Jokeyman123

The PX560 Leslie simulation I seem to remember basically has only 2 speeds, fast and slow, and the rate of speed for each can be programmed-how fast, how slow-I will try this out-never noticed his program before-I'm guessing he is using LFO's somehow to get that pronounced speed variation effect. And the leslie effect can be switched form fast to slow with a pedal, or as Brad said the wheels or the knobs. I'd have to look again-I'm not sure the speed of the ramp up and down can be changed-how long it takes for the leslie effect to go from fast to slow or slow to fast, I think it can be. I'll study this over tomorrow. He must have some settings stored in the registration, since I do not think all these effects can be programmed in just with a single tone or even the hex layers, I could be wrong. His programming sounds really good IMO. OK-I jumped on this as i was curious-this is the best Leslie simulation I've heard out of the PX560. The effect works only in upper 1, not upper 2, which this user has set up in the registration once you load his registration in place. This is a limitation of the PX560-only upper 1 uses DSP. But this is very clever-i am getting a true variation in speed with the mod wheel very nicely done. And the knobs have been programmed to bring in different parts of the hex layers to "open" the organ sound-just as if one is using drawbars. I also found-he used an 8 foot sample for every hex layer-but by changing each layer in the hex layer to a different organ sample (there are many in the PX560) one can get an even more variety of organ sounds out of this, and just save the new selection of hex layers as another hex layer tone-all the other leslie and knob settings will be intact, as long as one uses the same registration, or makes a copy in a new registration with these same settings. Very nice! Let me qualify my auditioning this-the knob settings are getting saved in the registration-not in the hex layer tone, but the settings in the hex layer must be programmed in so the knobs will recognize those settings-at least that's as far as I can tell.

I take all of these reviewers with a "grain of salt". "One man's meat is another man's poison".....Lucretius, 1st Century AD This is why here at least (and every other user group I'm in) I try to avoid my "opinions". Just the facts, Jack-is what I look for. AlenK I value your knowledge and descriptions. Why I stay in this group, I try to pass on/share what I know and learn from others, not what I or they think! As one of my less tactful friends once said to me......"Opinions are like a*****s, everyone may have one, but they might not want to see yours!!! (excuse the vulgarity but i am trying to be accurate.😉 I am also so grateful for the moderators here are who they are and value what they do....worth alot to me who had to be homebound so much through the pandemic, and for other reasons. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem, here and elsewhere if i can. I have tried to keep the flaming arguments out of here-so this user group stays a valuable source of accurate information-and look at what you've done for just the one keyboard-this is what i look for. Knowledge-and the application of knowledge is power, not opinions. It is so difficult now-with so few places to sit and play, audition instruments that the technology of online reviews which has become so prevalent-can sometimes be so worthless. when I hand-picked my first set of Zildjian cymbals as a young drummer starting out professionally-I was able to go to 4-5 different stores-play every cymbal they had, and decide for myself what sounded right-to me. Same with my first digital piano years ago-I spent all day in a piano store trying-every single piano they had!!!! I drove the salespeople insane-but they enjoyed my playing a least-and I ended up with a Kurzweil RG200-based on the sound and action which to me, had a beautiful ringing quality for classical and jazz piano. Now, so help me the more I listen to these reviews the more I'm convinced, many of these reviews and reviewers are just opinions and have very little validity to me-Pianoman Chuck is not one of these. I've learned more from his reviews than just about anybody else. Why-because he states facts and accurate-unbiased-descriptions of what an instrument's capabilities are, or can be in the right hands. And lately I've been listening to an Italian musician-not for his opinions-but because he plays so beautifully-so I can really hear what the instruments he plays sound like in the hands of one who knows how to do this. Unfortunately, it is all in italian, but has subtitles! Wonderful or as the Italians say...Bellissimo!

