Roland FR-8X: New firmware, editor, and sound expansions
- Thread starter kep
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Ive got it downloaded, but not installed yet. I wont be much faster than you, as I likely wont be able to install it until tomorrow, but I am freaking excited about it!!
http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/8xeditor.jpg>
It basically even works under Windows Server 2012, but the real test comes tomorrow if I can get the 8x to connect and be read by the editor.
:b {} :b :ch :b {} :b
http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/8xeditor.jpg>
It basically even works under Windows Server 2012, but the real test comes tomorrow if I can get the 8x to connect and be read by the editor.
:b {} :b :ch :b {} :b
The most comprehensive information about new firmware is in the version history:
[ Ver.2.50 ] SEP 2017
[ Additional Functions ]
Please refer to the "FR-8x Version 2.50 Changes & Improvements" for detailed information in the [ Owner's Manuals ].
Support for FR-8x Editor was added.
A new keyboard layout was added to the left-hand button keyboard (Bass & Chord Mode). (3 Bs Rows Belgium 2)
New keyboard layouts were added to the left-hand button keyboard (Free Bass Mode). (Belgium 1, Belgium 2, and Kravtsov)
"BALANCE MODE" was added to the parameters.
The ability to specify the functioning of the [ BALANCE ] knob was added.
Bass-Treb: Volume balance of "left-hand play" and "right-hand play"
Song-Acc: Volume balance of "audio file" and "keyboard play by the FR-8x"
"USER PRG SELECT" was added to the parameters.
The ability to specify the functioning of the [ < ] and [ > ] buttons during user-program selection was added.
Up/Dw Bank: The buttons select the bank.
Up/Dw Num: The buttons call up user programs in numerical order.
"UPG Filter" was added to the parameters.
The Transpose setting can now be maintained even when the user program is switched.
"VOICING" was added to the Bass & Chord part parameters.
The root or third tone can now be removed.
A setting for omitting the root or third tone was added to the "VOICING" parameter for orchestra chord parts.
"SHIFT" was added to the parameters.
The range of "Orchestra 1," "Orchestra 2," and "Orchestra Free Bass" tones can now be shifted in half-tone steps.
"Sustain A" and "Sustain B" were added to the "MIDI TX" settings for "Orchestra 1" and "Orchestra 2" parts.
Whether to send or not send a sustain value (CC64) to the Sustain A or Sustain B routing can now be specified.
"Drum" was added to the "Expression MIDI TX" settings.
[ Bug Fixes ]
The following bugs were fixed.
The problem of noise occurring in rare instances when stopping playback of an audio file was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which playing of orchestral sounds failed to stop under certain specific conditions during performance by the right-hand keyboard with orchestra sounds and drum sounds set to layers.
The problem of the inability to play an orchestra free bass part according to the keyboard layout when the Bass & Chord Mode is set to 3-row bass was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which the organ volume level momentarily becomes louder depending on the mode of play when the VTW organ sound is set to both hands.
The problem of the organ part "Perc. Type" parameter failing to work correctly was corrected.
The problem of the organ part "Perc. Foot" parameter display (2'-2/3', 4') being the opposite of the organ part sound was corrected.
The problem of the organ tone name sometimes failing to be displayed correctly on the main screen or in a popup screen was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which MFX is displayed on the setting screen regardless of specifications in which it is not applied being in effect when "VTW Organ" is selected for "Orchestra Chord" or "Orchestra Free Bass."
The problem was corrected in which the harmonic bar setting screen is temporarily unreachable when "VTW Organ" is selected for "Orchestra Bass," "Orchestra Chord," and "Orchestra Free Bass."
The problem was corrected in which at MFX Edit and MFX Ctrl pages for some parts, after a Register change the display is correct but the value is not applied.
MIDI transmit channel-related problems were corrected.
[ Ver.2.50 ] SEP 2017
[ Additional Functions ]
Please refer to the "FR-8x Version 2.50 Changes & Improvements" for detailed information in the [ Owner's Manuals ].
Support for FR-8x Editor was added.
A new keyboard layout was added to the left-hand button keyboard (Bass & Chord Mode). (3 Bs Rows Belgium 2)
New keyboard layouts were added to the left-hand button keyboard (Free Bass Mode). (Belgium 1, Belgium 2, and Kravtsov)
"BALANCE MODE" was added to the parameters.
