Roland FR-7x User Manual

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Owner’s Manual

WARNING

– To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this device to rain or moisture.

CAUTION

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilat­eral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclo­sure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intend­ed to alert the user to the presence of important operating and
maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accom­panying the product.

INSTRUCTIONS PERTAINING TO A RISK OF FIRE, ELECTRIC SHOCK, OR INJURY TO PERSONS.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install in accor­dance with the manufacturers instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers)
that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or ground­ing-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider
than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a
third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into
your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the ob­solete outlet.

– When using electric products, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following:

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched par­ticularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufac­turer.

12. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when un­used for long periods of time.

13. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is
required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the ap­paratus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not oper­ate normally, or has been dropped.

The technology used in the FR-7x is covered by U.S. Patent No. 6.946.594.

For the U.K.

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Copyright © 2009 ROLAND EUROPE. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Roland Europe S.p.a.

Owner’s Manual

Congratulations on purchasing the Roland FR-7x V-Accordion.
The FR-7x is the first instrument of its kind to provide powerful digital modeling technology in a traditional, immedi­ately familiar, accordion design and with performance functions and authentic sounds.

It combines the familiar sounds and nuances of a traditional accordion with the versatility of a modern digital musical
instrument. The FR-7x furthermore contains an audio recorder function and a USB port that can be used to play back
audio files on the connected storage device.

It is equipped with speakers and a battery pack for mobile use, while it can also be connected to an amplification sys­tem if desired.

ENGLISH ENGLISH

ENGLISH ENGLISH

To get the most out of the FR-7x and to ensure many years of trouble-free service, we urge you to read through this
Owner’s Manual thoroughly.

The explanations in this manual include illustrations that depict what should typically be shown by the display. Note,
however, that your unit may incorporate a newer, enhanced version of the system (e.g., includes newer sounds), so
what you actually see in the display may not always match what appears in the manual.

Before using this instrument, carefully read “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” (p. 4) and “Important notes” (p. 6). Those sec­tions provide information concerning the proper operation of the FR-7x. Additionally, in order to feel assured that
you have gained a good grasp of every feature provided by your new unit, the manual should be read in its entirety.
The manual should be saved and kept on hand as a convenient reference.

FR-7x

USING THE UNIT SAFELY

V-Accordion

Used for instructions intended to alert
the user to the risk of death or severe
injury should the unit be used
improperly.

Used for instructions intended to alert
the user to the risk of injury or material
damage should the unit be used
improperly.

* Material damage refers to damage or

other adverse effects caused with
respect to the home and all its
furnishings, as well to domestic
animals or pets.

• Connect the mains plug of this model to a mains outlet
with a protective earthing connection.

...................................................................................................................................

• Do not open or modify the unit or its DC power supply
(FBC-7).

...................................................................................................................................

• Do not attempt to repair the unit, or replace parts within
it (except when this manual provides specific instructions
directing you to do so). Refer all servicing to your retailer,
the nearest Roland Service Center, or an authorized Roland dis­tributor, as listed on the “Information” page.

...................................................................................................................................

• Never install the unit in any of the following locations.

• Subject to temperature extremes (e.g., direct sunlight

in an enclosed vehicle, near a heating duct, on top of
heat-generating equipment); or are

• Damp (e.g., baths, washrooms, on wet floors); or are

• Exposed to steam or smoke; or are

• Subject to salt exposure; or are

• Humid; or are

• Exposed to rain; or are

• Dusty or sandy; or are

• Subject to high levels of vibration and shakiness.

...................................................................................................................................

•Make sure you always have the FR-7x placed so it is level
and sure to remain stable. Never place it on stands that
could wobble, or on inclined surfaces.

...................................................................................................................................

• The FR-7x should only be connected to a power supply of
the type described in the operating instructions, or as
marked on the rear panel of the FBC-7.

...................................................................................................................................

• Use only the supplied power-supply cord. Also, the sup­plied power cord must not be used with any other device.

...................................................................................................................................

• Do not excessively twist or bend the power cord, nor
place heavy objects on it. Doing so can damage the cord,
producing severed elements and short circuits. Damaged
cords are fire and shock hazards!

...................................................................................................................................

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The symbol alerts the user to important instructions
or warnings.The specific meaning of the symbol is
determined by the design contained within the
triangle. In the case of the symbol at left, it is used for
general cautions, warnings, or alerts to danger.

The symbol alerts the user to items that must never
be carried out (are forbidden). The specific thing that
must not be done is indicated by the design contained
within the circle. In the case of the symbol at left, it
means that the unit must never be disassembled.

The ● symbol alerts the user to things that must be

carried out. The specific thing that must be done is
indicated by the design contained within the circle. In
the case of the symbol at left, it means that the power­cord plug must be unplugged from the outlet.

• The FR-7x, either alone or in combination with an ampli­fier and headphones or speakers, may be capable of pro­ducing sound levels that could cause permanent hearing
loss. Do not operate for a long period of time at a high volume
level, or at a level that is uncomfortable. If you experience any
hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should immediately stop
using the unit, and consult an audiologist.

....................................................................................................................................

• Do not allow any objects (e.g., flammable material, coins,
pins); or liquids of any kind (water, soft drinks, etc.) to
penetrate the FR-7x.

....................................................................................................................................

•Immediately turn the power off, remove the power cord
from the outlet, and request servicing by your retailer,
the nearest Roland Service Center, or an authorized
Roland distributor, as listed on the “Information” page when:

• The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or

• If smoke or unusual odor occurs

• Objects have fallen into, or liquid has been spilled onto the

FR-7x; or

• The unit has been exposed to rain (or otherwise has become

wet); or

• The FR-7x does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a

marked change in performance.

....................................................................................................................................

•In households with small children, an adult should pro­vide supervision until the child is capable of following all
the rules essential for the safe operation of the FR-7x.

....................................................................................................................................

• Protect the FR-7x from strong impact.

(Do not drop it!)

....................................................................................................................................

• Do not force the FR-7x’s power-supply cord to share an
outlet with an unreasonable number of other devices. Be
especially careful when using extension cords—the total
power used by all devices you have connected to the extension
cord's outlet must never exceed the power rating (watts/amperes)
for the extension cord. Excessive loads can cause the insulation on
the cord to heat up and eventually melt through.

....................................................................................................................................

4

• Before using the FR-7x in a foreign country, consult with
your retailer, the nearest Roland Service Center, or an
authorized Roland distributor, as listed on the “Informa­tion” page.

...................................................................................................................................

• The battery pack must never be heated, taken apart, or
thrown into fire or water.

...................................................................................................................................

• Do not put anything that contains water (e.g., flower
vases) on the FR-7x. Also, avoid the use of insecticides,
perfumes, alcohol, nail polish, spray cans, etc., near the
unit. Swiftly wipe away any liquid that spills on the unit using a
dry, soft cloth.

...................................................................................................................................

• Never expose the FR-7x to excessive heat such as sun­shine, fire or the like.

V-Accordion

USING THE UNIT SAFELY

• If used improperly, the battery pack may explode or leak
and cause damage or injury. In the interest of safety,
please read and observe the following precautions (see
p. 6).

• Remove the battery pack whenever the unit is to

remain unused for an extended period of time.

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....................................................................................................................................

• Used battery packs must be disposed of in compliance
with whatever regulations for their safe disposal that
may be observed in the region in which you live.

....................................................................................................................................

• Keep any screws you may remove and related parts in a
safe place out of children’s reach, so there is no chance
of them being swallowed accidentally.

....................................................................................................................................

• The FR-7x and the FBC-7 should be located so their loca­tion or position does not interfere with their proper ven­tilation.

...................................................................................................................................

•Always grasp only the plug on the power-supply cord
when plugging into, or unplugging from, an outlet or
this unit.

...................................................................................................................................

• At regular intervals, you should unplug the power plug
and clean it by using a dry cloth to wipe all dust and
other accumulations away from its prongs. Also, discon­nect the power plug from the power outlet whenever the unit is to
remain unused for an extended period of time. Any accumulation
of dust between the power plug and the power outlet can result in
poor insulation and lead to fire.

...................................................................................................................................

