I looked at the Orla website and 2012 catalog and unless I am mistaken there is no mention of their sound modules. Does anyone know if they have discontinued production of them? It seemed they were moving from Italy to China with their manufacturing of many items.

Heres the UK dealer http://orladirect.co.uk/xmvirtuoso/

They may be able to help

Bill

Hi Sparky,

This is from the Castiglione Accordion site! He is located in Warren, Micchigan.


"New for 2012" Orla's newest Rhythm Arranger! No mention of price. Looks kinda interesting.


http://www.castiglioneaccordions.com/orlaxm500musicstation.html

Don P

Looks like same sound engine and setup as my Orla KX-10 with the addition of microphone features.

MMUSA/ Orla KX10

The guy in Michigan must have an exclusive on the module. I asked Lillianna at MMUSA abt it and she said she didn't think she could get one!

I deal with MMUSA and Accordion-o-Rama, both Orla dealers. AOR was told there was going to be a new Orla module then told there wasn't by the same guy at Orla later.. They tried for 2 years to get info on a KX10 for me and got a runaround so I ended up getting it from Alex at MMUSA and they were exclusive distributors (thru Wyman music in CA.) out here. Orla must have made the same deal with Castiglione through Falcetti music. I believe both products are produced for Orla in China thus being handled differently...FYI I recommend both dealers- I have purchased several accordions from AOR and most recently one from MMUSA after the KX10 purchase.

Hello Sparky,
I see in one of your posts that you have purchased the Orla KX10 keyboard. I am thinking about getting the Orla KX10 piano accordion keyboard & have watched the videos made by Music Magic on youtube. Are you pleased with yours? Would you recommend it?
I presently have the Orla C465 piano accordion keyboard & it is starting to show it's age so I am looking to upgrade.
Thanks for any info that you may give.
Wally

Sparky,

What is the accordion you have with the Totter MIDI system? Are there any particular dislikes you have abt the system. I know it uses Ketron SD2 sounds. I'm considering the Totter system but can't get much info. Alex sent a brochure but it really doesn't tell much and there's not even any pictures that I can find!

I would be interested in your opinion; pro or con!

Many thanks,

I like it as far as its ease of use goes. Sounds are from adequate to good- Ive always been a Ketron sound guy. But this seems to be the only way to get the accordion configuration in a keyboard. Your C465 was followed by the pk400 then came the Kx10. Only 20 memory presets but it has usb so there is expansion there. Very simplistic midi- no options to change midi channel assignments etc. You have to match it with your settings if you're going to run an accordion thru it. I just ordered an sd4 to run with it . That way I can select the ketron sounds/programs from the keypad.. I have an sd2 but the orla can't trigger more than the first 128gm sounds on it. the kx10 has no programming capabilities to access the higher banks in the sd2. Selecting sound # 129 on the orla gives you sound #1 on the ketron and you start over again. If you don't need to add anything, it's fine. Piano sounds are good, strings and saxes ok, rhythms good. No psr7/910, tyros or ketron sd5/audya. I do most of my performance with the accordion and sd2 and the rest of the band.

I had the Totter midi installed on one of his Pietro wooden folk accordions, the Dolomite 96. Love the accordion at 22 1/2 lbs! The only thing I miss with this midi is a numbered keypad on the controller . It has an up and down button, and there is a way to make it move fast or normal to scroll thru programs. After playing Excelsior Midivox and Musictech midis with keypads, it was an adjustment but I'm fine with it now. I wanted a small controller and theirs fit perfectly with the chrome grill of the accordion. You do not get a sound card on board the accordion as the advertising leads you to believe; you are supplied an sd2 that it plays thru included in the pricing . The accordion is programmed with many factory presets using the sd2 sounds and various banks. I found it easy to change or add more myself into the memory of the Totter. You can create programs in the Totter controller memory with sounds from any of the 4 banks in the sd2- you are not restricted to one bank, and you call them up by number only, not bank and number. Quicker that way. I am very satisfied with it and would get it installed in my next accordion whenever that might be. The only drawback for me besides no numeric keypad is no output from the Totter control box for a volume pedal. I tried using midi signals from a midi solutions pedal controller but the Totter uses a different pin configuration than most- the data and power don't line up. I ended up using a yamaha fc9 pedal and running in and out of it with the analog signal. But this raises all volumes-0 I used to just use the pedal for right hand sounds . You can control volume with the grill controller but it takes a few steps. Hope all this helps.

Many Thanks Sparky,

What a great report. You may have just saved me from making a big mistake. The lack of a numeric key pad and foot pedal volume control may not work for me. Although, I don't use a volume pedal with my Roland Fr-7X; But it doesn't need one!

I too used an Excelsior Midivox purchased from AOR. I know peter S. quite well. He used to attend the National Accordion Convention in Dallas every year, however, he hasn't been there in the last two years.

Got to love the Dolomite 96. I've never tried one but 22 1/2 pounds can't be beat.

Once again, many thanks for your response. I'm probably going with the Alassandrini Polka Magic Jr. 37/96 without MIDI, and then have something else installed (0ther than Totter).

