Members johnmoorejohn Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Someone finally makes something I have been complaining has been missing for years. A midi controller with workstation quality keybed! The A-88 is nice, but the A-49 is exactly what I have been wanting for a few years now. http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=a-49 http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=a-88 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meatball Fulton Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Just because Roland says the keybed is a cut above doesn't make it so, caveat emptor. No aftertouch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bernard Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 I suspect they will follow with a pro version with things like midi in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zzzxtreme Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 John, check out samson graphite 49 The keys felt expensive for me, with aftertouch And just $200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Just because Roland says the keybed is a cut above doesn't make it so, caveat emptor. No aftertouch It sounds like it may be the same action as the FP-4F, which I didn't like, it feels sluggish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 I suspect they will follow with a pro version with things like midi in... Yeah ...Like you I noticed the single 5 PIN MIDI OUT connection and immediately thought to myself WTF??? But then I got to thinking about it .... Why would I ever need a MIDI IN connection on a device that has no sound engine whatsoever. Under what circumstances would you need to have a MIDI IN on a dumb controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Under what circumstances would you need to have a MIDI IN on a dumb controller? If the controller has patch memory for storing splits, layers, Program Changes, controller assignments, etc., you my want to recall them from another device... especially if the keyboard itself does not have direct-button or number-pad access to its presets. This was exactly the issue I ran into with the Numa Nano. One of the reasons I didn't like it is that, while you could create sophisticated presets, you had to use a scroll wheel to call them up, which is terrible in live performance. I thought I could get around it by using a MIDI Patch Change device connected to its MIDI in, but... you guessed it... it has no MIDI in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 My A-80 has two midi inputs; MIDI IN 1 always outputs at the THRU socket and/or any of the four MIDI OUTs you programmed for a particular patch, so you can use the A-80 as a programmable router for a sequencer signal I guess. MIDI IN 2 (Remote) is primarily for use with an external keyboard (the manual recommends the AXIS-1 lol). The remote MIDI IN 2 always receives in OMNI ON mode, so the messages of the MIDI channel currently set and the real-time messages from the keyboard are ignored. So, if you had two or three rack synths, the A-80 and either a keytar or another keyboard synth or controller, the A-80 could control it all. I haven't tried any of this, but I don't know why I would want the remote input to behave the way the manual describes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 MIDI IN 2 (Remote) is primarily for use with an external keyboard (the manual recommends the AXIS-1 lol). Ah, yes. If you have a two board setup, and want to create presets that assign, not only your main controller's keys to various sounds on attached modules, but also a second controller's keys to other sounds on those same modules, that's a feature that would require a MIDI In on the primary controller. I think the Kurzweil PC3 series has this feature, I think it can assign its own internal sounds as well as externally sourced sounds to either its own keys or to keys of an additional attached controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 If the controller has patch memory for storing splits, layers, Program Changes, controller assignments, etc., you my want to recall them from another device... especially if the keyboard itself does not have direct-button or number-pad access to its presets. This was exactly the issue I ran into with the Numa Nano. One of the reasons I didn't like it is that, while you could create sophisticated presets, you had to use a scroll wheel to call them up, which is terrible in live performance. I thought I could get around it by using a MIDI Patch Change device connected to its MIDI in, but... you guessed it... it has no MIDI in. That makes sense. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mahuska Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 I have a Yamaha KX 49 Midi controller. I don't know why it didn't seem to sell well as it wasn't available very long. I think some of Yamaha's product line have a short life expectancy. Especially some of their Gtrs.The KX is a God send especially if you are a Cubase user. Besides the 4x2 knobs they are plenty buttons that integrate well and takes the need for less mouse work. You can still use it in other Daws, there are some compatibility with other DAWS, especially the transport and it comes with templates for some other Daws, but with the software editor you can also customize more and control your VST, AU's. I picked up my KX49 new for $150.00.Check out what may interest you and wait it out for those blow-out prices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Metrosonus Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 no 61 either. feh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members minimoog Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 you said Finally and it does not have aftertouch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LameAim Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Oh thank God they included the D-Beam. Got nervous for a second there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChristianRock Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Your avatar says it all, LameAim The title of this thread is hillarious. There's nothing that indicates that the keybed will be better than Novation, Studiologic or Akai Pro controllers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Klaus Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Your avatar says it all, LameAim The title of this thread is hillarious. There's nothing that indicates that the keybed will be better than Novation, Studiologic or Akai Pro controllers. Or Arturia/CME, for that matter. Initial DIY repair headaches aside, I'm rather liking the 49-key Laboratory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 So, no aftertouch, even channel? And they still stick the "A" line label on it? I guess Roland thinks D-Beam makes AT redundant. feh. I'll bet the 88 will be pretty salty, since it features "Roland Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bernard Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 In the interest of political correctitude, shouldn't we say 'mute' controllers? Sonically challenged controllers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triton76 Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 can the Ingtegra 7 power the A49 via USB?A49 blurb says USB bus powered no AC adapter necessary. I don't see an AC input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members keybdwizrd Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Oh thank God they included the D-Beam. Got nervous for a second there. LOL. I wonder if anyone in the real world actually uses this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Plink Floyd Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 LOL.I wonder if anyone in the real world actually uses (d-beam)I haven't even seen any Roland demo vids where anyone uses it for anything useful, like PB or vibrato. I tried to monkey with it @ Guit Cntr & found it pretty clumsy. One thing's certain: a couple of IR diodes is much cheaper than the force sensitive resistor strip needed for channel aftertouch, and much much cheaper than poly AT: 88 FSRs, another scan matrix, and all that that entails. Bean counters: 1Musicians: 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pilotwings Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Channel aftertouch wouldn't be a problem for me 'cause 95% of everything I sequence I filter out aftertouch anyway (to save memory). But for live performance I see how this could be a big omission and possible deal breaker for some. What I am surprised about is no 61 note version. One question - how many piano players actually want/use aftertouch when using an 88 note weighted keyboard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AnotherScott Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 One question - how many piano players actually want/use aftertouch when using an 88 note weighted keyboard? I think the appeal there is for those users who are only using one keyboard. If you have two, a weighted and an unweighted, you'd likely only really care about AT on the unweighted. But if you only intend to use one board, it's better to have AT on a weighted action than no AT at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members minimoog Posted September 1, 2012 Members Share Posted September 1, 2012 Channel aftertouch wouldn't be a problem for me 'cause 95% of everything I sequence I filter out aftertouch anyway (to save memory). But for live performance I see how this could be a big omission and possible deal breaker for some. What I am surprised about is no 61 note version. One question - how many piano players actually want/use aftertouch when using an 88 note weighted keyboard? here:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bernard Posted September 2, 2012 Members Share Posted September 2, 2012 A88 - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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