Roland FR-7, FR-5 owner manual Scale Tuning, Noise Edit Valve & Button

FR-7/FR-5V-Accordion

Setting up Other practical functions

(1)While the Main page is displayed, press the [UP] button twice.

(2)Use the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select the a differ- ent tuning for the Treble reeds.

The possibilities are: Off (no detune), Dry, Classic, F- Folk, American L, American_H, North Eur, German L, D-Folk L, Italian L, German H, Alpine, Italian H, D-Folk H, French, Scottish.

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

■Scale (Tuning)

Almost each music culture has its own accordion variety. Arabic, Indonesian and other musical cultures do not use the equal temperament that is favored in Europe, the Americas, etc.

The FR-7/FR-5 also features a “Scale” parameter that allows you to select the tuning system that best fits the music you want to play. If the tuning system you need is not among the factory settings, you can pro- gram it yourself (see p. 41) and then select it here.

Note: See “1.1 Master Tune” on p. 41 for how to change the FR-7/FR-5’s reference pitch (i.e. “really” tune it).

(1)While the Main page is displayed, press the [UP] button three times.

r	(2) Use the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select the a differ-
	ent tuning system.
	The possibilities are:
	Equal (Off): This tuning divides each octave into 12
	equal steps (intervals).
	User 1~3: These settings refer to the tuning systems
	programmed by yourself (or someone else). See
	“1.4 Scale Edit” on p. 41 for details.

Arabic 1 & 2: As the name implies, these two set- tings refer to Arabic tuning systems. Select “1” to lower the E and B notes by a quarter tone (–50 cents). “2” represents a scale where the E and A are tuned down a quarter tone.

Just Major: This is a classical (western) tuning that resolved the ambiguity of fifths and thirds. Quite beautiful sonorities are produced with chords, but the scale is unbalanced, so it is not well-suited for melodies.

Just Minor: This is a Just scale for pieces in minor keys.

Pythagorean: This system was invented in ancient Greece. It resolves the ambiguity of fourths and fifths. Though thirds are somewhat imperfect, melo- dies sound clearer.

Mean-Tone: A temperament that adds some com- promises to the Just temperament and facilitates transposition.

Werckmeister: A combination of the Mean Tone and Pythagorean temperaments, this tuning allows for playing in any key.

Kirnberger: As a result of improvements made to the Mean Tone and Just temperaments, it is relatively tolerant towards transposition and can be used to play in all keys.

Except for “Equal”, you also need to specify the root/ fundamental (“C” for major and “A” for minor) according to the key of the song to be played.

(3)Press the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to activate the “KEY” field (so that it is displayed in reverse).

(4)Turn the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select the desired root note (C~B).

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

■Noise Edit (Valve & Button)

You will probably agree that electronic sounds must not only reproduce the basic timbre of an existing sound, but also the original instrument’s behavior and typical “noises” in order to be perceived as authentic. In the case of a guitar that would be the sliding noise of the fingers. An accordion, on the other hand, produces mechanical valve and button noises (clicks) that cannot be suppressed on an acoustic instrument.

On the FR-7/FR-5, the volume of those noises can be changed if you think they are too prominent or too soft. Note that the parameters on this Jump page belong to two different MENU sections and can be found on separate pages: “Valve Level” is a Treble parameter, “Button Level” is a Bass/Free Bass parame- ter.

32