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#327016 - 06/23/11 06:59 AM Any updates from BK7M users?
Bill Lewis Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/12/08
Posts: 2441
Loc: Bluffton/Hilton Head SC USA
There was a lot of discussion on the BK7M and now it seems forgotten. Any of the members who've bought one I'd really like to hear your impressions and advice after owning it for awhile. Surprises, dissapointments, etc??
I'm in the midst of a move but my thought down the line would be to tie one to a Casio PX3 to have a portable but solid feeling gig setup.

Anyone ????
_________________________
Bill in SC --- Roland BK9 (2) Roland BK7M, Roland PK5 Pedals, Roland FP90, Roland CM30 (2), JBL Eon Ones (2) JBL 610 Monitor, Behringer Sub, EV mics, Apple iPad (2) Behringer DJ mixer

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#327020 - 06/23/11 07:26 AM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
the few people I Know that have had the BK7m Uncle Dave, Deane have now sold them for many reasons........ I'd seriously try one before you buy it...

http://www.roland-arranger.com/

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#327027 - 06/23/11 08:48 AM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
donpatt Offline
Member

Registered: 03/19/06
Posts: 465
Loc: Lufkin, TX.
Hi Bill,

I don't know if you are aware but there is a forum at YahooGroups.com that is devoted to the BK. There is much info available there as well as extra styles, "how to do it" files ETC.

I've had my BK-7m for a few months and these are my thoughts.
Many of the styles are very good and some of the sounds OK.

The biggest disappointment for me is in the way individual sounds have to be selected. there are no dedicated buttons to access them, i.e. piano, guitar, strings. It has to be done from inside menus, by pushing the data wheel, then selecting the sound bank and then the sound.

Also, there are One Touch Settings for each style, however, these are not linked to the variation buttons in such a way as to be selected by footswitch. So, for me as an accordion player, sound selection on the fly is almost impossible since a button on the module itself has to be pushed by hand to change a one-touch-sound; unless everything is programmed into a performance.

In that case, to change individual sounds you would have to save the style several times as a separate performance with a different voice in order to have multiple sounds in a song.

All that said, while I'm not too happy, our friend DonM is using his on gigs quite successfully, but he can speak for himself.

While I havn't given up completely, I'll just say, in the end, the BK-7m may not work for me!

Don P
_________________________
GENOS, Roland FR-8X V Accordion, Bose Compacts.

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#327030 - 06/23/11 09:10 AM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
IMO the BK7m was made more for Accordion players.

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#327043 - 06/23/11 12:19 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
Bernie9 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5507
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
He is an accordian player
_________________________
pa4X 76 ,SX900, Audya 76,Yamaha S970 , vArranger, Hammond SK1, Ketron SD40, Centerpoint Space Station, Bose compact

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#327044 - 06/23/11 12:34 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
I haven't posted in a couple of months but I will answer this one.
I love the BK-7m. I'm using it with an Edirol controller. I can call up 50 commands with button pushes from it.
I have programmed the variations, endings, break, etc., and about 20 of my favorite sounds. In addition I have two foot switches for the controller, one for the module, one for the harmonizer and a Roland FC7 if I need it. That's 9 more pedals than I have feet.
I am now setting up buttons to call up my 10 favorite "go to" registrations.
It is far from perfect and I have to bring a mic processor and laptop or tablet for text display. I was doing that anyway, so no big deal. It is a very deep machine and you can do pretty much anything you want with it, but it takes a little time and effort to get comfortable with the editing of the controller. Roland does provide excellent free software for this.
I am active on both the roland-arranger.com forum and the Yahoo BK-7m forum if you want more info.
I'm also hoping this board can get back to being more useful. So far I haven't missed it at all, other than many of my friends, the ones that haven't been run off yet.
I will be posting some songs on my website in the near future. I won't be posting any here.
DonP, you can link OTS to style variations if that helps.
Unfortunately you cannot yet edit and save OTS settings on the module. However I can edit and save them on my E50 and transfer them to the thumb drive and they work fine.
My setup time is about 10 minutes. Heaviest thing I have is Bose Compact at 28 pounds or so.
DonM
_________________________
DonM

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#327045 - 06/23/11 12:57 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
donpatt Offline
Member

Registered: 03/19/06
Posts: 465
Loc: Lufkin, TX.
Mr. DonM, that bit of info abt OTS helps a lot.

I'll just have to call you and find out how that works?

Very informative post

Thanks
Don P
_________________________
GENOS, Roland FR-8X V Accordion, Bose Compacts.

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#327050 - 06/23/11 01:42 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Dnj]
ianmcnll Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
Originally Posted By: Dnj
the few people I Know that have had the BK7m Uncle Dave, Deane have now sold them for many reasons........ I'd seriously try one before you buy it...

http://www.roland-arranger.com/


I have three new clients, who went from buying, trying (and returning)a BK-7M, and then purchasing a Yamaha PSR-S910, and two PSR-S710.

The main reason for returning the module was that it was not user friendly, and required a lot of time, effort, foot switches, and, although it sounded very good and had some excellent styles, it apparently was just not worth the effort. Some had them for several weeks, and were still not able to get it to work as needed.

Personally, I think Roland had a potential goldmine in this module, IF (and that's a big "if" as you can see) they had made it much easier to use and far more operator friendly. It is quite probably a fine module for those who have the time, patience, and lots of third party help to get it up and running. I actually entertained the thought of getting one myself (to use with a digital piano) but after reading, both here on SZ, and on other forums, about the issues most users were having with it (and the subsequent returns), I thought better of it, and will wait to see if they come out with a BK-7M Mark II, BK-8M, or whatever they will call it.

If they are planning on basing an arranger keyboard on this product, perhaps they will take what they have learned from the former customer's (and present user's) complaints, and make it a far easier, and ultimately better, instrument to use.


Ian
_________________________
Yamaha Tyros4, Yamaha MS-60S Powered Monitors(2), Yamaha CS-01, Yamaha TQ-5, Yamaha PSR-S775.

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#327065 - 06/23/11 03:23 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: Bill Lewis]
DonM Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/25/99
Posts: 16735
Loc: Benton, LA, USA
You have not used the module, don't own the module and are only interested in pushing Yamahas, yet once again, you have to inject your opinion in a thread that really shouldn't concern you, so you can tell us AGAIN how wonderful the Yamahas are.
We KNOW that. You have made your point literally hundreds, if not thousands of times. Could we have ONE thread where you don't tell us again?
It is not an arranger keyboard. For anyway looking for an arranger keyboard, look elsewhere.
I remember why I haven't been posting.
It's the same old BS.
DonM
_________________________
DonM

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#327066 - 06/23/11 03:56 PM Re: Any updates from BK7M users? [Re: DonM]
FransN Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/16/09
Posts: 1415
Loc: Netherlands
Yes I also try to tell that to some other people here. Try first something before judge it.


Edited by FransN (06/23/11 04:05 PM)

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