• Try to prevent cords and cables from becoming entan­gled. Also, all cords and cables should be placed so they
are out of the reach of children.

...................................................................................................................................

• Never climb on top of, nor place heavy objects on the
unit.

...................................................................................................................................

• Never handle the power cord or its plugs with wet hands
when plugging into, or unplugging from, an outlet or
this unit.

...................................................................................................................................

• Before moving the unit, disconnect the AC adaptor and
all cords coming from external devices.

...................................................................................................................................

• Before cleaning the unit, turn off the power and unplug
the power cord from the outlet (see p. 18).

...................................................................................................................................

•Whenever you suspect the possibility of lightning in your
area, pull the plug on the power cord out of the outlet.

...................................................................................................................................

5

FR-7x

V-Accordion

Important notes

1. Important notes

In addition to the items listed under “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” (p. 4), please read and observe the following:

Power supply

• Do not connect this unit to same electrical outlet that is being
used by an electrical appliance that is controlled by an inverter
(such as a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, or air
conditioner), or that contains a motor. Depending on the way in
which the electrical appliance is used, power supply noise may
cause this unit to malfunction or may produce audible noise. If it is
not practical to use a separate electrical outlet, connect a power
supply noise filter between this unit and the electrical outlet.

• The AC adaptor will begin to generate heat after long hours of
consecutive use. This is normal, and is not a cause for concern.

•When installing or replacing the battery pack, always turn off the
power on this unit and disconnect any other devices you may have
connected. This way, you can prevent malfunction and/or damage
to speakers or other devices.

•A battery pack is supplied with the unit. The life of this battery
may be limited, however, since its primary purpose was to enable
testing

• Before connecting this unit to other devices, turn off the power to
all units. This will help prevent malfunctions and/or damage to
speakers or other devices.

•Although the LCD and LEDs are switched off when the POWER
switch is switched off, this does not mean that the unit has been
completely disconnected from the source of power. If you need to
turn off the power completely, first turn off the POWER switch,
then unplug the power cord from the power outlet. For this rea­son, the outlet into which you choose to connect the power cord's
plug should be one that is within easy reach and readily accessible.

Placement

• Using the unit near power amplifiers (or other equipment contain­ing large power transformers) may induce hum. To alleviate the
problem, change the orientation of this unit; or move it farther
away from the source of interference.

• This device may interfere with radio and television reception. Do
not use this device in the vicinity of such receivers.

• Noise may be produced if wireless communications devices, such
as cell phones, are operated in the vicinity of this unit. Such noise
could occur when receiving or initiating a call, or while conversing.
Should you experience such problems, you should relocate such
wireless devices so they are at a greater distance from this unit, or
switch them off.

• Do not expose the unit to direct sunlight, place it near devices that
radiate heat, leave it inside an enclosed vehicle, or otherwise sub­ject it to temperature extremes. Excessive heat can deform or dis­color the unit.

• Do not expose the unit to direct sunlight, place it near devices that
radiate heat, leave it inside an enclosed vehicle, or otherwise sub­ject it to temperature extremes. Also, do not allow lighting devices
that normally are used while their light source is very close to the
unit (such as a piano light), or powerful spotlights to shine upon
the same area of the unit for extended periods of time. Excessive
heat can deform or discolor the unit.

•When moved from one location to another where the temperature
and/or humidity is very different, water droplets (condensation)
may form inside the unit. Damage or malfunction may result if
you attempt to use the unit in this condition. Therefore, before
using the unit, you must allow it to stand for several hours, until
the condensation has completely evaporated.

• Do not allow rubber, vinyl, or similar materials to remain on the
unit for long periods of time. Such objects can discolor or other­wise harmfully affect the finish.

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• Do not allow objects to remain on top of the or pedal board. This
can be the cause of malfunction, such as keys ceasing to produce
sound.

• Do not paste stickers, decals, or the like to this instrument. Peeling
such matter off the instrument may damage the exterior finish.

• Depending on the material and temperature of the surface on
which you place the unit, its rubber feet may discolor or mar the
surface.
You can place a piece of felt or cloth under the rubber feet to pre­vent this from happening. If you do so, please make sure that the
unit will not slip or move accidentally.

Maintenance

• For everyday cleaning wipe the FR-7x with a soft, dry cloth or one
that has been slightly dampened with water. To remove stubborn
dirt, use a cloth impregnated with a mild, non-abrasive detergent.
Afterwards, be sure to wipe the unit thoroughly with a soft, dry
cloth.

• Never use benzine, thinners, alcohol or solvents of any kind, to
avoid the possibility of discoloration and/or deformation.

Repairs and data

• Unfortunately, it may be impossible to restore the contents of data
that was stored in the unit's memory, or once it has been lost.
Roland Corporation assumes no liability concerning such loss of
data.

Additional precautions

• Use a reasonable amount of care when using the unit's buttons,
sliders, or other controls; and when using its jacks and connectors.
Rough handling can lead to malfunctions.

• Never strike or apply strong pressure to the display.

•When connecting / disconnecting all cables, grasp the connector
itself—never pull on the cable. This way you will avoid causing
shorts, or damage to the cable's internal elements.

•A small amount of heat will radiate from the unit during normal
operation.

• To avoid disturbing your neighbors, try to keep the unit's volume
at reasonable levels. You may prefer to use headphones, so you do
not need to be concerned about those around you (especially
when it is late at night).

• Use only the specified expression pedal (EV-series; sold separately).
By connecting any other expression pedals, you risk causing mal­function and/or damage to the unit.

•When you need to transport the unit, package it in the box
(including padding) that it came in, if possible. Otherwise, you will
need to use equivalent packaging materials.

Precautions for the included battery

• The temperature range for use of the battery pack is as follows.
Using them outside this range may impair battery performance
and shorten battery service life.

age

: –20~30°C,

• Do not use or store a battery pack at high temperature, such as in
strong direct sunlight, in cars during hot weather or directly in
front of heaters. This may cause battery fluid leakage, impaired
performance and shorten the battery’s service life.

• Do not charge a battery pack while it is cold (below 0°C) or outside
when it is freezing. This may cause battery fluid leakage, impaired
performance and shorten the battery’s service life.

• Do not splash fresh or saltwater on a battery pack or allow the ter­minals to become damp. This may cause heat generation and for­mation of rust on the battery pack and its terminals.

Charging

Use (discharging)

: 0~40°C.

: 0~50°C,

Stor-

6

V-Accordion

Important notes

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• Use only the supplied FBC-7 to charge the FR-7x’s battery pack.
Failure to follow proper charging procedures may cause excessive
current flow, loss of control during charging, leakage of battery
fluid, heat generation, bursting or fire.

• For the procedure for charging the FR-7x’s battery pack, please
read page 59.

• Do not connect the battery pack directly to a power outlet or
insert it into a cigarette lighter socket in a car. High voltage may
cause excessive current flow, leakage of battery fluid, heat, burst­ing or fire.

• If a newly purchased battery pack exhibits rust, generates heat or
seems abnormal in any other way, do not use it. Take it back to
your Roland dealer.

• The battery pack is supplied with residual charge only, so be sure
to fully charge the battery pack with the supplied FBC-7 before
using the FR-7x.

• Keep the battery pack out of reach of babies or small children.
Ensure that babies or small children cannot remove a battery pack
from the FBC-7 while it is being charged.

• Be sure to carefully instruct any person on the proper way of han­dling a battery pack.

• Never dispose of the battery pack in a fire. Never heat it. Doing so
may melt the insulation, damage the gas release vents or protec­tive devices, cause combustion through chemical reaction with
generated hydrogen, ejection of battery fluid, bursting or fire.

• Do not remove the outer tube from a battery pack or damage it.

• Do no strike or drop the battery pack. Strong impact can cause
leakage of battery fluid, heat generation, bursting or fire.

• Do not alter or remove protective mechanisms or other parts.
Never disassemble the battery pack.

• The positive (+) terminal section of the battery is equipped with a
gas release vent. Never deform this section or cover it. Do not
obstruct the release of gas as this could result in leakage of battery
fluid, heat generation, bursting or fire.

