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Brian One of the things that makes style conversions a little easier on those two brands is that both Yamaha and Casio default to the GM voice set for most of the style voices in order to save polyphony for the right hand lead part. Actually the Yamaha defaults to the XG voice set, but that is pretty much the same as GM, for the most part. I guess I will need to give this a try. It sounds interesting. Strogoff Anvil Studio does not support "markers", per se. Instead, it uses "cues", which essentially do the same thing, but their use is somewhat primitive compared to "markers" in other DAW software. See the Anvil Studio "Help" files for setting and using "Cues". For setting "cues" you will find the "New cue" button in the "Time - Mouse - Duration - New cue" tool bar at the upper left of the various mode panels. If you are wanting to use markers as shown in those Korg tutorial videos that you posted for Brian07 over in the WK-7500/7600 sub-forum, then I think you are going to need to migrate to a more sophisticated DAW that supports actual "Markers". It would help to know what DAW they used for those videos. I have tried to figure it out from the initial screens in the videos you posted, but I do not recognize that user interface. It may say in the videos, but I can not view them during normal business hours or I will exceed my download allotment and get hit with a penalty. If I am still up at 2 AM, I will watch them to see if they tell what DAW was being used. With a little luck, maybe it won't be one of the high end ($$$) ones ! It would be easier to follow the tutorials if we could use the same DAW software that they did.

Grasspike Many thanks ! I am really interested in that Lenovo, but with what you say about the limited memory and battery life, I think I will hang on for a bit and see where they go with it. If they are like other manufacturers, they will most likely start offering some "upgraded" models for a few $$$ more. Other than those two items, everything else about it sounds great. Zymos I went to the Cubasis website and really liked what I saw, but at $49, I am afraid it's going to have to wait for a bit. Like everyone else, this is always a "tight" time of the year for me. Medical and pharmaceutical insurance deductibles reset. Auto license renewal comes due. Income taxes come due, and I always seem to end up owing them a couple hundred bucks. AND . . . this year, the price of propane blew a lot of people's budgets right through the roof, so it will just be a while yet for Cubasis, but at least it gives me something to look forward to as I muddle through all this other stuff. Then there is always that competing interest (temptation ?) that Grasspike has just thrown in front of me. Many thanks for the info, anyway.

Very strange, indeed ! Typically, visual "after images" are of contrasting ("opposite") color to the color that has been "stared" at, not the same color. See this link for an explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afterimage Hope it's nothing serious. Sounds like it might be eye strain from severe glare, but a visit to the eye doc might be in order.

Thanks, Zymos That is not how Cubasis was presented to me on another forum and shame on me for not checking into it deeper on my own, which I will certainly do after your words here. It sounds like it might be most of what I am looking for over and above the Yamaha Mobile Sequencer, but once again, if it sounded as though I was originally being critical of the iPad, I certainly did not intend that. I bought this thing on a fluke to help a cousin learn hers, and I got so hooked on the thing that I won't go anywhere without it.

Posted in error !

Grasspike Can you connect the Lenovo to the XW-P1/G1 via USB-MIDI ? Sequencers that are only internal to the tablet are of limited value to a keyboardist. That is the problem with the iPad. The iPad itself can connect to the outside world via USB MIDI, and there are a lot of really nice controller apps that will use that connection, but most of the sequencer apps are either primarily or totally internal to the tablet - as with the Yamaha Mobile Sequencer. I am very interested in your answer on this, as I have been a Sony Acid Pro 7 user for some six or seven years now. To be able to put that on a $200 tablet and USB-MIDI connect it to my keyboards would be absolutely great !

Posted in error !

Power the WK-7500 ON and immediately save that "power on" condition as a registration. I recommend making it Bank-1/Reg-1 so it is easy to remember. That will become your "power on" or "cancellation" registration. Any time you want to cancel other registration settings and return the board to its "power on" condition, just call up that registration.

