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Posted this in one of the Recording, Mixing, Performance and Production and wasn't getting any response. Just wondering if anyone is using the Sonic Cell and how it compares to IK Multimedia Workstation?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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MarioD responded, but perhaps not with what you wanted. I have owned almost every Roland hardware MIDI synth except the SD-50, but I know where it fell in Roland's development. I would have to think from reading the specs that it was comparable to the sounds of the Roland Fantom line, which I thought were very fine. Comparing that to a software synth, though, is going to require a subjective judgement. What do you think of the sounds?
By the way, you mentioned in the other thread you had difficulty setting up the SD-50. Could that have something to do with this topic? Need help?
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2015
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I have the Sonic Cell not the SD 50......problem right now is there is no Windows 10 driver for it. I had to go to the Roland Clan to find a work around so it will use the Windows 8 driver. One of the things that irritates me the most is it wouldn't take that much for Roland to mod the install package of the Windows 8 driver since it works but because they discontinued it they don't care. Okay off the soap box. I remember the sounds on it being like the Fantom sounds and were pretty good. The sounds on SampleTank are pretty good but some of the violin sounds don't sound that great to me. I figured since I had the Sonic Cell I would give it a go. My main reason for asking is to see if anyone was using one with BIAB and is it worth it to try. I just know I am setting myself up for a couple of hours of futzing around to make it work.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I have the SC and it works and sounds fine with Biab/RB. Roland has a 64 bit driver on their website which I installed several years ago after I got my Win 7 PC. It's hooked up via USB and there is a .Pat file for it here on this site. It's also an audio interface although it only has one set of audio in/out's which is all I need because I only record myself playing a keyboard. It has a USB port for a thumb drive that can be used to playback recorded tracks for live use as well although I've never done that. Finally do a YT search and you'll find lots of vids about it. You posted while I was writing my reply. I just know I am setting myself up for a couple of hours of futzing around to make it work. So what else is new? This is SOP for digital audio work. NOTHING works by simply plugging something in and you start to work. Drivers, config in your DAW software, whatever it is it always takes some time to sort out. I find myself using softsynths most of the time just because of my physical setup. I have ST with a bunch of sound libraries I've bought when they're on sale for $10-20 each. I'm spending most of my musical time in my living room using my 60" 4K big screen. The SC along with my desktop system is in the bedroom and I'm not running 25 feet of audio cables from it to my big system in the LR. No problem though if I want to work in the BR with my other 32" monitor. The audio there goes to my smaller studio monitors. I agree with your comments about Roland. Once they discontinue something they have a habit of not updating drivers but from what I read somewhere the Win 8 ones should work with Win 10. I don't use Win 10 yet but I will eventually. Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2015
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Thanks I thought there was someone here that used it. I got it originally to do backing tracks but found that using my tablet with a mp3 easier. I used it with Sonar to convert midi files and worked well.....I never got the usb stick to work reliably. I am going to try to get it to load on my Windows 10 machine then see if I can get it to work with BIAB. What is the .PAT file for?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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The Pat file stands for patches. It's a complete patch list that has been converted from the Cakewalk standard .ini file to PG's format. All you do is install that Pat file in both Biab and RB and then when you want to select a SC patch for a midi track they're all there in the dropdown menu. There a vid that explains how it works.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks great info. This will really help me out. Thanks again.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Sorry I confused the two Roland units. Yes, without a .PAT file, you can't access what is called the higher bank of patches = all the good sounds above the GM sounds. Someone already wrote the .PAT file for the Sonic Cell and BIAB. Go here: http://www.pgmusic.com/support_miscellaneous.htm
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks I just downloaded it. Since I am using 64 bit Windows and 64 bit driver for the Sonic Cell will I have to use jbridge?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Not for this. It's a hardware unit. No VST involved.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Cool. Thanks for all the help on this.
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