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While I have owned my WK-7500 for almost two years, I finally connected it to my MacBook Pro via Data Manager. It works fine.

I am curious to hear from other WK-7500 owners about how you use and benefit from Data Manager. Do you use it mainly as a backup device?

I envision using it to store numerous, large Song Sequences (since the unit stores only 5) and then load them back into the WK-7500 as needed. What about you?

Share your ideas no matter how basic they seem. The synergy of fresh ideas almost always yields more creativity and user satisfaction.

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Steve

I discovered that, not only is the Data Manager a file management and transfer program, but during the download process from the PC to the CTK/WK, it will also convert the older "ckf" and "z00" rhythm files from the older WK3X00 keyboards to the "AC7" format of the newer CTK and WK units. So, I have been able to recover all the original rhythm files from my WK3800 and the 120-plus rhythm files from the Casio WK3800 site and the Casio Europe site. The 6000 and 6500 will only hold 10 user rhythms at a time, but the 7000 and 7500 can hold 100, so the Data Manager really saves time in loading that up and managing it. Even with the smaller memory of the 6000 and 6500, I still find using the Data Manager easier than the tedious and very error prone "one at a time via SD Ram card" method from the keyboard's front panel. Even though I have an iPad, I bought a small Acer laptop that is about the same size as an iPad and have pretty much dedicated it to use with the 6000 and 7500 and now the XW-P1 as well.

A word of caution about downloading files to the 7000 and 7500 - if you try to download 100 files in one fell swoop, you will consistently end up losing around 15 to 20 of them and have to spend time figuring out which ones got lost and resend them. I get this with 3 different PC's, and it seems to be some kind of a buffer overflow problem. Since the Data Manager displays about 15 files on screen at a time, I just send them in bundles of 15 at a time, and everything works out fine.

Also, if I have problems getting Sonar, or Cubase, or Ableton-Live to talk to the 6000 or 7500, I just bring up the Data Manager real quick to verify connectivity. Since its communications protocol is pretty simple, it is a good check. If it can talk to the boards, the rest should be able to as well, but it it can't. I know there is a definite problem and don't waste time checking out the DAW software.

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Thank you Ted for sharing your insight and expriences.

Your remarks about downloading too many files and buffer overflow is helpful because I experienced that too when backing up too many WK-7500 files. It's good to know it wasn't just me.

A question. How do you use Sonar, or Cubase, or Ableton-Live with your WK-7500? Please explain.

Thanks again.

-Steve

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Steve

Even the best of keyboard sequencer editors are a pain in the neck, but they are very handy as a first pass MIDI recorder - no sync or latency problems with the PC. Just put it into record mode and set down and play. Save it to an SD RAM card. Port it to the PC and do any corrections, final editing, and mastering with the PC based DAW software. If I am working strictly with MIDI, I use Sonar, even though it does work with audio, but if I want to throw in some audio loops, I find that easier with Ableton. I have to admit, I pretty much gave up on Cubase some time ago. Even though there are many who swear buy it, I always had to struggle with it to do even the simplest of things. I finally go tired of the struggles. As I do my editing and mastering, I use the keyboard as my sound source - no substitute sound modules or VST instruments. That way I know exactly how the song is going to sound when I am finished. Then I usually keep a copy on the PC that I can play through the keyboard and put a copy on an SD RAM card that I can play strictly on the keyboard.

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Thank Ted. Sorry for my late reply - been serving clients and traveling. When my workload slows down a bit, I am going to continue forcing myself out of my comfort zone and learn more about keyboard/computer connectivity.

A question, do you use a WK-7500 USD to MIDI adaptor? Or does the sw talk directly to the WK-7500 through USB?

No rush on a reply. I appreciate your correspondence.

-Steve

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Steve

I have a couple of USB-MIDI (5 pin DIN) adapters that I use with my old Roland 5 pin DIN MIDI-IN/OUT gear, but I use the "To Host" USB connections for connecting the new gear to the computer. It is easier, requires fewer cables, and has greater capabilities. The only thing that bothers me about the newer "USB only" units is that you can not connect them to older MIDI-IN/OUT sound modules without going through a computer or one of those new $150+ adapter boxes. I really don't need any more expensive clutter in here.

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  • 7 years later...

What's new? I have a wk 7500 and would like to manufacture some tones (samples). TN7 but data manager 6.1 does not work the same as the 3.0 that made .ckf sounds.  Someone can tell me which software to occupy to make the tones. TN7? 

 

Sorry, Armando

 

The CTK/WK-6XXX/7XXX models do not sample.  Neither do they load "Tone with wave" or "Drum with wave" files like the older models.  What you can do is use the Tone Editor to work with the built-in wave samples and save them as User Tones, but this has to be done on the keyboard.  There is no software for doing this externally.

 

 

 Lo siento, Armando

 

Los modelos CTK/WK-6XXX/7XXX no muestran.  Tampoco cargan archivos "Tone with wave" o "Drum with wave" como los modelos más antiguos.  Lo que puede hacer es utilizar el Editor de tonos para trabajar con las muestras de onda integradas y guardarlas como tonos de usuario, pero esto tiene que hacerse en el teclado.  No hay software para hacer esto externamente.

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