Roland FR-5, FR-7 Other practical functions, General remark, Pitch-related functions, Transpose

V-Accordion r

Other practical functions

Other practical functions

Let us now have a look at the first “purely electronic” functions of your FR-7/FR-5.

Your FR-7/FR-5 is what we call a “virtual instrument”.	(1) While the Main page is displayed, press the [UP]
Though its physical appearance is similar to that of its	button once.
acoustic ancestor, it is based on an altogether different
concept (technology) – and it can do a lot more. In this
section, we will look at functions that may be new to
you but may come in handy once you know what they
do and how they work.

General remark

The functions discussed here can be selected via the front panel, because we figured that you might need them more often than the other parameters.

The changes you make here are not saved automati- cally. That’s because these shortcuts are mainly intended for temporary adjustments. If you want to keep them forever (or until you change them again), you must save them (see p. 92).

The functions discussed here can also be set using the FR-7/FR-5’s MENU.

Pitch-related functions

■Transpose

The FR-7/FR-5 contains a Transpose function that allows you to change the key of the music you are playing. The advantage of this system is that you can play a song in E major (for example), while using the fingering of the C major scale (for example). This may come in handy when you are used to playing a given song in one key and suddenly need to play it in a dif- ferent key.

Let’s look at an example:

This is what you play…

Transpose

…and this is how it sounds.

(2)Use the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select the key your music should sound in.

The note indication (“C#” in the example above) always refers to the C key, which may make it diffi- cult for you to transpose to F# (for example) while playing in Bb. We therefore recommend you use the value as your main guide, because it represents the interval. This can be calculated as follows:

•In what key do you want to play? (This is your “0” value.)

Example→ C major

•What key does the song use? Example→ E major

•How many semitones do you need to “shift” the notes?

Example→ [C#, D, Eb, E]= 4 up, so “4”.

(3)Press [EXIT÷JUMP] to return to the Main page.

■Musette Detune

This parameter already hints at the power of the FR-7/FR-5’s virtual technology… You probably know that an accordion’s 8’ Treble register may consist of 2 or even 3 reeds that are usually tuned apart to pro- vide a richer sound (accordionists call it the “musette effect”). One reed is tuned slightly above, the other slightly below the correct pitch, and the third (if available) is tuned “properly”.

Tuning reeds is a specialist job and usually not per- formed by accordion players themselves.

On the FR-7/FR-5, however, “tuning” the “reeds” (that do not really exist) is a matter of turning the

[DATA÷ENTER] knob.

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