Sharing of User Programmes/Sets for FR8x

[Brian Gubb]

After 3 years of saving my pennies I’ve finally saved enough to purchase my own FR8xb. Now waiting 6 weeks for delivery, Roland has none in NZ or Australia.
I am wanting to know if it considered “ok” for accordionists to share their UPG’s with each other.
I know that I can’t get the Dale Mathis UPG’s because I couldn’t buy through him, as much as I would have liked to, but as he advised I would have no warranty outside of the US.
I also know I could purchase Richard Noel’s, but wondering if there are other options available.
It will be very difficult for me to do on my own as I’m legally blind, ie not totally blind

 

[kep]

I also know I could purchase Richard Noel’s, but wondering if there are other options available.

IMHO, there is no better option than Richard's sets, both quality- and fullness-wise .They are also designed very logical way, so easy to use without much looking at the screen.

 

[Keymn]

I think your own sets is a better way. We are individuals and should consider setting up our own logical setup. Roland gives a good starting point. Important is pleasing the audience with a few set choices that you can remember. My starting point was setting up my own master accordion sound, then build up from there with orchestrations that fit your style of your playing...
To sum up, give yourself some time to checkout the different sets, then go from there...happy playing...

 

[Brian Gubb]

I really want to if sharing UPG and UPB is consider ok. There are times when I listen to a song and think I’d love a copy of that UPG but haven’t asked because I’m unsure if it considered Kosher amongst accordionist.

 

[Keymn]

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I really want to if sharing UPG and UPB is consider ok. There are times when I listen to a song and think I’d love a copy of that UPG but haven’t asked because I’m unsure if it considered  Kosher amongst accordionist.

I have no problem with sharing. But I have nothing fancy, just a few small edits...

 

[JerryPH]

My small issue is that when I got my 8X, I had less than a month to learn about the entire accordion enough that I was able to play in public for the first time in 38 years (nearly 4 decades not playing, now toss in the most advanced digital accordion on the planet... and go practice and learn enough to play for 3+ hours in front of a group of accordionists... I *needed* to take the fast track, and that was by using pre-made programs! ) .

To do that, I bought the Richard Noel sets and though I have made small changes here and there, I do not think that it would be ethically right if I handed this out... BUT... since I am slowly back in to making the Roland FR-8X Mild to Wild series, at some point I will be discussing custom programming (2 videos away, perhaps?), and I really think it would be a cool way to help people by including links to premade files so that they could play along and see the results that we are learning about and be able to modify those files themselves, in effect, having their cake and eating it too.

Now if every single switch/option/sound programming possibility on the 8X was shown, that could EASILY become a 200 hour series of videos, and that's not something that I am interested in doing, so I need to be very careful and give just enough so that people can learn the knowledge of how to program and from there, be comfortable doing the rest themselves.  Also, I am doing this for free and for my own pleasure to share and that gives me the freedom to say "yes" or "no" to any suggestion.

For example, I had a comment from several sources that said "like your video, but the 8X is strenuous to play, can you assist?".  I could have said, nope, that's too easy, go read the manual! Well I did not say that but literally made a 30 second shaky video on my cell phone and placed it on my blog site as a quick and dirty post, and this will be added to in a later video with a more professional presentation.

I want to share, but I definitely do not want to step on anyone's toes, especially someone super nice like Richard Noel, who's work was done with a ton of trial and error, and who put in the time and effort.

 

[Brian Gubb]

When I get my FR8xb I will play with it, probably no better way to learn UPG, then once I’ve got something worth sharing I’ll share it for critiquing with anybody who would like to.

 

[Keymn]

It seems in these questions we relate back to commercial set creators, which is not a bad thing. It would be nice to share an original set or UPG of something different and unique outside typical accordion. What I put together a surfing sound with the use of guitar orchestration and effects pedal as in this recording I made. Some may say, an accordion player should never sound like this? Note: I am using Beat Buddy Buddy as drum machine.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6bp00670axhxuii/Rebel Rouser Beat Buddy.wav?dl=0

 

[Brian Gubb]

It seems in these questions we relate back to commercial set creators, which is not a bad thing. It would be nice to share an original set or UPG of something different and unique outside typical accordion. What I put together a surfing sound with the use of guitar orchestration and effects pedal as in this recording I made. Some may say, an accordion player should never sound like this? Note: I am using Beat Buddy Buddy as drum machine.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6bp00670axhxuii/Rebel Rouser Beat Buddy.wav?dl=0

I like your sound. And yes I am only interested in sharing original UPGs, I think it would be fun to explore unique sounds.

