A-300PRO, A-500PRO, A-800PRO: Connecting to a Computer

The A-300PRO, A-500PRO, and A-800PRO MIDI Controllers can be connected to a computer for integration 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 port on the side of the A-Pro 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 on the side of the A-Pro, 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 A-Pro keyboard 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 signals are routed.

Connecting your A-Pro to a computer using the direct USB connection

1. Simultaneously press the ACT button and the < button.
2. Use the VALUE knob to select “USB SETTING,” and press ENTER.
3. Use the VALUE knob to select “USB ADV DRIVER,” and press ENTER.
4. Use the VALUE knob to set this to "ON" and press ENTER.
   Note: You can select "OFF" for this setting if you do not wish to install a Roland USB driver or if you are using a computer / operating system for which there is not a Roland USB driver available.
5. Re-start the A-Pro keyboard to finalize the setting.
6. Download and install the A-Pro 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.
7. Confirm that the USB driver is installed correctly and that the computer is communicating correctly with the A-Pro.
   • On a Macintosh, look in the Audio MIDI Setup utility and confirm that the A-Pro is listed in the MIDI Studio window.
   • On a PC, open the Device Manager and confirm that the A-Pro is listed under "Sound, video, and game controllers."
8. Activate or enable the A-Pro 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 A-Pro so it can be used by your software.
   This will allow you to transfer MIDI data between the A-Pro keyboard and your computer. 

Connecting your A-Pro to a computer using a separate MIDI interface

1. Simultaneously press the ACT and < button to enter EDIT mode.
2. Use the Value Knob to select "MIDI Setting" on the screen, then press the Value Knob in to select this option.
3. Use the Value Knob to select "MIDI I/F Switch" on the screen, then press the Value Knob in to select this parameter.
4. Use the Value Knob to select "OFF" on the screen, then press the Value Knob in to confirm this setting.
5. Download and install the USB driver for your the interface (if necessary), and connect the interface to your computer.
6. 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 the MIDI Studio window.
   • On a PC, open the Device Manager and confirm that the interface is listed under "Sound, video, and game controllers."
7. Activate or enable the interface in your music software. You will need to consult with the documentation for your specific application for this.
8. Connect the A-Pro keyboard to the interface.

When connecting to an iOS device, refer to the related Q&A: “A-300PRO, A-500PRO, A-800PRO: Connecting to an iOS Device”.