Don P

Hi Sparky,
Thanks for the info concerning the Orla KX10, I really appreciate it!
Like you, I've also been a Ketron sound guy. I started out many years ago with the MS-40 then went to the X-4 & then to the Midjay series of modules, using my C465 for a midi controller. The older I get the heavier the Orla gets so I'm looking for something smaller & lighter. I'll definitely have to give the KX10 some serious thought.
Wally

… And thanks from me for your observations regarding the KX-10 Sparky. For years I used a Master MK4, 96 bass keyboard controller … it has since ‘bit the dust’. I contacted Orla to see if they could offer a controller similar to the MK4. About a year later, Orla It. told me that were releasing the KX-10 but the price at that time was much more than I want to spend to use it as a controller. I spoke with Music Magic several times about it and asked if they could refer me to someone who was successfully using the KX-10 as the only reference to it on the net was not complimentary. I’m still investigating, I got the best price from Jim Laabs, but several people told me to be wary when dealing with this company. I used the PK400 for about a year, but it was too heavy for me to tote on gigs and the OS is far too busy to use on gigs.
In addition to midi accordion, I currently use the Master Pro 2000, 120 bass midi unit with a variety of keyboards and with the Midjay Plus. I was thinking that I would use the KX-10 sounds and as a controller with the Midjay styles and files. Any observations about this configuration? Are the midi send channels on the KX-10 fixed? If so, do they send on the channels to allow control of external (Ketron) expanders?
Sorry for being so wordy, but I’ve been trying to get reliable info about the KX-10 for a couple of years.
Ciao,
Jerry

Please Jerry, or anyone else who has used Orla... do their modules and piano keyboards have a provision to change the bass line based on the INVERSION of the chord being played? (Among Korg, Roland, Yamaha this feature is known as "Fingered On Bass" chord recognition.)

For example: when this feature is activated, you will get an E-bass if you play E-G-C, and a C-bass if you play C-E-G in the chord recognition area. Obviously if you are triggering the module with an accordion-style bass controller or pedal board, it should play the fundamental bass corresponding to the bass button or pedal being pressed. However my question has to do with whether alternate bass lines are available using a common piano keyboard midi controller.

I reviewed an old KX1000 manual and couldn't find any mention of this feature. Does anyone know whether it was implemented on their later modules, such as the XM900 and Virtuoso?
Thanks,
Ted

The KX10 midi channels come set for r1, r2, ch, bass. You can change them to match another module. I always created a separate midi receive setup in the external module ( accd2, user 1) to receive the channels. I had a helluva time trying to figure out what channel drums were on in the Orla (I think ch 11) but they transmit sounds. Couldn't get to transmitting control signals specifically and rhythyms played ok for 4 sounds but once I could access drums it wasn't right. Again, I believe all the programming info does not transmit/is not received. Very frustrating. I got an sd4 today from JAy Fox and am trying to coordinate the midi channels.

As far as single finger chording on their 61 key models, they have 2 options which will produce major, seventh, minor, and minor seventh chords. This does not apply to the left hand button versions.

Any other q's?

Anybody that can help me with the drum problem?

That video with AJ looks so easy- plug in the sd4 and hook up the midi and audio outs, turn the volume to 0 on the keyboard (it was a Korg though) , and play away with full rhythms/drums....Any suggestions AJ?

The Musictech works with everything...

And Jerry & Wally, 25 lbs +/- on the KX10. With multiple back surgeries, I look at weight for eveything, instruments, speakers (I us 2 ev zx1/sb122 towers), etc.

Peter Shearer at AOR knows the Orla modules inside out. I too went from an MS40 to an X-4 to an SD3. Sold the ASD3 and regret it everyday- going to look for a used one, or the Roland BK-7m.

The Totter does have bellows sensitivity but that's something I never liked.

Thanks for the reply Sparky. I take it that you think that using the KX-10 as a controller with the Midjay Plus is not a problem. If you can, post a couple of pictures of you and the board.
Weight is an issue for many of us ...
My main squeeze is now a 72 bass, 4/5 hand made reed box with the Limex midi and mic systems - under 20 lbs. My main sound system is the Bose L1 Compact and if I need a little more sound I can add a Barbetta Sona 31 that I keep in the van ... better on the back than most systems. Yesterday, I played a large outdoor venue and for that I use a Bose L1 Model II with 2 B1 bass bins that I use for venues with over 200 people.

Don Pat; Wow, we're still trying to put together the ideal rig ... since the Genesys XP days (I go back to the Korg i5M and those ancient drum machines).
Ciao,
Jerry

Hey Jerry and Group,

If we ccouldn't talk and dream abt new toys, what would be the fun of it!

You know Jerry, the XP was ahead of its time. To bad GEM couldn't hang on!

I just purchased the Roland FR-1X, 72 bass, 14 pounds. Only thing is, I keep runninng out of notes on both ends; Only 26 on the keyboard! But, believe it or not, it has great MIDI capabilities, and L&R 1/4" audio outs. So it has plenty of muscle.

Sparky, I have a Roland BK-7m and I highly recommend it. Only downside is that the lead voices cannot be accessed via foot pedal. Endless styles are available, and really good sounds. Check it out!

Interesting discussion guys,
Don P

Maybe your orla styles are using 2 MIDI channels for drums?

Do you know that if you have a midi accordion and a Ketron SD4, you can play your SD3 styles with a PC software that I wrote called vArranger.

Jerry-sent you a pm