• Do not overcharge the battery pack by exceeding the predeter­mined charging period of the FBC-7 or indicator. Never recharge a
battery pack that is already fully charged. This could result in leak­age of battery fluid, heat generation, bursting or fire.

• If the battery pack is not fully charged after the predetermined
charging period has elapsed, stop the charging process. Prolonged
charging could result in leakage of battery fluid, heat generation,
bursting or fire.

• If any fluid from a battery pack comes in contact with the eyes,
flush the eyes immediately, washing them thoroughly with clean
water from a tap or other source and consult a doctor. Strong
alkaline fluid can damage the eyes and lead to permanent loss of
eyesight.

• If skin or clothing comes in contact with any fluid from the battery
pack, wash the area immediately with clean water from a tap. Bat­tery fluid can cause skin damage.

•When a battery pack is no longer usable, dispose of it in accor­dance with all applicable local laws and regulations.

• If the battery pack leaks fluid, changes color or shape or changes
in any other way, do not use it, otherwise it may cause heat gener­ation, bursting or fire.

Storage devices that can be connected to the
FR-7x’s USB port

• The FR-7x allows you to connect commercially available storage
devices, like USB Flash memory, and hard disks. You can purchase
such devices at a computer store, a digital camera dealer, etc.

• Use USB memory sold by Roland. We cannot guarantee operation
if any other USB memory is used.

Before using external USB storage devices

•When connecting a USB storage device, firmly insert it all the way
into the FR-7x’s USB port.

• Do not touch the pins of the FR-7x’s USB port or allow them to
become dirty.

•While using an external storage device, please observe the follow­ing points when handling it:

• To prevent damage from static electrical charges, discharge any

static electricity that might be present in your body before han­dling a USB storage device.

• Do not touch the terminals with your fingers or any metal

object.

• Do not bend or drop a USB storage device, or subject it to

strong impact.

• Do not leave a USB storage device in direct sunlight or in loca-

tions such as a closed-up automobile.

• Do not allow a USB storage device to become wet.

• Do not disassemble or modify your external USB storage device.

•When connecting a USB storage device, position it horizontally
with the FR-7x’s USB port and insert it without using excessive
force. The USB port may be damaged if you use excessive force
when inserting a USB storage device.

• Do not insert anything other than a USB storage device (e.g., wire,
coins, other types of device) into the USB port. Doing so will dam­age the FR-7x’s USB port.

• Do not apply excessive force to the connected USB storage device
or the FR-7x’s USB port.

• Never connect your USB storage device to the FR-7x via a USB
hub.

Liability and copyright

• The law prohibits the unauthorized recording, public performance,
broadcast, sale, distribution, etc., of a work (musical works, visual
works, broadcasts, live performances, etc.) whose copyright is
owned by a third party. Roland assumes no responsibility for any
infringement of copyright that you may commit using the FR-7x.

• The FR-7x’s audio player is designed to allow you to reproduce
material to which you have copyright, or material which the copy­right owner has granted you permission. Accordingly, the repro­duction of music or other copyrighted material without permis­sion of the copyright owner avoiding technical prohibiting fea­tures of second-generation and later copying, like SCMS or other
solutions, constitutes copyright infringement and may incur pen­alties even in case such reproduction is for your own personal use
and enjoyment (private use).
Consult a copyright specialist or specialized publications for more
detailed information on obtaining such permission from the copy­right holders.

7

FR-7x

V-Accordion

Important notes

About audio files

• Audio files in the following formats can be played back:

•WAV format

• 16-bit linear

• Sampling rate of 44.1kHz

• Stereo/mono

•mp3 files:

•MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3

• Sampling frequency: 44.1kHz

•Bit rate: 32/40/48/56/64/80/96/112/128/160/192/224/256/
320kbps, VBR (variable bit rate)

Copyrights

•MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology is licensed from
Fraunhofer IIS Corporation and THOMSON Multimedia Corpora­tion.

• Copyright ©2003 by Bitstream, Inc. All rights reserved. Bitstream
Vera is a trademark of Bitstream, Inc.

•All product names mentioned in this document are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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8

Contents

1. Important notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2. Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3. Panel descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Treble control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Bass control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Display and master bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Battery compartment and USB port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connection panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connection panel of the FBC-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

4. Before you start using the FR-7x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Installing the battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Connecting the FR-7x to the supplied FBC-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Other connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Switching the power on and off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Listening through headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

5. Listening to the demo songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

6. Basic operation of the FR-7x. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The sections of your FR-7x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Practical information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

About the main page. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

7. Using Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

8. Touring the FR-7x’s accordion sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Treble section (right hand) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Bass and chord section (left hand) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Using the FR-7x’s digital effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Playing in Free Bass mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Playing the bass part with your right hand (Bass-to-Treble) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

9. Playing the FR-7x’s orchestral sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Orchestral sounds for the treble section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Orchestral sounds for the bass section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Orchestral sounds for the chord section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Orchestral sounds for the Free Bass section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

10.Other practical functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

General remark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Transpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Musette Detune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Scale (Tuning) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Noise Edit (Valve & Button) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

11.Using the audio player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Connecting an optional USB memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Playing back audio files. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Playlist function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Saving your playlist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Using playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Editing playlists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Managing playlists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

12.Recording your performance as audio data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Recording. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Saving your recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

13.Managing audio files on a USB memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

V-Accordion

r

9

FR-7x

V-Accordion

Contents

|

14.Assigning orchestral to the registers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Assigning orchestral sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Saving your settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

About organ sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Editing the selected organ sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

15.About the FBC-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Using the FBC-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Charging the battery pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

If the battery pack fails to last 8 hours (or slightly less) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

16.Editing sounds (Advanced section) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Selecting parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Setting parameter values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Important remark about saving your settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

1. Tuning parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

2. Treble Edit parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

3. Bass Edit parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

4. Free Bass Edit parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

5. Orch.Bass Edit parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

6. Orchestra Edit parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

7. Orch. Chord Edit parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

8. Orch.FBass Edit parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

9. Set Common parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

10. System parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

11. Utility parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97

17.Saving settings using the WRITE function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103

Saving your changes (automatic approach) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Saving your changes (manual approach). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Ignoring certain settings for the WRITE operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Saving all Sets or just a single Set. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

Saving all registers or just a single register . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

Saving just a specific parameter group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

18.MIDI functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

About MIDI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Global MIDI parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

MIDI parameters for the various sections/parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

19.Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116

20.Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

21.Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

Parameter list . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

Factory Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

Demo Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

Orchestral sounds and bellows/velocity control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128

Drum & percussion sounds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

22.MIDI implementation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130

MIDI Implementation Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

23.Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

24.Index. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

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10

2. Features

V-Accordion

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Features

Battery-powered instrument with built-in
speakers

Though the FR-7x is a fully electronic instrument, you
do not need to connect it to an amplifier in order to
produce sounds. Its onboard amplification system is
powerful enough for small venues, restaurants, etc.

Furthermore, the FR-7x comes with a rechargeable
battery pack (Ni-Mh) so that you do not need to con­nect it to a wall outlet.

PBM (Physical Behavior Modeling)

The FR-7x V-Accordion is based on Roland’s sound
generation technology called “PBM” (Physical Behav­ior Modeling) whose sonic result is very close to the
sound of traditional accordions.

Super realistic sounds

All sounds the FR-7x produces were obtained by
sampling the most popular traditional acoustic
accordions, allowing you to switch from an Italian
jazz accordion to German folk, French musette or a
historic bandoneon sound – without changing your
technique. Different tuning systems are also avail­able.

The FR-7x is also equipped with orchestral sounds
that can be used in combination with traditional
accordion sounds – complete with full bellows artic­ulation and unique keyboard modes (Solo, Dual, High
and Low as well as “M” variants of these modes). The
orchestral sounds can be freely assigned to the
desired register for optimum flexibility. You can also
assign other orchestral sounds to the registers.

Tonewheel organ sounds

Thanks to its tonewheel organ sound engine, the
FR-7x allows you to play amazing organ sounds like
an organ player by using the treble (TW Upper), chord
(TW Lower) and bass (TW Pedal) sections.

Drum sounds

You can also use the FR-7x to play simply drum parts
with you left hand by assigning drums and percus­sion sounds to the bass and chord buttons.

