Is it possible to control the Roland FR-8x via MIDI from an app on a iPad?

[Lange]

Hello accordion enthusiasts,

I am Lange, hobby musician in a hobby band. We perform regularly. In order to be able to switch sounds faster while playing a setlist, I would like to ask you the following questions. Hopefully you want and can help me with this.

One of our band members uses an iPad with an app on it that contains our repertoire of songs. When switching to another song, a signal is sent via MIDI-out to the MIDI-in of the guitar multi-effect pedal so that the corresponding patch with sound is automatically set on the multi-effect pedal.

Is this also possible with the FR-8x? So that when switching a song text on the iPad, the accordion receives a signal via MIDI-in and automatically the desired Bank is set for the song?

I hope you can help me. Many thanks in advance for your help!

Greetings from the Netherlands

 

[KeysFla]

With the app “Songbook Plus” this can done.
The good feature of this app is you can connect another Songbook iPad to yours. When the band leader selects a song it will also select the same song on yours. But your song will send the midi code to change your register on Fr8x.
See article I helped testing for the FR4x. Same procedures, I believe on Fr8x. This may work with a widimaster plugged in midi ports.
Think Jerryph uses this method with his Fr8x?

Is there a manual on how to configure ROLAND FR-4x V-Accordion for use with SongBook+?

This article describes how to configure SongBook+ and the Roland FR-4x V-Accordion in order that the FR-4x automatically opens the corresponding SET or User Program when you open a song in SongBook+. First configure the FR-4x with the followi...

baumsoftware.freshdesk.com

 

[Tom]

Welcome Lange!

 

[KeysFla]

Look at this video…

 

[petros]

My use case is based on forScore on an ipad. When selecting a new score, it will send midi to my FR-8x to select either a new UPG or SET. This way the accordion will be set up correctly for the corresponding score.

 

[colinm]

My use case is based on forScore on an ipad. When selecting a new score, it will send midi to my FR-8x to select either a new UPG or SET. This way the accordion will be set up correctly for the corresponding score.

One more step Petros and the accordion will play the score for you.

 

[petros]

or use AI, and have the score created first

 

[Lange]

Welcome Lange!

Thank you Tom!

 

[Lange]

With the app “Songbook Plus” this can done.
The good feature of this app is you can connect another Songbook iPad to yours. When the band leader selects a song it will also select the same song on yours. But your song will send the midi code to change your register on Fr8x.
See article I helped testing for the FR4x. Same procedures, I believe on Fr8x. This may work with a widimaster plugged in midi ports.
Think Jerryph uses this method with his Fr8x?

Is there a manual on how to configure ROLAND FR-4x V-Accordion for use with SongBook+?

This article describes how to configure SongBook+ and the Roland FR-4x V-Accordion in order that the FR-4x automatically opens the corresponding SET or User Program when you open a song in SongBook+. First configure the FR-4x with the followi...

baumsoftware.freshdesk.com

Thank you very much KeysFla for your efforts and the clear information. You helped us a lot!

For the guitar multi-effect pedal we use the iPad, the app SetListMaker and the Yamaha MD-BT01 wireless bluetooth adapter. I hope that this same setup will also work on the FR-8x. Maybe there is someone in this forum who also uses the aforementioned app and bluetooth adapter, and can confirm that these work in conjunction with the FR-8x? That would be nice.


Again, many thanks KeysFla!!

 

[Lange]

My use case is based on forScore on an ipad. When selecting a new score, it will send midi to my FR-8x to select either a new UPG or SET. This way the accordion will be set up correctly for the corresponding score.

Thank you Petros for your addition!

I hope that there is an accordionist within this interesting forum who uses the Yamaha MD-BT01 and can confirm that it works well with the FR-8x. Then I will order this Bluetooth adapter as soon as possible and we can get started.


Thanks again for your response and addition Petros!

 

[KeysFla]

Thank you very much KeysFla for your efforts and the clear information. You helped us a lot!

For the guitar multi-effect pedal we use the iPad, the app SetListMaker and the Yamaha MD-BT01 wireless bluetooth adapter. I hope that this same setup will also work on the FR-8x. Maybe there is someone in this forum who also uses the aforementioned app and bluetooth adapter, and can confirm that these work in conjunction with the FR-8x? That would be nice.


Again, many thanks KeysFla!!

Just curious, does SetlistMaker use Hexcimal format?

 

[Lange]

Just curious, does SetlistMaker use Hexcimal format?

All of the entered MIDI commands we did were in decimal format. As far as I know, SetListMaker just use the decimal format. I have somewhere seen a MIDI field in SetListMaker though with the word ‘hexcimal’ in it. I don’t know the purpose of it.

 

[JerryPH]

Thank you Petros for your addition!

