Roland A-500S MIDI Keyboard Controller
Simple, Space-Saving Keyboard Controller
The A-500S is a 49-key, full-sized, simple MIDI keyboard controller designed by Cakewalk and Roland. It provides real keyboard feel and response in an ergonomic and portable design. Perfect for anyone making music at home or in a project studio with a computer, academic settings needing great sound at low cost, or live performances and mobile recording applications.
- 49-note, velocity-sensitive, standard keyboard
- Quality feel and response for serious players
- Match your playing style with 12 velocity curves and fixed velocity mode
- Sure grip, rubber-coated Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever
- Rotary encoder and 3-digit 7-segment LED Display
- Octave buttons
- Expand playability by adding Sustain and Expression Pedals (available separately)
- Side panel connections for streamlined routing
- MIDI Out port with low latency FPT transmission
- Choose your power: USB Bus, AA Battery, and AC Adaptor (optional)
- Includes Production Plus Pack: 3 instruments and SONAR 8.5 LE recording software
You have a computer, you have inspiration, now is the time to start playing and recording your music. The A-500S is the perfect musical keyboard for use with a wide variety of software on Mac or PC. For Windows customers just getting started the A-500S includes the Cakewalk Production Plus Pack. Best of all, the A-500S is easy to set up — if you can plug-in a USB Cable, you will be making music in no time at all.
Real Keyboard Feel and Response
With a newly designed key mechanism — taken from Roland’s 30 years of synthesizer development — players can control a wide dynamic range with incredible subtlety. The new key assemblies have a rounded shape for better reaction to the player’s touch and more comfortable glissando, plus enhancements have been made to reduce the already low mechanical noise of the A-500S and eliminate vertical shake on the key strokes. The newly developed pitch bend and modulation design offers you easier and more expressive control. All these features add up to a keyboard that even the most discerning player can appreciate.
Match Your Playing Style with Selectable Velocity Curves
Pick from 12 velocity curves to precisely match your playing style. As the A-500S has 4 different velocity curves and 3 kinds of sensitivity (Light, Medium, and Heavy), you can find the combination that perfectly suits you, so you can produce the precise MIDI performance and programming of a true professional. In addition a Fixed Velocity Mode is provided where the A-500S always outputs a fixed velocity (from 1 to 127) providing practical input for drum and percussion programming in step recording.
Easy Connection to Computer (and more) with Side Panel Ports
The A-500S cleanly provides connections on the side panel so that you can easily have a computer monitor or laptop in the ideal position behind the keyboard — a must for educational use. All connections are located on the side — USB, MIDI OUT plus separate Hold and Expression pedal ports.
3-Digit 7-Segment LED and Rotary Encoder
MIDI control on the A-500S is provided via a rotary encoder, which is both easier and faster than using the notes for numerical values. With this knob you can set up MIDI channel, Program Change, Control Change and more and instantly see the values on the LED. When working with virtual instruments, you can set this knob for quick control of your favorite LFO, Filter, or other controls.
FPT Low-latency MIDI Transmission
Don’t trust your MIDI to anything else! The A-500S offers MIDI Transmission using Roland’s proprietary FPT (Fast Processing Technology). You can rely on FPT for stable, high speed, low latency, and low jitter MIDI transmission. In layman’s terms, that means that subtleties of your performance are going to be captured regardless of the music application you are using. And when working with virtual instruments, FPT provides lower latencies to give you the inspiring feel of playing a real instrument.
Production Plus Pack
The Production Plus Pack is a powerful suite of music creation software that ships with the A-500S. It includes SONAR 8.5 LE recording software (PC only) and three high-quality and versatile virtual instruments for Mac and PC: Rapture LE, Cakewalk Sound Center, and Studio Instruments Drums.
Three Power Sources—Play it Anywhere
No matter what environment you are in, you’ll be able to use the A-500S because it offers the flexibility of three separate power sources: USB bus power, batteries, or AC Adapter. The A-500S is compatible with USB-Bus power. No power supply is required when connecting via USB cable. The A-500S can also be powered via batteries (AA type x 4) or by an AC adaptor. 3 choices of power for any situation. Batteries and AC adaptor (BOSS PSA Series) are optional accessories.
Specifications:
Keyboard
49 keys (with velocity)
Controllers
MIDI Channel Button, Program Change Button, OCTAVE Shift [+] [-] Buttons, Pitch Bend/Modulation Lever, VALUE knob
Display
7 segments, 3 characters (LED), Power indicator
Side Panel
Power Switch (USB BUS/OFF/DC IN), ADVANCED DRIVER Switch (ON/OFF)
Connectors
Hold Pedal Jack Expression Pedal Jack, MIDI OUT Connector, USB Connector, DC IN Jack
Power Supply
DC 9 V (sold separately, AC Adaptor), USB Bus Power, Dry battery LR6 (AA) type (alkaline) x 4
Current Draw
150 mA Expected battery life under continuous use: 10 hours (Alkaline) *This figure will vary depending on the actual conditions of use.
Accessories
A-500S CD-ROM, Cakewalk Production Plus Pack CD-ROM, USB Cable, Owner’s Manual ,Cakewalk Production Plus Pack installation guide, License agreement
Options
AC Adaptor: BOSS PSA series, Pedal Switch: DP series, Expression Pedal: EV-5
Size and Weight
Width
833 mm
32-13/16 inches
32-13/16 inches
Depth
183.8 mm
7-1/4 inches
7-1/4 inches
Height
84 mm
3-5/16 inches
3-5/16 inches
Weight
2.7 kg
5 lbs. 16 oz.
5 lbs. 16 oz.
