FR8X folks, tell me your bellows settings.

[hyphz]

Just from the top of the System menu. I'd be interested in how different people play it.

 

[JIM D.]

The Roland bellows curves are a matter of choice for the individual , but most all professional Roland performers (including yours truly) tend to prefer the setting "X-Heavy" as this setting gives the most precise control of the acoustic and orchestral voices.

 

[hyphz]

What Resistance level do you use?

 

[JIM D.]

With the "X-Heavy" bellows curve you should close the resistance wheel (no air leakage).

 

[hyphz]

I mean the resistance setting on the System menu. What's the "resistance wheel"?

 

[JIM D.]

Well you didn't say which Roland model you have. On some models bellows resistance is controlled by a wheel at the air button.

 

[hyphz]

Ah, sorry, yes, I did mean the 8X. To get it to feel like my old beginners' acoustic I have to dial it right down to -64, but I don't know if that's good to stick with!

 

[JIM D.]

A lot of Roland owners new to the bellows response of a digital will experiment with bellows resistance and bellows curve. My first Roland was a FR-7 and I tried various settings for the first months of use. As you get more and more comfortable with your V accordion you will find as 90% of Roland owners eventually do - start setting the resistance + and use a heavy or X- heavy bellows curve. If you observe Roland players on YouTube you can see they are performing with a tight bellows resistance and a heavy curve as their bellows are only moving 5 to 12 in their performances. A good example is here -

 

[hyphz]

Well I think my arms are getting used to the bellows now as they're feeling easier to move.. (either that or I have already damaged the regulator is there a way to know for sure?) When you say a tight resistance do you mean 0 or a + value? I tried +64 and X-Heavy and it felt more just like an incidental force sensitive plate than accordion bellows but that might just me be..

 

[JIM D.]

If you find the bellows easier to operate, well thats normal with new Roland owners. As I stated earlier, Roland owners once acclimated to the bellows of a digital accordion well tend to close of the bellows wheel (no air leakage) and set the bellows curve at Heavy to X-Heavy. That regulator is pretty tough and not to worry, you havent damaged it, as if it were damaged the bellows would not function at all. And I also didnt ask, have you updated to Version 2.0 -- http://www.rolandus.com/blog/2014/10/26/fr-8x-v-accordion-version-2-0-update/ --as this has a dynamic bellows behavior parameter added. :tup: {} :tup:

 

[hyphz]

Hi, ok, I'm getting a bit confused here and really need to check this.

I do not seem to have a resistance wheel on the Fr-8x. Roland also referred to one that surrounded the exhaust button but there is no such wheel on mine. There is a setting in the System menu for Resistance that goes from -64 to +63. Presumably below 0 it allows air to leak, I can hear the air leaking if I lower it to -64. I do not know what it does above 0. So does "no air leakage" mean 0 or +63? Certainly at resistance 0 I am moving the bellows more than a few inches on a Standard curve, let alone an X-Heavy curve... or have I managed to damage the air regulator or create a leak already

The dynamic parameter added in 2.0 shows up as "Min Bel", it lets you make the instrument play even if the bellows are still, not sure I like that.

 

[JIM D.]

Well lets go back to square one. 1st, if you havent joined the Yahoo FR-8x group -- https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/RolandFR-8X/info -- please join as the members here have hands on experience with the 8x model and will gladly share info. 2nd, send a PA to our member jimgansett with 8x ???s as Jim is a 8x owner and a crackerjack on the 8x models performance. Although I have played, performed and repair 8xs we have at the studio, I have decided not to upgrade from the 7x to the 8x simply because its slightly larger and heavier than the 7x. Im 68 now and my arthritis is making it more and more difficult to stroll with a full size box. Ive been patient waiting for a 3x replacement (4X ???) and hopefully it will become my Main Squeeze.
P.S. and no, you havent damaged the regulator.

 

[hyphz]

Ok. I guess I'm just not used to the fact that the Fr-8x seems to be much quieter than my acoustic was! I guess it's intended to be amplified?