The smallest, yet best MIDI arranger/sequencer?

[Keymn]

The Korg arrangers are built for accordions. Pa1000 is my favorite with seperate midi setup for accordion. The Musikant add-on upgrade is some of the best styles I heard. It enhances ballroom styles and has new styles with an updated sound. As some are asking me about getting new styles on their modules, midi file to style conversion is a plus feature on Korg. Unlimited style creation from midi files with a touch of a button…pa1000 is light weight and easy to carry around. The Korg PaManager converts styles from newer models... That is my story from a Korgie since 2007…

 

[JerryPH]

Korgs have some great potential. It is unfortunate that the PA1000 are full sized piano keyboards, that makes it huge in comparison to a BK-7m which is less than a quarter of the size.

The smallest and best arranger that is MADE for the Roland V-Accordion is the Roman d BK-7m arranger. Even someone with ZERO experience with MIDI can connect a MIDI cable from the MIDI out socket of the accordion to the MIDI IN connector on the arranger and use the AUTO SETUP option, select V-accordion, save the settings and never again need to think about MIDI ever again.

The bad news is that the BK-7m has been out of production for some time now, but the good news is that if you know where to watch for, they come up for sale now and then.

The other options are arrangers from Ketron like the X4, Audya, SD-80 and if you have a huge budget, the SD-90, which is the king of the hill of arrangers, having come out the most recent amongst all arrangers.

Two points... no matter WHAT choice you make, you will need to invest a lot of time with them. Yes you will need to learn a bit about MIDI, and you will need to invest many hours in getting to know how to work these units.

Second point... you need FOOT PEDALS with these units and for the most part, none of them include those. IMHO it is impossible to properly use and arranger without a set.

 

[Valski]

[QUOTE="JerryPH

Two points... no matter WHAT choice you make, you will need to invest a lot of time with them. Yes you will need to learn a bit about MIDI, and you will need to invest many hours in getting to know how to work these units.

Second point... you need FOOT PEDALS with these units and for the most part, none of them include those. IMHO it is impossible to properly use and arranger without a set.
[/QUOTE]
Foot pedals definitely change the game with an arranger because those devices were designed to be used this way. As Jerry says you will need to invest a lot of time learning how to use the arranger because in a way it's like learning a new instrument. I've owned my Bk7m as long as my FR8X and in the beginning had to spend a lot of time digesting the accordion so I've only concentrated on the module fairly recently and there are many techniques that have been discovered now, so you have to be prepared to patiently spend time with your new toy.

 

[Squeezeplay]

I have used Ketron X 4…..Roland BK 7-M …. Midjay Plus. The X -4. Although larger than the Midjay plus, and the BK7- M, is the easiest of the three to use. Not quite as flexible in all the “ extra” things you can do, but basically useable pretty much instantly you take it out of the box. It was my first stand alone arranger. I still have it after about fifteen years, The rhythms on the Ketron arranger are much different than those on the BK7-M. They use a more European approach. The BK is more Japanese interpretation of what they think you might want, and to me sounds very. “ mechanical or robotic “ I have found it to need “ tweaking” Then you can get some really good stuff, but the learning curve is very steep for a beginner. An X-4 would be my recommendation. Less money than a BK, and easier to use. As far as styles goes, if you play to a “dance “ crowd, you don’t need a gazillion rhythms, you need about 4 or 6 basic dance rhythms. A good waltz, a good Western swing, a decent rock type, one or at most two basic latins, a decent fox trot, and a good polka. Instrumentation is up to you, but as long as you have good bass, rhythm guitar, and drums, and a few believable lead instruments, you are good to go. I personally use sax, clarinet, trumpet and organ. Play single right hand notes when you use reed or brass instruments, fill your boots with chords Etc. when you use organ.
I believe in the KISS principle. For what it’s worth, I started playing out in my teens, I am now in my late seventies, and have done everything from 6 night a week “ house band “ stuff to one nighters in hotel ballrooms and legions, to year end corporate gigs.

 

[JerryPH]

My opinions differ a bit.