AlenK... That is true-there are many 76-key semi-weighted boards now-almost all the major keyboard makers make these-and probably all fatars anyway-and yes-the prices are pretty crazy, seems worse lately rather than better. repeating myself-but I have noticed one major company has reverted to a much cheaper plastic-action instrument-but not at a cheaper plastic instrument price. i don't disparage companies so I will not say which company this is, but I was unpleasantly surprised when I saw the price, and what was inside for keys. My old GEM S3 had one of the best spring-loaded semi-weighted boards, and we know what happened to them. My much older SY77 has a rather unique and very playable semi-weighted keyboard which has lasted me many years. Most manufacturers are not bothering to make these types of key actions anymore, at least for not less than 1-2000 US dollars mostly. My much restored Alesis Fusion has a Fatar (but 88 key) weighted action-but curiously, this is one of the lightest action weighted keys I've played-must be what is now called the TP40L for "light", I can execute piano or organ passages on it pretty well. The 61 key Alesis Fusion used another Fatar-which is supposedly one of the better 61-key non-weighted called the TP-9 which I have not played. Partially why I picked up one of the 88 keys-that and the price was right-but I had to do extensive work to get it back to normal operation, i found out the hard way why these failed in the marketplace-but the TP40 is still being used in just about every weighted 88 key workstation even today.

And now, for something completely different-but not available in the US-another Italian design, maybe Fatar keys inside, like the Dexibells. and has ben around since 2014-I neve saw these before. Big money though. Thomann Europe has these. Some mixed reviews on the sounds, but looks pretty nice. Someone is paying attention to our posts? https://www.thomann.de/ie/viscount_physis_piano_k5_ex.htm

Especially poor Larry-he really was "into it". With 3 cats in our house-I always keep all my keyboards covered, they do like walking-Zez Confrey did write "Kitten on the Keys"-he must have watched this episode years ago. But here it is.....what a piece of piano! Sorry getting away from the subject, I'll stop now.

I couldn't help myself....I am Jokeyman https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=3+stooges+take+cats+out+of+piano#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e20978d2,vid:qcGXhu6wjSY

Look what I found....! https://duesn.com/pr/Studiologic-Fatar-VMK-161-PLUS-61-Key-MIDI-Controller-w--Weighted-Keys--1390214169041 Not that I'm buying this although it looks very solid-and yes AlenK I agree with you-for full 2-handed playing-nothing beats an 88-key action IMO. Try playing any Chopin/Lizst piece, anything originally composed on an 88. Just midi-ing (is that a word, well now it is) my PX560 to the XW-makes the XW an entirely different instrument. The other rather nifty use for this-I split the PX560 88 keys to 44 on each side-now I have a double manual Hammond organ in front of me, very nice. The Ferrofish B-4000+ module fits perfectly with this scenario-allows for 2 different midi channels, 2 different tones-but even without that, there is a nice collection of Hammond sounds in the PX560 which are quickly configured across a keyboard split. I also like the extra keys when composing-alot easier to have a huge collection of drum and percussion sounds across 88 keys, and easier to allocate key zones for different instruments again, laid out across 88 keys simultaneously, rather than having to switch different tones around. I uploaded one hex layer for the 560 like this-managed to fit a bass, organ, e piano, drum set (small) and muted trumpet across 88 keys-surprising what one can do when limitations are imposed, something I learned from the minimalist composers. Many symphonies must have been composed-at the the piano for this very reason. 88 keys cover the range from contrabass to piccolos and beyond if one is an arranger. But yes, these VMK keyboards do look very tempting except I am sure these are not lightweights!

With all that, I am still hoping the MZ-X comes back into the US market. Looking at many present day arrangers-the prices are stratospheric for some, I never understood why for example the tyros series costs thousands-as much as a full-blown workstation keyboard such as a Fantom, Kronos, Kurzeil or Montage. For musicians that may be doing many solo gigs with one arranger-some of these very expensive arrangers are looking even cheaper, less road-worthy, less worth the money. I'd still grab an MZ-X for a decent price, I look online all the time, but no, nada. And Silvio-looking over that link you posted-wow very impressive range of rhythms in that package.

