Roland FR-8X - Scale (Tuning); Guitar Mode for the Orchestral Chord Section

Scale (Tuning)
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Scale (Tuning)
Almost every music culture has its own accordion variety.
Arabic, Indonesian and other musical cultures do not use the equal
temperament that is favored in Europe, the Americas, etc.
The FR-8x features a “Scale” parameter that allows you to select
the tuning system that best ts the music you want to play. If the
tuning system you need is not among the factory settings, you can
program it yourself, save it to a User 1~3 memory and then select it
here. See “1.4 Scale Tune Edit” (p. 71).
1. While the main page is displayed, press the [UP] button
three times.
The display changes to:
2. Rotate the [DATA/ENTER] knob to select a dierent tuning
system and then push it.
TYPE Explanation
Equal (O)
This tuning divides each octave into 12 equal steps
(intervals).
User 1~3
These settings refer to the tuning systems programmed by
yourself (or someone else). See “1.4 Scale Tune Edit” (p. 71)
for details.
Arabic 1~2
These two settings refer to Arabic tuning systems.
• Select “1” to lower the E and B notes by a quarter tone
(–50 cents).
• “2” represents a scale where the E and A are tuned down
a quarter tone.
Just Major
This is a classical (western) tuning that resolved the
ambiguity of fths and thirds. Quite beautiful sonorities are
produced with chords, but the scale is unbalanced, so it is
not well-suited for melodies.
Just Minor This is a just scale for pieces in minor keys.
Pythagorean
This system was invented in ancient Greece. It resolves the
ambiguity of fourths and fths. Though thirds are somewhat
imperfect, melodies sound clearer.
Mean-Tone
A temperament that adds some compromises to the just
temperament and facilitates transposition.
Werckmeister
A combination of the Mean Tone and Pythagorean tempera-
ments, this tuning allows for playing in any key.
TYPE Explanation
Kirnberger
As a result of improvements made to the Mean Tone and
Just temperaments, this tuning system is relatively tolerant
towards transposition and can be used to play in all keys.
3. Turn the [DATA/ENTER] knob to select the desired part
and push it.
ASSIGNED PART Explanation
Accordion
The Scale Tune is assigned to the selected part.
Select “All” to assign your settings to all parts.
Orchestra 1
Orchestra 2
Accordion&Orchestra
Bass&Chord
Orch Bass
Orch Chord
Orch Free Bass
ALL
MEMO
Except for “Equal”, you also need to specify the root/
fundamental (“C” for major and “A” for minor) according to the
key of the song to be played.
4. Turn the [DATA/ENTER] knob to select the desired root
note (C~B).
5. Press [EXIT/JUMP] to return to the main page.
See “How to Save System Parameters” (p. 117) to save your
changes.
Guitar Mode for the Orchestral Chord
Section
The FR-8x Guitar mode allows you to play realistic guitar parts.
When you activate this mode, all chord buttons trigger 6-note
chords (like on a guitar) rather than the 3-note chords typical of an
accordion.
Chords usually played
by the chord buttons.
Chords played by the chord buttons
when Guitar mode is on.
G maj
G maj
You can activate this setting in the “9.2 Tone Control” (p. 88).
In the “LOWER NOTE” parameter, rather than simply specify the
lowest notes the chords can play, you can also choose one of
thee guitar chord voicings (“Gtr Table1”, “Gtr Table2”, “Gtr Table3”
tablatures).