Mike Martin

Esoteric for you might be bread and butter for someone else. We just completed the 100 "Stage Settings" for the PX-5S. The concept of these is to show the range of the instrument while also giving you some very useful and gig-able Stage Settings right out of the box. We'll be doing some videos that show are things are organized. The good news with the PX-5S is you can make it whatever you want. There may be some "esoteric" things that you don't want...so just load in some other presets and organize them in the order that you want. The Editor makes it easy to do this. The PX-5S makes it pretty easy to share Stage Settings with other people. We can easily upload patches here on this forum but we'll have some banks posted on www.casiomusicgear.com by the time it ships here in the US. Casio does make a Privia gig bag but the case you need really depends on how often and where you're transporting the PX-5S to. I've been using a great case from Gator Cases and flown with the PX-5S on planes the last 5 weeks in a row. I put the PX-5S in the Privia Gig Bag and in addition to the Gator case's own padding it is more than protected. I agree it would be cool but there are no plans for this immediately. That is the plan.

I just finished a lot of work on the PX-5S factory presets so yes I'll get back and focus on the XW series.

Not Costco in the United States. Yes they'll be available in local piano dealers. We have made some changes in our distribution with the new Celviano line-up and these just started shipping in limited quantities just a couple weeks ago. Keep checking back at the dealer locator as we're making changes / updates almost daily. In the meantime I'll see what I can found about your area.

We definitely have electric guitar sounds covered in the PX-5S.

We will but probably not for a week or so. We're in the middle of some major software and preset work for the PX-5S and that is where my focus is for the next several days.

As for the rest of the comments - I simply don't have the time to respond to all of the point. However we are listening and we appreciate the feedback. I'd respond in more detail but that would prevent me from: Creating more tutorials Creating more XW patches Updating web content Finishing PX-5S factory patches Training our reps and dealers Responding to YouTube comments Seriously though, we're working very, very hard. I completely get that there are concepts in the the XWs and the PX-5S that have never been in other products. When you do something that is new and unique it requires an explanation. We're working hard on that. The Phrase Sequencer video as an example, I showed several applications. Can I show them all? Never There are thousands of possible applications. The ideas with videos like that are to show you the basics and hopefully inspire you to come up with your own, then share them here of the forum for the other users. Thats why this forum was created. I appreciate your patience.

The PX-5S was just announced about two weeks ago and won't be in stores for about 2 months. We will continue to provide as much information as possible on these instruments by the time they ship. What you may not realize is how much the product has changed just in a couple weeks since NAMM based on feedback we received at NAMM. The software is wrapping up this month and then we'll begin updating the specs and features on the website. Here is the rundown on the arpeggiators: 16 Steps per Arp. All 4 of them can run using four different zones on one key press. They are sync'd to tempo, either internal or external. Each can have a seperate note value (8th note, 16th...etc) Arpeggiator patterns on the PX-5S can have controller information with or instead of notes. So you can create patterns of filter or panning movements. Their output (as it is on the XW) can be sent via MIDI to control external devices I'll check to see if the their output can be captured by the PX-5S phrase sequencer....but I don't believe this is possible. Each of the four Zones on the PX-5S can either trigger an Arpeggiator or a Phrase. So Zone 1 can have a phrase such as a bass line while Zone 2 is running an arpeggiated guitar part.

Most keyboards have a relatively simple voice architecture, which allows them a up to a couple layers in a single patch or tone. A Hex Layer is a single tone that is made up of six sample components. (This is similar to Kurzweil's architecture although they allow up to 32 layers) These can be mapped to certain keys or velocity switched. In the case of the PX-5S each layer has independent filters, pitch envelopes and effects mixes...many things that could not be done on the XW-series. In addition the PX-5S can run multiple HexLayer patches at once. The XW-series was limited to one, the PX-5S can do two at once and with 256 notes of polyphony available that allows you to get some GIGANTIC layered sounds or move expressive mapped or velocity switched sounds.