Not going to happen. I don't quite understand what you are describing as a USB hub-are you talking about an outboard USB hub connected to your computer? If so it is getting its power from your computer's USB connection which will be woefully inadequate to power even some USB devices designed for computers. These hubs typically will not provide 2.4 amps to each port-the voltage is divided among the ports, which is why many have trouble getting USB devices working connected to a USB hub. every Casio I've owned needed at least 1 amp minimum and some are spec'd at 2. I know of no USB hub that generates its own power-only if plugged into its own power supply-it is still "drawing" power rather than generating it if it is a passive USB hub-distributing 5v from the computer USB port. All Casios currently need at least 9V DC/12V DC and some even need 15/24V DC for the larger pianos. Others will know better re the oldest smaller Casios-such as the SK-1's, CTS's, CTK's etc. but I've never run across a Casio that can run from less than 9V DC. I power a few of my Casios with the new 9v/12V DC power packs, but need to make a modified connector if the Casio needs 9V DC tip negative-and I am not running my Casios under warranty as any damage that happens is my responsibility if I use anything other than a Casio recommended supply. the PX5S runs from AA batteries-8 t be precise for 12V DC-but I have never heard of anyone powering theirs by using the USB port, the circuitry is not designed to work that way. I would not plug anything into the USB port that was not designed for it-you can very easily fry that circuit and no longer have a usable USB connection to your computer.

Which ARP Oddysey sound in particular? It was/is capable of a huge variety of sounds, you can that in its virtual emulation I'm sure-from ARP pianos (there are some in the PX560 not sure of the 5S) and its many variations-it used, basically-2 pulse width modulation oscillators which create a distinct tone but can be varied tremendously. Without being a sound programmer-I would go for what Brad said-test out the sounds in the member uploads for the PX5S-I'm sure you'll find some that sound close to the Oddysey as the PX5S is certainly capable of reproducing pulse width oscillator sounds/tones, maybe not exactly since the filter and other variables on the Oddysey contributed alot to its distinctive sound.

Nord has at least one 73-key hammer action keyboard but pretty expensive. Roland made a 64-key weighted action board-the RD 64, almost impossible to find now, out of production. Nice kit with their ivory-feel key action. Why they discontinued it, guess it didn't roll in the profits but was a great idea. I think it was originally almost as much as full size weighted RD Roland stage piano. I see a few used on eBay out of Japan but still not exactly cheap. Still...looks tempting. Have to partially blame Fatar-as this Italian based company provides the keys for almost all the major keyboard makers, except for the Yamahas, our Casios and (possibly) the Korgs although I have a Korg SP-500 with "their" RH II piano action which is in reality-a Fatar! I know, I took it apart to clean it up. And Fatar does not make a weighted piano action key assembly with anything smaller than an 88 key span, for anybody. Most manufacturers don't seem to find it (I guess) profitable enough to tool up their own weighted keys. Look at Ensoniq-have an entire legacy of weighted 76-key keyboards, I had a few-and these too, were Fatar TP-10 assemblies. Studio Logic had a 76-key weighted instrument THE VMK-76 but it was only a controller, weighed a ton and is also pretty hard to find now. It looks identical to the Ensoniqs of that time-so probably also a Fatar TP-10. I don't think I have ever come across a weighted 61-key instrument and it certainly would be useful. My back would be glad.....

I know, i took it fun. Good thing us dinosaurs have those 2 little hands on top-but my big feet are murder on the pedals.

Before you accuse us old dinosaurs- 1 )I have several Casios and I've lived long enough to still play them all 2) Many old dinosaurs (and a few pleisosaurs) are also looking for lighter-weight keys, especially if you still play locally and have to carry your own equipment. 3) I can afford any keyboard I want or need, but i still bought into the Casios for various reasons, and even though I have some other fairly heavy and older workstations. 4) And finally yes this is getting boring.

