abacab

Tip: the current Windows 10 driver is supplied by Microsoft.com now, not by Roland. How to force Windows 10 to go and get it? I'm not sure. You can try using Windows device manager, and under your device properties > driver > update driver, and ask it to update the driver for your keyboard device. It might ask you if you want Windows to locate the best driver for your device. It's been a while, but as best I can recall that's how it's done.

I don't personally have much use for the Electronica series, which are loops only, although Nanotube, NRG, and Power Up come with kit samples as well as audio loops. Not so much against the genres represented here, but I find audio loops cumbersome to work with. I much prefer MIDI loops! London Grooves and LA Confidential are loops. The Hitmaker series are genre specific, but are actually playable sampled instruments. Most of the drum kits and percussion are good. For example, Neil Peart comes with playable drum kit samples, as well as acoustic drum grooves (audio loops) played by Neil.

I saw that. Good effort, anyhow. I understand the frustration, I don't get the need rants either... ?

FYI, Roland sold Cakewalk to Gibson in 2013 (8 years ago). So Roland isn't very likely to get involved in the software side of this DAW ever again. Good luck with trying though! And Gibson shut down Cakewalk completely in 2017 (4 years ago). BandLab was kind enough to buy the intellectual property, but not the company, from Gibson and re-release Cakewalk as Cakewalk by BandLab. Since Cakewalk is now a free DAW, I don't see manufacturers lining up to make hardware for it. They are sticking to mainstream commercial DAWs for integration. But with a little bit of effort (not a lot, but you will need to read the manual) you can get the A-PRO to work fine with Cakewalk. With a bit more effort, you can get other controllers to work as well. But if you are looking for "plug-and-play" out of the box support, you will probably need to use one of those other DAWs. Your choice!

Try downloading and installing the plugin that was designed for that purpose! "A-PRO Series Control Surface Plug-in for SONAR."

The driver itself has nothing to do with mapping. The driver is only for MIDI over USB support. My post has a link to the "A-PRO Series Control Surface Plug-in for SONAR" that you will need for mapping in Cakewalk. It is not a driver, but is available further down the list of downloads for A-PRO at Roland's site. It's still available for download.

The answers to the rest of your questions are in the manual. All the best, and with a bit of study and perseverance, all should work well!

Hey relax! Here are your drivers! https://www.roland.com/ca/support/by_product/a-300pro/updates_drivers/703e59c5-65de-492a-993f-33726f044a6c/

I would say the content in Shipwreck Piano, and the other titles in the Cinekinetik collection [Shipwreck Piano, Fractured Piano, Malletopia, Malletension], are processed for use as ambient cinematic sounds. Described as unorthodox, atmospheric, & otherworldly. They offer some interesting alternatives to "straight" pianos and mallets! Very cool if you are into that type of sound! However, the Electromagnetik library is a great electric stage piano collection [Electric Grand C70P, Stage 73 Mark V, Wurly Model 120, Electric Piano Bass (the Rhodes that the Door's keyboardist used for bass)]. And Clavitube is probably the best sampled Clavinet that I have ever heard! Edit: I should have also mentioned the Art Deco Piano. Sampled at 8 velocities.

OK, just messing around here with the X pedals, as a non-guitarist, so this is probably all wrong! All MIDI, and used the OTS Evolution Standard for the guitar. with MODO Bass, and Addictive Drums. Sent the guitar and drums to separate TR5 Sunset Studio Reverb busses, and MODO Bass to AT5 SVX 15N. Finished with Lurssen on the master bus, and exported to MP3. Another Brick in the Wall_OTS Evolution Rock Standard.mp3

Becan will survive WW3!

Coffee House rules (from the forum listing):

Yep, and the A-300 in the 32 key version is about the smallest controller with all the features and full sized keys. I cannot stand the "mini" key controllers!

More options... if you have an extra freebie slot, it's a no-brainer. If not, I might pass. I also have EZD2 and AD2.

First, completing the T-RackS and Amplitube collections are a solid choice, including the Sunset reverb, and the Lurssen Mastering console. And those tape machines and Sat-X! Then some SampleTank libraries such as Electromagnetik, and Cinekinetik, are some solid ones, followed by the Art Deco Piano and Clavitubes! Very nice! The Orchestral and Cinematic Percussion may be of some interest too... And without question, the Hammond B-3X, MODO Bass, and MODO Drum, if you are in a higher GB tier!

No idea, never used Nectar 3. But with a "Plus" it must add something, right? ? I'm sure there must be some info on the product page.

"Balanced reporting" is a poly tick trigger word... careful now!?

Windows 10 will be good to go until 2024. So you can relax, as there's no need to be an early adopter right now!

Nectar 3 Plus and Neutron 3 Advanced here. Not on subscription, just iZotope Music Production Suite 4.

Maybe to KVR??? ?

You guys really need to control yourselves, as challenging moderators can only go in one direction. This is not a demo cracy. We are guests here in our host's house, and it's always been this way. We must abide, like it or not. You don't like it, that's fine! You are entitled to feel that way. But your opinion will change nothing around here. If that's how you feel, please go elsewhere.

I am not a guitar player, but I slapped a few of these onto a track with Orange Tree Samples Evolution Rock Standard virtual guitar (a classic dual humbucker). Wow! Nice, very, very nice!

The hardware products are not available for free.

I realize that not all of you are Cakewalk users, and some are entirely here for the Deals forum only, which is cool! But were you aware that the last time they locked one of Larry's threads, the Deals forum was demoted to a sub-forum? That was probably the host's alternative to eliminating it entirely. If you all keep abusing the moderators, I would hate to see what happens next. I for one, like this forum and would prefer it to remain... at least for Larry's sake! Can you imagine how he would feel if the kids had ruined everything in his absence?

The A-300PRO (mine is branded Cakewalk by Roland) has a nice synth keyboard action. If you have the patience to set up the control surface plugin, as described in the links and documentation, it can act as a Cakewalk control surface as well using ACT. The only reason I don't use it much anymore is that I wanted more than 32 keys. So I now have 49 and 61 key controllers, as well as a 25 key that I pack for travel. And one quirk with Roland keyboard design is the all-in-one joystick for pitch/modulation. It is spring loaded, and always returns to zero. Sometimes I want a mod wheel that stays where I leave it when I take my hand off. But that is just a small niggle, for an otherwise well built keyboard, with plenty of knobs and faders.