Victor, the action is weighted! :-)

Great job guys, keep it up.

Yes. Because you have to assume that you have 13 step sequencer tracks, a solo synth or hex layer sound and three other PCM sounds happening all at once, plus whatever is coming in the MIDI input. It's no small task.

Yes

I bought a Venom last month when they were blowing them out, but I only opened it yesterday. I haven't plugged it in yet or installed any software.

HappyRat - I've personally tested the editor on 6 Windows computers each with current updates (3 here at work, 3 at home). Tokyo has also tested. I'm sorry but I believe the issue is specific to your computer. Do you have another computer that you can try? I truly believe that another device or piece of software on your computer is causing the issue.

We'll certainly have more sounds coming for the XW series. As far has a firmware update that will address some of those requests above, as was suggested by others we're dealing with the limitations of the hardware. Here is my view on the XW series. Take any ONE thing it does and it is more than worth its price. If you only used it only as a six oscillator solo synth - worth $499 or more 4 zone MIDI controller with easy iPad connectivity and placement - worth $499 or more Powerful Hex Layer sounds for acoustic and textured synth sounds - worth $499 or more A one of a kind Step Sequencer - worth FAR more than $499 Maybe I'm dating myself but keyboards never used to have firmware updates. We've done two updates for the XW series - CASIO has NEVER EVER done this before. Sounds, more tutorials. I get that. We've got you covered.

The PX-5S unfortunately does not have a CV pedal input. You can control the volume of parts from sliders or knobs or even the wheels. Either pedal footswitch input can be used to control the slow/fast speed (as well as the modwheel, sliders or knobs).

There will be two owners manuals. The one that is included in the box is a very simple overview book. It explains the different modes of operation, connections and other navigational issues. There will be a second manual which will be download only. This one will go into more depth on the editing features, phrase sequencer and such. They've made some very positive software changes in the last couple weeks some of which required changes in the manual. I'll see if I can find out any more details on the release dates for online.

It is an all new rotary effect. It has V1, C1, V2, C2, V3, C3 (Vibrato / Chorus) choices as well as the rotary effect itself.

Thanks. I admit we're burning the candles a bit at both ends around here. The days leading up to the NAMM show were particularly rough. Sorry, typo. I was probably replying on my iPhone or something. The software is based on what was done for the XW series. It is a full editor and librarian. So you have full access to all the parameters, plus you can use it to move things around and organize them. You'll easily be able to download and transfer settings from the web, with or without use of the editor. The software will allow you to backup and move Stage Settings around as necessary. So you can use it to pull all of your Stage Settings in Set List order before you head off to a gig. I'll be honest, there isn't anything on the immediate horizon. The Android platform isn't well suited for MIDI applications so if anything happens it will be on the iOS side. The battery compartment lid does have a rubberized texture to it, but it is a little too small to handle tablets and computers. I've been shopping a lot for iPad mounts and other gadgets that will allow devices to be clamped on there. Thanks for all the compliments. It means a lot. Of course I'm reading the forums but so is our staff at R&D in Japan. PS: I started a new thread down in the PX-5S section with some audio clips.

We've started a Soundcloud page with audio from the PX-5S. Many of these clips were done at NAMM. Many of the presets I programmed in the nights before the show. Some of these will be built-in to the PX-5S, some will be downloadable user presets.

Will I'll check into this ASAP

Yes. ;-)

Dattaa, Thanks for the feedback!! Let me know if there are other forums talking about it where you don't see me participating. ;-) Yes you can name Stage Settings. So you can type out the Song title or anything else in there that you'd like to help you remember. The display also shows the name of the sound on the currently selected zone. We used an iPad app at NAMM called Set List Maker. It can send bank/program changes to any MIDI device. For the purposes of NAMM, I created sets on the app that were organized by sound type. So set 1 was all the Rhodes sounds, set 2 all the clavs....etc.

The best way is in a Hex Layer program, you could do 6 layers this way and all share the same insert effect.

You can make them velocity sensitive. By default they are not.