Roland accordion -- Re: [sdiy] New System Solution Diagram - Analog Music Synthesizer

[WeAreAs1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/6/04 9:19:55 PM, jmahoney at gate.net writes:

<< Yes, a VA (Virtual Accordion ;-) available in black or red:

http://www.roland.com/products/en/FR-7/


I first thought it was an April Fool's joke, but it seems to be real. Look,

the press release was issued on April 1st. What were they thinking?! >>

I apologize in advance for being such a horn-rimmed-glasses, 
pencil-pocket-protector-wearing, "Coffee and Cabbage Polka"-loving dork, but, damn!  This 
virtual accordion is the coolest thing Roland has done in many, many years.  Yes, 
I am serious.  The little online brochure had my heart beating like that of a 
little fieldmouse, it did.  I am loathe to find out how much $ Roland will be 
selling them for.  A lot, I think.  It is obviously an instrument that is 
designed for demanding professional players, and those guys are used to paying 
many thousands for their accordions, so it will probably be in that range.

If it sells well enough, expect to see it released in a few more color 
schemes (such as the Mexican and italian flag colors, etc.)

I'm really glad that Roland jumped on this idea before Yamaha did.  Yamaha 
sort of had the jump on them with those Virtual Modeling instruments, but it 
would have taken quite a leap in processing power to apply that technology in a 
hugely polyphonic instrument such as the accordion (most of the VL series is 
monophonic).  Nevertheless, I think Roland is better than Yamaha at marketing 
this kind of "expandable niche market" thing (sort of like the Hammond B3 clone 
market that they very much claimed and dominated).  Just as they did with 
their VK-7 hammond clone, I think they're also gonna do pretty well with this.

Mike B.