Roland FR-7, FR-5 owner manual Volume, Panpot, Reverb, Chorus, Velocity, Expression

FR-7/FR-5V-Accordion

MIDI functions MIDI parameters for the various sections/parts

Note: When you set the “12.2 Ext. Seq. Playback” parameter to “On”, the FR-7/FR-5’s registers no longer transmit the sound selection clusters you have programmed here. Instead, they transmit their “Std” values. This will return to normal operation when you set “12.2 Ext. Seq. Playback” back to “Off”.

■Volume

(Off, 0~127, Default setting: 100) This parameter allows you to specify the volume value (CC07) the register should send to an external device whenever you press it. That way, the MIDI instrument you are controlling is automatically set to the desired level. Remember that selecting “0” silences the receiving MIDI instrument. Select “Off” if the register should not transmit this message. Note that the FR-7/FR-5 does not execute this message if it is returned to the FR-7/FR-5 via the external device’s “Soft Thru” func- tion.

■Panpot

(Off, 0~127, Default setting: 64) This parameter allows you to specify the Pan value (CC10) the regis- ter should send to an external device whenever you press it. That way, the MIDI instrument you are con- trolling automatically selects the desired stereo posi- tion. “0” correspond to hard left, “64” to dead center, and “127” to hard right. Note that the FR-7/FR-5 does not execute this message if it is returned to the FR-7/FR-5 via the external device’s “Soft Thru” func- tion. Select “Off” if the register should not transmit this message.

■Reverb

(Off, 0~127, Default setting: 40) This parameter allows you to specify the Reverb Send Level value (CC91) the register should send to an external device whenever you press it. Selecting “0” will set the receiving MIDI instrument to “dry” (no reverb), while “127” represents the maximum Reverb Send level. Select “Off” if the register should not transmit this message.

Note: If there is no audible change, you may have to check the reverb effect settings on the receiving MIDI instrument. Note: Not all MIDI instruments have a reverb effect, and even if they do, they may not support this control change number (this is especially true of older instruments).

	■Chorus
	(Off, 0~127, Default setting: 0) This parameter allows
	you to specify the Chorus Send Level value (CC93) the
	register should send to an external device whenever
	you press it. “0” will set the receiving MIDI instrument
	to “dry” (no chorus), while “127” represents the maxi-
r	mum Chorus Send level. Select “Off” if the register
	should not transmit this message.
	Note: If there is no audible change, you may have to check the
	chorus effect settings on the receiving MIDI instrument.
	Note: Not all MIDI instruments have a chorus effect, and even
	if they do, they may not support this control change number
	(this is especially true of older instruments).

■Velocity

(On, 1~127) Your FR-7/FR-5 is velocity sensitive. That is a very learned term for the fact that the volume and brightness of the notes you play on the Treble or Bass keyboard depend on how hard (or fast) you press the keys/buttons. The accordion sounds do not respond to these playing dynamics, but the Orchestra (Treble, Bass, Chord, Free Bass) sounds do and so do most MIDI-compatible sound modules.

Even though the MIDI standard recognizes 128 dif- ferent velocity values, only 127 can actually be used for expression purposes. That explains why the set- ting range is 1~127. Value “0” is usually used to sig- nal the end of a note (i.e. when you release a key or button).

This parameter allows you to specify whether the velocity values corresponding to the strength with which you press a key/button should be transmitted (“On”) or whether your playing dynamics should not be translated as such.

In the latter case, you need to select a value (1~127) that will be applied to all notes that are transmitted via MIDI. “64” is still relatively soft. Even lower values are probably not what you want in most cases. Fixed velocity values can be useful for playing organ sounds on an external module.

Note that the setting you select here has no effect when the “Note” parameter is set to “Off”, because note numbers are always transmitted along with a velocity value (any value different from “0” also means “start playing this note”). Sending only a velocity value without specifying the note to which it applies doesn’t make sense.

■Expression

(Off, Bellows, Pedal) You probably noticed that the strength/speed with which the bellows is pressed or pulled influences the sound – which corresponds to an acoustic accordion’s response.

This effect can be translated into a MIDI message most external instruments understand. The MIDI standard provides a message (“control change”) for remotely controlling the volume of an external instrument: CC11. It is chiefly used for expression purposes (similar to the way in which a guitarist or organ player uses a volume pedal).

If you want to use the bellows for expressive pur- poses, set this parameter to “Bellows”.

If you don’t (because the external instrument is too sensitive and therefore changes its volume too often), select “Off”.

If you purchased an optional EV-5 expression pedal, which you connected to the FBC-7’s EXPRESSION PEDAL socket, you can also control the relative vol- ume by foot. In that case, set this parameter to “Pedal”.

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