Roland A-49 White

A Roland Controller Designed for Mobility Without Compromising Touch

In the range of compact master keyboards, the Roland A-49 stands out with a simple idea: to offer an easy-to-transport MIDI controller while retaining standard-size keys and a playing feel closer to a real instrument. Roland has paid particular attention to the mechanical design of the keyboard to reduce noise and improve stability, a real advantage for recording, headphone work, and home studio sessions. Its 49-note format makes it a balanced choice: wide enough to play with both hands, yet compact enough to remain comfortable on a desk.

Who Is the Roland A-49 For and What Are Its Uses?

The A-49 is aimed at keyboardists, composers, and producers who want a reliable, responsive USB master keyboard that is easy to integrate into a DAW environment. It is perfectly suited for a home studio, a live set with a computer, or as a second keyboard to control external sounds. Its minimalist approach (few but well-chosen controls) is ideal if you prioritize playing, velocity precision, and expressiveness over an overloaded control surface.

Features and Control: Expressiveness Immediately Accessible

A Keyboard Designed for Responsiveness and Glissandi

The keys of the Roland A-49 have a rounded profile that promotes a smooth playing feel and more natural glissandi. The elimination of mechanical noise and reduction of vertical vibrations make the touch more pleasant, especially during long sessions or sensitive recordings. The result: finer control of dynamics via velocity, useful for virtual pianos as well as synths, strings, or drums.

D-BEAM: Gestural Control to Animate Your Sounds

The D-BEAM adds a performative dimension: by moving your hand above the infrared beam, you can trigger or modulate effects spectacularly. It's a quick solution to add movement to a pad, open a filter, or add depth to a lead line without leaving the keyboard.

SuperNATURAL Button: A Direct Bridge to Compatible Modules

Pressing the SuperNATURAL button automatically assigns the main expression parameters on compatible modules, such as the INTEGRA-7. The A-49 then becomes an excellent companion for Roland instruments using this technology, notably as a secondary keyboard for synthesizers like the JUPITER-80 and JUPITER-50, to maintain coherent and expressive control over articulations and dynamics.

Assignable Controls and Useful Connectivity for Real-World Use

To remain versatile, the A-49 includes 2 assignable controllers and 2 assignable buttons: enough to control essential functions of your DAW or virtual instrument (volume, cutoff, resonance, effects send, preset selection, etc.). For playing, inputs for sustain pedal and expression pedal provide immediate musical control, indispensable for piano, organ, or orchestral sounds. Finally, the presence of a MIDI Out facilitates direct connection to hardware expanders and synths, without total dependence on the computer.

Technical specifications

Number of faders	2	Number of keys	49
Bluetooth	No	Inputs	USB, Expression pedal, Sustain pedal, Midi
Compatibility	PC, Mac	Outputs	USB, Midi, USB Midi, USB Type B
Controller	Pitchbend, Modulation	Color	White
Velocity sensitive	Yes

Dimensions

836 x 182 x 84 mm

Weight

2.5 kg