Using a BK7 with the Roland FR8X

[Mockie]

I've used my BK7 extensively with my midi acoustic accordion over the years.
I now want to possibly use it with the FR8X.
First of all what are the pros and cons of using the BK7 for rhythm accompanyment,
I will be using bass-side only.
Will I still have any FR8X 'accordion' bass sounds along with my BK7?

 

[JerryPH]

The BK-7m and FR-8x were made for each other. The setup is simple, the configuration made for the 8X (it's a simple wizard and configuration save so that it remains the same with every reboot).

Pros are a nice set of rhythms, cons are that there are not enough rhythms for all needs.
Cons, its not made anymore and they do have a known issue with the selection wheel if you are not gentle with it. A pro is you can control the BK-7m with an app. Another pro is that the 8X can control the BK using it's chin switches.

Biggest Pro at least for me... the endless sound combinations and of course you can control the presets/registrations all wirelessly with the addition of wireless MIDI and an iPad.


Pros and cons are going to be more varied based on the needs of each person. I likely use it in near it's most basic modes where others expand their sound choices/options by using the tones available in the BK-7m.

If it doesn't come with one, you will need a foot pedal. I made my own:


Time and patience are key. Downloading and reading the free PDF from Roland is never a bad idea.

I found a zip file online some years back that contains like 2000 extra rhythms for the BK-7m. Loaded it once to see if it worked, it did and then I went back to using what was built-in.

If you've had the BK for a while, you should have a good idea of what it can and cannot do. It does exactly the same on the 8X, and adding an 8X doesn't magically add any extra sounds that were not there before with your MIDI accordion, but it does add a bit more flexibility because Roland made both and designed them with some compatibility for each other.

 

[Valski]

I've used my BK7 extensively with my midi acoustic accordion over the years.
I now want to possibly use it with the FR8X.
First of all what are the pros and cons of using the BK7 for rhythm accompanyment,
I will be using bass-side only.
Will I still have any FR8X 'accordion' bass sounds along with my BK7?

There's a roundabout way that you might be able to incorporate the Fr8x bass sounds, but it's not very elegant.
Use the BK7M to record a backing track that can be played back on the Fr8x. I use this feature when I am playing in a small venue and don't want to bring a lot of components so I can record the track and play along, if you choose to press the bass buttons they are audible so that is how you can incorporate bass sounds from the Bk7m.
Gerry's correct about the Fr8x and BK-7m being designed to work together so you should embrace that fact. When I worked in technical sales, I would encounter many customers who wanted a fully customized piece of equipment and it was important to point out that these aims could be accomplished using off the shelf hardware if used as designed for a much more reasonable price just allow the experts to design how it needs to work. You are very familiar with the Bk7m, now embrace using it with the Fr8x.

 

[Mockie]

The BK-7m and FR-8x were made for each other. The setup is simple, the configuration made for the 8X (it's a simple wizard and configuration save so that it remains the same with every reboot).

Pros are a nice set of rhythms, cons are that there are not enough rhythms for all needs.
Cons, its not made anymore and they do have a known issue with the selection wheel if you are not gentle with it. A pro is you can control the BK-7m with an app. Another pro is that the 8X can control the BK using it's chin switches.

Biggest Pro at least for me... the endless sound combinations and of course you can control the presets/registrations all wirelessly with the addition of wireless MIDI and an iPad.


Pros and cons are going to be more varied based on the needs of each person. I likely use it in near it's most basic modes where others expand their sound choices/options by using the tones available in the BK-7m.

If it doesn't come with one, you will need a foot pedal. I made my own:


Time and patience are key. Downloading and reading the free PDF from Roland is never a bad idea.

I found a zip file online some years back that contains like 2000 extra rhythms for the BK-7m. Loaded it once to see if it worked, it did and then I went back to using what was built-in.

If you've had the BK for a while, you should have a good idea of what it can and cannot do. It does exactly the same on the 8X, and adding an 8X doesn't magically add any extra sounds that were not there before with your MIDI accordion, but it does add a bit more flexibility because Roland made both and designed them with some compatibility for each other.

Thanks Jerry. I have a BK7 since 2011 and I've used it many times with
my midi acoustic accordion. I like the drum sounds and the flexibility of editing out the excessive tracks on the styles. Am I correct in my understanding, that when the BK7 is midied up, the FR8X bass side tones no longer sound .
Anyway Jerry, I will check all my options.
Thanks

 

[JerryPH]

Thanks Jerry. I have a BK7 since 2011 and I've used it many times with
my midi acoustic accordion. I like the drum sounds and the flexibility of editing out the excessive tracks on the styles. Am I correct in my understanding, that when the BK7 is midied up, the FR8X bass side tones no longer sound .
Anyway Jerry, I will check all my options.
Thanks

Under no conditions are the 8X tones blocked... UNLESS YOU WANT THEM TO BE... and point of fact, here is a little known secret about the 8X (pssst, don't share this with anyone, it is secret) ...

If you want to turn off all BASS sounds on your 8X so that only the bass sounds work on the BK-7X, hold *any* bass register for 3 seconds with no bellows movement, and you have disabled bass and chord sounds on the 8X. Hitting any bass register returns them back. During this time, all chord changes will continue to work just fine and the BK will follow them.

 

[Thomas N]

Under no conditions are the 8X tones blocked... UNLESS YOU WANT THEM TO BE... and point of fact, here is a little known secret about the 8X (pssst, don't share this with anyone, it is secret) ...

If you want to turn off all BASS sounds on your 8X so that only the bass sounds work on the BK-7X, hold *any* bass register for 3 seconds with no bellows movement, and you have disabled bass and chord sounds on the 8X. Hitting any bass register returns them back. During this time, all chord changes will continue to work just fine and the BK will follow them.

Hah hah! I never knew that! Very cool. I just have always turned the bass volume to zero on the 8X when using the BK. I never allow the bass on the 8X to come through when using both together.

 

[Keymn]

Hah hah! I never knew that! Very cool. I just have always turned the bass volume to zero on the 8X when using the BK. I never allow the bass on the 8X to come through when using both together.

With the Fr1x, there is no volume knob level for the bass. Have to go into the parameters and adjust the balance or volume. I found this trick to be useful. But never used it with the FR4x…thanks for sharing…