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Roland V-Combo VR-09


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I actually just tried this on a per-registration basis...you can'

t. REALLY annoying. But if you're already in MIDI-land (I'm avoiding it), you might find that it still sends CC which you might be able to wing back to the VR09 on a per-song basis. Just a thought.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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I picked up a hard case for my VR-09 yesterday in the gun aisle of Canadian Tire. Significantly cheaper than the equivalent Gator or SKB. I doubt that the shock protection is as good, but it's good enough IMO for non-abusive transport. I guesstimate the weight at 10-12lbs. The case is extremely rigid and might tolerate being driven over by a small trailer.

 

On sale this week for $99 CAD: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/huntshield-single-scoped-rifle-case-42-in-1754389p.html

 

http://oi66.tinypic.com/30c12xc.jpg

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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I was able to convert my VR09 to a pretty flexible Midi controller board by using the Midi Solutions Event Processor. Admittedly the drawbar faders and knobs don't send CCs but they DO send Sysex. Not only can I now control the drawbars of any hardware or VST organ but also any synth. Nice. I am loving the VR09 more and more. For it's price this thing is second to none really.

LIFE IS SHORT, GO GET THE GEAR YOU WANT ;-)

 

 

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Here is kind of an easter egg for saving presets: instead of using the registrations you can save any preset to the USB stick. Just press song record then stop and save the preset as a SMF song. No need to play anything. To load the preset just reload the SMF song from the USB stick.

LIFE IS SHORT, GO GET THE GEAR YOU WANT ;-)

 

 

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Really too bad. Why don't they make these simple things work when releasing these boards ? Such an inconvenience when needing these capabilities, and all it is is a bit of extra code. So silly.

 

In the musical instruments industry incomprehensible product decisions seem to be common practice and nobody cares.... somtimes Im wondering what would happen to a product manager f.e. in the auto industry if he would omit standard features in a new product just at his discretion?

LIFE IS SHORT, GO GET THE GEAR YOU WANT ;-)

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

What gets saved in the SMF, Tom? A bunch of sysex? That might be really helpful to me: I am trying to figure out if I can use the VR09 as a set list manager. This would be much faster than decoding the UPG file format. All I would have to do is save my registrations, then tack on PC messages that I want to send to my lower board.

 

Assuming SMF playback sends out the MIDI port. Anybody know?

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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Anyone tried the 1.12 firmware with the damper and expression pedal registration fix? I saw it a few hours before I had to fly away from my vr-09 :(

 

Hey Baggypants - don't know the answer to your question, but thanks for posting it - I didn't realize yet another new VR09 patch has been posted.

 

Looks like they've improved a few things!

----------------------------------------------

Update history

[ Ver.1.12 ]

 

Additional Functions

 

It is now possible to save function settings for the damper pedal and expression pedal in each individual registration.

 

It is now possible to select the keyboard touch from among a 5-stage range by using the following procedure (VR-730 only:

 

[MENU] button - "Keyboard" category - "Key Touch"

[sUPER LIGHT]: This is lighter keyboard touch than LIGHT.

[LIGHT]: This is light keyboard touch. Fortissimo (ff) notes can be played by using less force than with MEDIUM.

[MEDIUM]: This is the standard keyboard touch.

[HEAVY]: This is heavy keyboard touch. Playing fortissimo (ff) notes requires a more forceful touch than with MEDIUM.

[sUPER HEAVY]: This is heavier keyboard touch than HEAVY.

 

Functionality Improvement

When the organ-tone variation is "Jazz Organ" or "Rock Organ," no vibrato or chorus is applied to percussion sounds.

 

Bug Fix

Minor bugs have been fixed.

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Hmmm....just read thru the release notes......does this system update v1.12 finally resolve the "vibrato/chorus being applied to the percussion" bug? Can someone please confirm this as this was definitely a bug fix that I was waiting for?

----------------------------------------------------------

 

Gig: Yamaha MODX7, NumaX 73 Piano  Studio: Kawai ES-920; Hammond SK Pro 73; Yamaha Motif ES7 w/DX,VL,VH; Yamaha YC 73; Kawai MP-6; Numa Compact 2x

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Anyone tried the 1.12 firmware with the damper and expression pedal registration fix? I saw it a few hours before I had to fly away from my vr-09 :(

This is amazing news - and a very nice surprise - yet again... :)

Great work Roland. Thank you!!

Now if they could just add the (crucial) ability to recieve programme change messages, the VR09 would be a pretty well perfect keyboard.......

