The RD-2000 can connect to a computer so it can be integrated with music software applications. There are two ways to make this connection:
- Direct USB connection. This will use a standard USB cable connected to the square "USB COMPUTER" port on the back of the RD-2000 and then to a standard USB port on your computer.
or
- Connection using a MIDI or Audio/MIDI interface. This will use the MIDI In and MIDI Out ports as well as the Main Out (Left/Right) jacks on the back panel of the RD-2000, which will connect to the interface, and the interface will then connect to a standard USB port on your computer.
The functionality and operation of the RD-2000 and your computer-based application(s) will be the same no matter which type of connection you are using - the only difference is how the MIDI and Audio signals are routed.
Connecting the RD-2000 to a computer using the direct USB connection
1. On the RD-2000, press MENU.
2. Cursor to "System" and press ENTER.
3. Use the </> buttons to select the "System" tab at the top of the screen.
4. Cursor to "USB Driver" and set this to "Vendor" or "Generic."
- The "Vendor" setting provides both MIDI and Audio data transfer between the RD-2000 and a computer, and requires that a Roland driver be installed on the computer so it can communicate correctly with the RD-2000,
- The "Generic" setting provides MIDI data transfer between the RD-2000 and a computer and does not require that a Roland driver be installed on the computer. This can be useful when using a computer or operating system for which there is not a Roland USB driver available, and also when connecting to an iOS or Android device.
5. Press the WRITE button, then cursor to highlight "OK" and press ENTER to save this setting.
6. Power the RD-2000 off, then back on.
If you selected the "Generic" setting above, skip to step 8.
7. Download and install the RD-2000 USB driver for your computer and connect the USB cable. You can download the latest drivers from our website here.
Make sure you download the driver that corresponds to the type of computer you have (Mac or Windows-based) and the version of operating system you are using. Once downloaded, you will need to run the setup application to install the driver into your system. This may include re-starting your computer.
Note: If you are using to a computer running Windows 10 or 11, the USB driver will be automatically downloaded and installed when you make the USB connection.
8. Confirm that the USB driver is installed correctly, and that the computer is communicating correctly with the RD-2000.
- On a Macintosh, look in the Audio MIDI Setup utility and confirm that the RD-2000 is listed in both the Audio and MIDI Studio windows (if you are using the "Generic" USB driver setting, the RD-2000 will only be listed in the MIDI Studio Window).
- On a PC, open the Device Manager and confirm that the RD-2000 is listed under "Sound, video, and game controllers."
9. Activate or enable the RD-2000 in your music software. You will need to consult with the documentation for your specific application for this, but usually there is a preferences menu where you will need to enable the RD-2000 so it can be used by your software.
Connecting your RD-2000 to a computer using a separate MIDI or Audio/MIDI interface
1. Download and install the USB driver for the interface (if necessary).
2. Confirm that the USB driver is installed correctly, and that the computer is communicating correctly with the interface.
- On a Macintosh, look in the Audio MIDI Setup utility and confirm that the interface is listed in both the Audio and MIDI Studio windows if it is a Audio and MIDI interface, or only in the MIDI Studio window if it is a MIDI interface.
- On a PC, open the Device Manager and confirm that the interface is listed under "Sound, video, and game controllers."
3. Activate or enable the interface in your music software. You will need to consult with the documentation for your specific application for this.
4. Connect the RD-2000 to the interface.