Roland has announced a major system update for the FR-8x, the flagship of their V-Accordion lineup.
FR-8x Version 2.0 software adds new drum and orchestral parameters, increased control of audio files, extended looper functionality, updated Orchestra Chord voicing capabilities and more.
The V-Accordion line is an electronic instrument that brings combines features familiar to keyboardists, like MIDI support, synth capabilities, orchestral sound libraries and microtuning support, with traditional accordion control.
Here’s what’s new in FR-8x V-Accordion Version 2.0:
- New Drum Edit parameters added.
- The ability to save WAV/MP3 volume in a user program has been added.
- The ability to link a WAV/MP3 file to a user program has been added.
- WAV/MP3 volume level is now displayed on the main page.
- A new shortcut has been added from the main page to control WAV/MP3 level.
- The ability to save Scale Tuning in a user program has been added.
- Scale Tune On status is now displayed on the main page.
- Transpose On status is now displayed on the main page.
- New Sordina Switch parameter added.
- Sordina On status is displayed on the main page
- Zone, High, and Low switch parameters added.
- New Lowest Note values added in 8.2 Tone Control parameters.
- Transmission of MIDI sustain data can now be turned on or off.
- Poly/Mono and Portamento Time parameters added for Orchestra sounds.
- Minimum Bellows parameter added in Dynamic Bellows Behavior.
- A Copy Register feature has been added.
- Transpose Status is now saved with a user program.
- Voicing parameter added in Orchestra Chord sections.
- Recorded loops can now be saved for later use.
- Loop Level parameter added to control volume of loop playback.
- A saved loop can be linked to a user program.
- Added a parameter to assign the Effect knob to control cutoff and resonance.
The update will be available as a free download, starting Oct 31, 2014, via RolandUS.com.
Okay, I’m sure there are people in the Folk Music community who will love this. But for ‘fraks sake’ why not a proper analog synthesizer???? The System 1 is not going to let Roland keep up with the Arturias, the Korgs, Novations, and the DSIs of the synth community, let alone the Moogs. Do Roland get it???
“But for ‘fraks sake’ why not a proper analog synthesizer????”
Because this is more profitable and more in demand than a “proper analog synthesizer”.
Who cares if they ever make another analog synth? As you said yourself, there are plenty of alternatives these days. Even polysynths.
I predict a Volca Concertina from Korg at the Winter NAMM 2015.
I don’t understand why Roland can simultaneously do something as cool & niche like this, but can’t be bothered to make a real analog synth…
Make no mistake, to a real accordion player, this is the equivalent of the system 1.
It has some nice features, and some things that will make it very appealing to the majority of accordion players. But it doesn’t sound very real to me.
A real accordion doesn’t just change volume when it goes from soft to loud, the timbre and tuning changes as well. There are natural inconsistencies in unison width across the instrument that make it interesting and more clunky sounding. There are great button & wheezing sounds– without them, it seems like a synth with an accordion patch and a volume pedal.
In the hands of a great player, (like Guy Klucevsec or Dave Willey) the accordion is a really beautiful and expressive instrument that can take you to new places. It is well worth Roland’s resources to get this right. Not sure if they have a winner, though. They may have talked to lots of accordionists about what they wanted in an instrument. (The chin buttons are brilliant!) However, not all accordionists can describe in great technical detail the idiocincrasies of that sound in a way that a synth maker could translate.
first of all- who doesn’t love a good accordian tune??? perfect for an afternoon sitting in a cafe by the Sienne, or re-living early 50’s Bollywood numbers…
and as an analog lover, knob-per-function purist and hater of menu diving…Roland has hit it out of the park with its AIRA line. The TR8 and TB3 are excellent and the SH-2 plug out sounds fantastic.
The only gripe is the feel and the size of the SH1 keyboard/keybed.
wow!… this has brought out the red button pushers!
Maybe lots of closet accordian players here??
I feel like a schmuck, I bought the 7x and the next year the 8x came out I’ve been playing the accordion for 48 years and am bummed out and now cant get any money for the 7x to sell it and not take an absolute beating on it. I find the 7x hard to set the bass and chord settings I have looked on utube but cant seem to get the correct sounds. I played a Pan through a synth before that and it wasn’t too bad, wanted newer cleaner sounds.