are other accordionists that are "purists". Unless you are playing for them or they are signing your cheques, I'd not really worry too much about them.

I had expected some grumbling from traditionalists, but have not had any. The 'squire' (leader) of our Morris side likes the sound of the FR-1X, and at a recent joint performance, the box players from the other side were most intrigued about it and very friendly. I did post the photo already, elsewhere, but I'll put it here again for completeness...

 

[JerryPH]

Nah, this person only repeated what he read online, when I ripped a few fast arpeggios as I said that I had no issues playing fast, the nose rose real fast… but the fact is, it’s NOT a slow keyboard, but it is slower than a fast accordion keyboard because of the depth needed to press, but you can play fast on it.

 

[Squeezeplay]

Actually I am beginning to prefer the Roland to any of my acoustic boxes on a gig. Now that I have it totally wireless to my arranger, and amp.

 

[JerryPH]

Actually I am beginning to prefer the Roland to any of my acoustic boxes on a gig. Now that I have it totally wireless to my arranger, and amp.

It's easy to fall in to that trap and focus on one side or the other... I make sure that I play acoustic as much, and especially don't grow a dependance to arrangers. They're nice, but should not be the only way accordions are enjoyed.

 

[simonmax]

Congrats,
I have the user manual in a printer friendly Word format. This makes it easy for me to print some relevant pages without wasting half of my toner.
If it interests anyone, I'm willing to share it.
Simon

 

[Rosie C]

I have long promised a video of my FR-1X in action. Here is one from last weekend, when our morris side were dancing at Ilfracombe "All Things Morris" weekend. I'm just off the top-right of the frame, sheltering from the rain and wind and letting my Cube amp take the strain - you see me briefly at 0:50!

 

[Tom]

I have long promised a video of my FR-1X in action. Here is one from last weekend, when our morris side were dancing at Ilfracombe "All Things Morris" weekend. I'm just off the top-right of the frame, sheltering from the rain and wind and letting my Cube amp take the strain - you see me briefly at 0:50!

I could definitely get into this Morris thing! I think I told you that my sister is one of the “Ladies of the Rolling Pin” side. They bang their rolling pins and cups of flour together. Unfortunately they are 2000 kilometers away and could use an accordion.

 

[Rosie C]

I could definitely get into this Morris thing! I think I told you that my sister is one of the “Ladies of the Rolling Pin” side. They bang their rolling pins and cups of flour together. Unfortunately they are 2000 kilometers away and could use an accordion.

I very much enjoy it. The tunes aren't difficult in themselves, but playing outdoors in all weather, keeping a strict tempo for the dancers, getting the tune right, and having an audience brings other challenges. The audiences last weekend varied no-body when it was raining, up to about 200 for the final dance.

The dance in the video is about a local railway yard - at times the dancers are representing rail wagons being shunted around, later they're going through the rail tunnel between Wales and England.

I like the idea of rolling pins! We saw a clog dancing side that have a dance with brooms.

 

[96Bass]

I don’t mean to pish/posh your accordion purchase but really welcome to the group of us retired folk! Congratulations! It’s been 4 1/2 years for me, you are going to love it and wonder how you ever had time for work! The morning cup of coffee or tea is so much better not having to rush getting ready for… what’s that word? “Work” Every day is a Saturday. You can practice your songs till the cows come home.

Since I retired I don’t care for weekends much. Too many people not at work.

 

[Ventura]

Rosie, may i borrow your thread for a sec

you have a CME interface which you mentioned before,
and i looked it up and was impressed.. been waitin' for a sale
so i could try one and Amazon Prime Day, CME put a lot of their
products at around 25% off including the H4MIDI WC which
i ordered

so thought i should give a heads up in case anyone else was
on the fence or waiting for a discount for any of the CME products
too (even the WIDI bluetooth stuff is discounted for prime day)

​

 

[Rosie C]

Rosie, may i borrow your thread for a sec

you have a CME interface which you mentioned before,
and i looked it up and was impressed.. been waitin' for a sale
so i could try one and Amazon Prime Day, CME put a lot of their
products at around 25% off including the H4MIDI WC which
i ordered

Indeed you may! & yes, I have an H4MIDI WC built into to my rack synth. I have it configured to multiplex 2 MIDI DIN inputs and a USB-C MIDI input into one feed for my synth. I have my keyboard permanently plugged in, plug in my FR-1X when I feel, and play out MIDI files from my tablet.

 

[JerryPH]

you have a CME interface which you mentioned before,
so thought i should give a heads up in case anyone else was
on the fence or waiting for a discount for any of the CME products
too (even the WIDI bluetooth stuff is discounted for prime day)

I've been a CME wireless MIDI user since they released the WIDI-Master in a Kickstarter campaign... it's a very good product as long as one respects the limitations of BlueTooth. I'm really excited about their coming wireless stereo analog transmitters, been waiting about a year now, but hopefully it will come soon.

 

[Ventura]

this h4midiWC accepts a board inside which makes it a
receiver for the WIDI, so i ordered one of those too and
will finally give the midi over bluetooth a try.. i chose the
WIDI jack over the WIDI master, however, because it gives
a way to easily power it when a MIDI output on some device
has no power available on the pins

don't really need it, but you guys have had good things to say
about it so i should at least mess with one..

way before the current devices i got onboard with CME on
their first line of wireless MIDI products (before bluetooth)
and i still use them.. very reliable.. great range (150' easy).. and they
lock on with a deathgrip.. never had a dropout.. for me also the
original series has some preferred features.. easy to power
and each unit can be either TX or RX with the flip of a switch..
cigarette pack size so they were never in the way.. i just velcro
one to the front and a right angle MIDI cable to connect.. i also
prefer that nothing is sticking out from the bottom of the accordion

they even had the multiple simultaneous connection with a
dedicated USB receiver for computer.. their stuff was way ahead
of the rest of the market.. and they had an office in New York
you could call anytime

 

[JerryPH]

Ii chose the
WIDI jack over the WIDI master, however, because it gives
a way to easily power it when a MIDI output on some device
has no power available on the pins

All my interfaces that I use it on have powered MIDI so I am lucky. People with a 4x, 3X or 1X (singular USB plug), have no choice, they need some kind of external power.

 

[Squeezeplay]

Actually the 3-X has power for the WIDI..the one drawback, is that on the 3X..you have a choice, of midi in, or midi out, not both at the same time from the 5 pin socket.

 

[JerryPH]

Actually the 3-X has power for the WIDI..the one drawback, is that on the 3X..you have a choice, of midi in, or midi out, not both at the same time from the 5 pin socket.

I believe that it only has power when in the MIDI in mode, which kind of negates things as the one that needs the power is the MIDI out module, either way, external power (or better, the model that connects to the USB-B connector) is needed. Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Squeezeplay]

OK …I will correct you…I use it to control my Ketron arranger. It has been flawless, I use it with my FR-3X..and the two accordions, that I built midi into, and also the old lmmm Atlantic, that I built my first home made midi into.
I have NOT been able to get the USB midi working with my FR-3X.