oildrops

Thanks again @AlenK , I don't know why I didn't think to use the coarse tune. The mixer idea is a good one. When I am in performance+step sequencer mode, I often end up changing something without knowing what is going on and get frazzled. I'm pretty happy with my solution since it keeps things simple. No need to use the scroll wheel or number pad to get from a piano to e-piano to clavinet sounds. I still need to have organ and solo synth pre-selected.

Ah, so I need to do this in performance mode. Does this mean creating an associated performance for the hex layer, and making sure that performance is selected when I use that hex layer? Or would I want to just make this patch in a performance instead of the Hex layer. I have done this in the past, but with a Hex layer it's easier to manage in a performance, ironically. My goal is to use the hex layer as a set of electric piano tones that I can select using the sliders, mostly to cut down on the time it takes to get between tones in a song in the context of a funk and rock live setting. It's faster to use the buttons to get back to organ and synth if needed. If the compromise is to change octave when I want to use the clavinet, I think it might still be faster than needing to go back into "tone" mode.

The hex layer tone. I'm making a basic stage keys patch and just want to Clav to be down an octave from the pianos.

I just went through the manuals and haven't found a setting to set one Hex layer tone an octave lower than the others. Most of the time the answer is a simple menu item I missed, but is this possible?

You get it. I'm using a Digitech Ventura vibe for rotary, but often will use the speed up button additionally depending on which hand is free, or use the chorus organ preset for more variety.

Hey, I'm curious what XW-P1 users have done for a stage keyboard configuration, assuming you want to use bread and butter tones over the course of a set- organ, piano, EPs, clav, synth lead etc. I'm looking for ideas on how to set it up for quick tone access. My example is the organ - the organ mode can't be split, and the bass is too low in the mix vs the higher notes. I've been trying to come up with a tone where I can bring a synth bass in and out of the tone. I've tried a few ways to go about this using hex layers, performance, or a combination but with limited success. With a hex layer, there is no drawbar or rotary effect, however there is real time control by layering PCM organs and using the sliders, and using an external pedal for rotary effect. I've set up a couple of hex layers with a left hand EP or synth bass which sounds okay, but the organ is then limited to what you can find in the PCM library. The major plus with keyboard splits in performance mode is that organ drawbars or solo synth controls can be active. I am also able to layer user tones rather than only PCM sounds. The downside is that if I have a bass tone on the left hand, there is no real time control over the volume, or ability to bring a part in and out without going into the mixer.

@CairnsFella Sorry about the numbering, I guess after editing my original post I deleted questions but didn't update the numbering. That's interesting that you can play an arp pattern in performance mode and keep the arp going while navigating between modes, I wasn't able to get it working. @Jokeyman123 Yeah, the distortion would come in when layering organ tones even at low volumes. I'll have to go back in and see what DSP is happening, but all the organ PCM sounds I was using were clean and I had DSP off in the main effects mixer.

@Jokeyman123 That's helpful thanks! What I'm trying to do is have an arp playing as a way to transition between parts. Making chains is a solution. Or, stay in step sequencer mode and access zones 1-4 individually in the mixer. Or enter mixer mode and select channel 2 before I start playing the arp, then I can mute and un-mute tracks. @Brad Saucier Thanks that's what I thought, I get one DSP choice that I can apply to as many channels as I want, but can't have two different DSP effects on two different instruments, and once I turn DSP on for one channel I lose chorus on every channel. All of the menus that include DSP on/off make it confusing. I sometimes can't figure out why I'm not getting the effect.

