Software in order to use a WK-7600 as a MIDI controller with my computer orchestral sound library and sequencer software

[DKNY]

I was just informed by Casio's Tech department that I can use a WK-7600 keyboard as a MIDI controller linked to my computer if I want to use the keyboard as the input device for creating music with a computer music sequencer program along with a computer-based Orchestral sounds library on my computer.

 

I was also informed that I can play sounds from a computer-based Orchestral sounds library into the WK-7600's sequencer if I prefer that sound to the sound in the WK-7600's sound library.

 

In order to do this, I was informed that I have to buy special software that will make the above two functions possible.

 

Anyone know that name(s) of software that will do this? The Casio technical support person did not, but suggested that I come onto this forum to ask.

[BeowulfX]

Things you'd need to have in order to use your WK-7600 as a MIDI controller for Orchestral Sound Library and Sequencer Software:

 

1) USB Type B cable - same as those commonly USB cables used in desktop inkjet printers. You'd need this cable to connect your WK-7600 to a PC or laptop's USB port.

 

2) A Desktop PC (preferably with a quad-core processor and a minimum of 8GB RAM/memory) or a capable laptop (preferably with a quad-core processor and a minimum of 8GB RAM/memory) and discrete GPU with its own VRAM (so that it won't borrow precious system memory). 

 

     Also, it's probably best if you have two HDDs in the desktop PC both 7200rpm drives: One for OS and programs/apps and one to contain the multi-gigabyte sampled orchestral virtual instruments. Make sure you don't get the "eco" or green-type of HDDs. If you're getting Western Digital HDD, get the WD Black series.

 

    A more expensive but blazing fast option is to go for SSD (Solid State Drives). This will cost more than the usual HDDs but having installed SSDs in my current Digital Audio Worstation (DAW) PC and my dedicated laptop (which I use as a sound module wherein it contains virtual instruments for live performance/gig), I would say that SSDs are worthy upgrades. Everything (boot up, application launch, data accessing) is fast/snappy. I have 2 SSDs in my current laptop both Samsung EVO 250GB SSDs: One for OS and apps, one containing the multi-gigabyte samples of EastWest Quantum Leap-Symphonic Orchestra Gold Edition (eats up 33GB of SSD storage space), Instrument samples of Cakewalk Dimension Pro 1.5, Native Instruments Komplete Elements. Of course, you have absolute freedom to configure a Desktop PC and choose which parts/components to use compared to the limited freedom you have in upgrading some components when using a laptop.

 

3) A discrete/separate audio interface (search Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or 2i4 or 6i6; M-audio track plus...there are a lot more expensive options but these should do just fine in a home studio/gig setting). Your concern here is getting the lowest-latency as possible so that you won't hear a noticeable delay from the time you press a key to the time a sound is "triggered" or emitted by the Orchestral virtual instrument residing in your PC or laptop. 

 

- you "might" get lucky using the built-in/integrated audio chip in a desktop's motherboard or laptop by downloading and installing ASIO-4-All driver for low latency setup. However, I still suggest that you get a dedicated/discrete audio interface as mentioned above.

 

4) Virtual Instruments - these are usually "sampled" from existing, physical/real instruments (can be acoustic orchestral instruments, electric pianos, tonewheel organ etc.) and can take massive gigabytes of space from your HDD or SSD. Other virtual instruments use physical modelling do not require a lot of disk space but requires quite a capable/powerful modern-day processor/CPU (minimum of dual-core @ 3.0GHz or higher to a recommended quad-core with or without hyperthreading).

 

    Since you've mentioned "orchestral library" in your post, try going to the websites of the following (google is your friend):

 

     a. EastWest Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra - I have the Gold Edition. The platinum is quite expensive. There's a cheaper "Silver" edition which can be a good place to start. Check here: http://www.soundsonline.com/Symphonic-Orchestra

 

      b. Miroslav PhilHarmonik: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/philharmonik/

 

      c. Garritan Personal Orchestra: http://www.garritan.com/products/personal-orchestra-4/

 

      c. Sampletank 3 by IK Multimedia: http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sampletank3/

 

5) Sequencer softwares: there are several that are available online or in retail music stores. Here's a few suggestions: 

 

      a. Cakewalk Sonar X3 (there's a $99 version, a $199 version and a $499 version): https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions

 

      b.  Cubase Steinberg: http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/line_up.html

 

      c.  ProTools: http://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-tools-software

 

Suggested readings are here: 

 

1) Virtual instrument buying guide: http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/virtual-instruments-buying-guide/

 

2) Choosing an audio interface: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep08/articles/audiointerfaces.htm

 

3) TweakHeads Lab: http://tweakheadz.com/sequencer2/

 

Happy reading and setting up! 

