Hi guys.  Just received my A300Pro after making a bold move and ordering one without having tested it beforehand.  So far I'm a huge fan, the keybed feels fantastic, but the aftertouch in the keys seems really stiff.  I've tried all 4 AT curves and really don't feel much difference.  2 and 3 seem to be the best but really not much different from 1.  I'm curious if anyone has tried contacting Cakewalk support about this yet and what that response may have been.  Or, perhaps there is a mod to increase the sensitivity?  I'm thinking along the lines of what was done for MPDs and the cork underlay...  Maybe this is something that can be fixed with firmware?

As is, I feel like I'm on the verge of breaking a key in half or will end up eventually destroying the keybed (admittedly, the very middle of the key seems to be the easiest to trigger, but being able to press down on the lower half would be most desirable) just to get the AT messages triggered in Logic.

Thanks for your thoughts!

I can relate to your post. I havn't contacted Cakewalk because i don't think there's anything that can be done. But of course i could be wrong.

One bit of advice i can offer, is when using the white keys, try to press down near the end of the black keys - not between them though, just at the ends. This seems to be the best place for me, although it's only slightly better... Also, if you have to use the lower half of the keys, try sliding your up the key to the bottom of the black keys.

One final tip is to consciously use the muscles in your arm aswell. But obviously that's going to get tiring...

It's just really sad because the feel of everything else in this controller is basically the best of any I've tried.  Hard to part with it over just AT, but I'm thinking about it :/  Too bad there pretty much aren't any comparable controllers above 25 keys but below 49.  Do you know of any close in this quality/price range?  I know there was the older 37-key Novation, but I'm apprehensive about getting that one, not knowing the quality of the keybed.  I almost considered a Mopho Keyboard but thought I'd try something ~1/3 the price first...  I might go ahead and contact support to see what they think.

The only thing i could compare the A-PRO to would be M-Audio's Axiom, but i havn't the aftertouch on it so it could be just as bad, and it's only 25 keys, not 32.

If you do contact Cakewalk, can you let me know what they said please? Thanks.

My A-800 came today and it's a major upgrade for my set up.  BUT, I can't get any Aftertouch at all out of it.  It seems like it doesn't default to being on--?  I have to assign it or something--?  Don't get that yet.  Hope I didn't dent anything inside--I pushed so hard on the keys to make something happen.

?

RB

I thinke you must go to the host Programs Option Menu and put a checkmark next to the Aftertouch Message in the MIDI tab.

Kevin Lee

I thinke you must go to the host Programs Option Menu and put a checkmark next to the Aftertouch Message in the MIDI tab.

AH!  Of course!---Thank you so much, Kevin.  This is my first keyboard with Aftertouch - but as soon as I read your reply, I remembered that in Sonar, Options>Global>MIDI, the two settings for Aftertouch are un-checked by default.  I've checked them--Now to see about changing the Aftertouch curve if needed.

I really appreciate the reply.

RB

S.Wallis


I can relate to your post. I havn't contacted Cakewalk because i don't think there's anything that can be done. But of course i could be wrong.

One bit of advice i can offer, is when using the white keys, try to press down near the end of the black keys - not between them though, just at the ends. This seems to be the best place for me, although it's only slightly better... Also, if you have to use the lower half of the keys, try sliding your up the key to the bottom of the black keys.

One final tip is to consciously use the muscles in your arm aswell. But obviously that's going to get tiring...

That's a great tip and sounds like the best solution!
 
I have owned a Roland Fantom X and a V-Synth GT in the past and it has to be said, Roland really want you to work for your aftertouch!
 
They have the most irresponsive aftertouch I have ever witnessed in a keyboard, only a keyboard without aftertouch has less response
 
Take something like the Korg Triton on the other hand, it was so expressive with aftertouch, the range was dynamic from pressing down very softly to quite hard you got a very easily controllable effect.
 
One day I might open up my A-800 Pro (it's a lot cheaper than those other 2 synths let's face it!) and have a go at tweaking the responsiveness.

AFTER TOUCH work-around for Garritan users:

--After getting my Aftertouch turned on in the Global preferences, I found that the keyboard just doesn't handle Aftertouch very well, as per the posts on this thread.

--I changed the response curve to key pressure -- there are only a few choices, and even at the most sensitive, getting Aftertouch is totally hit-and-miss.  There's no way someone's playing style could adapt successfully to something that works sometimes, often doesn't, requires shifting your hand position around etc.

--Conclusion - Really bad implementation of Aftertouch on the A-800 Pro, basically unusable.

SOLUTION - Which is for Garritan users:

My main libraries are from the Garritan line, and many of the instruments use Aftertouch for vibrato.  For years I've just drawn it in via the PRV.  One of the big attractions for me with the Apro was to finally have a keyboard with Aftertouch.  After seeing that part of the keyboard is a big failure, I Had to come up with a work-around.

I made a new Control Map.  Using #19, "Sonar2" as a template, I reprogrammed the Mod Stick to send out Aftertouch instead of CC1.  I reprogrammed knob R9 to send out CC17 which controls the speed of Aftertouch Vibrato in Garritan. 

My new volume pedal is for controlling Garritan volume via CC11.  That controller is interchangeable with CC1 for volume in Garritan.

I copied that edited map into slot #1 which is pre-set for Cubase.  Now Map 0 is the basic Sonar map, and I change to map 1 for when I'm recording with Garritan.

Works great.  Finally--beautiful, full range Aftertouch which is perfectly responsive.

Losing knob R9's default, panning of the Master bus, is no loss since it's very rare that the Master's pans need to be changed.

If I'm working with a synth which needs standard CC1 for vibrato, then I stick with Map 0.

Works great.

Randy B.

I owned a PCR-800 and found the aftertouch very insensitive. I had hoped this new, improved keybed that the A-series boasts would solve the problem, but sadly (though not entirely surprisingly), this doesn't look to be the case, based on what I've read.

Seems the aftertouch problem is something Roland's been overlooking for some time.

It appears it may NOT be unsolvable, however: http://forums.rolandclan....9&fid=1&page=2

I do not personally condone opening up the keyboard, and I personally have had some bad experiences going in there and tampering around with a few of my own boards... but if you've got the expertise, aftertouch was a reason you bought the keyboard, you're rich enough to sacrifice the keyboard, or you're feeling lucky, I can't say not to give it a go. If you do, please share the results!

.bvc.