 

[JerryPH]

I've already outlined what is going to be in Mild to Wild #3, and it ends with me playing a song with a custom registration... and in video #4, we start on the basics of custom programming, and that one ends with me providing a tutorial on how I got that sound and feel from the ending song in video #3. Video #5 will likely delve deeper in to the programming process and touch on the more advanced options and effects (that is the logical direction I feel #5 will more than likely take... I am not sure what else will pop up, that may lead in to a 6th video... who knows, I am not that far ahead... lol).

Everything that I do will not only be seen on the video but I hope to provide the files on my website for people to download and play with if they wish, along with answers to suggestions from the people if they happen to have a specific request and I am able to accommodate... that is the best way I could start to share.

 

[Keymn]

I've already outlined what is going to be in Mild to Wild #3, and it ends with me playing a song with a custom registration... and in video #4, we start on the basics of custom programming, and that one ends with me providing a tutorial on how I got that sound and feel from the ending song in video #3.  Video #5 will likely delve deeper in to the programming process and touch on the more advanced options and effects (that is the logical direction I feel #5 will more than likely take... I am not sure what else will pop up, that may lead in to a 6th video... who knows, I am not that far ahead... lol).

Everything that I do will not only be seen on the video but I hope to provide the files on my website for people to download and play with if they wish, along with answers to suggestions from the people if they happen to have a specific request and I am able to accommodate... that is the best way I could start to share.

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I would not expect anything different. If you bought Richard Noel, of course not to share. But a user program or 2, we ourselves create, is a good thing. Something maybe unique. Then we can analyze and give opinion or send an edit? Programming not as difficult but takes time, as mentioned, more complex on a synth which I am more familiar...
I use my own upg, but Just have typical accordion stuff. If I want to do country, rock, big band gigs use my keyboard arranger. It is all about eye candy. Jerry Lee Lewis “whole lotta Shakin’  on accordion? Some do it!...I will share some of my accordion upg soon, but Oktoberfest coming up...have to prepare!

 

[Thomas N]

The editor really changed things for me. I had customized a couple sets previously and it was tedious work. I have no idea how Richard Noel put all that together without the editor. He must have literally 500 hours into it. He deserves the price he asks - and even then he "loses" money in the end compared to the time he spent. I think it's a labor of love with somebody like him.

I'm in the very, very vast minority of FR-8X users. Roland provides a lot of great accordions. I picked out the four or five that I use and put them into one set. I found the organ that I really like and put it into the same bank. Added a sax that I use about twice a year and I'm done. Tweaking the reverb, delay, echo, etc. was very simple. All of this was done with the editor in under 30 minutes.

I play almost entirely jazz so the low and high bassoon accordions are my staple. I use a Master accordion and a Musette occasionally. I don't particularly care for bells, flutes, multiple layers, keyboard splits with guitars and marimbas and vibes. I think the general public tends to really enjoy those sounds and performances but it's not really in my nature to play like that.

I think trading sets that are not commercially available between users is a great idea - especially if you've heard a particular user's sound and want to duplicate it. I belong to a synthesizer forum and that is done on an hourly basis. Fine-tuning deep FM synthesis patches is an art form (one I do not understand) and these users regularly spend hours editing them and putting them up for all to use. It's a really altruistic community.

 

[JerryPH]

I find that I am the opposite. Initially, when I decide to add a song to the repertoire, on the 8X it has it's own sound. It is not often that I use the same sets over and over. In that first 3 hour session that I played at Christmas 3 years ago I had maybe 65 songs and 60 different registrations. I am sure at some point I will start to repeat, but I would not think it out of the question to have 200 registrations for myself, or even several different registrations per song, especially once you start doing mash-ups and what not.

