Problem detecting and using Edirol PCR-50 with Sonar LE

Hi there folks. I am in serious bother here with Sonar LE and cannot get my EDIROL PCR-50 midi keyboard to work with the programme. I am using the following system:
Windows Edition: Windows 7 Home Premium
Service Pack 1

System
Processor:     Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU     M370 @ 2.40GHz     2.40 GHz
Installed Memory (RAM):     3.00GB 
System type;     64-bit Operating System


I am using SONAR LE 8.5.1 which I got when I purchased my Cakewalk UA-25 EX USB Audio Capture and a friend of mine gave me the EDIROL PCR-50 midi keyboard.


I have the installation disk and have gone through as much of the installation notes as I can to the point where in teh SONAR programme under the Options, Midi Devices menu in the toolbar, the keyboard is detected.


My question is HOW THE HELL DO I GET IT TO BLOODY WORK SO I CAN HEAR THE SOUNDS?!!!!!!!!
It is driving me mad!


Any help would be lovely as it may prevent me from harming myself through frustration!


Cheers,


Jack

Hi Gregy,

thanks for your reply. 
i have tried the steps you outlined but still have been unable to make any progress. I set the soft synth to the CakewalkSoundCentre but still nothing.

Anything else I can try?

Do you have the PCR connected via USB, or the MIDI ports on the UA25?
If you are using USB, the drivers on the disc are outdated.
You can download W7/64 drivers here:
http://www.roland.com/products/en/_support/dld.cfm?PRODUCT=PCR-50

If everything is loaded properly, you will probably see 3 options for input from the PCR. Select PCR-1 as the input in the MIDI track
Also, you may need to set the Input channel to the channel shown on your PCR display.
You should see a MIDI keyboard icon in your taskbar. If the left light flashes when you hit a key, Sonar is reading the input from your keyboard.
Make sure Input Echo is turned on in your MIDI track. This is vitally important.
hth

I think the Help files have it.
Gregs post #2 is missing the part that says: The input of the Soft Synth Track (I call it the Audio Output track) must be te soft synth, and output via Master Bus to the soundcard.

I don't think you need to insert MIDI tracks, the Insert>Soft Synth dialogue creates automatically the MIDI- and the audiotrack, just like Greg already mentioned in post #2.
Maybe it's most clear if you tell us how you have the soft synth inserted. When you say you have tried everything, we remain in doubt: If it's not working - have you really?  Maybe there's a misunderstanding which can be spotted looking at your description of the situation.

So: what tracks > which soft synth> what inputs > what outputs?

You haven't mentioned if you can record and play back audio (meaning: is the soundcard operational at all).

Are you trying hear sound from the keyboard? As mentioned above, it's a controller and doesn't make any sounds. You won't need to connect the MIDI out to the keyboard since it won't make any sounds.
Connect a MIDI cable from the keyboard's out to the UA's in. You won't need the MIDI-to-USB converter anymore.
In SLE under Options>MIDI Devices, select the UA for input. Deselect everything for output.
Go to Insert>Soft Synths and select a synth. Make sure the Create MIDI Source Track box is checked.
A MIDI track and the soft synth track will be inserted. Select an instrument sound in either the MIDI track or the synth's GUI, whichever is applicable. Channels may also need to be set; whatever channel the PCR sends on is the one you would set the MIDI track's channel to.
In the MIDI track set the input to your UA and the output to the soft synth. These may aleady be set.
Make sure the audio output of the synth track is set to a valid audio output.
Play the keyboard.
 

I have some screen grabs to show you guys but can you suggest a way I can upload them as I can't seem to upload them via the 'Insert an Image' icon in the reply toolbars.

Hi guys, sorry I haven;t responded - internet been down.

Right, I am going to follow the steps outlined and show you the screen as it appears on my laptop. Hopefully I can get the bloody thing to work!