The ability to specify the functioning of the [ BALANCE ] knob was added.
Bass-Treb: Volume balance of "left-hand play" and "right-hand play"
Song-Acc: Volume balance of "audio file" and "keyboard play by the FR-8x"
"USER PRG SELECT" was added to the parameters.
The ability to specify the functioning of the [ < ] and [ > ] buttons during user-program selection was added.
Up/Dw Bank: The buttons select the bank.
Up/Dw Num: The buttons call up user programs in numerical order.
"UPG Filter" was added to the parameters.
The Transpose setting can now be maintained even when the user program is switched.
"VOICING" was added to the Bass & Chord part parameters.
The root or third tone can now be removed.
A setting for omitting the root or third tone was added to the "VOICING" parameter for orchestra chord parts.
"SHIFT" was added to the parameters.
The range of "Orchestra 1," "Orchestra 2," and "Orchestra Free Bass" tones can now be shifted in half-tone steps.
"Sustain A" and "Sustain B" were added to the "MIDI TX" settings for "Orchestra 1" and "Orchestra 2" parts.
Whether to send or not send a sustain value (CC64) to the Sustain A or Sustain B routing can now be specified.
"Drum" was added to the "Expression MIDI TX" settings.
[ Bug Fixes ]
The following bugs were fixed.
The problem of noise occurring in rare instances when stopping playback of an audio file was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which playing of orchestral sounds failed to stop under certain specific conditions during performance by the right-hand keyboard with orchestra sounds and drum sounds set to layers.
The problem of the inability to play an orchestra free bass part according to the keyboard layout when the Bass & Chord Mode is set to 3-row bass was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which the organ volume level momentarily becomes louder depending on the mode of play when the VTW organ sound is set to both hands.
The problem of the organ part "Perc. Type" parameter failing to work correctly was corrected.
The problem of the organ part "Perc. Foot" parameter display (2'-2/3', 4') being the opposite of the organ part sound was corrected.
The problem of the organ tone name sometimes failing to be displayed correctly on the main screen or in a popup screen was corrected.
The problem was corrected in which MFX is displayed on the setting screen regardless of specifications in which it is not applied being in effect when "VTW Organ" is selected for "Orchestra Chord" or "Orchestra Free Bass."
The problem was corrected in which the harmonic bar setting screen is temporarily unreachable when "VTW Organ" is selected for "Orchestra Bass," "Orchestra Chord," and "Orchestra Free Bass."
The problem was corrected in which at MFX Edit and MFX Ctrl pages for some parts, after a Register change the display is correct but the value is not applied.
MIDI transmit channel-related problems were corrected.
Seisiuneer
Member
Wow! Any chance the new expansions will work on the FR-3xb?
Seisiuneer post_id=50154 time=1504767130 user_id=620 said:
Not likely, I would guess, but you could always do a backup of your setup and try. I know some of the 4X stuff works on the 8x with some bugs that are easy to fix.
The expansion format is universal for all models, so formally should work on FR-3X.
But the voices are of high quality, hence consume a lot of resources, which FR-3X might be not able to provide.
Anyway, worth trying.
But the voices are of high quality, hence consume a lot of resources, which FR-3X might be not able to provide.
Anyway, worth trying.
Seisiuneer
Member
The problem might be the FR-3x editor won't know about them so it may be impossible to assign them to user programs...
The big issue for me now is that I already have all 4 slots filled... and I have to decide which one I remove to add one of the others. For the moment I decided to leave things as they are and just update the firmware of my accordion, which wen through flawlessly. Is it my imagination, but it feels like the 8X now boots faster?
The editor works fine, even accesses the Richard Noel sets fully, but I only played with it for a few minutes. I'll get more comfy with it and start using it more and more as I make my own changes... but I love it!
The editor works fine, even accesses the Richard Noel sets fully, but I only played with it for a few minutes. I'll get more comfy with it and start using it more and more as I make my own changes... but I love it!
Hi Jerry,
I was worried that the four slot limit would be the achilles heel of the new sounds.
I probably won't boot out the 4 I already have.
Looking forward to the editor though.
Can you demo the effects of your edits in "real time" or do you have to do constant writing too and fro from the PC/FR8X?
