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The Roland Sound Canvas VA (SCVA) Thread


Musicianaire

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Just thought I'd put this here in case anyone ever needs help with the Roland Sound Canvas VA plugin (VSTi or AU).

When I first started using it there was frustratingly little help to be found, even at Roland's own site.  Over the past three years I've gotten to know it well, so if by chance someone stumbles in and needs help, feel free to ask! Most likely I (and whoever else has experience with it) will be able to help in some way.  😎

One thing to mention, it works perfectly in CbB, where it didn't work 100% in Gibson's Cakewalk.  So that was a pleasant surprise for me.  Thank you, Bandlab, whatever you did!

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10 hours ago, mdiemer said:

Hello there, it won't work for me. It will cause very nasty noises and crash everything. Same thing happens with TTS-1. both are DXI so I'm suspecting it has something to do with Direct X. Also, and I have Windows 7, which may also be a factor.

It is compatible with Win7 SP1, so if you didn't update to SP1, that might be the problem.  Otherwise, not sure why it would do that.  I've gotten some nasty noises when I insert it twice (duplicate) by mistake; and I believe when I insert while TTS-1 is also present. 

EDIT:  Just saw that it's also now 64-bit only.

Edited by Musicianaire
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5 hours ago, Grem said:

Where can you get the Sound Canvas plugin?

https://www.rolandcloud.com/catalog/legendary/sound-canvas-va

I discovered last night that unfortunately they changed to a cloud subscription model at some point, and is pricey to say the least. ☹️

I purchased it in early 2016 while it was still available as a download, for $99 lifetime license.  I did a quick Google to see if it can be found anywhere else, but no luck yet.  I'll let you know if I find it.

EDIT:  good news!  (I hope).  I believe they still allow the lifetime license to be purchased here, for $125...
https://contentstore.roland.com/software/

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If you have an iPad you can still buy the IOS version for around 20 bucks. 

This is the UK link so just search for sound canvas in your store 

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sound-canvas/id952549036?mt=8 

Review here.. 

An app called studiomux lets you use it on a PC as if it were a vsti. 

https://zerodebug.com/studiomux 

Edited by ZincT
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11 hours ago, mdiemer said:

Hello there, it won't work for me. It will cause very nasty noises and crash everything. Same thing happens with TTS-1. both are DXI so I'm suspecting it has something to do with Direct X. Also, and I have Windows 7, which may also be a factor.

Are you running 44.1kHz sample rate?

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Oops, I confused the Sound Canvass with the Groove Synth. And the latest situation is that neither the GS or TTs-1 will work, they just don't make any sounds. No crashing, just no sound. I have everything routed correctly, and the indicators shows midi is being generated, both in the track view and on the synths themselves, but nothing is getting to the buses, so no sound. I even tried the preview feature on TTS-1, which shows that something is happening, but again no sound. Tried checking/unchecking midi outputs, no effect (though other inst's work in either case). Yes I'm running 44.1kHz, but I'll double check that (can't do now as I'm on Kubuntu, which I use for the internet - much safer than Windows, but makes for awkward troubleshooting).

Also, I have Sound Canvass on my first computer, with Cakewalk 2000. I don't suppose there's a way to port that over to me current rig?

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Was the Sound Canvas the best general midi package of all time? I really wish I has something that good. I do have one called Bandstand from NI, but I can't get it activated anymore. Had it working a year ago, then had to reinstall Windows and now it won't activate, even with help from NI (such as it is).  I used the Bandaneon on a piece back then, and I wish I could use its excellent soprano sax. 

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I haven't come across any better sound module than Sound Canvas.  I started way back in the day with the SC-55 ( which contained its own sound banks plus that of the CM-64/MT-32 maps, which were in the Pro-E keyboard that I purchased in the 80s).
When the SC-88 came out I bought it right away.  I never upgraded from there but I left the music biz a couple years later anyway.  Sold my SC-88, wish I hadn't.  I did acquire an SK-88 keyboard in 2002, but had to sell it later when I needed money.

When I came back to music in 2015 I found and immediately installed the SCVA plugin.  That's when I discovered there had been an 88Pro and 8820!!  The SCVA has all the sounds of all models, so I've been 100% happy with it.

If you can afford $125USD, get the lifetime license edition that I linked to above. There must be a way to get it working o your machine. 

Edited by Musicianaire
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49 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I still have my SC-88VL and SC-8850 and am still very happy with them. 👍

Too cool!  I could get one off eBay but the prices are still beyond my reach right now. The software version is very good but I'd love to have the hardware again.

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Thanks for the link and the reminder this existed!  Just purchased it and its working well so far in CbB.  Should have done so years ago rather than persisting with TTS-1.

And now my lovingly collected library of 90's MIDI files will sound nice again (well, comparatively)

 

Rob

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  • 2 weeks later...

Question: How does the updated vsc sound in comparison with the version bundled with Calewalk way back when? I fired up my old Gateway Windows 98 rig last night, hooked up my midi keyboard (amazed that I still knew how to do that on that computer),  and played around with it awhile. I discovered it had a Shanai. (Not Shania Twain, a shanai, related to the shawm, ancestor to the oboe). In fact, it had two. It has lots of cool ethnic instruments which makes it an invaluable resource. But is the sound the same, or better? (Of course that may be hard to judge unless you can hear them both). My old version is listed as an Edirol, but it looks the same and I suspect is.

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Since VSC is owned by Roland, and Cakewalk by Bandlab, I don't see this as likely. Especially considering that Roland is selling it for 125.00. They know what they have. Since Bandstand was abandoned by NI, VSC is probably the best GM/GS midi synth in the world.

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  • 3 months later...

Hi,

I just downloaded and installed Sound Canvas VA and I'm trying to get it to work and play some of my GS MIDI files.

I was able to play MIDI files throught the Sound Canvas VA in Reaper (https://www.reaper.fm/), but I'm unable to do so in Cakewalk by BandLab version 2019.03 (build 20l, 64 bit). I can't find a way to direct the output of the (MIDI) tracks to the Sound Canvas VA VST plugin. I've had a hardware Sound Canvas (SC-8850) in the past and was able to play the MIDI files through that unit, but it seams that Cakewalk doesn't recognize the Sound Canvas VA as a VST-instrument that can handle MIDI data.

Any help to get this working before the trail expires would be very appreciated.

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