Audio player and recorder on a connected USB
storage device

The FR-7x provides an audio player function that can
play back mp3 and WAV files on a connected USB
storage device. You can also record your perfor­mances as WAV files.

Intuitive user interface

The FR-7x comes with an organic LED display for
instant and clear visual feedback thanks to a new
graphic interface.

The digital advantage

The V-Accordion includes all functions and sounds of
a traditional accordion, thus conveying a really natu­ral feel and sound. Yet it also provides the advan­tages only an electronic musical instrument can give
you:

• reduced overall weight;

• possibility to choose among a wide variety of sounds;

• you can create and customize the accordion timbres
(program your own sounds);

• you can choose among various bass button operation
modes (Minor 3rd Free Bass, 5th, Bayan, North
Europe, Finnish);

•tuning stability over time and wear resistance of all
mechanical parts;

• you can sound in a different key than the one you are
playing in (transpose function);

• you can play with headphones, i.e. without disturbing
your neighbors or family.

Superb performance flexibility

The V-Accordion allows you to control external MIDI­compatible instruments. The treble keyboard and
chord/bass buttons are velocity-sensitive, while the
bellows controller provides more articulation possi­bilities than any other MIDI keyboard, MIDI wind
instrument, etc., you may know.

Sound expansion

The FR-7x provides two internal memories that allow
you to add new sounds.

Sophisticated bellows response

Faster response and higher sensitivity and precision
plus detection of bellows opening/closing with new
bellows pressure sensing circuitry.

A bellows resistance regulator knob allows you to
adjust the bellows’ inertia to your preference.

11

A

C

E

F

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Panel descriptions

3. Panel descriptions

Treble control panel

B

D

B

I

J

K

L

G

A

DATA/ENTER knob

This knob allows you to scroll through and select
menu pages, and to modify parameter values. It also
allows you to start/stop an external MIDI device (see
p. 93).

B

UP/DOWN buttons

On the main page, [UP] and [DOWN] allow you to
select 9 important functions.

When the menu is displayed, [UP] and [DOWN] are
used to scroll menu pages.

C

EXIT/JUMP button

The [EXIT÷JUMP] button allows you to return to the
main page. After selecting a menu function, briefly
pressing [EXIT÷JUMP] takes you back to a higher level.
Press it again to return to the main page.

By holding down [EXIT÷JUMP] while the main page is
displayed, you activate the JUMP function (see p. 62).

D

MENU/WRITE button

This button allows you to select the FR-7x’s MENU
environment where you can set and view all available
functions. By holding down [MENU÷WRITE], you acti-
vate the WRITE function, which allows you to save
your settings.

E

VOLUME knob

This knob allows you to set the V-Accordion’s overall
volume.

F

BALANCE knob

This knob allows you to set the balance between the
Bass and the Treble sections. Turn it towards “BASS”
to decrease the Treble section’s volume. Turn it
towards “TREBLE” to decrease the Bass section’s vol­ume.

G

SET buttons

These two buttons allow you to choose among 80
accordion Sets. Each Set contains suitable settings
for all sections (accordion, orchestral/tonewheel
organ, drums).

r

H

H

Treble/Orchestra registers

The Treble section contains 14 registers (switches) +
ORCHESTRA selector that allow you to select the
desired sound.

Note: In ORCHESTRA mode registers [1]~[13] provide access
to two sounds (A/B). To select a “B” sound, press the corre­sponding register twice.

Note: By pressing and holding any register, you can switch
off the Treble section. Press another register to switch it
back on.

I

POWER button

Press this button to switch the V-Accordion on (the
button lights) and off (button dark).

Note: The FR-7x is automatically switched off after 10 min­utes of inaction to save battery power. This can be changed,
however (see p. 92). Be aware that any unsaved changes are
lost when the FR-7x is switched off by that function.

J

SORDINA switch

This ON/OFF switch allows you to switch the simula­tion of the wooden resonance chamber on and off.

K

DELAY knob

The FR-7x contains three digital effects that can be
used simultaneously. This knob is used to set the level
of the delay (echo) effect (see p. 85).

L

CHORUS knob

Use this knob to set the level of the chorus effect (see
p. 83).

M

REVERB knob

Use this knob to set the level of the reverb effect (see
p. 82).

M

12

Bass control panel

Q

R

Q

Master bar

In most cases, this bar (which you can
press) recalls a treble register you specify. In
Dual, High or Low mode, however, it allows
you to switch the Orchestra section on and
off.

On the button-type model, the Master bar
can also be used for Aftertouch messages.

R

Display

This organic LED display shows information
related to your operation.

N

Bass registers

These switches allow you to select the desired bass
mix.

Note: By pressing and holding any register, you can switch
off the Bass (or Free Bass) section. Press another register to
switch it back on.

N

V-Accordion

Treble control panel

PO

O

Bass and chord buttons

These 120 buttons are used to play bass notes and
chords They are velocity-sensitive). They also allow
you to play drum sounds.

P

Bellows resistance and air button

This wheel allows you to specify the bellows’ inertia
(the force needed to push and pull it). See page 21.
By pressing it you can purge the air that still remains
in the bellows after playing.

r

Display and master bar

13

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Treble control panel

Battery compartment and USB port

S T

S

Battery compartment

This is where you install the supplied bat­tery pack (see p. 16).

T

USB port cover

The FR-7x’s USB port allows you to connect
a USB storage device. It can be used to
record your playing, to play back audio files
(MP3 and WAV) and to save and load set­tings.

Note: Use USB memory sold by Roland. We can­not guarantee operation if any other USB mem­ory is used.

Connection panel

U

U

TO FBC-7 socket

Use the supplied cable to connect this socket to the
supplied FBC-7 power supply/footswitch unit/battery
charger.

V

OUTPUT L/MONO (TREBLE) & R/MONO (BASS) sockets

These sockets can be connected to an amplifier, a
mixing console or a wireless system.

If you use both connectors, the FR-7x’s output is ste­reo. If you only use one jack (connected to the “L” or
“R” socket), the FR-7x’s output is mono.

Connection panel of the FBC-7

AB CDEF

A

POWER ON switch

Press it to switch the FBC-7 on and off.

Note: This switch only switches on the FBC-7. To switch on
the FR-7x, use its [POWER] button.

W

V

Note: If you don’t plan to use a commercially available
wireless system, consider connecting the FR-7x to the
FBC-7 when you need to connect it to an external ampli­fier.
Note: Connecting jacks to these sockets does not mute the
internal speakers.

W

PHONES socket

This is where you can connect optional stereo head­phones (Roland RH-series). Connecting a pair of
headphones mutes the internal speakers.

B

AC connector

This is where you need to connect the supplied power
cable. See also page 18.

C

MIDI THRU/OUT/IN sockets

Use these sockets to connect the FR-7x to external
MIDI gear (see p. 107).

D

OUTPUT R/MONO & L/MONO sockets

Connect these sockets to an external amplifier or
mixing console. For stereo operation, be sure to con­nect both jacks.

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14

E

EXPRESSION PEDAL socket

This is where you can connect an optional EV-series
expression pedal (see p. 58).

F

TO V-ACCORDION socket

Use the supplied 19-pin cable to connect this socket
to your FR-7x.

Note: See also “Using the FBC-7” on p. 58 for additional
functions of the FBC-7.

V-Accordion

Treble control panel

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15

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Before you start using the FR-7x

4. Before you start using the FR-7x

(9) Close the FR-7x’s battery compartment and re-

Installing the battery pack

The FR-7x comes with a rechargeable battery pack that
is needs to be installed when you first unpack the FR-7x.
You can also decide to use the FBC-7 instead (see “Con­necting the FR-7x to the supplied FBC-7”).

(1) Set the FR-7x upright as shown in the illustration

below.
(2) Prepare a coin.
(3) Remove the cushion located between the Treble

keyboard and the bellows.

(4) Use the coin to loosen the two screws of the bat-

tery pack compartment cover.

Connecting the FR-7x to the
supplied FBC-7

Your FR-7x comes with an FBC-7 footswitch unit that
doubles as power supply for your V-Accordion and also
allows you to recharge a battery pack.
If the rechargeable battery pack is installed, you can
also play your instrument without connecting it to the
FBC-7.

