Boss Katana Mk2, - Tone Studio, - again!!

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 7 Oct 2023 11:58 pm

I have tried for days - literally - to connect my Boss Katana Mk2 to the Boss Tone Studio, but everytime I try to connect through computers, it says "Wrong Device."
I have religiously followed instructions step by step, have downloaded the right driver, have downloaded the Tone Studio, have tried the hint of installing Adobe Air, have tried both on Mac and on PC, but all to no avail. How is it possible for Boss to make this so complicated??
I have watched numerous YouTube videos where the connection is made in a jiffy while the moderator speedtalks through the procedures, and I have slowed down YouTube to write down everything what`s being said and then done exactly what they did. I`ve got several Boss tone pedals, and the to use them is easy, but this...!!! Made by computer engineers for computer engineers! Any last minute ideas of what to try before the Boss gets thrown out the window??

Karlis Abolins · Post by **Karlis Abolins** » 8 Oct 2023 6:31 am

when I had my Katana MK II, I encountered a similar problem. The problem came from downloading the tone studio for MK I. It doesn't work. Make sure that you download the correct version. Roland/Boss made it easy for me to download the wrong version when I searched for tone studio. Once I downloaded the correct version, it worked like a charm.

Karlis

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 8 Oct 2023 10:17 am

Hi Karlis.

Thanks for your reply and timely reminder. I have selected the correct driver - Boss Katana Mk2 - and furthermore the right OS(15) for type of computer. What it may come down to now, is that I have to update software for the Katana. 2.00 is needed, but having tried all day to make this update, I`ve given up for today, - having tried most of the day.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 8 Oct 2023 6:09 pm

Or you could skip Boss Tone Studio and download Gumtown’s FxFloorboard for Katana mkII, which actually works and looks like it was designed for guitar players, not programming wonks.
https://sourceforge.net/projects/fxfloo ... loorBoard/

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 8 Oct 2023 11:25 pm

Good morning, Fred. Thanks for telling me about this option, - very useful advice. I`ll download it and give it a try. Thanks again!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Oct 2023 7:39 am

Let me know how it goes.

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 12 Oct 2023 12:13 pm

Hi Fred.

Sorry about my tardiness in replying. I have downloaded the floorboard Boss Katana software, but have been unable to make it work so far. The software keeps asking me to select Boss Katana or midi in the "preference box," - but after having tried several times I still get the same request. Also, I understand that I should click on the relevant Boss pedals and drag them down, but how do I use them? No control buttons come up like on the Tone Studio. So if I for example would like to turn on the "delay" function on a pedal, how to I access the pedal`s control button?

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 12 Oct 2023 1:53 pm

If you are connected to your computer via USB, FxFloorboard will automatically choose Katana. Then hit the “connect” button to connect the interface with your amp.

You don’t need to pull anything down. Click or tap on a pedal to switch it on or off, just like a real pedal. Click and hold a control knob on the pedal to increase or decrease a value like delay time or distortion level.

To go deeper into control levels, tap on the buttons along the top of the display board, such as “preamp” or “mod”. They are more like the wonky Tone Studio app, but still more user friendly.

Read the “Readme” document that came with the download, and have a look at the help and file menus at the very top of the display for more details on how to make changes to patches and save them.

Also, there are FxFloorboard tutorials on YouTube. Just google.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 12 Oct 2023 6:37 pm

Make sure you have a good data cable. I had problems with my katana and the cable was the issue. Got a new cable and things went smoothly.

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 13 Oct 2023 7:56 am

The software keeps asking me to select Boss Katana or midi in the "preference box," - but after having tried several times I still get the same request.

That preference box comes up every time I load the program too. It is an inconsequential bug that can be ignored. Just let the program load. Maybe Gumtown will fix it eventually.

I can see that my suggestion to use FxFloorboard has not simplified anything for you, Mr. Steinar. I prefer it because I have been using Gumtown’s freeware for Boss products for many years. If you decide to go back to Tone Studio for Katana, download the manual for it from the Boss website. Most f what you need to know is in the manual.

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 13 Oct 2023 8:14 am

Hello again, Fred.

I`m trying, and I`m both looking through the Read Me file and You Tube videos. I realize this will take time to get through, and for the time being I have programmed some steel sounds on the Katana using the on-amp controls.
But, I`m not giving up, and thanks to your kind advice I`ve got an alternative to the software of Boss. I have learned my Katana needs to have its software upgraded in order to get recognized by the Tone Studio, and the upgrade process is anything but easy. But please don`t think that your advice and info on the Floorboard alternative wasn`t useful, because I`m now trying both alternatives, - yours and Boss. I`ll get through this, and I`m grateful for your help!

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 13 Oct 2023 8:43 am

Wanted to mention the Katana Librarian app from Google play. It's an app that does most all the functions and costs about 8.00 I use it with my Samsung Android phone and my Tablets. It works well and no computer needed.

steinar · Post by **steinar** » 13 Oct 2023 9:26 am

Hi Larry.

Thanks for the info on that app.. Unfortunately I don`t have a smart telephone, - am still in the Stone Age making do with a Nokia from around 2000, so I haven`t graduated to apps yet. But should that time come, I`ll be sure to check it out. Thanks, anyway!