Roland FC-7 pedal unit substitute?

[pegaso27]

Hi everybody.
The manual for the Roland BK-7m arranger recommends the Roland FC-7 pedal unit as a controller.
The FC-7 has proven to difficult to get.
Does anybody have experience using other pedal units like the FC-100?
Does the FC-100 even work with the BK-7m?
Any other pedal unit?

 

[pentaprism]

Know how to solder?

If you do, or know someone who does, it’s very simple to make, being just a set of 7 temporarily close contact switches.

I had a Roland FC-7, then sold it because I preferred the one I made.

I don’t think FC-100 will work. It is at least overkill.

Reference: https://www.accordionists.info/threads/fc-300-pedal-board-and-the-bk7m.6154/#post-67094

 

[Pbraido]

The korg ec5 will work its much cheaper and easier to find you just need proper cable which a google search will find I've been using mine for several years now with no problem and its nice and small to bring with you if you gig.
ec_5

 

[JerryPH]

The BK-7m uses ordinary momentary switches, that is what the FC-7 is. You can DIY yourself a solution that is much cheaper. The Korg is only 5 switches and to get the full benefits a 7 or 8 switch is needed.

Here is what I did.

 

[Airy]

I am wondering if you could achive all functions of the FC-7 by attaching an external MIDI controller to the BK-7m.

If yes it may be worth trying a "Behringer FCB 1010". At the Ebays in Europe it sells for less than 100 € used and about 160 € for a new one from stores with return policy (in case it doesn't do what's expected).

From what I read in the manual it has a "MIDI In" which could be attached to the Out of the V-Accordion. And it has a "MIDI Out" which also serves as "MIDI through" which will be connected to the BK-7m.

MIDI flow:
(V-Accordion MIDI Out) -> ( FCB-1010: MIDI In -> add MIDI commands to control the BK-7m-> MIDI out ) -> ( BK-7m MIDI In)

Cons:

• FCB-1010 is more bulky and heavier then FC-7 or similar "dumb" footswitches.
• Does need AC current (220V for the European version; don't know if there is a 110V version for other countries).
• You need to configure / program the device yourself. Don't underestimate the effort as Behringer is not famous for writing good manuals!

Pros (in case it works):

• Pretty affordable.
• All-in-one housing (even AC/DC converter built in).
• Only 3 cables needed (MIDI in, MIDI out, AC).
• Allround MIDI controller, can probably serve many other functions. It even has 2 continous foot pedals (think of pitch bend, tremolo, vibrato, volume of background voices / play alongs).
• No need to DIY solder cables and connectors.
• If you have successfully configured the FCB-1010 for the BK-7m you can save the config on the computer (editor software is available) and share it with fellow accordion players.

 

[Pbraido]

The BK-7m uses ordinary momentary switches, that is what the FC-7 is. You can DIY yourself a solution that is much cheaper. The Korg is only 5 switches and to get the full benefits a 7 or 8 switch is needed.

Here is what I did.

EC5 and configure your 8X chin switches giving you 8 also you can use the upper row of bass buttons if needed

 

[pegaso27]

Thank you all for your kind responses.
I have a much clearer idea of what is going on.
I will try the "dumb" switches solution first and see where it takes me.
The documentation sent by JerryPH, awesome!
Pbraido's suggestion to be considered without a doubt.
Airy's suggestion of an external MIDI controller is intriguing.
I will post my experience.
Thanks again to all.

 

[JerryPH]

EC5 and configure your 8X chin switches giving you 8 also you can use the upper row of bass buttons if needed

For a lot of people that would indeed work too!
I kind of like to keep the chin switches free for registration/programming purposes... call me old fashioned... lol

 

[Pbraido]

For a lot of people that would indeed work too!
I kind of like to keep the chin switches free for registration/programming purposes... call me old fashioned... lol

Yes whatever will work for you just letting him now there are options
BTW if your old fashioned I’m very old fashioned

 

[PetrH]

@Pbraido and all Just got FR-8X and BK-7m - however basically unable to find and get FC-7 pedal. So, Korg EC-5 seems nice expecially as it's really cheap. I can get it Today from my local store however - will it work out of box? What kind of cable you're talking about?

Basically, my setup is:
- FR-8X
- FC-300 pedal for accordion
- BK-7m
- for controlling BK-7m (EC-5)

I'm I right then?
Thanks
Petr

EDIT: just for a great explanation video

PS: tried to use BK-7m by hands but not as smooth I wish - not just ask, here is track I made:

 

[ChrisH]

I am wondering if you could achive all functions of the FC-7 by attaching an external MIDI controller to the BK-7m.

