Controlling Roland RD-88 from an external 'board?

[pax-eterna]

I see it has no midi in port as such , but it does have the USB port the docs say can be used for audio…does anyone here know if you can also connect an external ‘board here via USB to play the RD-88 sounds, or is the RD-88 designed to only use it's inbuilt keybed?

[adamburgess]

A computer in the middle of the controller and the RD could route MIDI in and out over USB from both keyboards if you've got a handy laptop in the rig…

Or a MIDI host box may work? It will pretend to be a computer and that could route a MIDI IN from a controller to a USB connection…

https://kentonuk.com/product/midi-usb-host-mk3/

I'm not sure if Roland stuff these days is class-compliant, however, and would need to be with a MIDI host box. My Integra7 needs drivers and there's a setting between GENERIC and VENDOR on the rack to choose from…

[pax-eterna]

Thanks Adam - yes I was hoping to avoid that (and additional device) but looks like it is the only way.

What lame brain at Roland decided to include a MIDI out but no MIDI in beggars belief!!!