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Songbook configuration

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Valski

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Hi there,

I've been looking at the Songbook app to use with my FR8X and BK7M. Although I like the option of using a wireless connection, I would prefer to use cables to connect everything. What would I need to purchase in order to connect everything? I'm considering something like an Irig Midi universal interface, or perhaps a suggestion for something that might work better.

Hopefully with the world reopening soon I can get back to playing gigs again and SongBook looks like just the ticket for managing play lists. I'm apprehensive with the wireless because I think that there's too many opportunities for failure and I don't want to spend a lot of time fiddling with the controls.

Gerry PH has a great tutorial and it helped me to understand how this works however I think that the wireless part of his setup is beyond my present capabilities. Perhaps at some future time this might be for me, but presently would feel more confident with the cables.

People at my favourite music store try to be helpful however once you mention the word Accordion, they become confused and don't know what to say. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Greetings from Toronto! What exactly are your expectations for SongBook and the BK-7m working together?
 
I have an Fr8x and the Bk7m, I want to have the sheet music saved in songbook and the register settings/ user programs plus the Bk7m settings for those songs saved for quick retrieval. Gerry PH does essentially that but has linked everything minus cables.

I already own a small mixer with effects as well as an Airturn BT-105 bluetooth footpedal.

It appears that song lists along with pre-selected settings for the Bk7m and the Fr8x can be saved in the App. Now I have to write down all of the settings and manually change them. Using SongBook would appear to change to the predetermined settings for a more professional flow.

I hope that this makes sense to you and look forward to any advice.
 
All you need is an iPad and camera kit connected to your Bk7m. I use this…

If you have an Android device you will need
https://zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/
 
Here is my setup, at end of video shows my connection to iPad controlling the bk7m performance selection…
Roland FR4x | Bk-7m | QSC Touchmix 8 | Line 6 G10 Wireless Audio | Shure Blx4 microphone | MidiJet |
 
All you need is an iPad and camera kit connected to your Bk7m. I use this…

If you have an Android device you will need
https://zubersoft.com/mobilesheets/
Thanks for this, I think that I would prefer to use MobileSheets since I have a new Samsung tablet. Would the connection to the Bk7m be essentially the same as the iPad? What is the camera kit that you referred to?
 
I have an Fr8x and the Bk7m, I want to have the sheet music saved in songbook and the register settings/ user programs plus the Bk7m settings for those songs saved for quick retrieval. Gerry PH does essentially that but has linked everything minus cables.

I already own a small mixer with effects as well as an Airturn BT-105 bluetooth footpedal.

It appears that song lists along with pre-selected settings for the Bk7m and the Fr8x can be saved in the App. Now I have to write down all of the settings and manually change them. Using SongBook would appear to change to the predetermined settings for a more professional flow.

I hope that this makes sense to you and look forward to any advice.

It's almost more complicated to get going using cables, because you need 2 cables going to and from the 8X and BK (in and out), as well as bidirectional communication from the iPad (songbook+) to the BK *and* the 8X. :)

The big thing is getting the Songbook app to have the ability to send info to the 8X and BK at the same time, but if you just have communication to the BK only via it's camera kit connected to the input of the BK, will the BK forward signals through it to it's MIDI out to the 8X? I'm not sure, but I do not think so... so what you are limited to is the ability to set the rhythms on the BK but not able to send signals from songbook to 8X and therefore cannot change sets/user programs as configured in SongBook to the 8X.

If you are ok with that, then it gets fairly simple.

1 MIDI cable from the 8X MIDI OUT to BK MIDI IN. USB cable from iPad to camera kit adapter to USB-B connector on BK.
 
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Thanks for this, I think that I would prefer to use MobileSheets since I have a new Samsung tablet. Would the connection to the Bk7m be essentially the same as the iPad? What is the camera kit that you referred to?
I don't own a Samsung tablet (but own a Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a couple of Samsung Note phones, Ear Bud PRO, several Smart Tag+ and likely have a Samsung Watch 3 coming before the end of July... lol), but there *is* an android version of the Songbook plus. If you configure it the same way, it should in theory work 100% the same as an iPad for this application, the block in a wired setup is lack of bidirectional communication between iPad, 8X and BK. That limits you to deciding what you want to "automagically" configure, the BK or the 8X, but you likely cannot do both.

Check and see if Mobilesheets works for you... if not, there is an Android version of Songbook+ that will.

It's the minimum 3 wires coming out of my 8X that drove me nuts and pushed me to look for the wirelesss solution. :)
 
It's almost more complicated to get going using cables, because you need 2 cables going to and from the 8X and BK (in and out), as well as bidirectional communication from the iPad (songbook+) to the BK *and* the 8X. :)

The big thing is getting the Songbook app to have the ability to send info to the 8X and BK at the same time, but if you just have communication to the BK only via it's camera kit connected to the input of the BK, will the BK forward signals through it to it's MIDI out to the 8X? I'm not sure, but I do not think so... so what you are limited to is the ability to set the rhythms on the BK but not able to send signals from songbook to 8X and therefore cannot change sets/user programs as configured in SongBook to the 8X.

If you are ok with that, then it gets fairly simple.

1 MIDI cable from the 8X MIDI OUT to BK MIDI IN. USB cable from iPad to camera kit adapter to USB-B connector on BK.
Thanks Gerry, I appreciate the help and will give it a try, after all I have the various cables.
 
I
Thanks for this, I think that I would prefer to use MobileSheets since I have a new Samsung tablet. Would the connection to the Bk7m be essentially the same as the iPad? What is the camera kit that you referred to?
too would like to here the results with Mobile sheets…the camera kit is for iPad usb conversion;…Think you already have a USB port on the Android…so a standard usb cable is all you need…you are the one to give the results as I only use iOS.
 
I

too would like to here the results with Mobile sheets…the camera kit is for iPad usb conversion;…Think you already have a USB port on the Android…so a standard usb cable is all you need…you are the one to give the results as I only use iOS.
Did anything come of this Jerry?
 
Sure did!
This is what I ended up doing with the iPad, Songbook and FR-8X and BK-7m!

Teaser:

How to:

How to final update:

I've had someone somewhere tell me that they used this video and made it work with MobileSheets, though not wireless and not to this level of functionality.
 
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I tested this with Mobile sheets on my pc. I did get it to work…I would like to to do a video when I get time. Although, I use iPad like In video…
Mobile sheets support is quick and you deal directly with the Developer…
 
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