I was worried that the four slot limit would be the achilles heel of the new sounds.
I probably won't boot out the 4 I already have.
Looking forward to the editor though.
Can you demo the effects of your edits in "real time" or do you have to do constant writing too and fro from the PC/FR8X?
Keymn
Prolific poster
Glenn post_id=50202 time=1504881056 user_id=61 said:
All in real time...you just need to write it to wherever.
Keymn
Prolific poster
Keymn post_id=50206 time=1504888976 user_id=2502 said:
Editing on the 8X itself before was realtime, and now it is also realtime using the editor.
I am over 400 km from home tonight but I will be back tomorrow late afternoon. Sadly, I have 3 big projects to complete Sunday before I can start to fool around some more with my 8X, but this week I will be reserving small moments for the accordion.
I am over 400 km from home tonight but I will be back tomorrow late afternoon. Sadly, I have 3 big projects to complete Sunday before I can start to fool around some more with my 8X, but this week I will be reserving small moments for the accordion.
Bad news from my side.
I'm close to giving up on the editor.
I cannot get it to connect to my FR8X.
I've followed all the instructions to the letter but no luck on my Windows 10 system (64bit).
- set USB in FR8X to "original".
- USB device installs
- Roland Arranger 10.0 devices IN/OUT appear in editor
- checking devices says device working correctly
- If I select in/OUT in editor and press refresh button to make connection it keeps reverting to "none".
- checking in my sequencer to see if MIDI driver working it sees the MIDI input fine and I can record it so from that point of view the driver works.
Am at a loss so far.
I'll try perhaps with my laptop to see if that works but I don't hold out much hope.
I'm close to giving up on the editor.
I cannot get it to connect to my FR8X.
I've followed all the instructions to the letter but no luck on my Windows 10 system (64bit).
- set USB in FR8X to "original".
- USB device installs
- Roland Arranger 10.0 devices IN/OUT appear in editor
- checking devices says device working correctly
- If I select in/OUT in editor and press refresh button to make connection it keeps reverting to "none".
- checking in my sequencer to see if MIDI driver working it sees the MIDI input fine and I can record it so from that point of view the driver works.
Am at a loss so far.
I'll try perhaps with my laptop to see if that works but I don't hold out much hope.
Good news from my side.
Installed the whole thing on my laptop.
New drivers.
New installation of Java run-time.
This time it worked.
Really not sure what's going on with my desktop in that case..
Still, now I can try it out at least.
First negative
- the interface does not scale so the window size is fixed by the screen resolution. On a laptop that equates to "very small".
First positive
- the edits are written rather fast. Makes real-time changes comfortable
Installed the whole thing on my laptop.
New drivers.
New installation of Java run-time.
This time it worked.
Really not sure what's going on with my desktop in that case..
Still, now I can try it out at least.
First negative
- the interface does not scale so the window size is fixed by the screen resolution. On a laptop that equates to "very small".
First positive
- the edits are written rather fast. Makes real-time changes comfortable
Hey Glenn, it sounds to me like a USB comopatibility error. Try removing the existing driver and replace it with the one from Roland... or if that is the one you used, remove it and install the generic USB driver that comes with Win10.
I was kind of pleasantly surprised that it even works on my laptop's Server 2012... lol
I was kind of pleasantly surprised that it even works on my laptop's Server 2012... lol
Tried removing and restarting.
No effect.
I have looked at the driver details in the working laptop and non-working desktop.
All versions, dates, install events look identical.
Anyway, at least I have one working copy.
By the way, I note the editor doesn't have a User Program List editor panel. Pity. Would be nice to collect together your UPLs in a simple manner.
No effect.
I have looked at the driver details in the working laptop and non-working desktop.
All versions, dates, install events look identical.
Anyway, at least I have one working copy.
By the way, I note the editor doesn't have a User Program List editor panel. Pity. Would be nice to collect together your UPLs in a simple manner.
Yes that is an oversight, however lists are easy to use and setup from the 8x so no loss there.
Keymn
Prolific poster
I get timeout errors at times when hooked up to the editor when I switch to program another register. Have to restart program. Using win10. Could be my older laptop speed or? Roland mentioned too that the power settings may have to be set to high performance on the pc (based upon another users experience). Anyone using Apple? It is interesting it works with older windows versions.
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