I'm sorry, Josh. I should have recognized your comm error problem when doing backups the other day when I first read it, but I have been using my "work around" for so long I didn't realize what you were saying. Your problem is the Data Manager 6.1 software. Knowing how software people just love to keep fixing things the aren't broken until they don't work right anymore, I kept a copy of Data Manager 6.0 when I downloaded the 6.1 update. With 6.1, I immediately started running into comm errors on large data transfers (10 or more user files, backups, etc), so 6.1 now just sits unused on all my machines as I still use 6.0. Even with 6.0, I can send 100 User Rhythms to the keyboard, and everything appears to work OK, but there will only be 84 or 85 files on the keyboard, so Casio appears to still have flow control problems with their data transfers. My old WK-3800 would occasionally have similar problems with large data transfers using the old IDES-4 Data Manager. I mentioned in my reply the other day, I have a Vista-64 desktop, a Win7-64 laptop, and an old XP-SP2-32 laptop. I also have a Win-7-64 netbook. I just finished experimenting with all four machines and the CTK-6000, CTK-7000, and WK-7500. In every case, I would get comm errors when trying to do backups with Data Manager 6.1 and have no problem with 6.0. I have seen similar complaints about this on other forums. Sadly, Casio has removed the copy of 6.0 from their website. I would say we need to get on their case about this, but I am not sure how much it is worth. Using 6.0, a backup took the better part of 5 minutes from any one of the keyboards to any one of the computers, while a backup on the keyboard to the SD Card took about 25 seconds. I guess that's the price of USB. For you, I would recommend just doing a backup to the SD Card, and then if you want a backup of that, just insert the card into your PC and copy it to your hard drive. When you do the backup, you are asked to give the file a name and the keyboard appends an extension of .AL7. I just use the day's date (ie. 03-04-14.AL7). You will find the file in the MUSICDAT folder on the card. I guess this would be a real problem for the folks wanting to transfer audio files to their PC's. Since they are stored in that hidden partition on the card, Windows and MAC-OS can't see them on the card, so the only way to transfer them is via USB. I wonder how everyone is doing that, or maybe there aren't very many people into that, and those that are have just given up in frustration. Audio files tend to be pretty big, so I can only assume the the comm error problem would show up on those. Glad you were able to use that registration file.

Josh You are correct about Registrations only being saveable/loadable in complete files. No "picking and choosing" at that level. My intent with that factory reg file was that, if you thought some of your own regs had overwritten some factory ones that you might liked to have kept, it would give you a "factory level" base from which to start recreating your own with better knowledge of what you might be overwriting when you save them. Don't understand why you are getting the comm error when you try to do a backup. I am currently running a Vista-64 desktop and a Win7-64 laptop. I still have an old Win-XP Pro laptop in mothballs. I will drag it out tomorrow and see what I get when I try to do a backup to it. Regards, Ted

Mick Along with AlenK's comments, most of the other 16-part keyboards (Roland, Yamaha, etc) have their power up performance default to all parts "ON" with a one-for-one MIDI channelization, so if that is what you are used to, you are probably a bit spoiled like the rest of us. The XW's take a little more specialized (flexible ?) approach to MIDI, so that requires a little more thought in the set up, but once you know its rules, you get used to it pretty quick. Good luck ! Sorry Alen ! I should have been a little more "XW" specific/accurate with my original reply to Mick ! Just signs of too many years of Roland/Yamaha thinking !

Micky When you use the XW-P1 as you are trying to, you are actually playing a 16-part "Performance", and even though you may have already set up the XW-P1's MIDI hardware, you still need to set up the "Performance" by telling it which "part" to transmit/receive on which MIDI channel. Usually this is set up on a one-for-one basis (Part 1 on Channel 1; Part 2 on Channel 2; etc), at least to start, but there is no requirement for that. You can mix and match them any way you like. That is why they give you these options. You would need to do this for each new performance that you create, and can then save them as custom set ups. It sounds to me like you are currently trying to use a performance that has been set up only for parts one through six. See Pages 62 through 66 of the XW-P1's owner's manual for setting up your Performance. Also, if the RM1x has a similar set up, make sure it is set up accordingly, as well. Good luck !