 

I haven't updated yet though.... Being the coward that I am, I will wait until I have heard how the braver members of the forum got on with it.......

"Turn your fingers into a dust rag and keep them keys clean!" ;) Bluzeyone
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Posted this on the VR-09 FB group, hope it's ok to post here too...

 

"How do you guys manage splits on the VR09? My main sound is the organ, but I would like to have a Piano, EP or Clav on the Left Hand, to enrich the performance, as many of the songs I play would benefit from some simultaneous organ and piano/clav on some parts... Or some B3 licks here and there when playing piano, things like that

 

Problem is, the default sounds are too dull when compared to even the slightly tweaked RH hammond... Not only in volume, but in "life", in realism of the sound, too... If only we could adjust at least tone, overdrive and compressor on the bottom of the split (hey Roland, what about this on the next update?)... Anybody else feel this? Any ideas on how to manage this issue?"

My drawbars go to eleven.

Gear: Roland VR-09, Nord Electro 2 61, Korg CX-3. Hear my music: facebook.com/smokestoneband

 

 

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Now if they could just add the (crucial) ability to recieve programme change messages, the VR09 would be a pretty well perfect keyboard.......

 

Are you sure it can't? Maybe we are not talking about the same thing, but I usually send "program change" MIDI messages to the VR-09 (I've used a PC, a MIDI Keyboard Controller and a Roland RC-3 MIDI Program Changer).

I'm not sure if it can change registrations via MIDI (I think not...), but it definitely can receive "program change" MIDI messages :thu: .

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PC messages on VR09 target the GM2 subsystem. That is not normally what people want. We want to change registrations. If we wanted GM2, we'd buy a sound canvas or something.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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Now if they could just add the (crucial) ability to recieve programme change messages, the VR09 would be a pretty well perfect keyboard.......

 

Are you sure it can't? Maybe we are not talking about the same thing, but I usually send "program change" MIDI messages to the VR-09 (I've used a PC, a MIDI Keyboard Controller and a Roland RC-3 MIDI Program Changer).

I'm not sure if it can change registrations via MIDI (I think not...), but it definitely can receive "program change" MIDI messages :thu: .

 

Hi Lloyds. You are right - we are not talking about the same thing. I want it to change registrations, which it definitely can't. (Unfortunately). :(

"Turn your fingers into a dust rag and keep them keys clean!" ;) Bluzeyone
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PC messages on VR09 target the GM2 subsystem. That is not normally what people want. We want to change registrations.

Yes. IIRC, Program Change is GM; registrations cannot be selected via MIDI; and there is a third scenario, being able to send Program Changes to select (non-GM) individual sounds, i.e. the same sounds you select with the (non-registration) front panel buttons, which would also be very useful and IS supported... but only via sysex, in an implementation the looked complicated to me even by sysex standards. That's a shame, because if you could easily select Upper and Lower sounds over MIDI, you'd largely be able to use that functionality (via iPad/iPhone for example) the same way you'd use registrations, and then the inability to select registrations wouldn't be half as bad.

 

It would be great if someone could put together a chart of which sysex strings to send in order to select any of the standard 200-ish sounds and enable them on either the upper or lower parts.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi, I am looking for a portable keyboard with good APs and EPs not much interested in organ. I really like the EPs sounds and controls of the Yamaha Reface CP (specifically distortion, reverb and analog delay) but I don't like the mini keys and I don't want to MIDI it with a master keyboard. Can anybody compare the quality of the Reface CP electric pianos to the VR09(b)? Thanks a lot.
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Anyone notice the sustain when using AP sounds.....kind of generates a background buzzing when you hold it for awhile?

 

Maybe it's because I'm using a cheap Roland DP-2 pedal or it could be I'm a retard with pedal use.....

 

Would a proper pedal do away with this?

 

I use AP a lot for bed tracks, it's annoying....

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I've never heard this, but it's not your pedal. I'm using ancient DP-10s FWIW.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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Hi TBee. Welcome to the forum! Your question is a little unusual as the main selling point of the Vr09 is its excellent organ sounds, drawbars etc. I bet there is not a person here who has it and does not use the organ. I almost never use the piano sounds on it as I have a separate, weighted keyboard for that.

 

If you are going to be playing mainly piano and electric piano, might you want to consider getting a weighted keyboard so it feels more like a real piano to play? I am sure the VR09 piano is probably fine, but I would never choose to play piano on an unweighted keyboard.

 

I have never heard, nor tried a reface. Sorry I can't be of much help.

