Using a Keyboard Workstation as a Midi Controller

If you are using the FA-08 Audio interface over USB as your primary PC audio interface, I think you could plug the audio output from the Moog directly into the the rear panel audio input on the FA-08 as a second audio input channel to the PC. 
 
You could dedicate the Moog audio output to the Tascam 4x4 and leave the Roland as-is, using both interfaces.
 
Or you could just use the Tascam 4x4 for the audio inputs from both keyboards.
 
Whichever is the easiest way for you to keep track of the tracks in the PC, so to speak.  It may come down to a preference to use only one, or the other, of the audio interfaces and choose the one with the software mixer app that you prefer working with. That would probably make things easier while getting set up and started.  You always have options later.
 
Remember, you can select any of the audio inputs present on the PC to be enabled in Sonar.
 
Triggering the Moog from the Roland via MIDI should be as simple as running a 5 pin MIDI DIN cable from the Roland MIDI out to the Moog MIDI in 

Hi,
 
I recently received an FA06 and have spent some time on the audio interface part of it.  The 1/4" audio input is a TS, not a TRS, so it really isn't an option for stereo input.  There is a mini TRS that can be used for a stereo input.  These two inputs are connected in parallel, so they aren't presented as separate inputs to the DAW.
 
Page 111 of the Reference Manual has an audio block diagram to help visualize the various routing options.
 
There some limited options for audio input routing in the FA, but if I were using your gear I would go the TASCAM route. 

husker
Thank you abacab.  A few follow up questions:
>If you are using the FA-08 Audio interface over USB as your primary PC audio interface, I think you could plug the audio output from the Moog directly into the the rear panel audio input on the FA-08 as a second audio input channel to the PC.  
 
If I do this, somehow I can choose within Sonar which keyboard to record?  Would this be separate Midi channels?
Would this be using the Midi out of the Moog to the Midi in of the Roland, or the TRS 1/4 type connector out of the Moog to the TRS 1/4 type in of the Roland?

 
That looks like an awesome keyboard!  I just saw BobF's comment, and I was going to suggest that you ping him, since he just picked up an FA
 
I realize that that the Sonar docs are a little sparse regarding initial audio/MIDI studio setup.  Your Roland keyboard has a cool feature (the internal audio interface + MIDI over USB), that unfortunately blends the visual aspects of keeping things separate in your head as well as Sonar.  When I started out, MIDI was MIDI 5-pin DIN cables, and audio was TRS 1/4 cables.  But the basic concepts have not changed.
 
First, realize that you need to decide what you want to record.  Audio, or MIDI, or both?  You can do either alone, or both simultaneously, once you have installed the audio interface and the USB MIDI ports in Windows.  Sonar should see the audio inputs/outputs available as well as the MIDI input/output from the keyboard.
 
If you just want to record the audio output of your keyboard's internal sounds (the audio waveforms), then assign them to audio tracks in Sonar trackview (connect your synth to an audio interface, such as the Tascam, using TRS 1/4, if you are NOT using Roland's internal audio interface).  Sonar behaves like a digital tape recorder in this case.  There is no need to assign or record the MIDI port in Sonar to do this.  On each audio track, you can assign the audio input from your hardware that you wish to record from.  This is the same method you would use to record any other external hardware such as a microphone or guitar, for example.
 
You can record the MIDI track performance data in Sonar by assigning the instrument via it's MIDI input to it's own MIDI track.  That way you can edit the MIDI performance if you wish and replay the sequence. You must also assign the correct MIDI output to your instrument to trigger it during playback of the MIDI track.
 
Remember, MIDI has no sound, it is just a sequence of data like a piano roll, that tells the synth which note to play. It can also send volume, velocity, expression controls, as well as system messages (bank/patch change, etc).

husker
 >Or you could just use the Tascam 4x4 for the audio inputs from both keyboards.
If I do this, I would use the the TRS 1/4 I assume.  Are these stereo connectors?  Same question, I can set in Sonar somehow which keyboard to record (or do them both at once on separate tracks?
 
I _think_ I would prefer to use the Tascam, but I'm not sure if it has any benefits.
 
 
Thank you abacab.  You helped me out quite a bit over the summer as well.

I'm sure that the Moog would be a great addition, however I would recommend just getting things set up and working well to your satisfaction and understanding with one keyboard first.  If you go the Tascam only route initially, you will need to run 1/4 cables from the Roland audio outputs to the Tascam, using the Roland USB for MIDI only.
 
Then add to that as you grow into it. You will have everything you need to get connected and running, since you already have the Tascam.  Be patient, one step at a time
 
As far as building your DAW, I recommend hopping over to the computer forum to ask any PC related questions.  There are lots of guys there who can make the best recommendations to spec a DAW for the best Sonar experience.  I think you have the music hardware and audio interfaces well covered now. 
 