If I do gigs-I am planning another DJ thing with a few laptops as a setup with mp3's-have something coming up now that the pandemic is finally fading away a bit-and will be doing some live playing again ASAP, I don't want to rely on these fragile laptops for a playing live music. One bad house electric system, or stage lights with faders-most laptops are not shielded and I've had all kinds of interference problems, with keyboards too. But I am waiting for NAMM in April-hoping casio might come out with ne killer keyboard workstation to compete with the Nords, Kurzweils, Fantoms etc-and undercut all of them. I'd let go of my 560 if they upped the feature set, drawbars-the newest of their modeled pianos-I bet they could do it. The newer keys with no shielding plastic cases I'd be wary. I use heavily filtered and regulated supplies out of the house. I'd rather drop a keyboard on a stage (I have) and have it still working-than a laptop without shock-proof mounted cases, most of which will have no hard drive shock-mounting unless its an SSD or solid state chips in a tablet. Even then...any extra connections-I'll stick with a good workstation or 2 with sets of pre-recorded stuff on their sequencers or audio recorders if i need with their electronically enclosed circuitry, rather than usb or DIN adapter cables-for home use OK, but not out in the field, especially not outdoor venues-where even the best computer/tablet screens have to be heavily protected against external light to be seen at all. I've seen awful house electric systems, running 80-90V AC or over 110-120 US. I trust a dedicated keyboard CPU in a built-in keyboard-rather than a computer CPU, which will always be sharing threads with OS processes, no matter how much I turn off other "services" or programs. Even Android which is supposed to operate each app in a "box" doesn't really, not anymore with Google OS taking over-everything except in the Apple world. Linux better, but still-a laptop only as backup. I'm trying pianoteq, out of curiosity/for comparison with hardware pianos, with a decent USB/midi audio interface. Will run it against the PX560 physically modeled acoustics, my Fusion "Holy Grail" and its many soundfont pianos I've installed, Coakley's "Perfect Piano", a Korg SP-500 with RH2 graded hammer action (really a Fatar TP40 modified), very nice. And a newly acquired Yamaha P50m-shockingly good acoustics for such an old module. I've tried many soundfont acoustic pianos-so far not thrilled with even big soundfont pianos, so much depends on key action boards. I'll see if Pianoteq is as good as claimed. But again one bad connection, a failed hard drive, dropped laptop or bad "juice" from the house supply-now I have nada. Controllers-so many, competition must be terrible-and for a long time now. 25, 37, 49, 61, 76, 88-you can have one of each now, and i have! I see why Casio wouldn't do that. I've had Fatar, Axiom, Samson, Korg, Edirol can't even remember all the controllers I've had-never comfortable having to configure settings for even simple program changes, unless it is right under my hands-I don't need the extra hassle of having to check a computer screen for everything I'd need to do, then my hardware. Setting up automations only adds to complexity if i need to change registrations, banks or anything else for setlists. If anything can go wrong, it will. But just my opinion.

Not a modding forum-I guess you haven't read some of my posts going back a ways........ I installed an on/off cutout switch years ago on an older Casio CTK which was simple enough-the wiring was basic and involved interrupting the connections to the speakers with the appropriate on/off switch and soldering the headphone jacks to that. But i don't recall if this was a monophonic or stereo setup, I think it was s simple monophonic. I've yet to tear apart a new CTX-so can't say for certain. Might be a little more involved as the stereo amp inside these is probably more powerful, there might be additional "buffering" circuits to prevent a loud electronic click-or worse-when switching the speaker system in and out-and of course if this is under warranty-you will certainly void that warranty. I do know-with the Casios I've had to disassemble-not under warranty-for various reasons-and one was to replace the headphone jack assembly where one was smashed from a broken end panel-there is circuitry in the small IC boards inside where the headphone jacks are soldered in place, inductance coils and I think I remember a resistor or 2. So there may be more electronics involved in doing this mod than simply soldering a simple 2 position switch inside. For example-my PX560 has a software setting to disable the speakers without killing the headphone circuit-so there definitely is something a little more sophisticated electronically going on in that one and maybe in the CTX. Wish I could tell you more clearly what could be done-safely without damaging any circuitry. Maybe someone else here who's torn apart a CTX can tell you what's inside.

if you haven't seen the inside of the XW-P1-if you look for spare keys for the XW-and the CTK's and CTTX's from various parts suppliers-you will see there is no spring mechanism--the flexible plastic tab end of the key is actually the pivot point-which is screwed to the top of the keyframe with strips connecting adjacent keys. And why these keys may feel slightly lighter in response. I've had several of my Casios apart doing my felt mods-and have been able to study these mechanisms. not a bad design, but definitely a different response than a true spring-loaded mechanism. And yes of course since the Hammonds did not need to deal with velocity response the mechanism could be simpler-and faster-almost feels too lightweight after playing many of my other spring action keys.