Note: See “About the FBC-7” on p. 58 for details about using
the FBC-7.

(1) Connect the supplied 19-pin cable to the FR-7x.

install the cushion.

Note: Be sure to tighten the two screws all the way to
establish firm contact between the compartment cover and
the instrument. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use your
FR-7x.

Turn the ring to lock the jack

and secure the connection

(5) Remove the cover from the FR-7x’s battery pack

compartment.

Note: While the compartment cover is open, the FR-7x

cannot be switched on.

(6) Pull out the battery connection cable on the right

side.
(7) Connect the FR-7x’s cable to the battery pack and

insert the battery pack into the FR-7x’s compart-

ment.

Holes Protrusions

The 19-pin cable can only be connected in one way,
so you can’t go wrong. Just be sure to align the pro­trusions on the jack with the corresponding holes on
the FR-7x’s socket.

(2) Connect the other end of the 19-in cable to the

FBC-7.

Connecting the FBC-7 to a wall outlet

This is only necessary if you connected the FR-7x to the
FBC-7.

Note: To prevent malfunction and/or damage to speakers or
other devices, always turn down the volume, and turn off the
power on all devices before making any connections.

(1) Connect the FBC-7’s AC INLET socket to a wall out-

let.

To a wall outlet

(8) Arrange the strip on the battery pack in such a way

that it will not prevent you from installing the bat-

tery pack compartment cover.

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16

V-Accordion

Other connections

The FR-7x can be used without any connections to either an amplification system or the FBC-7 power supply/battery
charger unit.

Connecting the FR-7x to an amplification system

If you are using the supplied
rechargeable battery pack and need
to connect the FR-7x to a PA sys­tem or mixer, we recommend using
a commercially available wireless
system to avoid using excessively
long signal cables.
The FR-7x is equipped with an
internal speaker system and there­fore does not need to be connected
to an amplifier at all.

You can also use a pair of head­phones (Roland RH-series). See “Lis­tening through headphones” on
p. 19.

OUTPUT
L/MONO (Treble) + R/MONO (Bass)

INPUT

L + R

r

Other connections

Use either a long signal cable (10m or more) or an optional wireless system (recommended).

The FR-7x’s sounds have been arranged in such a way as to provide a natural stereo image. If you connect the V-Accordion to a mix­ing console, set the PAN control of the input to which the OUTPUT L socket (treble section) is connected to “11 o’clock”. Set the PAN
control of the channel to which the OUTPUT R socket (bass & chord section) is connected to “3 o’clock” to preserve this balance. Some-

thing like this: . This setting can be changed, however (see p. 90).

Note: The FR-7x’s OUTPUT sockets are also available if you connect the FR-7x to the FBC-7. Never connect them to any of the FBC-7’s
sockets.

Note: If you use a commercially available wireless transmitter, the FR-7x’s output signals may distort. In that case, change the FR-7x’s
output level (see p. 92).

T

B/C

Connecting the FR-7x to the supplied FBC-7 and an amplification system

If you prefer not to use the supplied battery
pack, you need to connect the V-Accordion to
the FBC-7 using the supplied cable. That cable
powers the FR-7x, transmits pedal messages
and sends the FR-7x’s audio signals to the
OUTPUT L/MONO & R sockets on the FBC-7.

While using the FBC-7, there is no real need to
connect the OUTPUT sockets on the FR-7x to
an external amplifier. Connect the FR-7x as
shown in the illustration. See also “Connecting
the FR-7x to the supplied FBC-7” on p. 16.

Note: This connection is required if you wish to
take advantage of the FR-7x’s MIDI functions (see
p. 107).

INPUT

L + R

To a suitable

wall outlet

Use the supplied 19-pin
cable.

Note: Do not forget to connect
the FBC-7’s AC socket to a suitable
wall outlet.

OUTPUT

L/MONO + R/MONO

17

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Switching the power on and off

Switching the power on and off

The power-on procedure depends on whether you are
using a battery pack or the FBC-7 Foot Pedal/DC Power/
Battery Charger Unit.

■ Important notes

• Before connecting the FR-7x to an amplification sys­tem, be sure to switch off both the FR-7x and the
external device.

• Connect the FR-7x’s OUTPUT sockets to the line
input(s) of your amplifier or mixer.

•After establishing the connections, first switch on the
FR-7x, then the amplifier or mixer.

If you are using the battery pack (without the
FBC-7)

Note: Only use the battery pack that either came with your

FR-7x or that you purchased from your Roland dealer. Using
other batteries can severely damage the FR-7x or FBC-7.
Roland assumes no responsibility for damages caused by bat­teries that have not been explicitly approved. Such damages
are not covered by Roland’s warranty regulations.

Note: When operating on battery power the main page dis­plays a battery icon that informs you about the remaining
power (three bars means the battery pack is fully charged). The
message “LOW BATTERY. PLEASE RECHARGE!” will be displayed
when battery power gets too low. Replace or recharge the bat­tery pack as soon as possible (see p. 59).

■ Turning the power on

(1) Turn the [VOLUME] knob all the way to the left to

minimize the volume.

(2) Press the FR-7’s [POWER] button to switch it on (it

lights).

If the FR-7x is connected to the FBC-7

Once the connections have been completed, turn on the
power to your various devices in the order specified. By
turning on devices in the wrong order, you risk causing
malfunction and/or damage to speakers and other
devices.

■ Turning the power on

(1) Connect the FR-7x to the FBC-7 using the supplied

19-pin cable (see p. 16). Also connect the FBC-7 to
a wall outlet.

(2) Press the FBC-7’s [POWER¥ON] button to switch it

on.

The POWER ON indicator on the FBC-7’s top panel
lights red.

(3) Turn the FR-7x’s [VOLUME] knob all the way to the

left to minimize the volume.

(4) Press the FR-7x’s [POWER] button (it lights) to

switch it on.

(3) Adjust the volume to an appropriate level.

■ Turning the power off

(1) Turn the [VOLUME] knob all the way to the left to

minimize the volume.

(2) Press the [POWER] button again so that it goes

dark.

Note: Expected battery life under continuous use: Ni-MH:
8 hours. This figure will vary depending on the actual con­ditions of use.

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18

The icon in the display means that the FR-7x is
powered by the FBC-7.

(5) If connected, switch on your amplification system.
(6) Adjust the volume to an appropriate level.

Note: This unit is equipped with a protection circuit. A
brief interval (a few seconds) after power up is required
before the unit will operate normally.

V-Accordion

Turning the power off

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Turning the power off

(1) Turn the FR-7x’s [VOLUME] knob all the way to the

left to minimize the volume.

(2) If connected, switch off your external amplifica-

tion system.

(3) Press the FR-7x’s [POWER] button to switch it off

(it goes dark).

The display and the [POWER] button will go dark and
the power will turn off.

(4) Press the FBC-7’s [POWER¥ON] button to switch it

off.

Note: If you need to turn off the power completely, first
turn off the [POWER¥ON] button, then unplug the power
cord from the power outlet.

Listening through headphones

You can use headphones to enjoy the FR-7x without
disturbing those around you, such as at night.

(1) Plug the optional headphones into the PHONES

socket located on the FR-7x’s connection panel.

Note: The FR-7x’s speakers are switched off when you con­nect headphones.

(2) Use the FR-7x’s [VOLUME] knob to adjust the head-

phone volume.

■ Cautions when using headphones

•To prevent damage to the cord’s internal conductors,
avoid rough handling. When using headphones,
mainly try to handle either the plug or the headset.

• Your headphones may be damaged if the volume of a
device is already turned up when you plug them in.
Minimize the volume before you plug in the head­phones.

•Excessive input will not only damage your hearing,
but may also strain the headphones. Please enjoy
music at an appropriate volume.

19

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Listening to the demo songs

5. Listening to the demo songs

The FR-7x contains indeed several of demo songs that illustrate its wide variety of sounds and applications. Here is how
to listen to the demo songs:

(1) Switch on the FR-7x.

See “Switching the power on and off” on page 18.
The display now looks more or less as follows:

Let us agree to call this page the “main page”.

