Hi
 
Can any keyboard that has midi ins and outs be used for X2, or is there any more advantage in using a Roland or Cakewalk keyboard controller.
 
Thanks
 
 

almost Any midi keyboard will work. And ACT can control your parameters knobs /buttons/ Transport some time will be need to map em out.

Midi in and out via a din plug will need a midi interface.  Usb is far better.. I think your Cakewalk UA101 should have midi in and out ..

Yes it has midi in and out, I sometimes use the tyros 4 for midi but i would like something a bit smaller for recording midi.

dillyboy
Can any keyboard that has midi ins and outs be used for X2, or is there any more advantage in using a Roland or Cakewalk keyboard controller.

As just a keyboard (I mean to play notes) all of them are equal from Sonar point of view. But as a controller, functionality can be different. Roland/Cakewalk controllers will work out of the box, with wide functionality coverage (see help files for corresponding Control Surface plug-ins). Other controllers with special Sonar support (like Nektar Impact) will also work out of the box. Any other device without Mackie Control emulation you are going to configure yourself using standard Sonar plug-ins (not a big job, see chapter 40 in the Sonar Reference Guide). But do not expect any feedback (like LEDs under transport buttons or rings around endless encoders).
 
And with any controller you can use my plug-in, but till you get the device for which some preset already exists, be prepared to spend quite some time, especially in case you want fancy results (like indication of track volume/meter using multicolor pads).
 
For practical mixing, it is better to use separate controller with proved Sonar integration (V-700, MCU, Faderport, Alphatrack, BCR2000, depending on money you can spend and the functionality you need, for example MCU is a bad choice for VSTi control).

Roland is not making Windows 10 drivers for the VS-20 and PCR-500 which I have and even the not very old and expensive VS-700 hasn't  had W10 drivers so take that into account when looking at Roland.

Hi Everyone thanks for the replies, I would like to get one of these, I am not concerned about the WIN 10 thing as I dont intend to upgrade my DAW computer anytime soon as I am happy with WIN 7 and X2 for what I do, my query is,  as I use the UA101 as my audio interface can these MIDI keyboards be used? (see links below)
 
http://www.dawsons.co.uk/...di-controller-keyboard 
 
or 
 
http://www.dawsons.co.uk/roland-cakewalk-a300pro-usb-midi-controller-keyboard
 
for the record is there much diffrence in these two keyboards apart from the number of keys?
 
Thanks for the help as usual!!

If you plan on using keyswitches/libraries like orchestrals/effects/multies, the 88 key Nektar lx88 has been mapped to lots of daws, including Sonar... it's both decent quality & inexpensive...$299 Sweetwater  They have smaller versions (I have the lx61 as the 88 only just came out) but you'll regret it in the long run... 
 

Nektar Impact LX88 88-key MIDI Controller Keyboard

88-key MIDI Controller with Velocity-sensitive Semi-weighted Keybed, 8 Performance Pads, 9 Faders, 8 Pots, Transport Controls, and Pre-mapped Configurations for Major DAWs

A great vid/walkthru/demo/play of the lx-88 Walid did is [link=htthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jV98xf3EVhU]here[/link]
awesome playability, programmable to Sonar... and super price...
Nothing else in it's class for a semi-weighted...He goes thru piano, orchestrals, etc... 
If you want fully weighted, the only game in town worth considering appears to be the new 88 kontrol... but big bucks...

Hi
 
Sounds like a great controller but a little out of my price range TBH, but thanks for the links.
 
Nigel