Roland Virtual Accordion

The Roland Virtual Accordion is the world's first electronic instrument to use Physical Behaviour Modelling (PBM) to simulate a wide range of acoustic instruments, including many musettes, bandoneon, concertina, and other ethnic accordions and melodions. It also features a range of Orchestral instruments, all of which respond to the bellows movements, etc.The V-Accordion, which was released in 2004, comes in two models- The FR-5 and the FR-7. The FR-7 features built-in battery-powered amplifiers and speakers, making it independent of mains power. The FR-5 is identical, except it lacks the internal speakers. The operating system within the instruments is upgradeable through the extensive MIDI features.The V-Accordion is the result of some 7 years development by a Roland Europe team based in Italy.

Since the introduction of the first models - the FR-5 and FR-7 - there have been several additions to the range:FR-5b and FR-7b are 5 Row Chromatic Button versions of the originals, with several additions.Due to the success of these four models, a further four "cut-down" models have been introduced as follows:The FR-3 and FR-3s models are simplified V-Accordions with very few programming facilities, but still with extensive MIDI features and a number of converter bass systems. These feature a 37 note piano keyboard (G - G) plus 120 bass.There are also 5 Row Chromatic Button versions: the FR-3b and FR-3sb. In all cases with the FR-3 models the "s" denotes built-in speakers. All the FR-3 family run from ordinary AA NiMh cells. Continuing the development of the V-Accordion range, Roland have recently added the FR-2 Model. Available in both piano and button versions, the FR-2 has some innovations compared with the previous models, notably the addition of Drum Pads to the left-hand controls. There are no internal speakers in the FR-2 which has 34 right-hand keys (or 82 buttons) and 96 bass buttons.

Roland has recently put together a team of demonstrators in an attempt to bring the accordion back in this new digital light that it has created. The team includes phenomenal players such as Ludvic Beier, Eddie Monteiro, Cory Pesaturo, Paul Stanga, Chris Rybak and Don McMahon

References

cite web
url = http://rolandus.com/products/productlist.aspx?ParentId=32
title = Roland US Accordion Page

cite web
url = http://www.gearwire.com/roland-v-accordion.html
title = Roland FR-7 V-Accordion Video Demo - Played by Chris Rybak for Gearwire at NAMM