(2) Simultaneously press and hold the SET [√][®] but-

tons to jump to the following display page:

(3) Use the SET [√][®] buttons to select another demo

song.

(4) Use the [VOLUME] knob to change the volume if it

is too loud or too soft.

(5) Press [EXIT÷JUMP] (or again SET [√] and [®] simulta-

neously) to leave demo mode.

Note: All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this material
for purposes other than private, personal enjoyment is a
violation of applicable laws.
Note: No data for the music that is played will be output
from MIDI OUT.

Playback starts automatically with the first demo
song (there are 35 demo songs in all). See the table
on page 126.

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20

V-Accordion

Basic operation of the FR-7x

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6. Basic operation of the FR-7x

Let us first take a look at how the FR-7x is organized and how it is operated. The FR-7x is far more powerful than even the
finest accordion collection, yet the Roland engineers have done their utmost to allow even casual musicians to take
advantage of its power.

•In accordion mode, it recalls a treble register of your

The sections of your FR-7x

Let’s briefly look at the various “sections” of your instru­ment, as that will help you understand how your
V-Accordion works.

Bellows

Master bar

Bass section

Treble section

choice (see “9.8 Master Bar Recall” on p. 86).

•In orchestra mode, it switches the ORCHESTRA part
on and off.

Only for the button-type model:
The FR-7x’s Master bar has two functions:

•Pressing it gently allows you to set aftertouch values
(on the piano-type model, aftertouch is generated by
the keyboard).

•Press it more forcefully (at the end of the stroke) to
use it in the same way as on the piano-type model
(see above).

Registers of the bass, chord and orches­tral bass/chord sections

■ Treble section (right-hand manual)

This section is normally used for playing the melody.
There are two keyboard types: a piano keyboard and a
button type.

The FR-7x’s treble section is velocity sensitive and
also provides aftertouch.

Note: On the button-type model, aftertouch messages are
generated with the Master bar.

■ Bass section

This section is normally used to play the accompani­ment. It always uses buttons. There are two general
categories: one is called “Stradella”, and the other
“Free Bass”. The FR-7x allows you to use either type.

The “Stradella” system, also called the “standard bass
system” uses the first 2 (or 3) button rows to play
bass notes. The remaining button rows are used to
play chords.

If you select the “Free Bass” system, all buttons are
used to play chords.

The FR-7x’s bass section is velocity sensitive.

■ Bellows

The bellows is an important part of the accordion.
The movement of the bellows indeed lends expres­sion and dynamics to the sound. Several techniques
are available, one of which is called “bellows shake”
(rapid opening and closing movements).

The bellows’ inertia can be set with the resistance
regulation and air button.

Practical information

Bellows resistance regulator

Your FR-7x is equipped with a bellows resistance regula­tor and air button that allows you to specify the bellows’
inertia (the force needed to push and pull it).

Bellows resistance regulator. Press
and turn to select the bellows’
resistance.

Located next to one of the bellows clips and mounted
onto the air button (which allows you to release remain­ing air from the bellows without producing sound). Each
position corresponds to a lighter (turn towards “MAX”)
or stronger (turn towards “MIN”) inertia. Press the wheel
and rotate it to choose the setting that feels most com­fortable for you.

The air button allows you to purge the remaining air
from the bellows after closing it (pressing it in).

Air button. Press to purge
remaining air after playing.

■ Master bar

On a traditional accordion, the Master bar recalls the
“Master” register. The FR-7x allows you to use the
Master bar more flexibly:

21

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

About the main page

Bass strap

The FR-7x’s bass strap,
which is used to move the
bellows in and out, is made
of leather. Its slack can be
adjusted according to your
preference by rotating the
adjuster (see the illustra­tion). Turn it to one side to
tighten the bass strap, and
to the other to loosen it.

Adjuster

Bass strap

About the main page

With the exception of the display and the additional
buttons and knobs, the FR-7x looks and feels like a con­ventional accordion. The display contains important
clues about the settings that are currently in effect.

What’s shown in the display depends on the function
you select. When you switch on the FR-7x, or if you
press the [EXIT÷JUMP] button several times, the main
page appears.

In some cases, it may also reappear automatically after
changing a parameter. The main page must be displayed
whenever you wish to play the FR-7x without changing
any of its “internal” settings.

A typical main page display looks like this:

A B

D

E

F

C

H

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G

The exact contents of the display depend on the Set that
is currently selected and on how the various sections
and performance functions are set. The A~H fields,
however, are always there:

A

Orchestra mode

B

Name and number of the currently selected Set

C

Battery level/power source indicator

Shows whether the FR-7x is working on the battery
pack or connected to the FBC-7. If you are working
with the battery pack, this field also indicates the
remaining battery power.

D

Selected Orchestra register

A bold line below the Orchestra register number
means that a sound of group “B” is selected (see
“Orchestral sounds for the treble section” on p. 29).

E

Selected Treble register

F

Bass, Free Bass, Orchestra Bass, Orchestra Chord,
Orchestra Free Bass register

Only one of the two available Bass sections (Free Bass
or Bass) can be active at any one time.

G

Link symbols

These symbols mean that the Orchestra (upper entry)
and Bass registers change whenever you select a dif­ferent Treble register (page 68). The Bass Link func­tion also applies to the Orchestra Chord section (or
the Orchestra Free Bass section).

H

Part Select indicator

This indications tells you whether the Treble keyboard
plays the accordion or orchestral sound.

Note: The information shown in the display may change
when you rotate a knob or press a button. In such cases,
however, the main page reappears after a few seconds.

22

V-Accordion

r

Using Sets

7. Using Sets

The FR-7x is a “virtual” accordion. It recreates the sounds of various accordion instruments and can even generate
orchestral sounds (like trumpet, flute, etc.), organ and drum sounds.

The sections discussed on page 21 contain several func­tions you can set. Let us agree to call those functions
“parameters”.

Each section has its own parameters. You can save your
settings and recall them whenever you need them.

The various sections are combined into “Sets”. That
way, you only need to select one memory (the Set) in
order to save and recall the settings of all sections.

Set 80

Set 3

COMMON

Reverb
Chorus

Delay
Name

Icon

Master Bar

Treble

1~14

Bass
1~7

Set 2

Set 1

Free Bass

1~7

Orch. Chord

1~7

Orch. Bass

1~7

Orchestral

1~26

There are about 40 Set memories that already contain
useful settings right out of the box. But you can replace
them with your own settings. (And if 80 Sets are not
enough, you can archive and load new sets using a USB
memory).

Sets are like the trunk of a car that contains several
accordion instruments (bandoneon, musette, etc.). The
instruments themselves can be recalled via the registers.

There are 14 Treble registers, 7 Bass, Free Bass, Orchestra
Chord, Orchestra Free Bass, and Orchestra Bass registers,
and 26 Orchestra registers per Set. they allow you to
change the footage combinations.

At the factory, the FR-7x’s Sets are programmed to
allow you to decide whether you want to recall orches­tral sounds, virtual organ sounds and/or drum sounds.

Unlike its predecessor (the FR-7), the FR-7x allows you
to assign any of the 49 orchestral sounds to whichever
register you like (see p. 51).

(1) Use the SET [√][®] buttons on the FR-7x or the SET

([1], [2]) footswitches on the FBC-7 (if it is con­nected to the FR-7x) to select the desired Set.

To play orchestral sounds (violin, saxophone, trum­pet, etc.), select Set 30.

To play the FR-7x’s outstanding tonewheel organ
(TW) sounds, select Set 37.

To play a drum part simply by pressing the bass and
chord buttons in the bass section, select Set 36.

(2) Again press a SET [√][®] button to select other

sounds.

Direct Set selection

If you already know which Set you want to use, you can
also select it directly:

(1) While the main page is displayed, press and hold

the SET [√] or [®] button.

(2) Use the treble registers [1]~[10] to enter the num-

ber of the desired Set.

Let us now look at how to select Sets, thereby recalling
other accordion sounds, orchestral sounds (including
tonewheel organ sounds) and drum sounds.

The [10] register is used to enter the number “0”.
To select Set “1”, for instance, you need to press reg­ister [10], then register [1]. To select Set “37”, first
press register [3], then register [7].