I considered using MIDI, but came to the conclusion that many of the functions available for the FC-7 connection don't have corresponding MIDI commands.
I use a Korg EC5 with a custom cable. OK...it has two fewer pedals, but that means I'm less likely to hit the wrong on!

 

[Pbraido]

@Pbraido and all Just got FR-8X and BK-7m - however basically unable to find and get FC-7 pedal. So, Korg EC-5 seems nice expecially as it's really cheap. I can get it Today from my local store however - will it work out of box? What kind of cable you're talking about?

Basically, my setup is:
- FR-8X
- FC-300 pedal for accordion
- BK-7m
- for controlling BK-7m (EC-5)

I'm I right then?
Thanks
Petr

EDIT: just for a great explanation video

PS: tried to use BK-7m by hands but not as smooth I wish - not just ask, here is track I made:

Here - https://www.ebay.com/itm/116069363374

 

[PetrH]

Here - https://www.ebay.com/itm/116069363374

Thank you - I was out of signal and I found both ends (8 and 6 DIN pins) + 3m cable and bougt EC5 from my local supplier. Now will make my own cable but if I knew it before I would buy the one from ebay... Anyway THANK you again

 

[JerryPH]

Make your own.

Foot Pedals for the BK-7m – Accordion Memories

That one is 5 pedals. To get the most from it you should have 7 minimum, ideally 8 switches.

 

[PetrH]

Thank you - yep, I know - will, of course, try to find FC-7 - but in the meantime fun must go on

 

[davidplaysaccordion]

I have gone both the DIY FC-7 route and created my own midi controller for the BK-7m. The DIY FC-7 is by far the easiest way to do things. It's seven stomp box switches in a box. The hardest part is soldering the wires to the 8 pin DIN connector because those terminals are SMALL!
The midi functionality needed to control the BK7m in the same way as the physical switch box (real or diy FC7) is beyond the capabilities of the FCB-1010. For example. with the physical switch pedal, one switch controls both start and stop. To do that with a midi based foot pedal requires some intelligence in the pedal to change the switch mode. You can either do that blindly. IE, just switch modes when the switch is pressed, or try to determine the play state of the BK7m by listening for midi messages from the BK7m.

As you can probably guess, this requires some sort of computer or micro processor and a good deal of programming. I used an 3.3 voltArduino Nano for the microprocessor and a CME WIDI module for the midi and powered it all from a small lipo battery.
Generally it worked but the wireless midi would drop the connection from time to time. Wired would be better but then yoiu'd need a midi merge somewhere to combine the pedal's midi with that from the accordion. With the wireless stuff I used the widi jack receiver on the BK7m as the master for a group so it did the merging.

I ripped the guts out of a FC-100 foot pedal and built my own foot controller with switches left over for other things, never got that far though).

More info than anyone cares about can be found here https://abuskinglife.wordpress.com/ Just keep scrolling down!

 

[PetrH]

Hi, thx to all - Korg EC5 cable was built (by my wife's father, he is unbeliavable great) - to be honest. I woudn't be able to made it. However, everythigs working perfectly so one-man accordion band is here And after I asked on a local bazaar I got FC-7 for a reasonable price and it's alrteady on the way to my home. Will then decide if I keep Korg or not - as I really like it's build and esthetics feeling. And, of course, the work linked with making cable needs to be covered

RE FCB-1010 - I used to have it even with a custim UNO chipset. But I sold it - it was too big and heavy. I have pretty limited space already in my studio so love Roland FC-300 as it talks directly to my FR-8x from the 1st moment, just AA batteries and the magic happen. So, I was compared FC-300 with FCB and weight / partability and size with built in logic for accordion won even I paid basicially double price (2nd hand) then for FCB.

I do really congratz on FIY pedal - I did this 20 yrs ago with FCB (I made a looper modding) - this was time of experimentations.

 

[Pipemajor]

The hardest part is soldering the wires to the 8 pin DIN connector because those terminals are SMALL!

I found a handy tip on youtube.
You file a flat on each pin then solder the wire to it.
I did that on my homemade cable to my homemade foot controller for the BK7 and it worked a treat

 

[PetrH]

I found a handy tip on youtube.
You file a flat on each pin then solder the wire to it.
I did that on my homemade cable to my homemade foot controller for the BK7 and it worked a treat

Exactly - but I was lucky as my wife's father made it to me and I was only assisting him - OMG so tiny electrical works. But it's done and it's working

 

[JerryPH]

Korg EC5 cable was built (by my wife's father, he is unbeliavable great) - to be honest. I woudn't be able to made it.

Actually the ONLY wire that is important is the ground, the others are all straight through. You can decide what button activates what function by setting up the BK-7m's menu structure.