Best of luck with the PA50, Brian. Hate to see you go, but we all have to do what we have to do. Will miss you in the chats here, but please do pop in now and then to let us know how things are going. You will continue to be part of the "family" here.

Thanks, Brad. I'll get the P1 upgraded this weekend. Zymos, I think you are right about the affected units being just the P1's. I think I am just remembering a couple of G1 guys holding off in case the G1's were also affected. bass_produce - sorry - didn't mean to alarm you needlessly, but didn't want you to blow up your G1 without being forewarned. Looks like you should be OK to go, BUT . . . as with any firmware update/upgrade, you do not want the process to be interrupted once it is started, so best to do it on batteries (keyboard + laptop) or at least not at a time when there is a good chance of a power failure (thunder storms, ice storms, volcano eruptions, Rodan attacks, Godzilla attacks, etc, etc, etc ). At least one P1 update mishap is suspected of being caused by antivirus software. Based on what the other guys have said here, I am going to do my P1 this weekend. Good luck with yours, whenever you do it, and I think you are going to have to do it, if you want to fix your MIDI sync problems.

Ken Here is a link to a downloadable PDF quick reference guide for the IDES software that is a lot better than the one I showed above. Hope this helps ! http://www.casio-europe.com/euro/downloads/emi/IDES_Quickguide.pdf Good luck !

bass_produce Before you attempt to upgrade the firmware (OS) on your G-1, you may want to review this thread: http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/4834-pooched-xw-p1/ More than a few users have turned their XW's into useless bricks during the process. Some have admitted to power failures during the upgrade process or to doing the upgrade wrong, but others did everything correctly and still ended up with a brick. There is a chance that there may be a glitch in the procedure. I am holding off on upgrading my P-1 until Casio has had a chance to look at the procedure. If an upgrade goes sour, the keyboard has to be sent to a service center for a reload. BUT . . . I think zymos is correct, your MIDI sync problem is probably due to the need for the upgrade. Good luck !

Ken You need to download the Casio IDES Data Management software from the Casio-Europe site: http://www.casio-europe.com/euro/emi/specials/ides/downloads/ Download the IDES version (2.0, 3.0, or 4.0) that matches your target keyboard - that is, the model of keyboard that you are converting CPT files TO. You can find conversion instructions here: http://www.casio-europe.com/euro/emi/cms/mdms/rhythmconverter/application/ You will need to scroll down, as the section covering CPT to CKF conversions is near the bottom of the page. The IDES program can also be used to convert MIDI phrases from Standard MIDI Files (SMF) to CKF rhythm files. Good luck !

Thanks, Jared I had forgotten to include that, and I think he is going to want it.

For what I think you might need at this point, I am going to recommend VanBasco's Karoake Player, but do not let its name fool you. It is an actual MIDI file player - NOT an audio karoake player. It is available as a freeware download and is very simple to install and set up. Even though it is freeware, it is a full featured program without any of the usual freeware "limitations". I choose this one as it has the ability to mute individual instrument tracks for "music-minus-one" play. The only drawback is that it will not just grab files ad-hoc on your hard drive to play. You have to create a play-list for it, just like for an MP3 player. I was originally put off by this, but now that I am used to it, I find it more convenient than ad-hoc file play. It can be downloaded from: http://vanbasco.com/ Should you be interested in going a little deeper at some point in the future and get into MIDI recording and editing, I would recommend Anvil Studio, which is a full featured freeware MIDI sequencer. The freeware version will do some simple audio recording (two one minute tracks), but audio features are quite limited. Anvil Studio can be downloaded from: http://anvilstudio.com/ At this stage, you should avoid the "standard" recommendation of Audacity, as it is primarily an audio recording package with very limited MIDI capabilities, and MIDI capabilities are what you are looking for right now. Good luck, and if you go with either of the above, I hope they enhance your enjoyment of the LK-160.