Note: If you only press one register ([5], for example), the
FR-7x automatically selects that Set after ±2 seconds.

23

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Touring the FR-7x’s accordion sections

8. Touring the FR-7x’s accordion sections

Let us now have a look at how to play the FR-7x’s accordion sounds.

These indications refer to the octaves (vertical direc-

Treble section (right hand)

The Treble section can be played using the 41-key
“piano” keyboard (piano-type model) or the 92 treble
buttons (button-type model).

The sound it produces is determined by the register (1~

14) you pressed last. This section can be used to play
accordion sounds, orchestral sounds, or both.

tion, ) and the number of slightly detuned reeds
that are used (horizontal direction, ).

The detuned reeds are only available for the central 8’
footage.

Black dots mean that the Cassotto function (see
p. 66) is off, hollow dots mean that the Cassotto
function is on. Here is what the registers and display
indications mean (remember that the dots can either
be black or white):

8–' 4'

8' 16' 8+'

Treble registers

2

2 / '

1

5 / '

3

3

Piano-type Button-type

Note: By pressing and holding any register, you can switch off
the Treble section. (Even in that case, the Treble section con­tinues to send MIDI commands.) Press another register to
switch it back on.

(1) Connect the FR-7x (if necessary) and switch it on.

See pages 17 and 18.

(2) Press a treble register and start playing on the

“piano” keyboard or the treble buttons.

The FR-7x only produces sound if you move the bel­lows. When you don’t move the bellows, you hear
nothing at all (like on an acoustic accordion).

Note: When the FR-7x is controlled via MIDI, or when the
“10.2 Bellows Curves” parameter on p. 86 uses a “Fixed”
setting, there is no need to move the bellows.

(3) Press one of the 14 registers to change the sound.

The display briefly confirms your setting and indi­cates which footage you selected.

1 BASSOON 8 MASTER

2 BANDON 9 MUSETTE

3 CELLO 10 CELESTE

4 HARMON 11 TREMOLO

5 ORGAN 12 CLARINET

6 ACCORD 13 OBOE

7VIOLIN 14 PICCOLO

On the main page, the number of the selected regis­ter appears in the TREBLE field:

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24

V-Accordion

Using the Sordina

r

(4) If you think the sound is too loud or too soft,

change the setting of the [VOLUME] knob.

(5) If you still can’t hear the Treble notes, set the

[BALANCE] knob to the center position.

The FR-7x simulates this effect electronically.
When you switch on the Sordina, the display briefly

confirms your selection:

Note: The Sordina only applies to the Treble section.

Bass and chord section (left hand)

The bass notes and chords section can be played via the
“Stradella” buttons.

Bass buttons Chord buttons

This knob is used to set the balance between the Tre­ble and Bass registers. When it is turned all the way
to BASS, the Treble section is inaudible. When you
change the Balance setting, the display briefly con­firms your setting:

Using the Sordina

The [SORDINA] switch allows you to attenuate the
sound (make it softer). On an acoustic accordion, this
closes the wooden resonance chamber inside the
instrument.

The chords use the (sound) register selected for the Bass
section – hence the name of this section. The “real” bass
notes are assigned to the two circled rows. The remain­ing buttons are used to play chords.

The sound the bass section produces is determined by
the register you press. This section can be used as
“accordion”, to play orchestral sounds, or both.

(1) Connect the FR-7x (if necessary) and switch it on.

See pages 17 and 18.

(2) Grab the FR-7x, press a register and start playing

on the bass (button) keyboard.

The FR-7x only produces sound if you move the bel­lows.

Note: When the FR-7x is controlled via MIDI or if
“10.2 Bellows Curves” on p. 86 uses a “Fixed” setting, there
is no need to move the bellows.
Note: By pressing and holding any register, you can switch
off the bass section. (Even in that case, the bass section
continues to send MIDI commands.) Press another register
to switch it back on.

(3) Press another register to change the sound.

The display briefly confirms your setting and indi­cates which footage you selected:

2'
4'
8-4'
8'
16'

These indications refer to the octaves (vertical direc­tion) and the number of slightly detuned reeds that
are used (horizontal direction).

25

FR-7x V-Accordion

®

Using the FR-7x’s digital effects

On the main page, the number and name of the
selected register appears in the BASS field:

(4) If you think the sound is too loud or too soft, you

can change the setting of the [VOLUME] knob.

(5) If you still can’t hear the bass and chord notes you

are playing, change the [BALANCE] knob’s setting.

Using the FR-7x’s digital effects

While playing, you may have noticed that the accordion
sounds were enhanced by effects (probably reverb). The
effect settings are part of the parameters you can save
for each Set independently.

The FR-7x contains 3 digital effects that apply to all sec­tions:

DELAY

CHORUS

REVERB

This knob is used to set the balance between the Tre­ble and Bass registers. When it is turned all the way
to TREBLE, you won’t be able to hear the Bass section.

Note: You can also play an orchestral sound using the
chord buttons, while playing accordion with the bass but­tons, and vice versa.)
Note: The six buttons of the row closest to the FR-7x logo
can be used to set the desired functions (see p. 88).
Note: You can also assign drum sounds to the bass (and
chord) buttons and play them simultaneously with the
accordion sound (see p. 72).

Effect Explanation

Reverb This effect gives the impression that you are

playing in a concert hall, a church or a room. It
adds “depth” to the sound.

Chorus This effect gives the impression that several

instruments of the same type are playing at the
same time (it is similar to detuning several reeds
of a register).

Delay This effect creates echoes, i.e. repetitions. Short

intervals (called “slapback”) create an effect sim­ilar to reverb. Longer intervals, on the other
hand, create real echoes.

(1) Use the [DELAY], [CHORUS] or [REVERB] knob to

change the level of de corresponding effect.

Turn it counterclockwise (towards the small dot) if
you don’t need the effect in question.

Turn it clockwise (towards the big dot) to increase the
effect’s volume.

The display briefly shows the level you have set for
the effects processor.

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26

Note: The settings of these knobs apply to all sections.

After familiarizing yourself with the FR-7x’s parame­ters, you will realize that these knobs should usually
only be used as a last resort (i.e. on stage).

Note: You can program the effect level for each section
separately and save those settings to a Set. See pages 67,
73, 75, 77, 78, 80 and 81.

Note: In certain cases, changing the knob position of an
effect may not produce any audible result. This is due to
the Send Level settings of the sections (see page 67, for
example). The knobs described above affect the output
level of the effects processors.

V-Accordion

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Playing in Free Bass mode

Playing in Free Bass mode

The FR-7x provides a Free Bass mode, which is chiefly
used by professionals who prefer to play the left-hand
notes (Bass section) differently. In this mode, all bass
buttons play bass notes – no chords.

Bass buttons

Note: See page 90 for how to select the note system for Free
Bass mode. That setting is shared by all Sets.

(1) Simultaneously press the three registers labeled

“FREE BASS”.

Reference caps

The FR-7x is supplied with several reference caps (con­cave and with lines) designed to help you locate the bass
and chord buttons without looking at them. At the fac­tory, three caps are installed on the buttons shown in
black in the illustration below. Feel free to remove them
and to slide them over other buttons if that feels more
comfortable.

Ab3 Eb3 Bb3 F3 C3 G3 D3 A3 E3 B3 F#3 C#3 Ab3 Eb3 Bb3 F3 C3 G3 D3 A3

E3 B3 F#3 C#3 Ab3 Eb3 Bb3 F3 C3 G3 D3 A3 E3 B3 F#3 C#3 Ab3 Eb3 Bb3 F3

EM BM F#M C#M AbM EbM BbM FM CM GM DM AM EM BM F#M C#M AbM EbM BbM FM

Em Bm F#m C#m Abm Ebm Bbm Fm Cm Gm Dm Am Em Bm F#m C#m Abm Ebm Bbm Fm

E7 B7 F#7 C#7 Ab7 Eb7 Bb7 F7 C7 G7 D7 A7 E7 B7 F#7 C#7 Ab7 Eb7 Bb7 F7

Bdim F#dim C#dim Abdim Ebdim Bbdim Fdim Cdim Gdim Ddim Adim Edim Bdim F#dim C#dim Abdim Abdim Bbdim Fdim

Edim

Chord buttons*

(*) This can be changed to 3 bass and 3 chord rows. See “10.8 Bass&Chd
Mode” on p. 89.

