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Cannot use external MIDI files in Learning(Lesson) mode - Casio LK215


Guest Tudor

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Hello everyone,

I wanted to learn to play a piano piece that I have in MIDI format on my computer by using my Casio LK-215's learning/lesson mode, which lights up the keys that should be played next. The keyboard can play the MIDI file from the SD card, however the keys do not light up, as happens with the built-in songs from its internal memory. Also, more importantly, upon pressing the lesson button (Step1,2 or 3), the keyboard does not wait for me to press the key for the first note of the piece, instead proceeds to just play the piece, as if I had just pressed the Play button, and does this without lighting any keys.

I tried several other MIDIs, all of which were in format 0 and had properly separated tracks (channels), one containing the notes for the left hand and the other containing the notes for the right hand. All these MIDIs work fine with the learning/waiting mode of my other (Yamaha NPV80) keyboard. I also tried converting the MIDIs to CM2 format (using Casio SMF Converter), but the keyboard behaves in the same way with the CM2 files as well.

I have also played around with many of the 16x16 possible combinations of the Keyboard Channel and Navigational Channel variables, but with all combinations I tried, the lesson mode still wizzes right through the MIDI.

Is there a setting in the MIDI file that can be made to "suit" the keyboard, rather than the other way around? Or is there a setting on the keyboard that I need to change?

Thanks very much in advance for any help! I really look forward to receiving your reply and being able to start playing my favourite pieces on my Casio keyboard!

Tudor

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Hi Tudor

I've seen what you've posted over at keyboardforums.com as well, so hopefully I can help get this sorted for you.

Firstly - Navigation and Keyboard channels:

Keyboard Channel is simply choosing which channel a MIDI signal is output from the keyboard to another device - so in this instance it is irrelevant.

Navigation Channel - this is the one which matters here.

The Navigation channel lets the keyboard know which tracks you are interested in. The number you are choosing here is selecting which track will be assigned to the "Right" hand part, while one number below what you choose is automatically assigned to the "Left" hand part.

eg - Navigation channel set to 6

Track 6 = Right Hand

Track 5 = Left hand

I had a look at the Chopin file that you've been using which only has two tracks in it. Unfortunately the way this is set up with the two parts is going to put it back to front in the LK-215.

You'll need to set Navigation channel to 2, however this will end up having the Left Hand as the Right part, and the right hand as the left part due to how the original MIDI file has been put together....no great drama, just remember to choose the opposite part for which one you want to learn.

Another thing to try is instead of playing straight off the SD card, load the MIDI files into the keyboard memory via the SMF Converter software. You'll also need to make sure you have the most up to date driver installed to establish a connection between your computer and the LK-215. (see here: http://support.casio.com/download.php?cid=008&pid=340&rgn=5)

I unfortunately don't have access to an LK-215 to test this, however I think the file may need to be loaded into the keyboard memory itself to perform correctly.

Hope this helps!

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Hi Jared,

Thank you so much for your reply, it's really helpful! I'll give the two solutions you suggested a try this evening when I get home and let you know how it went.

Tudor

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Hi again Jared,

It worked! After setting the Nav channel to 2, the keyboard knows to light up the keys corresponding to the each hand, which means I can use my MIDIs in learning mode, which is why I got this keyboard in the first place. Such an under-rated method of learning to play the piano!

Thanks again very much for your help!

Tudor

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One more thing, Jared, if I may. Some of my MIDIs (e.g. this one) appear to have correctly-separated left and right hand parts when I open up the MIDI in a sequencer such as MuseScore, yet all notes appear only in the RH when I load the file to the keyboard through SMF Converter. Any idea how the MIDI needs to be transformed in order for the two tracks of the MIDI to also be recognised by the keyboard as a LH and a RH part?

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  • 8 years later...

I bought a LK-300TV many years ago in the hope I would be able to get the keys to light for songs I loaded.  Various salesman weren't sure it could do that, or they were not convincing.  The manual says this is "not supported."  But I didn't want to study any programmed lessons, I wanted to jump right in to songs I want to play.  That's why I bought it just as they were being closed out.  I finally took it out of the closet last week.

 

At first, results were not promising.  But when I figured out the secrets, it's blindingly simple.

 

1) Format the (1Gb max) SD card on the casio, which creates a folder for songs.

2) Download Type 1 midi files, convert to Type 0 using MidiYodi (licensed) "save as", copy to SD card.

3) Select Card input, the Casio numbers all the songs in the folder automatically.

4) Change the Navigation Channel to 0.  Press Play

5) Now it will light the keys for every track, because a Midi Type 0 file is all Channel 0.  It will also do Step 1.

 

 

Note that the "Navigation Channel" is the "Navigation Channel," and not the "Navigation Track."

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