AC7 and CKF (Z00) User Rhythm Creation

[aystaum]

I've got a CTK-7200.

I would like to create my own custom rhythms so I can play in styles that are less mainstream.

I use REAPER DAW, which is perfectly capable of creating and exporting MIDI.

 

Question is... Is there any functional way to make MIDI that I have sequenced on the computer into an AC7 or CKF rhythm?

There have been plenty of threads that use shady-looking software from the stone ages to accomplish this goal, and that is not what I am looking for.

 

I have called Casio TWICE, but to no avail, as their representatives have only been trained to troubleshoot and read the manual, which makes sense as they've got lots of products.

 

Obviously, someone at Casio knows how to make these beats in an efficient and functional way. Is there any software or at the very least, a specification for the creation of AC7 file formats?

 

It seems Casio has left us advanced keyboard users in the dark here...

 

Can we get an answer from Casio?  IDES and the software for creating rhythms for older keyboards is highly outdated. What does Casio use internally?

[- T -]

You have already summarily dismissed the only options available to you for the Casio CTK/WK keyboards, so I have no idea what else you would expect us to offer.  Of course, you can always use the Pattern Sequencer of the CTK-7200 to create your own rhythms from scratch.  Mike Martin made a video tutorial on this several years ago.  You can also use its rhythm editor to modify existing rhythms just about any way you like.  I realize that this is not exactly what you are looking for, but it is far better than the zero option that you have currently left yourself with.  After all, there are members here, who have successfully accomplished what you want, using the methods you have already dismissed.  Then there is the ultimate option, in the Casio arena - the MZX-300/500.  They are much more in line with rhythm creation/editing/importing than the CTK/WK models.  In closing, I will say that there are voluminous discussions over on the Yamaha PSR-Tutorial forum about using the pricey Style Magic software for creating, importing, converting data into Yamaha rhythm Styles.  Even for the most experienced users, this is always a most tedious and grueling process.  In no case is it ever "easy".  From their discussions, I take it that it is every bit as involved as our Russian member's MIDI to CKF or the Casio IDES MIDI to CKF methods with success/fail rates about equal for all but the most experienced users.

[aystaum]

I understand that I summarily dismissed the already available options. In fact, had I not done so, I would have no justification for opening this thread!

 

But all pettiness aside, what I want is to talk to someone from CASIO about this... Someone who knows what they're talking about.

 

As I said before and will say again, obviously the people at CASIO have a better way of programming these rhythms... I don't believe they'd be forced to sit at the keyboards trying to navigate the tedious and unforgiving pattern editor...

 

CASIO, PLEASE LISTEN TO US! YOUR FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS ARE WAITING!! 

[- T -]

You seem to be overlooking a couple of very important, and I thought rather obvious, facts:

 

Fact 1: Casio considers the information, you seek, part of their secure intellectual property - so does Yamaha, and Korg, and Roland, and Ketron.

 

Fact 2: Casio is not about to divulge it to the public, at large - neither is Yamaha, or Korg, or Roland, or Ketron.

 

Show me a software, similar to what you seek, that Yamaha has provided to its arranger owners - or Korg, or Roland, or Ketron.  You can not, because it does not exist - for any of them.

 

So, I really don't think that ranting at Casio or the members here, from a soap box on this forum is going to accomplish much, but best of luck, anyway.

 

[pquenin]

I have gone thru the CTK-7200 manual, and there is no option to create a user rhythm from a midi file. This is something possible on the MZ-Xxx. There are freeware software to do this for Yamaha keyboards, I have a PSR-E453 anf have created some styles using these programs.

 

The only way you can use a DAW to simplify rhythm creation on the CTK-7200 is to create the different parts of the rhythms in the DAW and then record them on the keyboard by sending the data via Midi, following the procedure described in the CTK-7200 manual.

[aystaum]

Thank you pquenin for your helpful advice... Something in that vein seems to be something previously unexplored, and is a creative solution.

 

Is there any way for me to sync the MIDI in the DAW to the keyboard, so that I can record in to a part at the same time that I press "play" in the daw, and there won't be any time difference?

 

(And to -T-, I understand each of your cleverly outlined facts and considered them before ranting on my soap box. I do understand that there is no precedent for some of the more ambitious things I am looking for. I am merely attempting to express to CASIO that there is something that their advanced customers would like. It is up to them, not you, to decide what they want to do with THEIR secure intellectual property. Thank you for responding on their behalf.)

[pquenin]

I think you can't sync the DAW and the keyboard automatically. I think that you must launch the recording on the keyboard with precount and metronome and then start playing the midi in the DAW when it's the right time. Maybe you must activate the Quantize function on the keyboard to correct the timing while recording, or do this afterward...

[- T -]

pquenin

 

The CTK/WK Song Sequencers and Pattern Sequencers do not record MIDI from external sources (DAW), only from the MIDI signals generated by the keyboard's own internal circuits (keybed, auto-accompaniment engine, etc).