The keys on a Hammond are actually spring-loaded, (I've been lucky to have played a few different Hammonds over the years, including my friend RobEone's modded C, B and M-3's back in the 60's when this was pretty much all we had-very similar to some of the older spring-loaded non-weighted keyboards-most all newer non-weighted keys are now using, like Casio- the back of the key as a makeshift "hinge" which is part of the key. The difference in feel to me is noticeable-the older spring-loaded mechanisms-such as on the original DX-7, the Generalmusics, early Korgs and Rolands, my SY77 and many others-feels a bit more like the Hammond keys, which provided a bit of resistance and a pretty rapid key return due to the springs-which explains how some of the earliest jazz players-Jimmy Smith, "Brother" Jack Mcduff and later Keith Emerson, Joey Defrancesco and others for example-cuold play such rapid passages, and yet without having to wait for a sluggish return to position keyweight. AlenK, so glad to see you are still here! I'm thinking-will have to check the Ferrofish midi implementation-to see if it sends NRPNs, which i still have trouble understanding for some reason-my right-brain oriented left-hand non-logical thinking is getting in my way. I know what these do, but have trouble writing the parameter codes and sysex strings, but not for lack of trying. It would be interesting to see if I can send the Ferrofish midi out to change discrete levels for a hex layer but you are right-might be too much trouble for not much return since the Ferrofish now covers that with its built-in tone module. In my older laptops, I also have (or had-have to check my software "archives") 2 very interesting virtual drawbar programs for Windows XP which ran as stand-alone programs-similar to that part of IDES 4.0 which has virtual drawbars, percussion and fast/slow leslie simulations which work amazingly well for my old Casio PX575-and i think also for the MZ-2000 and a few other WK's. But this Casio software is dedicated to those hardware instruments-I never checked to see what is going out the midi path with Midiox but I doubt the Casio virtual drawbar sim can send out NRPN's without some serious decoding/recoding which is beyond me. The Ferrofish by the way-not terribly knocked out by its leslie sim, but it can be more finely tuned and set up for ramp up/down, percussion, its a pretty comprehensive tone module and the drawbars are substantial, physically as hefty as Hammond drawbars. I had to make a case for it so it stays stable under my keys-tried to position it where I'd grab Hammond drawbars, but not quite-without a hacksaw and jaws of life!!! The good-it does midi DIN for the XW and PX560-have yet to see if the XW will respond to the Ferrofish drawbars-so little time so much to do!!!! I think what I miss is that massive psycho-acoustic effect produced by that beautiful resonant wood cabinet-which was not so much a piercing upper register effect-which also could be there-as more as it was a huge, full-sounding blanket which could manage to fill out even a duo or trio-if one had mastery of the pedals for bass. Nothing like it! When the drum motor failed, it was immediately apparent that the bass effect was gone-the rotating drum really spread the bass sound out alot. Boy am I dating myself.... And Bellyfish-have you auditioned the hex layer organ tones? Shows how the hex layers can be used to simulate drawbar variations-there are a few tones that do this although would still need a strong Leslie simulation.

If the OS of the PX360 is anything like the 560, i have been able to control at least a few aspects of the 560 with external controllers and software-basically panning, dynamics of respective and separate midi track/channels and insert levels for effects as part of the mixer settings. I have not tried anything beyond that. Keep an eye on Pacparts, InMusic, Keyboard Kountry and a few other parts suppliers-plus ebay and reverb-sometimes used Casio parts will show up on these websites for less money than a new Casio factory part. Do you know if the digitizer is a separate part? Or is it integral with the color screen? it might be-it would take major surgery to separate the 2-I've tried to install separate touchscreen digitizers from their LCD's on a few phones and tablets-some are glued in place and are very difficult to replace without a heat gun, razor knife and patience. I have not had to do that with the 560.