[Jokeyman123]

Beowulf covered this really well. Only one question. You mention here you want to record the orchestral sounds (virtual orchestra) that your computer will create with its internal soundcard or as Beowulf described so well, an audio interface connected to your computer into your WK "sequencer".

 

Remember "audio" sounds-as will be created by any virtual instrument from within the computer's hardware and the virtual orchestra's software and 'soundfonts" are actually audio samples (thus sometimes very large files and programs that make up a virtual computer instrument) cannot be recorded directly into the WK "sequencer' which is only designed to record midi data. The actual "audio" (not midi data) sounds you will hear from a virtual instrument, when you are playing the sounds from the WK keyboard connected as a midi controller, or from the WK sequencer connected to the computer can be recorded internally with an audio track in a DAW such as the ones Beowulf mentioned or even a simple computer audio program such as Audacity or similar.

 

You could also send the audio output of the computer's internal soundcard as it is being played-almost always a 1/8" phono jack-like mini-stereo headphones ala mp3 players built into any computer with an internal soundcard. Or with a USB audio input/output box connected to the computer USB port, and then connected to a separate digital recorder or any kind of audio recorder including the audio recorder built into the WK with it's audio input jack or even a large mixing desk/console if you wanted to have another place to send/save your audio file.

 

It's alot ot understand at first, but then that's because you have so many options for playing and recording. Adding computers to the typical music recording scenario gives you even more.  Sorry to jump in Beowulf, just hoping to help.

[BeowulfX]

It's alot ot understand at first, but then that's because you have so many options for playing and recording. Adding computers to the typical music recording scenario gives you even more.  Sorry to jump in Beowulf, just hoping to help.

 

No need to apologize Jokeyman, thanks for providing additional info/suggestion/help to DKNY   I may have missed explaining what you mentioned in your post.

 

If the WK-7600 actually has an audio in port, I'm thinking it's possible to route the virtual instrument sounds being emitted/produced from the PC/laptop back to the WK-7600 (as an audio signal of course) from the line out (L & R) of the audio interface to the audio in of the WK-7600 --- so that a person can use the internal speakers of the WK-7600 while playing the virtual instrument as well (?). Cable needed to do this will be a 1/4 " TRS (L & R on one end) coming from the audio interface to a 1/8" stereo plug/jack (on the opposite end) for connection to audio in of WK-7600.

[Jokeyman123]

That should all work providing there are no "latency" issues with the computer with one possible bottleneck. If the computer is playing virtual instruments, it is processing alot of programming data in realtime to 'render" these samples, then it will need more CPU if you are playing the virtual instruments with the WK as a controller in addition to that.The WK has an audio in port, you can use the WK speakers to monitor the virtual instruments. I'm on technical shaky ground though regarding whether the computer can play virtual instruments already recorded and play virtual instruments simultaneously live from your keyboard as your  controller.  Maybe someone else can pitch in here. I'm guessing  but I think you need a multi-layer ASIO driver to even attempt that, and a very fast computer for rendering both virtual instrument paths simultaneously. You can certainly try it, it might work quite well, I've never tried that approach as latency had been an issue for me just playing virtual instruments even with a fast computer but not doing both. I use something called "Coolsoft" which is a  "soundfont" player that has adjustments for latency and i usually have to use the most extreme setting to get my virtual stuff to respond in real time accurately. Soundfonts are samples organized in sound libraries and edited for use as a particular instrument or instruments, the basis for all your virtual instruments. Hope this helps.

[DKNY]

Thanks, Gentlemen. I guess I won't be using a Casio WK-7600 for the purpose I was hoping to :-)

[Julian]

I hope you are not too disappointed with expected result from this, the wk7600 is very limited as to being a midi controller ( which it is not )

 

I am using vst's with my lap top thru the wk7600 usb port,  I tried the sterio headphone out from laptop into audio in wk7600 and the vst will play

thru the speakers, but sound is mediocre so I bought some Alesis 520 usb monitors which have an audio interface built in, this is better.

 

You have to download the ASIO driver from the web to your laptop because this is the only low latency driver that is easlly obtained free and it works well and  has virtually eliminated any latency that is around from the standard MS driver.

The wk7600 as a controller will not control parameters in your vst software other than cc7 volume and for that to work the wk7600 has to be in drawbar mode.  The program changes work in GM mode but the map is too complicated.

The wk7600 can work with an external sequencer but only good results from perfect set up beforehand, as I said it is not a controller.