I've owned the Ketron X4 since 2001 as well as the BK-7m since 2016, the sounds are a bit better on the X4, but it's not as easy to configure and use as the BK, lots of initial messing around with the X4's channels and what not, there may be things that will drive you crazy that I had to really research... like the right hand volume following you on the X4, however it over exaggerates the changes, and is not as linear sounding. Once a few settings on the 8X are disabled it's a lot better.

That said, though the BK can take under 1 minute to set up the first time (actually, well under 30 seconds and near zero knowledge, just follow the prompts for the quick setup!), the X4 can take about 5-10 minutes the first time if you have the manual for both the 8X and X4 and understand what you are doing, after that, no messing around with either... turn on and connect to V-accordion and enjoy.

In terms of size, the BK can easily be held in 3 fingers and is about 1/3rd the size of the X4 which is much heavier, requiring 2 hands to move it around.

Because the BK is a Roland and the 4X and 8X V-accordions are also made by Roland, they were basically designed for each other by design, so I found the BK way easier to use with the 8X than the X4. Things like over 900 integrated songs, ability to create your own performance lists, ability to control the arranger from my music display software become very important once you start using it (and many more things) all add to the experience.

All that said, once you know both, there will be things that you like better with one over the other and things you will hate with one over the other. Neither is perfect, neither is in production anymore and pricing really is going to depend a lot more on luck than consistency (I paid $2200CA for my X4 brand new out of the box the first month they came out and around $675CA used for the BK).

 

[Squeezeplay]

He has John Barlow’s midi setup, which I have put into two of my boxes.

Simplest to set up with it is the X-4. From experience. If you become more adept at midi, yes Roland has more “ possibilities” but John’s system is a bit of a challenge to set up with the BK.
I agree the Roland has more programming possibilities, but for a rank beginner, I prefer the X4. If money is no object, go for the newer Ketron unit, but he needs in-expensive, easy to obtain, and operate. He should check with George Lambie. He has all these in stock used. Has used them all, and is a super chap to deal with.

 

[JerryPH]

I have John’s Elmat system in 2 of my boxes, both wireless

You would definitely better understand the OP's system then.

I use the WIDI system for wireless midi and a Ketron X-4 arranger,

Do you mean the CME WIDI Master? If so, I use those as well and am very happy with them. The range has to be monitored, though... I'd not push them past 50 feet if you require dependant and stable operation.

Combine this with an expression pedal on the X-4, and you have a decent set up.

Not until you add a pedal with several switches, unless you plan to do all start/stop, intro/ending and drum solo/variations by hand... which would kind of fit in to my description of living in the 7th circle of hell when using arrangers... lol.

I use the FS6 on mine but really wish they had the FS13 in stock at the time of my initial purchase, instead of just the FS6 which I would consider the absolute minimum for that setup.

 

[Squeezeplay]

You are 100 percent correct on needing a set of foot switches…but if I could swap my set of 13 foot switches for a set of 6, that would happen in a heart beat. I made a set of four from an old excelsior set. It’s shy 2 for me. I use only start stop, intro , ending, but would like vari 2,3, 4 ..I simplified it by always starting on pattern 1, which I have programmed into my l-pad. I select the next tune by touching the title on the I pad, which thanks to your help figuring out, changes all settings to what I want
I like to travel light. All in …one trip….turn on play, no patch cords, no extension cords , no hand carts, I mix with the sliders on the Ketron, .
In total…accordion and switches…. Box 1……Ketron, mixer, Box 2…… battery powered amp, box 3 …. .
If I could figure out how to use the wireless foot switches, there would be no wires at all.

 

[Keymn]

Korg pa1000 is not a full size keyboard. It weighs no more than the FR4x accordion…
The Bluetooth and widi products are compatible to Korg…like the bk7m, Korg has an easy accordion midi connection…we would not be discussing this or in need of new models if more Korg arranger users…A third party software allows older Korg arrangers to read newer arranger styles…and those that gig lots, you have the option to leave the accordion at home and just play the keys…as many hired me to do…

 

[Squeezeplay]

BUT we are getting well away from what was first requested, which I believe was what is a good module for a beginner to adapt to and use.

 

[Ventura]

actually he didn't even want that.. just a modern GM module
(battery powered potential preferred)
with a great Bass sound and a great Grand Piano sound
for his left hand MIDI output to trigger through his little Busking Amplifier