usb midi in using port on the grill

[davidplaysaccordion]

I am using the midi port on my 4x as output to my BK7m so I have no midi input. This post says that you can use a usb midi interface (this is wireless but I assume some sort of midi to use converter cable would also work) to send midi to the 4x (the aim is to program the 4x setup using midi when I select a song (from where is yet to be determined).
Question is, is there anything I need to do on the 4x re setup to tell it to receive midi there or will it just do it?

 

[JerryPH]

I am not really sure how the USB MIDI connector is setup on the 4X but from what I understand that USB connector is to send MIDI info to a computer or other device to receive MIDI info. Does it send all MIDI info or just notation, velocity, volume? I don't know. Is it bidirectional? I do not know. What does the factory 4X PDF manual say about the functionality of this feature?

The only way, I suppose... is to just try it and see!

EDIT: Page 50 of the reference manual says:
"Only MIDI data can be transmitted and received via USB. Audio data for a song recorded on the FR-4x cannot be transmitted or received." and...
"If you connect the MIDI OUT/IN connector and the USB COMPUTER port to the same computer, indeterminate data might be input or output. If operation is unstable, connect only one or the other connector to your computer."

So, it looks like if you want to go wireless here, something like a CME WIDI UHost, Roland WM-1 or Yamaha MB BT-01 is in your future. Since that is bidirectional, done right you can likely do everything with this jack as opposed to the actual "singular MIDI plug on the 4X, like I do on my 8X.

Again all taken with a grain of salt... I am not a 4X owner and I cannot definitively do any tests and be sure.

 

[jozz]

if the FR4x is anything like the FR1x, it's default setting is send only

the FR1x has the external sequencer 'ES9' setting, that needs to be toggled to YES for receiving

this cancels the onboard sound as well

 

[Alan Sharkis]

The USB MIDI port on an FR-4x is bidirectional, but Roland conceived of its use with the editor only at the time the manuals were written. Therefore, Roland will not support the use of that port for anything but working with the editor or with a thumb drive. I know that some people have used the port successfully for. Ither functions of a bidirectional nature, but Roland will not support such usage. One voltage spike in this port will affect a lot more than a similar spike in the midi port at the bottom of the accordion.

 

[Keymn]

Try the iPad as demonstrated in this discussion years ago.

Songbook+, Roland FR4x and IPad

There has been an interest in controlling the Fr4x with Songbook+ app. Check out the link below on instruction. I have tried it and it works! Select a song on the iPad app, the accordion set or user program changes. https://baumsoftware.freshdesk.com/en/support/solutions/articles/17000051000

www.accordionists.info

 

[Keymn]

That was my post with an expression pedal…iphone doing the expression…in this demo, using the angle of the iPhone gives a clean signal then an analog potentiometer…just an explanation in one of many ways how expression can be accomplished. Yes having midi in/out like the 8x may be easier…yes there is a risk with using anything other then Roland products. Should I buy the Roland audio cables and midi cables? Maybe? They recommend the usb stick, is everyone using it or another brand?

Silicon Power 32GB Blaze B02 USB3.1 Flash Drive Black​

Looks identical as the one they sold with the Roland Brand?

 

[davidplaysaccordion]

That was my post with an expression pedal…iphone doing the expression…in this demo, using the angle of the iPhone gives a clean signal then an analog potentiometer…just an explanation in one of many ways how expression can be accomplished. Yes having midi in/out like the 8x may be easier…yes there is a risk with using anything other then Roland products. Should I buy the Roland audio cables and midi cables? Maybe? They recommend the usb stick, is everyone using it or another brand?

Silicon Power 32GB Blaze B02 USB3.1 Flash Drive Black​

Looks identical as the one they sold with the Roland Brand?

Did you have to do anything with settings to make the usb midi dongle work with the Roland or was it plug and play?

 

[Keymn]

Did you have to do anything with settings to make the usb midi dongle work with the Roland or was it plug and play?

I do not like the button the Dongle by Roland has (I would use a short usb extension)…instructions are needed to follow in manual…”hold it for three seconds to look for pairing”, “hold for 10 sec to clear pairing”, “hold for 1 second to connect after power on”, and then the different “speed modes”, etc. not easy for me…
Think the newly released widi bud pro will be a better solution? But I do not use anything other then the MiDIJet on FR4x accordion which is only midi out to arranger…and it does not rely on accordion power as it has batteries which are recharged after every gig…
I just like trying and sharing different things…I do not see the necessity of an accordion expression pedal, as others may see it useful…

 

[Keymn]

Did you have to do anything with settings to make the usb midi dongle work with the Roland or was it plug and play?

Try selecting generic on the usb setting. You need to reboot accordion…I understand some are using 2, WM-1d to transmit and receive midi data for arranger. But may not have another USB port on bk7m. As for me, I am old school staying with my MiDIJet. One of the most reliable systems I encountered with wireless midi.
I do not recommend wm-1d as it may encounter some disconnect, note hang issues as I have had.