I hope that there is an accordionist within this interesting forum who uses the Yamaha MD-BT01 and can confirm that it works well with the FR-8x. Then I will order this Bluetooth adapter as soon as possible and we can get started.

I never tried it using the Yamaha MD-BT01, I use all adapters from CME. It works really well, BUT... I would not recommend it in a professional (ie: paid) gig as there is a possibility that they lose connectivity and then you lose control... it's only happened to me one time while on stage, and took me about 20 very long seconds to fix, but it can happen, so be aware of that and be ready to INTIMATELY understand what happened and how to address it fast.

Better yet, use the more expensive professional wireless MIDI stuff if you are getting paid to work.

 

[Lange]

I never tried it using the Yamaha MD-BT01, I use all adapters from CME. It works really well, BUT... I would not recommend it in a professional (ie: paid) gig as there is a possibility that they lose connectivity and then you lose control... it's only happened to me one time while on stage, and took me about 20 very long seconds to fix, but it can happen, so be aware of that and be ready to INTIMATELY understand what happened and how to address it fast.

Better yet, use the more expensive professional wireless MIDI stuff if you are getting paid to work.

Thx Jerry for your respons.

That must have been 20 sweaty seconds that lasted forever! I recognize what you’re saying. When you do live gigs you must have professional equipment to avoid such problems, but yeah, even than sometimes electronics don’t coöperate… Very stressy!

I will look at the CME adapters you mentioned. Is there a specific type you recommend Jerry? Till now the Yamaha MD-BT01 has been very reliable.

 

[JerryPH]

The ones that I use are the WIDI Master. I've tried the WIDI Jack, but though it worked, the range was shorter even in a home environment with the WIDI Jack.

I believe that I still might have a Yamaha MD-BT01 somewhere, but that at the time I was not impressed with it... I'll see if I can find it again to test with the setup, but don't think it will outperform the WIDI Master.

 

[Lange]

The ones that I use are the WIDI Master. I've tried the WIDI Jack, but though it worked, the range was shorter even in a home environment with the WIDI Jack.

I believe that I still might have a Yamaha MD-BT01 somewhere, but that at the time I was not impressed with it... I'll see if I can find it again to test with the setup, but don't think it will outperform the WIDI Master.

Oh that would be nice Jerry!
I'm curious if you will find the Yamaha adapter and what your experience will be with it. I will look on the internet for the WIDI Master.

Thank you in advance!

 

[JerryPH]

After some searching I found the Yamaha BT adapter, unfortunately, its not the Yamaha MD-BT01 but the Yamaha UD-BT01, which in theory might work in the 8X, but its too wide to fit in that USB socket of my 8X. So without some adapter it won't fit and therefore cannot do any tests with at this time. The Yamaha MD-BT01 is physically similar to the CME Widi Master, but I never had one of these so cannot test that.

As long as the Yamaha MD-BT01 can be seen and connected to by the iPad, it should be able to send/receive MIDI signals. As to reliability, again, no idea, that will have to be a test you need to do. BTW, if you have an arranger you want to control in a similar manner (like I do with my BK-7m), you will need either a Yamaha MD-BT01 or CME WIDI Master in there as well.

 

[Lange]

After some searching I found the Yamaha BT adapter, unfortunately, its not the Yamaha MD-BT01 but the Yamaha UD-BT01, which in theory might work in the 8X, but its too wide to fit in that USB socket of my 8X. So without some adapter it won't fit and therefore cannot do any tests with at this time. The Yamaha MD-BT01 is physically similar to the CME Widi Master, but I never had one of these so cannot test that.

As long as the Yamaha MD-BT01 can be seen and connected to by the iPad, it should be able to send/receive MIDI signals. As to reliability, again, no idea, that will have to be a test you need to do. BTW, if you have an arranger you want to control in a similar manner (like I do with my BK-7m), you will need either a Yamaha MD-BT01 or CME WIDI Master in there as well.

After some searching I found the Yamaha BT adapter, unfortunately, its not the Yamaha MD-BT01 but the Yamaha UD-BT01, which in theory might work in the 8X, but its too wide to fit in that USB socket of my 8X. So without some adapter it won't fit and therefore cannot do any tests with at this time. The Yamaha MD-BT01 is physically similar to the CME Widi Master, but I never had one of these so cannot test that.

As long as the Yamaha MD-BT01 can be seen and connected to by the iPad, it should be able to send/receive MIDI signals. As to reliability, again, no idea, that will have to be a test you need to do. BTW, if you have an arranger you want to control in a similar manner (like I do with my BK-7m), you will need either a Yamaha MD-BT01 or CME WIDI Master in there as well.

Thanks for your effort Jerry, much appreciated!

You did your best. I will try the Yamaha adapter, if it doesn’t do the job well i will try the CME WIDI Master.

Thanks again for the great help Jerry and the other forum members!!

Greetings,

Lange.