Those of us that have an issue with our accordions sometimes wonder if we can fix it ourselves or wonder if we should pay for the services of an expert. This decision for most people is not an easy one to make. Here the story of how I handled that question. … Continue readingShould I, Shouldn’t I?

The Solton Programmer 24 is an excellent arranger with plenty of rhythms and other features to make playing quite a lot of fun, however, it has to be programmed to listen in on specific midi channels before it can work with the Elkavox 83 accordion. Here is that process… … Continue readingSolton Programmer 24 setup

I had been playing quite a while and based on the requests of several family members, needed a way to record my accordion. Here I discuss the setup I used to have to start out with and what I use today. … Continue readingRecording the Accordion #1

My Hohner’s mics are dead. This is the story of how I handled that situation not only effectively, but for only a few dollars and with results that meet or exceed the factory original quality! … Continue readingCan You Hear Me Now?

Featuring 16 mono/mic channels, 4-band Perkins QE, 6 AUX sends, 4 subgroups and so much more, this mixer was one of those diamonds that was just sitting there waiting to be used. This is the story of how I acquired this beauty! … Continue readingMackie 1640i Mixer

This page is a placeholder for info about how to tune an accordion, as I learn it. From how to make a bellows testing machine to what software to use to how to actually tune, this page is a collection of info found on the internet about this topic. … Continue readingTuning an Accordion

The basic process of tuning as I learn it. I plan to document the process in writing and in video to best help me out on different projects. Here is my page where I start to gather up this information … Continue readingHow to Tune – Part1

In this post, I want to discuss it with a little greater detail and share what it takes to start the process from the hardware side. Now, of course, each song kind of follows it’s own path, but this will hopefully explain my process a little better. This is the first of a couple posts on the topic. … Continue readingRecording the Accordion #2

There was one more thing that I wanted to play with, and that is a wireless solution, some way that I could connect the Hohner to the mixer and not have a wire hanging down from the accordion to the mixer, and my one requirement was that it had to be very affordable… maybe I found that answer? … Continue readingAffordable Wireless Solution?

In going through the system, I have found another source of hiss, and it’s a bit difficult to deal with. It seems that the Bose 802-E equalizer has developed a good hiss. Here is how I am dealing with it. … Continue readingBose 802-E Equalizer Issues

Well, I am officially jumping off the deep end even thinking about such a project. I am wondering if I could somehow, all by myself, make a sonically high quality microphone setup for my Hohner that comes close to being as good as the HATools system, just of course for a lot less. Here is where this rabbit hole leads me! … Continue readingCustom Microphone System

This is a place holder for all the stuff that is technical and concerns my Roland V-accordion. … Continue readingFR-8x Tech Info

To help me know what is where in terms of settings, set locations and so on, I am making this page of notes. … Continue readingWhat is Where

My BK-7m backing module did not come with any kind of a foot pedal, as they normally don’t, even from the factory. Here is the story of how I tackled this challenge! … Continue readingFoot Pedals for the BK-7m

I saw online where some people experienced an annoying vibration noise from the left side of their accordion when using settings that produced deep bass at maximum volume. Well, I was testing out the maximum volume of my 8X, and there it was. This is the story of how I dealt with this issue! … Continue readingBad Vibrations

In this article, I look at a few details of what it takes to record the accordion. Here is that story! … Continue readingRecording the Accordion #3

I created a series of short educational videos in response to my friend Ed’s specific questions in areas he wanted some fill-in info on and I tossed in a few hints to aide him in making his videos a little better.  So, this is my way of taking that info and making it public. Here is that story. … Continue readingVideo Editing: The Basics

Video taping yourself with a single low end camcorder… it can give you good results. Use these tips and learn how to draw the most out of your accordion videos using these 5 simple tips! … Continue readingVideo Taping with ONE Camera

When using one or two cameras, and trying to get the best possible results, the preparation can start to get a little complex, so I created this page to help me keep track of those little things I want to configure. Here is that story. … Continue readingVideo Camera Settings

I put together the recordings that I made during my own update process and shared it, with the hopes that it helps a few people. Here is that story. … Continue readingFR-8X Firmware Update to V.2.50

Ever since I did my little Silent Night videos, I’ve wanted to get a little more in to the green screen thing, but I had a couple of limitations. Here is the story of how I dealt with those challenges. … Continue readingSmall Lighting Upgrade

I love my toys! Here is the story of my condenser microphones, the supporting accessories, an unboxing and impressions discussion and several great hints about making good recordings with them! … Continue readingExternal Condenser Mics

This is the story of how I got my audio finally up to snuff! … Continue readingUber Cheap Voice Recorder

One of my very old dreams was always to have had an amplified stereo setup but with no wires between me and the amp or mixer. Well, I’ve taken the first step to begin this process… here is that story! … Continue readingGoing All Wireless

‘A super nice set of quality condenser mics, a high quality recorder and a set of mic stands and cables to tie them all together. This is the story of how I got those!’ … Continue readingRecording Acoustic Accordion #1

Zoom F4 V.3.00 Firmware update. The story of how the Zoom F4 came to get a new firmware update. Here is what’s new and how to install it! … Continue readingZoom F4 V.2.0 Firmware

A continuation of the last post, the experimentation about various mic techniques finally starts a bit… read how this story goes! … Continue readingRecording Acoustic Accordion #2

What is the most minimal computer strength needed to capture your accordion? I explore this question and offer my answer. Read that story here. … Continue readingHow Strong?