I really like to distinguish each song with it's own sound if possible, simply because this is one of the greatest benefits of owning such an instrument. To a smaller degree, I did the same thing when I used the Elka, I wanted not only a musical variety, but a large sonic variance too. Kept audience listening fatigue to a minimum and kept my interest up higher as well.

 

[Keymn]

I find that I am the opposite.  Initially, when I decide to add a song to the repertoire, on the 8X it has it's own sound.  It is not often that I use the same sets over and over.  In that first 3 hour session that I played at Christmas 3 years ago I had maybe 65 songs and 60 different registrations.  I am sure at some point I will start to repeat, but I would not think it out of the question to have 200 registrations for myself, or even several different registrations per song, especially once you start doing mash-ups and what not.

I really like to distinguish each song with it's own sound if possible, simply because this is one of the greatest benefits of owning such an instrument.  To a smaller degree, I did the same thing when I used the Elka, I wanted not only a musical variety, but a large sonic variance too.  Kept audience listening fatigue to a minimum and kept my interest up higher as well.

It is very tedious setting up a particular upg or set for a certain song. I commend those that can demo the accordion in this way...

 

[StargazerTony]

I find that I am the opposite.  Initially, when I decide to add a song to the repertoire, on the 8X it has it's own sound.  It is not often that I use the same sets over and over.  In that first 3 hour session that I played at Christmas 3 years ago I had maybe 65 songs and 60 different registrations.  I am sure at some point I will start to repeat, but I would not think it out of the question to have 200 registrations for myself, or even several different registrations per song, especially once you start doing mash-ups and what not.

I really like to distinguish each song with it's own sound if possible, simply because this is one of the greatest benefits of owning such an instrument.  To a smaller degree, I did the same thing when I used the Elka, I wanted not only a musical variety, but a large sonic variance too.  Kept audience listening fatigue to a minimum and kept my interest up higher as well.

How do fo you keep track of 200, or even 65 registrations?

 

[JerryPH]

When you see the top people like Uwe Steger or Michael Bridge playing a signature song on the 8X, it usually has 4, 5 or more registrations, this is very inspiring to me.  Of course I am not anywhere close to those levels, but that doesn't stop me from having 2 or more sounds per song.  It *is* a tedious process.  I remember just looking through a compatible sounds for one Christmas song once (just looking, not even creating!), and that alone took me a couple hours.  Once found, documented and/or memorized, it does make a difference for me, IMHO. it totally changes the song.

A couple years ago I recorded Silent night as part of a participation piece for the forum here.  It had 4 registrations with 3 changes (one which demanded a register press, the master bar press and a chin button press, all timed within 2 beats of a measure and counts as one register change). in that one short piece... I think that it came out fairly well and made for a unique rendition.

That's the nice thing about having digital... it's all about choices.  No one has to do something a certain way, but there are many paths to the same destination and there are no wrong choices.  

 

[Keymn]

When you see the top people like Uwe Steger or Michael Bridge playing a signature song on the 8X, it usually has 4, 5 or more registrations, this is very inspiring to me.  Of course I am not anywhere close to those levels, but that doesnt stop me from having 2 or more sounds per song.  It *is* a tedious process.  I remember just looking through a compatible sounds for one Christmas song once (just looking, not even creating!), and that alone took me a couple hours.  Once found, documented and/or memorized, it does make a difference for me, IMHO. it totally changes the song.

A couple years ago I recorded Silent night as part of a participation piece for the forum here.  It had 4 registrations with 3 changes (one which demanded a register press, the master bar press and a chin button press, all timed within 2 beats of a measure and counts as one register change). in that one short piece... I think that it came out fairly well and made for a unique rendition.

Thats the nice thing about having digital... its all about choices.  No one has to do something a certain way, but there are many paths to the same destination and there are no wrong choices.  

Yes, but entertaining the general audience is a key factor. When artists like Bruce Springsteen does The 1927 song “Jole Blon” and the Keyboard Player switches to basic accordion...”it brings the house down”. As for me, play accordion appropriate gigs, keyboard on others. The fr1x to me may be a better investment. More ability to move around and excite the audience. I see it at the German/Hungarian Restaurant, as I approach the audience wireless and play what I call “a mediocre lick” puts tips in the jar. The audience feels attended to. Yes, no right or wrong, but I see it from an Entertainment value then a playing ability...