Roland A88mk2 Owners

That's about right. Manual confirms as well. Since the knobs are not paginated per bank like the pads, it's just 8 per snapshot as you've observed. Sounds like you need more hardware, haha (e.g. MidiFighter Twister perhaps?).

Unrelated, I decided to hunt for documentation to make sure I wasn't missing anything and discovered that this keyboard finally got it's MIDI 2.0 support as of November 2023. It adds the ability to switch between 1.0 and 2.0 modes (requires power cycle while holding a button), and the 2.0 mode adds high-res key velocity and higher knob resolution when supported. Haven't messed with it yet beyond going through the update process, but figured that I'd share that finding.

Forgive my ignorance. So you do: Bank 1, Pad 1 as a snapshot of the assignments of knobs R1-R8. Then Bank 1, Pad2 is a whole new set of 8 knob assignments? and so on. And each pad is for a different VI? Whoa.

I've never used the hardware snapshots I've only used assignment setups in Logic. That's a really good idea - thanks! Any more tricks?

In case you care I got my A88MK2 B-Stock (with full 2 year warranty) a year ago - still the best deal I've ever got at a music store. I think Sweetwater is still selling them for $1200 new.

The midi 2.0 update does seem to make a difference in Logic but I could just be telling myself that.

And I'm trying to figure out if the Orchestral Tools cat made a custom desk just for the new library demos or can I get the blueprints... because it looks pretty neat. I know thats the main complaint with the A88MK2 is the 6 inches on the left so it might be nice to make a desk. oh, and the stupid mod wheel is annoying lol

kpmuzik said:

That's about right. Manual confirms as well. Since the knobs are not paginated per bank like the pads, it's just 8 per snapshot as you've observed. Sounds like you need more hardware, haha (e.g. MidiFighter Twister perhaps?).

Unrelated, I decided to hunt for documentation to make sure I wasn't missing anything and discovered that this keyboard finally got it's MIDI 2.0 support as of November 2023. It adds the ability to switch between 1.0 and 2.0 modes (requires power cycle while holding a button), and the 2.0 mode adds high-res key velocity and higher knob resolution when supported. Haven't messed with it yet beyond going through the update process, but figured that I'd share that finding.

Click to expand...

Great thanks for confirming that. And lol that Midifighter looks pretty neat. Just when you think youve spent enough haha.

I missed the 2.0 update also so thats good to know. Will have a play around with that and see what comes up

TheWhat said:

Forgive my ignorance. So you do: Bank 1, Pad 1 as a snapshot of the assignments of knobs R1-R8. Then Bank 1, Pad2 is a whole new set of 8 knob assignments? and so on. And each pad is for a different VI? Whoa.

I've never used the hardware snapshots I've only used assignment setups in Logic. That's a really good idea - thanks! Any more tricks?

In case you care I got my A88MK2 B-Stock (with full 2 year warranty) a year ago - still the best deal I've ever got at a music store. I think Sweetwater is still selling them for $1200 new.

The midi 2.0 update does seem to make a difference in Logic but I could just be telling myself that.

Click to expand...

Yeah so I have Pads 1 to 4 assigned to nexus and pads 5 to 8 to Serum. Each pad has the 8 knobs assigned. I guess I could condense the CC numbers so both VST run off the same ones so that would free up more knobs to use elsewhere.

Yes I think the prices of these went up the past year (like a lot of things I guess). I hadn't realised but Ive had mine a year now on checking.

kpmuzik said:

That's about right. Manual confirms as well. Since the knobs are not paginated per bank like the pads, it's just 8 per snapshot as you've observed. Sounds like you need more hardware, haha (e.g. MidiFighter Twister perhaps?).

Unrelated, I decided to hunt for documentation to make sure I wasn't missing anything and discovered that this keyboard finally got it's MIDI 2.0 support as of November 2023. It adds the ability to switch between 1.0 and 2.0 modes (requires power cycle while holding a button), and the 2.0 mode adds high-res key velocity and higher knob resolution when supported. Haven't messed with it yet beyond going through the update process, but figured that I'd share that finding.

Click to expand...

Are you on MacOS 14? I am still on 11 and I haven't been able to get my unit to take the update. I thought maybe it was because of my OS because it mentioned 14 in the notes.

