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Xtracator - Casiotone 405 meets the Minilogue


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  • 2 weeks later...

Great track - very melancholic, and I love both these keyboards! The CT405 (full sized keys "woodie" version of the MT65/ 68) looks so cool in a retro/ modern way, and the Minilogue is an amazing accomplishment by Korg (a true VCO synth!) There's lots of great rhythms on the 405 btw :2thu:

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Thanks much! Yes, the 405 rhythms are awesome. Lots of possible combinations and the individual controls for bass, chord and arp give it the ability to get around the sometimes cheap and cheesy sounds often associated with early Casios (not that there's anything wrong with that). I have the MT-68 as well and, with limited space, keep telling myself I don't need both. But I just can't give up The Wood. The Minilogue is awesome and has consumed me for the past three months, but the 405 is really what makes this tune work. It's a tune that's been going around in my head since last summer and I've done versions of it with the XW-P1, Garageband and some Roland Boutiques, but this was the one where it all came together.

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I have an MT65 and an MT68, and like you I keep telling myself that I don't need both! Then I keep thinking that maybe I will circuit bend one of them, not so much to make breaking down electronics noises as per many other "Circuit bent" instruments, more so that I can take individual control over some of the features i.e. only have the arpeggio playing with all other sounds muted. I've seen a few modified versions that give greater control over the features and still keep the character of the original. I also have an MT400V and the bigger version CT410V, which is basically the same feature set as the MT65/ 68/ 405, except minus the arpeggiator and the two envelope switches. The MT65/ 68/ 405 do actually HAVE the arpeggiator and two envelope functions in their CPU chip, but for some reason Casio decided to not use them in these models. If you are a dab hand with electronics, they can be added by modifying the circuit board and connecting additional switches. The chap at Table Hooters (I think he visits here occasionally - CyberYogi I think his name is?) gives excellent details on what "easter eggs" are available and how to modify the Casio to get them:

http://weltenschule.de/TableHooters/Casio_CT-410V.html

 

Back on track, I would love a 405 as well, as asides from being a very well specced Casio, it's also gorgeous looking. I have a CT403, which is similar looking though nowhere near as feature packed (has awesome analogue drums however!) I also have a CT201 woody, which this great from an historical view point (Casio's first consumer keyboard), it's outclassed by many of the later Casio "consonant vowel" series of keyboards.

 

Love the way you managed to use both your 405 and the Minilogue and make them work together so well. The Minilogue looks to be enormous fun to own and use, in a different way to the Casio, yet they still complement each other superbly. You've certainly given me ideas to use some of my classic Casios with the newer model XW's, CZ, FZ etc., or even with my Roland JX-3P/ Korg DW8000, and see how old and new can sound working together. I'm going to be bursting with ideas when my gear finally gets shipped over to my new home here!

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