Page 33 of the LK-160 manual explains how to connect the unit to a computer for playing external MIDI song data from a computer based sequencer, DAW, or MIDI file player, using the LK-160 simply as a tone module in real time. With the proper computer software, it should be possible to turn off one of the song parts and play that part "along" on the keyboard - ala "music-minus-one", but the computer must be connected to the keyboard to do this. The LK-160 does not allow access to internal memory for the storing of song data, as do the higher end LK units, for playback when not connected to a computer. I don't think this is quite what you had in mind, but it would still be worth a try, as it greatly enhances the versatility and usefulness of the keyboard. The "LK" series are "Fully Class Compliant", meaning that they use the generic drivers built-in to the Windows/MAC operating systems, so it would not be necessary to download and install any additional drivers. Just connect a standard USB cable between the computer and the keyboard, bring up your MIDI software, and PLAY ! ! !

Brian I did a Bing search and came up with several sites that had Mellotron samples for download. I was going to see if the 7600 had any tones that could be tweaked to sound like a Mellotron, but there were so many samples available that I didn't know where to begin. I don't know if Paulo is looking for Mellotron organs, or strings, or brass, or some of each. I guess he will have to work that out for himself. Maybe he would be a good candidate to rack up an XW-G1 above his 7600.

Brian Since he checked back for a response about and hour and half after his original post and hasn't replied since, he may have given up on us. I guess we will have to wait and see if he comes back.

Josh I certainly understand your concern, but at least you will have the file should you ever need/want to load it at some point in the future. Casio never provided any means to update the firmware on the CTK/WK units, so they also never provided any means of checking the version, but that is no indication that the firmware would not be "silently" updated from one production run to the next. Registration files on the Yamaha arrangers will always work from one firmware version to the next, but not from one model line to another, but here again, that is no guarantee that the Casios do the same. Experimenting and bricking a board is no way to find out what won't work. I am assuming that the previous owner got the ORIG-REG file for your board when he formatted his first SD Card. This is another item that should be covered in the manual, and another item that should be included on the Casio download site. As for your other question: No, I have never been to Kraft Music. I worked in downtown Chicago for two years in the early 70's and again for 8 years in the 80's. I commuted on the train during the week, but drove in, if I had to go in over a weekend. I was a lot younger then and found working in the big city exciting, but at this stage of my life, I find the Guitar Center store in Country Club Hills on the south side about as far as I want to venture into the Chicago highway complex, especially with all the traffic cameras they have these days that will mail you a ticket for just about anything you do. I've been rural for upwards of 15 years now, so the siren song of the big city just does not catch my ear the way it used to. Other than GC, I have a couple of really nice local music dealers in Kankakee that I deal with. Anyway, keep enjoying the 7500 ! Catch you later !

Lune If you are planning on doing "looped" samples with the G-1, you may want to read BradMZ's experiences with clicks at the loop points in the G-1's looped samples. He posted these several days ago in a thread about a different matter: http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/5272-putting-audio-on-sd-card/#entry12465 http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/5272-putting-audio-on-sd-card/#entry12474 Not sure why he did not mention this in his reply above, but if you should decide to go with the G-1, I wouldn't want you to have any unpleasant surprises. This really shouldn't be a show stopper as it sounds like Brad has found a workaround by doing the looping in his DAW software. Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the G-1 if you go that route !

Here's a YouTube example for any energetic Casio "synthesist" who might be looking for a challenge to help while away a long winter's night: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=korg+busy+boy+sound&FORM=VIRE2#view=detail&mid=BDC9F44C04577C0FCCECBDC9F44C04577C0FCCEC