 

The wk7600 is what it is, a low priced learning instrument, rather cheaply made but competes with low end Yamaha's

[Jokeyman123]

One detail I can now add to this based on julian's description of the WK7600's GM mode. mredert 9excuse me mredert for dropping your name, hope you don't mind the cross-reference) in posts at the PX350 section here came up with a very useful .ins (instrument definition) file which when imported in Cakewalk or any midi editor that uses the .ins type file format, maps all the strange groupings of non-GM Casio tones for the PX350. This might work unaltered to map at least part of the non-standard sound map used by the Wk so you can call up the right tones when working with a midi sequencer. I found a very nice older version of Cakewalk professional released as freeware by Cakewalk on the web, look at these posts for all the relevant info including mredert's downloadable .ins file and my link to v3.01 of Cakewalk, which many musicians still prefer to the newer versions.

 

http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/5976-daw-midi-instrument-definitions-for-px-780-or-px-350-patchnames-list-or-patch-scripts-for-computer-sequencer-such-as-cubase-or-sonar/#entry21467

[Willo]

Hello,

i have recorded some drum tracks from the Casio WK7600 onto an SD Card. This enables me to have 20 pre- recorded drum tracks that I use in a live situation . I have also dubbed in a bass guitar on these tracks.

My issue is how do I save these files to a computer so I can create a 2nd version of the card as back up. Do I need to download Casio software to my computer. I'm not real strong in the tech department. I record straight to Audio files and do not use the song sequencer. 

My ultimate aim is to have all the tracks in the computer where I can drag and drop them into a back up SD card in case something goes wrong at a gig.

Hope this all makes sense

Peter

Edited November 11, 2019 by Willo
Spelling

[Jokeyman123]

Just get an SD card reader, with a USB connector, cheap on eBay-I'd get a brand name watch for the bogus counterfeit SD cards. Take out the WK7600 SD card-turn the keyboard off first to make sure the card doesn't get crossed up-it can happen that you lose data on the card while the keyboard is on. Put the card in the reader after you connect the reader, will open as a portable hard drive, look for the folder labeled "musicdat" which should have been automatically created by the WK, open that drive /folder and all your files should be there. If you recorded audio to the card, will be a standard Windows OS ".wav" audio file playable on your computer. If you used the song/midi recorder, will be either  a .mid or I think it is a "CMS: song file, depending on how you saved it. The .mid file should automatically play with Windows media player or whatever midi file player you have on your computer. You do not have to use the keyboard directly connected to the computer to transfer these files, although you could use IDES 6.1 or 6.0 if you wanted to. I like the direct card transfer-just a little easier IMO. I am assuming you know how to copy/paste files once you see the musicdat folder.

[- T -]

10 hours ago, Willo said:

"I record straight to Audio files and do not use the song sequencer."

 

Willo

 

The WK-7600 records audio data direct to audio files on the SD Card.  These files are stored in a special hidden partition that is created when the keyboard formats the Card.  This partition is not directly accessible, readable, or writeable by Windows or MAC-OS.  Audio files are not stored in the MUSICDAT folder on the SD Card.  The MUSICDAT folder is reserved for MIDI, TONE, RHYTHM, DSP, and SONG SEQUENCER type data.  The audio data is stored in a Casio proprietary (not Windows WAV) format.  To extract this data to a standard Windows WAV (44.1 KHz 16 bit) format, you must remove the Card from the keyboard and connect it directly to the computer, then use the Casio Data Manager software to extract it to a Windows WAV file on the computer's hard drive.  If you need the audio data in some form other than WAV (MP3, MP4, AIFF, etc.), you will need to use other (non-Casio) software to accomplish that.

 

You can download the Casio Data Manager 6.1 software from:

 

https://support.casio.com/en/support/download.php?cid=008&pid=67

 

and the Data Manager 6.1 software User's Guide from:

 

https://support.casio.com/storage/en/support/download_files/en/008/manuals/DM61-E-1A.pdf

 

Regards,

 

- T -

[Jokeyman123]

Stand corrected. My Privias dont have a hidden partition. Didnt notice the difference with the wk/ctk. Oh well. Darn.

[- T -]

That's the difference a couple of years' advancement in technology can make.  The PX-560 even saves audio directly to WAV format on a USB drive.  This audio export/extraction process on the CTK/WK's always was a PITB, at best, especially for new users.  Everyone, who ever used it, complained about it.  Whenever I wanted audio, I just recorded direct to my Fostex 8-tracker, and that even got anything connected to the keyboard's Audio-In, which the keyboard's audio recorder would not.

 

- T -