Here is what the caps look like:

Slide up to remove

Reference cap

Bass
buttons

The display now briefly responds with (depending on
the Set you selected):

8' 8'

L H

16' 16'

“L” refers to the low range and “H” to the high range.
The exact ranges depend on the FREE BASS mode you
selected. See also the illustration on page 91 where
the high range is indicated by means of black but­tons, and the low range by means of white buttons.

Note: See page 90 for the assignment of the bass buttons
to the available Free Bass notes.

(2) Use the Bass registers to select another registration

(if necessary).

(3) Press the three FREE BASS registers again to return

to the normal Bass mode.

Slide over button

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FR-7x V-Accordion

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Playing the bass part with your right hand (Bass-to-Treble)

Playing the bass part with your
right hand (Bass-to-Treble)

The FR-7x provides a mode in which it can be used like a
bassoon accordion. In this mode, the bass part is played
with the right hand. The bass and chord buttons are
inactive (a real bassoon accordion doesn’t have bass/
chord buttons and can only be played with one hand).

(1) Switch on the FR-7x.

See “Switching the power on and off” on page 18.

(2) Press and hold the [ORCHESTRA] register and press

register [7] (“BS TO TREB”).

(3) Use the Treble registers [1]~[14] to select the

desired bass-to-treble sound.

There are seven accordion sounds and seven orches­tral sounds. The numbers in the table below refer to
the Treble registers you need to press.

Bass-to-Treble sounds

Accordion sounds Orchestral sounds
1 Low 8 Acous.Bs
2High 9 Bowed
3 Low+High 10 Finger Bs
4 Lw+HgLow 11 Fretless
5 LwLow+Hig 12 Picked Bs
6HighLw+Hg 13 Tuba
7 LowHigh 14 Tuba Mix

Note: Bass-to-Treble mode uses the FREE BASS (accordion
sounds) and ORCHESTRA BASS (orchestral sounds). The
orchestras sound assignments can be different for each
Set.

(4) Start playing the bass part with your right hand.
(5) Press [ORCHESTRA] + register [7] again to leave

Bass-to-Treble mode.

Note: The Bass-to-Treble mode status can be saved to the
current Set.

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V-Accordion

Playing the FR-7x’s orchestral sounds

9. Playing the FR-7x’s orchestral sounds

The FR-7x contains 49 orchestral sounds (of which 26 can be assigned to the registers), 32 tonewheel organ sounds for
the treble section, 32 tonewheel organ sounds for the chord section and 16 tonewheel organ sounds for the bass buttons.
In addition, you can play simple drum parts with your left hand.

Note: The sound name may be different on your instru-

Orchestral sounds for the treble section

The orchestral sounds of the Treble section can be
played in isolation or together with the selected accor­dion sound.

The FR-7x’s treble section allows you to select 26
orchestral or tonewheel organ sounds for each Set (13 +

13). The first 13 sounds can be recalled by first pressing
the [ORCHESTRA] register and then a register [1]~[13].
Let us agree to call this set “group A”.

The 13 sounds of the second (“group B”) can be selected
by pressing the treble register in question once again.

Note: Only one orchestral sound can be selected at any one
time.

(1) Press the [ORCHESTRA] register.

The display responds with:

ment.

The display briefly shows both the name of the sound
you selected and the number of the register you
pressed:

By default, the 26 available orchestral sounds and
associated registers are:

Orchestral Treble sounds

1A Trombone 1B Trumpet
2A Tenor Sax2 2B Alto Sax
3A Clarinet 3B Oboe
4A Harmonica 4B Mute Harm
5A Violin 5B Pizzicato
6A Flute 1 6B Pan Flute
7A HighLand*
8A TIPLJAZZ 8B BLUES
9A AMERICA 9B POPULAR
10A JazzScat1 10B Strings
11A Mandolin 11B Vibe
12A Ac. Guitar 12B Nylon & Steel
13A Ac. Piano 13B El. Piano

* See “About the ‘HighLand’ and ‘Zampogna’

sounds” on p. 30.

7B Zampogna*

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(2) Press one of the registers to select the desired

orchestral sound (see the table below) of the “A”
group.

Press the register again to select a sound of the “B”
group.

This activates the Orchestra part. The display
changes:

The arrow moves from the “TREBLE” to the “ORCH”
line. This means that the Treble registers can now be
used to select orchestral sounds.

Note: These assignments have been programmed at the
factory and can be changed (see p. 51), meaning that any
orchestral sound can be assigned to any register.

(3) Play a few notes on the treble keyboard.

You will hear the selected orchestral sound.

(4) Press the [ORCHESTRA] register again to return to

the treble section’s accordion sound.

The keyboard icon in the upper right corner (see
above) and the arrow return to the “TREBLE” field,
which means that the treble keyboard will now play
the selected accordion sound.

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FR-7x V-Accordion

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Orchestral sounds for the treble section

About the ‘HighLand’ and ‘Zampogna’ sounds

Your FR-7x contains two bagpipe-instrument sounds,
one called “HighLand”, the other called “Zampogna”.
The instruments on which those sounds are based
use one or several drone notes over which the mel­ody is played.

When you select one of these sounds, the lowest
octave on the Treble keyboard is assigned to the
drone notes.

Can be used to play the melody.

Sound the drone notes.

Here is how the drone function works:

• If you press a single gray key (see the illustration),
only that note is held. You can release the key imme­diately after playing the note – it will be held indefi­nitely.

• If you press two (or more) keys simultaneously, those
notes are held (the drone function is polyphonic).

•To switch off the currently sounding drone note(s),
either press another key in the gray area (switch to
another drone note) or press the key(s) of the sound­ing drone notes again to stop the drone.

Velocity and aftertouch

■ Velocity

The treble keyboard of the piano-type model is
velocity sensitive. The volume and timbre of the
notes played by the ORCHESTRA section depend on
how hard/fast you press the treble keys (for orches­tral sounds).

Note: The Treble accordion section does not respond to
velocity information generated by the keyboard. To vary its
volume and timbre, simply press/pull the bellows harder
and softer (like on a “real” accordion).

■ Pressure sensitivity (Aftertouch pitch)

The treble keyboard detects whether the musicians is
continuing to exert pressure after the initial strike of
a key.

On the button-type model, you can use the Master
bar to simulate an aftertouch effect: play a note, and
keep holding the corresponding button while you
gently press the Master bar.

For some orchestral sounds and the treble accordion
section, this effect allows you to bend the pitch down
(temporarily lower the note), see “2.11 Aftertouch
Pitch” on p. 67.

If you select an organ sound, aftertouch can be used
to switch between the fast and slow Rotary effect
speeds.

Note: This aftertouch effect applies to all notes that are
sounding simultaneously. (MIDI buffs call this “channel
aftertouch”.)

Selecting ORCHESTRA mode

The selected ORCHESTRA sound can be played in isola­tion or together with the treble accordion sound. There
are several combinations: SOLO, DUAL, HIGH and LOW.

(1) Press and hold the [ORCHESTRA] register and press

treble register [11], [12], [13] or [14] to select the
desired mode.

■ SOLO mode (register [14])

When you switch on the ORCHESTRA section (by
pressing the [ORCHESTRA] register and selecting a
sound), you only hear the orchestral instrument
sound. Press CANCEL [14] to return to the Treble
accordion sound.

■ DUAL mode (register [13])

The orchestral sound is added to the treble accordion.
Each note you play sounds an accordion and the
selected instrument playing in unison.

Just as a reminder: here, both the ORCH and TREBLE
fields contain a keyboard icon to indicate that they
sound simultaneously.

■ HIGH mode (register [12])

If you select this mode and play just one note, you
hear the orchestral sound. If you keep holding that
key or button while pressing another (lower) key or
button to its left, the highest note (the one you keep
holding) is played by the orchestral sound. Lower
notes, however, are played by the treble accordion
sound. This is perfect for situations where you need
to play chords and a solo line using different sounds.

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