"Turn your fingers into a dust rag and keep them keys clean!" ;) Bluzeyone
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It would be great if someone could put together a chart of which sysex strings to send in order to select any of the standard 200-ish sounds and enable them on either the upper or lower parts.

 

Take a look at the MIDI Implementation File for VR-09. At the section 7 of this document (called 'Tone List') you will find the 'Program Change' messages for access ALL the (non-GM) individual sounds. You will need to put VR-09 'MIDI Mode' in 'Mode 2' (You'll find this in MENU->MIDI->MIDI In Mode), then send a 'MSB/LSB Bank Change' as well as the 'Program Change' message to a certain MIDI Channel, this can be easily done with most of MIDI controllers...

 

If you want to select tones in 'Upper' send the MSB/LSB/PC Change Message to the Upper MIDI Channel (Configured in MENU->MIDI... Default is Ch.4) and if you want it in 'Lower' send it to the Lower MIDI Channel (Default value is Ch.3).

 

I.E. if you want to put in 'Upper' the sound 'N.AcousticBs' (you know, this magnific Upright Bass in the bass section :idea: ) you will need to send the message MSB:006/LSB:000/PC:118 in Ch.4...

 

Take in consideration 3 important things:

1st: if the VR-09 'MIDI Mode' is in 'MODE 1', every channel will play GM2 tones, so please, ensure you've entered the 'MODE 2'...

2nd: You CAN NOT BE ABLE to select organ section in this way... only PIANO/SYNTH/DRUMS sections are accesible.

3rd: In the VR-09 OS, MSB/LSB banks go from 000 to 127, but PC goes from 1 to 128, so if your controller's OS sends PC from 000 to 127 you will need to substract "1" to the PC values in MIDI Implement tone list.

 

I hope it will help you :thu:

Lloyd.

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Thank you for posting that useful info. I was thrown off by some stuff in section 5 which made me think that tone select required sysex, and I think I stopped looking after that! Thanks for the correction. Inability to select organ is a bit of a bummer, but overall, section 7 is good news.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Thank you for posting that useful info. I was thrown off by some stuff in section 5 which made me think that tone select required sysex, and I think I stopped looking after that! Thanks for the correction. Inability to select organ is a bit of a bummer, but overall, section 7 is good news.

 

Program change commands were also discussed earlier in this thread:

 

https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2883041/Re_Roland_V_Combo_VR_09#Post2883041

 

 

LIFE IS SHORT, GO GET THE GEAR YOU WANT ;-)

 

 

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Thank you for posting that useful info. I was thrown off by some stuff in section 5 which made me think that tone select required sysex, and I think I stopped looking after that! Thanks for the correction. Inability to select organ is a bit of a bummer, but overall, section 7 is good news.

 

Program change commands were also discussed earlier in this thread:

 

https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2883041/Re_Roland_V_Combo_VR_09#Post2883041

 

 

Hi Tom. I didn't realise it was possible to do a link to a past post. How did you do that?

Thanks. :)

"Turn your fingers into a dust rag and keep them keys clean!" ;) Bluzeyone
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  • 1 month later...

Cheers,

 

did a little work to upgrade the VR Edtior App Windows version available for the (opensource) CTRLR midi-panel platform.

 

until I'll check it in at CTRLR, it's downloable from my website:

http://rrr.de/~franky/upload/V-Combo_1121_366_v1.12.1-GM.b14.zip

 

intergrated actual firmware v1.12

added sound selector for the Roland Atelier Organ sounds (~ aprox. 600)

added 'sound explorer' for the hidden accoustic + synth sounds on the keyboard-tonegenerators (serveral 100s)

added 'sound explorer' for the GM2-sounds (300 official GM2 sounds + 100s of others)

increased timbrality (up to 6 parallel voices in upper+lower manual) with respect to the pure keyboard.

boost timbrality up to 18 layered voices or 21 in total for the key using GM2-sounds

draftstyle tutorial in english and teutonic.

laptop/tablet setup example for playing GM2 sounds live

 

most important update: real B3-Style virtual drawbars :)

unfortunately the app does NOT make the VR sound like an organ (no illusional hopes! :))

(hmm... maybe we should think about integrating the VB3 into the app... even with the 'soundcard' of my 200 bucks Win-tablet the VB3 sounds 10x better than the VR09...)

 

:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Have you tried the new firmware? The organ sounds are significantly better.

Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3

Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H

Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9

Roland: VR-09, RD-800

 

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