POWER AND PORTABILITY: THE V-ACCORDION REVOLUTION CONTINUES
There’s plenty to love about the traditional accordion, from its expression to its portability. But if you’ve ever wondered where Roland’s acclaimed range of digital V-Accordions could take your performances, the new Roland FR-4x is your chance to find out. With its light and compact design, responsive pressure-sensing bellows, and full-range onboard speakers, this latest model feels as familiar as your favorite acoustic accordion. But with the same powerful sound engine as Roland’s flagship FR-8x, this digital accordion goes even further. Choose from a wide selection of accordion sounds from around the world, and play in silence using headphones or connect to a PA for live performance. Control other electronic musical instruments via the MIDI connector, or record your playing to a connected USB stick and share your music with the world. While its sounds and playing feel are reassuringly traditional, the Roland FR-4x is an accordion for the modern age.
37 keys and 120 left-hand buttons
Compact and lightweight
Sound module and user interface from the flagship FR-8xb
Fast response and high sensitivity from bellows pressure-sensing circuitry
Bellows Resistance Regulator to adjust bellows’ inertia
Character-type LCD screen
Four expansion slots for access to additional tone libraries (Balkan and Dallapè expansions are pre-installed)
Powerful onboard amplification system (two speakers + one tweeter)
Headphones and line outputs
Onboard audio recorder
USB connection and MIDI I/O
USB memory port for song playback and recording
Powered by AC adaptor or 10 AA-size batteries
Dedicated FR-4x Editor software
Play in Any Style with Customizable Onboard Tones A traditional acoustic accordion offers just one dedicated sound. With its powerful sound engine carried over from the flagship FR-8x, the new FR-4x puts an entire orchestra in your hands, with a wide range of onboard sounds to support any musical style. Maybe you’ll dabble in 100 preset accordion sets, switching between French musette and Russian bajan in the same song. Or perhaps you’ll investigate 162 orchestral sounds derived from Roland’s latest keyboards, transforming your accordion into an organ, string quartet, or bass guitar. You could add chorus, reverb, and rotary effects, or accompany your melody lines with the onboard drum sounds. And factoring in the fast, easy sound customization process—plus additional sound libraries available from the official Roland website—the FR-4x is a truly open-ended instrument with immense creative potential.
The Digital Accordion That Honors Tradition If you play a traditional accordion, you won’t want to compromise on the expressive feel and portable format. You don’t have to with the Roland FR-4x, which plays like a great acoustic accordion and travels light. The intuitive layout of 37 velocity-responsive keys and 120 left-hand buttons feels instantly familiar, while the pressure-sensing bellows circuitry lets you tailor the inertia to your preference. This new digital accordion might feature lots of onboard technology, but its light and compact design—plus the option of powering from an AC adaptor or AA batteries—make it a great choice for players on the move.
Flexible Outputs for a Variety of Music-Making Scenarios Practice. Rehearsal. Studio. Stage. The Roland FR-4x has the flexibility to support you wherever you’re making music. The headphones jack lets you practice at home without disturbing the neighbors, and when you’re on the go, a powerful onboard audio system with two speakers and a tweeter supplies big, full-range sound. Ambitious music makers can even connect with external MIDI devices like the Roland BK-7m Backing Module for controllable accompaniment. Gigging accordion players will appreciate that the FR-4x is fully stage-ready, providing a direct connection to a venue’s PA system via the Line Out and sparing the headaches of trying to mic up a traditional accordion.
Jam with Your Favorite Songs, or Record Your Own The USB memory port is your pathway to some of the Roland FR-4x’s most useful features. By inserting a USB stick preloaded with your favorite songs or your band’s latest material, you can jam along with the music as it plays back and perfect your parts at your convenience. If you want to get creative, the FR-4x also features a handy onboard recorder; simply record a new part, save it to a USB stick, and then transfer your creation to a computer and share it with the world. USB export also allows you to safely archive your customized sound settings.