CHeers,

Jack

For MIDI inputs, select PCR-1. This is your primary output.
You can select all three PCR options if you want. It won't hurt anything.
Disconnect the MIDI cable, and use only the USB.

In your MIDI track input, select PCR-1.
Set the input channel to the channel shown on the PCR display. For some reason, Omni doesn't always fly.
Make sure Input Echo is turned on.


edit; If you have the AC power supply for the PCR, try using that. The laptop may not have sufficient power to supply both the UA25 and the PCR.

Set it to Sound Center. It should be automatically set when you insert the synth, but I just noticed you don't have First Synth Audio Output checked on the Insert screen. You need to do that.
i have to go to work now. Good luck.

When you play the keys there is no MIDI activity on the GUI? Are there updates for the MIDI driver available from the Roland web site for the PCR-50 for your operating system?
Do the audio meters in the synth track show that it's making sound when you hit the keys?
You can try a MIDI cable from the 50's MIDI out to the UA's MIDI in and choose the UA as the MIDI input device.
 
Tip: when posting images, using a program like Paint (which is on most Windows OS computers) to crop out the pertinent section of the image so it can be made bigger will make it easier to see. At 200% magnification, your image is so blurry it's hard to make out. Many of us here are old guys with not-so-good eyesight; RobertB may be an exception.
For those not familiar with Paint: open the image in Paint. Use the Crop feature to draw a rectangle around the area of interest. Right-click it and select Copy.
Go to File>New. It will ask if you want to save the image you're working on. You can but it's not necessary. A blank Paint will open. Paste in the copied image. It should be bigger in the new window, and you can increase the size if desired.
On behalf of all the geezers battling with the necessity of having to wear reading glasses, I thank you.
 

That is an interesting bit of information.
Moving the sliders should have zero effect on the meters, yet clearly SLE is reading something.
That tends to suggest something I have started to suspect. I think your PCR may be set up to a custom configuration that may not agree with Sonar/Windows.
The PCR is very flexible, and can be customized to a remarkable degree. Read-it's not terribly difficult to screw it up.
My own PCR-M50 was a lightly used store demo, and I had to restore it to default settings to get it to work with Sonar/Windows.
You may need to do the same.
I have compared the PCR-M50 and PCR-50 manuals, and there is no apparent difference.
To restore to default:
Press the [Edit] button
Press the [System] key on the keyboard
Press the [8] key. Display will indicate "RST"
Press the [Enter] button

At this point, it might not be a bad idea to cold restart the PCR and your computer. This should refresh everything.
Now, the PCR should be transmitting keystrokes as GM2 data.
When you hit a key, the Data Out light on the PCR display should flash, as well as the MIDI indicator in the task bar (Note On). Both should flash again when you release the key(Note Off).
Are you seeing this activity?

I wonder if the keyboard is even registering. It kind of looks like it might not be.
Turn the PCR off, then on again. It should start up in Play mode.
When you hit a key, the Data Out light on the PCR display should flash(Note On). It should flash again when you release the key(Note Off). 
If it does not flash, the controller is not communicating internally. This would explain the lack of downstream activity.
The MIDI indicator in the SLE taskbar should flash on any incoming MIDI messages, and it isn't.
If you are feeling adventurous, you might want to take the PCR apart and see if there any loose connections.
I've never taken mine apart, and have no idea of what you could expect to find, but I'd probably do it just to see what the innards look like.
I'm afraid you may have a really fancy 33" paperweight on your hands.
For what it's worth, it would probably be hard to justify the cost of repair (assuming it is, in fact, broken), as you can get a decent controller for $150 to $300.

Jack, see my post above your last.
You have confirmed my suspicions.
It may not be the answer you hoped for, but it is what it is.

Could be why you were given it.
 
Have you tried the MIDI ports instead of the USB port?

Hi folks, just to give you an update. I still have no midi working as I have now given up with that bloody keyboard! Going to hopefully get a new one within the month, then I'll try again!

Thanks for all your help though!