Global MIDI parameters
V-Accordion
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69
Global MIDI parameters
The parameters discussed here are part of a separate mode (called “MIDI”). Their settings, however, are saved to the FR-7/
FR-5’s Global memory (there is no separate MIDI memory). Let us first look at the parameters that apply to all Sets. See
page 72 for the parameters that can be set for each section individually and saved to a Set.

MIDI channel numbers (10.1 RealTime RX-TX)

The table on page 67 specifies the default MIDI channel
assignments the FR-7/FR-5 uses. Those choices are
based on how most accordion players prefer (or are
allowed) to use their instrument. You can, however,
change the MIDI channel assignments. An obvious can-
didate for such a change would be the Treble section if
you want it to conform to a generally accepted (i.e.
standardized) usage, whereby the melody part trans-
mits on MIDI channel 4.
There is indeed a format called “General MIDI” that
requires you to use MIDI channel 4 for the melody.
General MIDI-compatible musical instruments use that
channel for the most important part of a song, so it
may be a good idea to assign it to the Treble section.
The table on page 67 states that channel 4 is already
used by the (Treble) ORCHESTRA section. That is not
really a problem as long as you don’t use that section. If
you use it alongside the Treble section, changing the
Treble’s MIDI channel to 4 would mean that both sec-
tions transmit on the same MIDI channel. And that
would be a problem – or rather one of two problems:
• In Dual mode (page 25), each note you played would
be transmitted twice and recorded like that (or
played back by the external tone generator).
• In High or Low mode, the “accompaniment” and “solo
line” would control the same sound on an external
module, which may not correspond to what you had
in mind.
In such cases, either assign a different MIDI channel to
the ORCHESTRA section – or select “Off” (no transmis-
sion).
Note that such changes are only necessary when you
want to add the sound of an external tone generator to
the Treble section’s accordion sound. If you are working
with an arranger module or DisCover 5M whose sole
function is to provide an accompaniment, you may
have to select “Off” for all of the FR-7/FR-5’s sections.
And even that is only necessary if you use the FBC-7’s
switches to remotely control the external instrument
(page 60) and therefore connected the FBC-7’s MIDI
OUT socket to the module’s MIDI IN port.
Also bear in mind that the channel assignments set
here apply both to the transmission (“TX”) and
reception (“RX”) of MIDI data.
And finally: in DUAL, HIGH and LOW modes (page 25),
the Treble keyboard transmits on two channels simulta-
neously – the Treble and Orchestra channels. If you add
the Orchestra Bass part to the Bass or Free Bass section,
the same applies to the bass notes. As stated earlier, the
chord buttons of the Bass keyboard use a separate MIDI
channel.
(1) Press and hold the [EXIT÷JUMP] button until the
display looks as follows:
(2) Press register [10] to specify the function group.
The MIDI channels can be set via a parameter of the
“10. MIDI” group, which is why you need to select
that group.
(3) Press register [1] to select the following page:
(4) Press the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select “PART” (left
entry), then turn it to select the part whose MIDI
channel you want to set.
The entries you can select are: “Treble”, “Orchestra”,
“Bass/Free”, “Chord”, “OrcBass” and “Basic Ch”.
The “Basic Ch” (default setting “13”) can be used for
selecting Sets from an external MIDI device (using
program change numbers 1~40). If your external
source sends Bank Select messages along with the
program change number, CC00 and CC32 must both
be set to “0”.
(5) Press the [DATA÷ENTER] knob to select “CHANNEL”
(right entry), then turn it to select a MIDI channel.
The options are: “Off” and 1~16. Select “Off” if the
part in question should neither receive nor transmit
MIDI data.
Though it is perfectly possible to assign the same
MIDI channel to several sections, the result is usually
disappointing and may lead to a lot of confusion.
(6) If necessary, repeat steps (4) and (5) to assign dif-
ferent MIDI channels to the remaining parts.
(7) Press [EXIT÷JUMP] to return to the Main page.