 

[- T -]

astyaum

 

I am in no way speaking for Casio.  I am merely stating the facts of life, as they stand today, on this subject, across the entire industry.  Rather, my exception is that the  rhetoric of your rants, in several different threads on this forum, has assumed an air of off-putting social and intellectual superiority from the outset, and appears to be belittling the entire membership, as well as Casio, because none of us "know what we are talking about" and can not immediately provide you with a ready made easy answer to your perceived dilemma.  When you publicly apply terms like "shady" to the intricate work, of which you know little or nothing, of others, you assume a position of intellectual superiority, but when the owner of that work is of a different geographic region and different culture from your own, and to which you apply the term "stone ages" you add social superiority to the mix.  You tend to toss the words "advanced user" around as though you consider yourself the only "advanced user" here, while several of your posts indicate a definite lack of knowledge of certain features of the CTK-7200 and other models, that would mark you as anything but an "advanced user", at least as far as the CTK-7200, and those other models are concerned.  By the way, this forum is independently owned.  It is NOT owned by Casio, has no official ties to Casio, other than that Mike Martin appears here, from time to time, in a technical advisory roll, and has Casio's permission to use the Casio name - PERIOD.  Few of us here are Casio employees, and those who are, participate here as regular members, rather than as Casio employees.  For the most part, we are just a collection of volunteers, some amateurs, some professionals, who come here to share our mutual interests, and time, and knowledge, and efforts, to help one another and new-comers get the most from their musical investments, interests, and endeavors.  For the most part, we try to accomplish all of this in as civil a manner as possible - something that we have enjoyed here since our inception, and that is tragically lacking in so many other forums these days.  If you can accept that, then I most heartily welcome you to the forum.

 

[pquenin]

Ok, I was not aware of this, too bad... Maybe you can record in the song sequencer and play it back to record in the Pattern sequencer ?

[- T -]

No!  The Song Sequencer does not record from external sources either, and the Pattern Sequencer takes its input only from the keybed - not from the Song Sequencer.  Plus, the Song Sequencer and Pattern Sequencer can not both be active simultaneously.

 

[Mike Martin]

On 3/24/2018 at 9:14 PM, aystaum said:

I understand that I summarily dismissed the already available options. In fact, had I not done so, I would have no justification for opening this thread!

 

But all pettiness aside, what I want is to talk to someone from CASIO about this... Someone who knows what they're talking about.

 

As I said before and will say again, obviously the people at CASIO have a better way of programming these rhythms... I don't believe they'd be forced to sit at the keyboards trying to navigate the tedious and unforgiving pattern editor...

 

CASIO, PLEASE LISTEN TO US! YOUR FAITHFUL CUSTOMERS ARE WAITING!! 

 

Aystaum, 

Here are two videos below which may help you.  

 

-T- has been correct on all points with the information he has provided in this and other threads.  I'm not aware of any other software tools available - the tools that Casio uses internally do not run on Mac or Windows as far as I know.

 

 

 

Here is another by Casio Australia. 

 

 

 

[aystaum]

- T -. Point well taken.

 

I understand that my words have been quite brash and brazen... I apologize to those I may have swept under my broad brush.

 

I want those who read this thread to know that I did not intend to knock the specific solutions, rather give off the feeling that the previous threads were giving workarounds, and not ideal solutions, which I believe everyone can recognize.

 

I never, ever, ever, intended to knock people of a specific nationality. Rather, I was expressing frustration at the methods currently available.

 

Again, while my words had reason, they are not excusable, and to anyone I may have hurt in the process of my expression I beg forgiveness.

 

I hope that in the future I can be a part of this helpful forum, and give solutions to people's questions.

 

All the best,

and best wishes on everyone's music making!

[Bhavya Gupta]

Hey you can use CASIO music data management software. It contains a rhythm converter option.

[pquenin]

There is a expensive solution to convert Yamaha styles to AC7 : buy a Casio MZ-X300 or MZ-X500, load a Yamaha style in the MZ (very easy in just 2 steps), save it to AC7. Voila.

[Jokeyman123]

Just reading over these posts, I think a few of us have made some real progress, but there is still no Casio software for creating Casio rhythms other than the midi to ckf file converter if you are doing it outside the keyboard.  I have managed to create and upload a few styles that might work in the new MZs and that I am using for practice on my PX560 created with 2 software sequencers and the Casio ckf converter and player, for previewing. Limited to using standard GM sounds, but this can be modified depending upon Casio keyboard you play.  Might sound a bit different than the usual rhythms depending upon individual taste. 

[sslyutov]

removed

[Fletcher]

On 3/25/2018 at 10:15 PM, pquenin said:

I have gone thru the CTK-7200 manual, and there is no option to create a user rhythm from a midi file. This is something possible on the MZ-Xxx. There are freeware software to do this for Yamaha keyboards, I have a PSR-E453 anf have created some styles using these programs. 

 

Why you are write so ?
You can compilate midi file, which you are interested in with some rules, process it with Rhythm converter, and you will get a sty file with your style.