D Halgren said:

Are you on MacOS 14? I am still on 11 and I haven't been able to get my unit to take the update. I thought maybe it was because of my OS because it mentioned 14 in the notes.

Click to expand...

Windows 11 over here.

I see three versions of the SMF player, one of which supposedly supports MacOS 10.13 - 14.X, so I'd have assumed you'd be fine. Only thing I could suggest is to read the instructions carefully (without knowing exactly where your trouble is).

kpmuzik said:

Windows 11 over here.

I see three versions of the SMF player, one of which supposedly supports MacOS 10.13 - 14.X, so I'd have assumed you'd be fine. Only thing I could suggest is to read the instructions carefully (without knowing exactly where your trouble is).

Click to expand...

I used that version of SMF and followed the instructions. Not sure what the problem is so I guess I will contact Roland support. Thanks for your help and information. Cheers

TheWhat said:

Forgive my ignorance. So you do: Bank 1, Pad 1 as a snapshot of the assignments of knobs R1-R8. Then Bank 1, Pad2 is a whole new set of 8 knob assignments? and so on. And each pad is for a different VI? Whoa.

I've never used the hardware snapshots I've only used assignment setups in Logic. That's a really good idea - thanks! Any more tricks?

In case you care I got my A88MK2 B-Stock (with full 2 year warranty) a year ago - still the best deal I've ever got at a music store. I think Sweetwater is still selling them for $1200 new.

The midi 2.0 update does seem to make a difference in Logic but I could just be telling myself that.

Click to expand...

Whew I bet you ran to the checkout when you saw that one! lol What a price!

Scottyb said:

Whew I bet you ran to the checkout when you saw that one! lol What a price!

Click to expand...

They actually had 2 B-Stock that their Roland rep brought in for sale. The "previous owner" is listed as the Roland factory and couldn't be sold as "new" because of the scratch through the 'system' 'driver' in the paint and a faint scratch on the A flat. There may have also been a board that was replaced which disqualified it to be sold as "new" by Roland. It was sold as is; no cords, no box (I love gear boxes so that sucks), full 2 year warranty on Roland website.

I kept asking the salesguy if the pricing was a mistake and he was like: "Nope, that's it. Great deal. We need to move it." And he made some crack about the majority of their keyboard sales were for controllers to make beats with and they needed the space.


As evidence of my obliviousness of Starfound79's trick I barely understand how to use it. I just assign the knobs to whatever cc - they are excellent quality compared to my Arturia controller whose knobs jump all over the place - the Roland's are solid tick tick tick accuracy.

Blah blah blah more tricks please!

Greetings,

I just read about the Midi 2.0 update, umm...hard to believe that THIS is the procedure in 2024.

I did not have the time to get into the nitty gritty of the controller, but what you described, I admit I do not fully understand.

Does that mean, for example, I could assign the knobs to Pad 1 (Omnisphere) and on Pad 2 (Pigments 5) Pad 3 (OPUS), and when I chose a track to record in Logic where Pigments is loaded, just press Pad 2 and I have control, change the track to record Omnisphere, press Pad 1 and I have control?

I paid 829 Euro for the board new, in Germany.

Hi all, pleased to see some more A88mk2 owners here. I owned one briefly at the end of last year but returned it due half of the black keys making a very loud clunk on key return (not the well documented 'click' of the PHA-4 keybed when the keys are pressed).

I mention this (with a video) on another thread. I'm keen to try again but found another thread on a different forum where an A88mk2 owner had the exact same problem.

I'm guessing it was a fault since not all the keys did it - all the white keys & half the black keys were fine (in fact impressively quiet for a hammer-action keybed) but the noisy keys sounded like there was no damping material when the hammer returned.

Have any of you experienced this?

You mean the keybed is clunking? I haven’t had that. I did have F#0 intermittent note ending even when holding the note. That was fixed with a firmware update - not physical noise though.

TheWhat said:

You mean the keybed is clunking? I haven’t had that. I did have F#0 intermittent note ending even when holding the note. That was fixed with a firmware update - not physical noise though.

Click to expand...

Yeah see my post here. Very annoying! The F# in the video was the worst, about 10 black keys were like that. Another 10 were quite noisy, the rest silent.

Post in thread 'Studiologic SL88 Grand VS. Roland A-88 MkII' https://vi-control.net/community/th...-grand-vs-roland-a-88-mkii.89308/post-5444623