Touchy Feely

Orchestra

Press the Orchestra button and go down the rabbit hole.

Consider the four Register switches on the Roland FR-1.

Switch 1 gets strings and vocals -- violin, soft vocals (ooh, or strike key strongly for ahh and a drop), harder vocals, and string ensemble.

Switch 2 get brass -- trumpet, trombone, french horn, and brass choir.

Switch 3 gets woodwinds -- flute, tenor saxophone, clarinet, and oboe.

Switch 4 gets piano, guitar, mandolin, and harpsichord with strings.

Bellows

For Switches 1, 2, and 3, operate the bellows as you would your diaphragm when playing wind instruments or singing, or your bow on a string instrument.

Play short, detached, and accented note.

Play a longer note with an initial attack, then a swell, then a drop-off of air pressure.

Play a longer phrase of notes that builds to a peak then drops off.

Work to achieve a characteristic sound for the instrument and play notes (pitches) within the range of the instrument.

Key Strike

For Switch 4, you can keep the bellows shut. The bellows has no effect.

The speed and force of the key strike affects the sound.

Switch 4 is a great area for practicing the evenness of your fingering.

An interesting effect with the mandolin is quick key presses give single notes. 

A slightly longer press gives a tremolo. 

So, play the single notes short, and hold the longer notes slightly longer to get a tremolo.

Dual

Pressing the Set switch then pressing Switch 4 turns Dual Mode on and off.

With Dual Mode on, you get the accordion and the orchestra instrument.

With Switches 1, 2, and 3, both instruments are affected by the bellows.

The accordion and the trumpet, or the tenor saxophone, or the clarinet provides a pleasing sound.

With Switch 4, you can blend between the two instruments. Using no bellows will give only the orchestra instrument. Adding in bellows will add in the accordion. Adding in a lot of bellows will sound mostly the accordion. So, you can effectively play between two instruments.