Good luck!

husker
 
So, if I wanted to use the Tascam:
1) Tascam USB to the DAW computer USB

>Yup!  This is your main AI.

husker
2) TRS out from the Roland to the Tascam. There is only one TRS input on the Tascam per channel - does this mean it is mono? Or, do you plug one into one channel and the other into another channel?  Then somehow you choose both channel inputs onto one Sonar track?

>You should be able to configure it as either 4 mono, or two stereo channels.  You will notice that on the Roland rear panel the main outs consist of two TRS jacks, L/Mono and R.  You run these two cables into the instrument jacks on the Tascam for a stereo instrument hookup.

husker
2) TRS out from the Moog to another channel on the Tascam for audio

>Yup!

husker
3) Midi out of the Roland to the Midi in of the Tascam. I assume you can select a Midi In of the Tascam as an "input" into Sonar?

>Yes, but not necessary. See me explanation below with your other question .

husker 
With things connected this way, I could record audio and midi from the Roland, and audio only from the Moog.

>Yup, but you could also use the Moog as a secondary MIDI controller.

husker
Abacab, you raised in interesting point.  Midi over the USB of the Roland.  Is there a benefit to that other than running a standard Midi cable from the Roland to the Tascam?   Using USB, windows would see two different AIs, the Tascam and the Roland.  I would assume I would have to go into Sonar preferences to change between both.  If I ran just a midi cable from the Roland to the Tascam, I could simply select the Midi input of the Tascam on the track.  Correct?

 
I would use the MIDI over USB from the Roland. 
 
If you plan to use the Tascam as your only AI, you should be able to disable the Roland AI drivers in Windows or Sonar, but keep on using the Roland MIDI over USB. There should be independent sets of drivers for audio vs. MIDI.
 
All of the available MIDI ports will show up in Sonar preferences, where you can then assign the ones you wish Sonar to use. In Sonar> Preferences> MIDI Devices.  Just check the ones you want.  The checked ones will become available in the Sonar MIDI track inspector I/O choices, the others will be hidden.  Sonar won't know the difference between the types, you will just see the MIDI ports appear by name, such as "Roland MIDI in", or "Tascam MIDI in".
 
All of my current controllers are MIDI over USB and I prefer that hookup because I now mostly work with VST instruments. The reason some gear still has the 5-pin MIDI DIN in/out connections is to support legacy hardware that is 5-pin only.  Functionally, there is no difference. 
 
A few of my old hardware synths are 5-pin only, so it is nice to have that MIDI plug in the back of my controller or audio interface if I want to hook them up with Sonar

husker
Thank you abacab.  Let me digest this a bit.
 
My problem is my keyboard is packed up and my house is all tore apart, so I'm doing nothing but thinking of questions.  I'm moving my computers, CDs, and books to the bigger bedroom, and ordered a studio desk and parts to build my own DAW.  So, I have weeks of not playing with my keyboard to some up with questions and watch Groove 3 videos.  The curse of an inquisitive mind....

Good luck with all of those projects!  But really, don't over-think it.
 
I started with one keyboard, one Roland synth rack module, and a hardware MIDI sequencer.  No computer.
 
Worked my way up from that.  The addiction grew to about a half dozen synth keyboards or modules.  And a whole room full of MIDI and TRS and speaker and power cables.  People that saw that usually said OMG!!! How do you know what goes where?
 
Hint: Label both ends of all your cables, and draw up your own cable diagram 

That's the way SONAR displays pairs.  When you pick an input for a track, you'll see three choices for each pair; 1-L, 1-R & 1-stereo.  Goofie, but normal
 
The Mixer versions are new from TASCAM.  Potentially higher latency than the other choice.  The driver release notes say a little about them, but not much.

Basically, in prefs SONAR is showing you the lead channel of each stereo pair.
Here's an example from my TASCAM.  First, as show in preferences

 
When you select track inputs, you then have a choice between the left, right or full pair.
So Left IN 1 is mono channel 1, Right IN 1 is mono channel 2, etc.

husker
Weird.   So,  if I had an instrument plugged into input 2 of the Tascam,  which of those would I choose?   

I think that you now have a good handle on the basics of connecting a keyboard workstation as a controller.  Any additional topics you have questions about are likely to get buried in this thread.  Except for BobF.  He's just that way 
 
You will get more responses from the community if you start a new thread for each question you have, and be as specific as possible about your question. 
 
For example, "How do I configure Sonar to work with a Tascam 4x4?".  More folks that use a Tascam are likely to notice a thread like that.