Computer software and computers are never where we want them to be… but this is the story of how I got around one of my major issues that will result with me making more and better videos in the future. Here is that story. … Continue readingExercise in Frustration

Always thinking and looking at how to take my videos to the next level, this is the story of how I made a big jump in the quality of my vids! … Continue readingChristmas Bananas

Exceptional video quality… the next step in my evolution to eventually making superb looking short musical stories! … Continue readingThe New Toys

My system of creating music videos. This is a fairly big post… so be ready… here is that story! … Continue readingRecording Tips & Techniques

This is the story of how I post process my audio files. Enjoy! … Continue readingTips On Audio Processing

The story of how the Zoom F4 came to get a new firmware update. Here is what’s new and how to install it! … Continue readingZoom F4 V.3.0 Firmware

How to integrate an energizer bunny in to the battery of your 8X… here is that story! … Continue readingMy DIY Battery for the FR-8X

The Story of how I found my new small portable digital mixer! … Continue readingQSC Touchmix 8

The story of how I tried to help find some better than factory bellows settings to make playing easier. … Continue readingFR-8X Too Fatiguing To Play?

USB Keys and the FR-8X… here is that story! … Continue readingUSB Keys and the FR-8X

An improved cable for stereo output? Yes! Here is that story! … Continue readingNew FR-8X Cable

More microphones? Oh no… wait, oh yes, here is that story! … Continue readingSmall Condenser Mics

How to install and setup Java and the editor for the FR-8X, yet another story! … Continue readingFR-8X JAVA editor

I wasn’t rocking and rolling how I wanted… this is the story of how I stopped my ROLL! … Continue readingRoll No More

The story of how I went “phase 1” wireless on the 8X … Continue readingBudget Wireless for the FR-8X

Live Streaming?? Are you crazy?? Here is that story! … Continue readingLive Streaming!

Capture good sound on your cell phone from your V-Accordion… here is that story!
… Continue readingRecording From Cell Phone

How did this super dream come about? Read on to find out this story! … Continue readingUltimate Geek Setup!

Great video… but cellphones alone capture really bad audio… here is how to solve that challenge… and that story … Continue readingBluetooth No More!

Does the Roland editor work on my Mac M1? According to them, no… according to me… YES! Here is that story! … Continue readingFR-8x Editor

Live Streaming part deux! Just some rambling about my new streaming setup and how to do it… here is that story! … Continue readingLive Streaming Part 2

ZOOM meetings were not really made to be used in a stereo environment, and therefore, one has to push the limits on a few things to make it happen… and happen it did for me. Here is that story! … Continue readingLive Streaming Part 3

The story of how I never again will lose my cherished websites! … Continue readingA New Computer!

Firewire in general and internal vs external varieties… how good are they? Here is that story! … Continue readingFireWire, INT vs EXT

The story of how I move my Mackie mixer’s inputs to the other side of the room… without moving the mixer! … Continue readingMackie 1640i Modification

Setting up the new recording layout for a recording session the following day… here is that story! … Continue readingReady to make some music!

Can’t play this second, so let’s make lemonade… err, custom balanced XLR cables! Here is that story! … Continue readingCustom Balanced XLR Cables

Toys that will improve my video quality a bit further… here is that story! … Continue readingNew Hardware!

The story of how to make the LIMEX Midi system sing! … Continue readingLIMEX MIDI Info

Want to make a better green screen? Here are a few important hints in a nice and easy story! … Continue readingA Couple Green Screen Hints

The story of how you too can learn to play without looking at your keyboard! … Continue readingFind Your Keyboard

Times that I just play with my hardware/software often gives me new tools in my toolkit, thats often leads to a good story! … Continue readingInteresting Video Technique

“How do they make an arranger follow the chord changes of a V-Accordionist?” This is the story that answers this question. … Continue readingMIDI 101

It died! The story of how I revived my digital mixer! … Continue readingTouchMix Troubles

The story of a new way to get some really good quality video from my iPad! … Continue readingTiny Techno Breakthrough

How to turn my ‘Tuna from a boring MONO sound machine into a beastly STEREO box… what a story! … Continue readingBeltuna Reconfiguration

The story of a video that NO ONE wanted to make… until now … Continue readingHow-To: Mackie 1640i