paging the experts @AlenK, @Brad Saucier, @Jokeyman123

I made it through the Companion, watched all of the funnzie tutorials several times, and read through the FAQ on here. Please excuse my questions if I missed obvious things. The sequencer control tracks unlock a lot of potential of this keyboard. I have a few questions about how things are connected, and some issues I've run into. Maybe there are workarounds I missed from the manuals, or limitations I need to avoid. A tip that I learned: when selecting a control track parameter, stop the step sequencer from playing before scrolling, or it will alter the track it's affecting and leave it set. This is apparent if you scroll past the volume or tempo parameter. Okay for my questions: 1: Is there a way to change sequence patterns while in performance mode? If I am playing an arpeggio on zone 2, then switch to sequencer to change the pattern, it stops zone 2 from playing. Similarly, opening the mixer while in Performance mode stops the sound from zone 2. Is there a way to have access to mixer controls in order to change track volumes, turn channels on and off via the sequencer buttons, etc while also, for example playing an arpeggio from zone 2 in a performance? 2: When I load up a performance, I need to change Channel 1 to Solo Synth in the mixer in both Performance and Step Sequencer, despite having saved the setting in both. I must be missing something with the saving process. 3: I am still confused by DSP effects. I understand reverb is independent, and I can either use chorus or DSP, but can I use delay on the solo synth and chorus on a PCM tone in the same performance? In order to get chorus on most tones it seems necessary to edit the tone, increase the chorus level, then save it as a user tone. Only then does the chorus effect work. 4: This is minor, but what do the Step+ and Step- buttons do? I can't find any information about what they do and I've never seen anyone use them in the hours of video I've watched. 5: How do I change the selection of notes that are assigned to the sliders in the Step Sequencer? I end up hitting a slider and it's usually out of key when it changes a note. 6: I've been trying to make a hex layer with different organ tones, and I'm experiencing overdrive/overloading when tones are combined despite setting the level being set low. My monitors are good, and I get the same issue with my headphone as low levels. Any solutions? Another tip: the PCM drum tones sound pretty nice going into a boost pedal. I'm using a jfet based overdrive/preamp, and it turns the somewhat dull bass drum into resonant analog sounding drums. It's very surprising the content that is there that just needs an "exciter".

Huh, I guess it wasn't. I always assumed it had been done since I got a CD with the updater from the person I bought it from. ....and it's done! I closed everything, disconnected from the net, and turned off Windows defender. I had one of those "I'm done with this thing" moments last night after making a sequence I really liked then losing it, so if it got bricked it was a good day for it. My heart did sink when I heard the windows usb sound from the back room. Luckily it was part of the process. I lost my work I think because I didn't save everything into a performance. I still don't really understand how that works, if you can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it! I was messing with running the entire sequence through the filter, and my filter settings didn't get saved into the sequence when I brought it back up later on

Is there a way to check the firmware version on the XW-P1? I want to make sure it has the latest installed.

I haven't checked out the manual, but I played with every setting I could and discovered I could either have the knobs and two right-most sliders send midi, or only the leftmost 7 sliders and no knobs. The organ mode results in the sliders sending midi in steps, which is better than nothing I guess, but actually makes it not very useful/musical to use. I have the akai midimix which maps easily, so it was really just unnecessary frustration. I think I'm done messing with the casio as a controller besides the keybed. 😄 I just picked up ableton, so right now my focus is split, but I do plan on continuing to slowly learn the ins and outs of the Casio so that it feels more immediate to make sequences and tones on, even if that means just sending single sequencer tracks into the DAW as a sketch pad. After watching all of the available video tutorials, I am still not entirely sure what's possible regarding using the solo synth as a part in the step sequencer. I get the feeling once I start using the controller tracks and creating chains, the XW-P1 will open up a bit more. My dilemma for this keyboard has always been is it worth learning the deeper parts, since on the surface it feels limited for how much I can design step tracks, and manipulate them in real time based on what I have read in the manual and heard people do with the sequencer- or would it be more worth my time to just keep it as a organ/rhodes/preset machine, and pick up something like an electribe, circuit, or elektron box.

@Jokeyman123 I decided to take a step back and actually learn the software and hardware on their own terms before trying to get them to talk to eachother, esp since I very new to MIDI in general. Is there a definitive guide on how to set the XW-P1 up as a DAW controller? I'm getting notes, but no sliders or knobs. I've tried drawbar mode but still unable to map anything. One thing to note is my interface doesn't see MIDI when it's set to MIDI in general settings, only KEY. I have a midimix which sits nicely on the ipad spot, but it would be more convenient if I could map the drawbar sliders, plus more knobs is more knobs!

That's a lot to think about! It's not really a matter of better or worse as far as the tones, although there is a certain eq/compression in the XW-P1 that I can't really escape especially on the drum samples, great for many purposes but I would prefer a rawer timbre to many of the PCM tones. The major appeal of adding a drum machine is the ability to use more than one custom synth tone on the sequencer. Sure, you can edit PCM tones, but you know what I'm saying. For instance I just tried to edit the kick drum sounds with DSP and then realized there is only global DSP in the sequencer so my custom kick drum can be used. While I'm on the topic, I still need to figure out how to even add mono-synth to a sequence while maintaining the filter and cutoff control.