MZ-X500 and PX6560 ZTN files are not cross-compatible, unless someone can decompile the codes used by each, and modify. I have tried MZ-X to my PX560-does not work out of the box.

3 Sides Live was my personal favorite-where a synth hook became an arrangement with Tony Banks. Very understated melodic lines, very effective.

Just a question or 2. Are your ZLT files from the PX560 files section? And...do you have a USB thumb drive-anything from 1-2MB up to 32MB will work. I am asking because the PX5S and XW-P1 also have ZLT files in the user upload section, but these will not work in the PX560, there is no cross-compatibility. This ZLT file is a hex layer for all of these Casios, just to be clear. I think the MZ-X series also use this ZLT file for hex layers in those Casios, not sure though. If your ZLTs have been downloaded specifically for the PX560, it is very easy to get these into your PX560, providing you have a thumb drive, and you have formatted your thumb drive using the PX560 format routine. And of course you must have a computer with a USB port. If you accidentally load ZLT files for any of the other Casios, the PX560 will not load these (I think or it ill lod them but not play them. When you format your thumb drive in the PX560, this creates the very necessary file folder needed for the PX560 to "recognize" your thumb drive labeled simply "MUSICDAT". You can use a thumb drive you've already formatted with your computer-use FAT32 as Windows 7/8/10 etc. will use NTFS automatically if you don't pick FAT32 manually-right click on your thumb drive icon in the main Windows Explorer screen , and not sure but I don't think the thumb drive will recognize the drive if it is NTFS-or it will prompt you saying "unformatted drive". Follow the manual on page 82-86 which describes what to do from here. Nothing to it once you've gotten this far-now whatever file you want to load into the pX560 goes into the MUSICDAT folder on your thumb drive-then you load whatever it is-song, hex layer, single tone, registration, user rhythm-all can go in that same drive and all can be accessed from the "MEDIA" icon on touchscreen page 2. You can also load or save individual tones, rhythms, registrations or save and load an entire "all" file for any of these which I do to back up everything I have in my PX560. If you don't have the manual, it is available on Casio's websites for the US or Internationally I think.

If the widi needs 5V, looks like you might get a 5V output off pin 4, but depends upon the CZ-what it is supplying to the midi circuit, might be less than 5V if any electronics have deteriorated and are below spec. Best way is to stick a multimeter probe in the DIN socket on pin 4 and check the voltage out yourself. There might also be an issue with the milliamps the widi needs and what the CZ is putting out. You might have enough voltage, but not enough mA. I would the think the widi doesn't need much but as a transmitter, it might and again if the CZ is still up to specs, components can deteriorate over time and change specs. If the CZ followed the original midi spec it should work, the specs haven't changed much in the decades since the specs were created. Hopefully someone else here has one of these up and running with a CZ? https://www.midi.org/specifications-old/item/midi-din-electrical-specification

January NAMM is here-and although one might think with the abundance of new CTS 500/1000 and Privias no, they might be done for now, but would be nice, I've been hoping for a new drawbar model along the lines of the PX-5s and 560/MZ-X500-possibly a combination of all the features of these, plus an updated drawbar modelling synth engine. Could happen. Oops...just noticed-due to the pandemic, NAMM in January is being rescheduled for April 15-23, so we will have to wait to see.

Try to find out more about the new Kurzweil PC4 key mechanism-I've hesitiated to go for this one as I found evidence it has a flimsy M3edeli design that will not hold up well-I think they are no longer using their own or Fatar key actions anymore, but the K2700 has the better Fatar TP40, wghcih seems to strike the right balance between a weighted action for pianos, and a not overly heavy action for organ and other faster riffs. I have been trying to find feedback from other user groups in order to compare these newer workstations to the Casios.. the Kurzweil K2700-what the next Casio "stage piano/workstation" might look like if I had my choice. Or as Mike said-I slightly stepped-up 560 with the newest Casio Privia piano actions, and gice us a choice between 76 or 88 key weighted keys, like the old Ensoniqs did. Those were older Fatar TP-10 actions and were certainly "clunkier" than the newer Fatars or Casios.

I did? I did! Happy New Year!