The following is helpful troubleshooting information if you're not able to get the TD-50 to be recognized as a selectable audio or MIDI device within your computer.
- Be sure the appropriate TD-50 drivers have been installed in your computer. (Note that current Mac OS's will block the installation of drivers in the background, and they must be approved within the Security and Privacy section in your Mac after the driver installation. This includes Mac OS versions 10.13 to current).
Here is a link to the TD-50 drivers on the Roland site:
*** Windows 10 drivers are installed automatically once you have connected the TD-50's USB port to the computer, changed the TD-50's USB Mode to "VENDOR" (see next Step), and established an internet connection in your computer. There is no Windows 10 driver file to download.
- Set the TD-50's USB Driver Mode to "VENDOR" from GENERIC, then power the TD-50 off and on again.
(SETUP > PAGE UP to select Page 1 > F2 [USB AUDIO] > ENTER > Driver Mode = VENDOR)
- Confirm that the MIDI Tx/Rx switch is set to "ON" in the TD-50. (This is needed for transmitting/receiving MIDI data only).
(SETUP > PAGE UP/DOWN to select Page 2 > F1 [MIDI] > F1[BASIC] > MIDI Tx/Rx Sw = ON).
By default, the TD-50 is on MIDI channel 10, so make sure your software is setup to receive MIDI data on this same channel.
- If you have any other USB devices connected to the computer (e.g. USB drive, audio interface, etc.), disconnect them and only have the TD-50 connected when testing. After disconnecting them, it is usually best to reboot your computer.
- USB hubs can sometimes be problematic and have connectivity issues, so if you're using one, try bypassing it and connecting directly to the computer whenever possible.
- Try a different USB cable. Some may not be fully compatible with data transfer.
- The TD-50's USB port is 2.0, so be sure to connect it to a 2.0 port on the computer. If the port on your computer is 3.0, check with your computer's manufacturer to confirm that there is backwards compatibility when connecting 2.0 devices.
Once you have installed the drivers, switched the TD-50's USB Mode to VENDOR, and connected its USB port to the computer, the TD-50 should appear as an audio and/or MIDI device within your software.
If you're still having trouble, try a factory reset in the TD-50 to see if that helps. Just be sure to set the USB Mode back to "VENDOR" after performing the reset.
TD-50 Factory Reset