Bill Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hey guys, I am not getting what to do with most of the features on this synth. I have come from the wk-7500...playing the rhythm tracks and chord changes in the "casio keys"...re-creating current songs and original songs. I get the solo synth features...have some fun with the hex layers creating sounds like "space music"...even now playing with the sliders to tweak them some. But the performance lists seem to be set patterns with rhythm in one chord...I guess that you can solo over with a synth sound. The display shows a series of lines...some dotted...and some arpeggio effects with key strikes. I stumbled upon the key change button for more variety...but not much else. I do not see anything in the manual about what is on the display...what all the lines and dots mean...can scroll down with the arrows, etc. Just what do you others do with this feature? I have seen some tutorials...but not many that actually explain what you can do. Is this more a solo instrument vs what can be done with the wk-7500? Thanks... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Display Name Posted November 25, 2013 Share Posted November 25, 2013 Hi Bill.The XW's are more performance synths and less workstations. I highly recommend checking out Mike's video lessons on the XWs... link is here.. just scroll to find the ones you want. Will give you better understanding of what everything does:http://www.youtube.com/user/casiokeyboards/search?query=xw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 In performance mode, the display is showing the different zones assigned across the keyboard, which one has the arpeggiator assigned, etc. Check out page E71 of the manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XW-Addict Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Be sure not to confuse rhythm sequence set in Performance mode with step sequence mode they both differ ,If you want to create a new rhythm with bass, drum chords and a few solo then step sequence mode is the place to be. In performance mode you can select the preferred sequence or one of your own custom made sequence available to yourperformance patch. Based on which mode you are say Performance mode the lines show the key range for each zone an or effects you've selectedin addition. When you edit your performance the display shows value's from the knobs and function you've assigned to them.the right side of the display shows the channels 1 to 16 where 1 to 6 (in case of P1) shows the hex layers followed with theinstruments part with step sequence mode. While creating your custom step sequence with bass, chord , drums and solo's, Selecting edit and going to the copy function tocopy 1 pattern to another pattern from the eight pattern button selection or a track. Its also possible while recording a sequenceon part 1 by pressing another pattern button 2 for instance to continuously record a drum phrase. Its really amazing doing it likethat without interrupting your work flow. Using the step buttons or part buttons on your lower left of the keyboard shows which channel is appointed to for settings or editby pressing mixer you can edit each channel for their respected value's like volume or instrument tone etc. Try changing an existing performance patch and slowly moderate every value or setting of it this will increase the learning rate toget accustomed with these modes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlenK Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 One correction to what I could actually understand out of all that: Parts 1 to 6 are not the six layers of the Hex Layer mode. If you select a Hex Layer tone on Zone 1 (= Part 1) this doesn't use any other parts. You still have all the other parts free, three of which you can play live from the keyboard in addition to Zone 1 and nine of which can be played by the step sequencer. (You might notice that this only adds up to 13. There are indeed three more parts that can only be played by an external source of MIDI note messages.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 ^ apparently you were able to understand more of that than I was- no offense but that made my head hurt! What's a "rhythm sequence set"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XW-Addict Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 ^ apparently you were able to understand more of that than I was- no offense but that made my head hurt!What's a "rhythm sequence set"? I mend by that selecting a step sequence from within performance mode . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XW-Addict Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 One correction to what I could actually understand out of all that: Parts 1 to 6 are not the six layers of the Hex Layer mode. If you select a Hex Layer tone on Zone 1 (= Part 1) this doesn't use any other parts. You still have all the other parts free, three of which you can play live from the keyboard in addition to Zone 1 and nine of which can be played by the step sequencer. (You might notice that this only adds up to 13. There are indeed three more parts that can only be played by an external source of MIDI note messages.)Ahah I though different because G1 only has four zones for hex that the other remainding channels where just off, I did not look further into that or think that it also be for external source. Thanks AlenK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Thanks, for the replies...maybe reading between the lines I will see something...I just don't see any depiction of the displays in the manual. I do enjoy the hex layer tones and solo synths. On some of the hex layers the sounds seem muted to start with...moving the sliders makes them more "dynamic"?...and louder...etc. Just wonder what the reason for that is?...although the effect is nice. Also once a layer is tweaked with a slider, why does it remain in that new sound and not go back if the slider is reversed?...and how do you get back to the original tone...besides going to another layer + and going back - ...? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 It's very confusing to keep referring to "hex" and the G1. There is no such thing on the G1.Joe, there really is a description of the display in the manual. It's not the most helpful thing in the world, but at least it does explain what the graphics represent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlenK Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 XW-Addict, what you are referring to as Hex is actually Performance mode. In that mode, which is intended to be the primary one, four sounds (tones) are playable from the keyboard on both the P1 and the G1. Since there are only four tones the word "Hex" can not apply. A Hex Layer tone, OTOH, is a SINGLE tone playable in Zone 1 on the P1 (but not the G1, which just can't generate such a tone).BIll, as Zymos says the meanings of the various graphics symbols in the display are actually described in the manual, although you will have to hunt for them. The horizontal lines in particular are attempting to show you with very few pixels the relative key ranges of the four zones in Performance mode, as shown on page E-62 of the P1 manual.Moving the first six sliders (counting from left to right) when you are playing a Hex Layer tone adjusts the individual volumes of the six layers that make up the tone. To get your original settings just select the tone again, for example by pressing the "+ (YES)" button and then the "- (NO)" button (which effectively reloads the tone from Flash into the XW's working, RAM-based, memory).I don't know what you are hearing when you say the sound doesn't go back when you reverse a slider. You might want to have another listen. The sliders are real time - when you move them they immediately affect the sound regardless of which way you move them. The exception is in the drawbar organ mode, where you have to push them over a small distance to hear a change since the virtual drawbars only have nine settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Apologies for referencing the G1 manual- just realized that the page numbers probably don't correspond to the P1 manual.I can see how that would cause some confusion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Ok...thanks alenK...for what happens with the hex tones and sliders...that is also what I do to get back to original setting. I just want to know what actually is going on when I push these buttons...explains the six layer effects. This being my first real synth, it is a totally different instrument from a wk-7500. I love it... and am disappointed and frustrated at the same time...wish there was a way to see a tutorial in person...so many questions...I guess "Joe" was referring to me?...my name is Bill...although I maybe am some "lost Joe!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Sorry Joe, I mean Bill... ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlenK Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Ha...Joe must be that other guy! My apologies, Bill. I should have scrolled up to see your actual name instead of assuming Zymos could not possibly have got it wrong. BTW Bill, have you watched the videos on YouTube of Mike Martin's online Clinics? You will learn a lot even after the fact. Here's the XW-P1 clinic: This is the clinic for the XW-G1 but it's still worth watching because there is a lot of overlap between the two models (both machines have the same sequencers, etc): In fact, you will learn something from almost every video Mike has posted, even the demos he has done for some of the dealers (such as Sweetwater and Full Compass). Just search for them on YouTube. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zymos Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Possibly this Joe person deleted all their posts which is why we can't even see them? I dunno......Mike's videos are must see, I watched them several times while deciding to buy my XW, and was just thinking about revisiting a couple of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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