CTK 811 ex - Can I convert cpt, csg and cal files on midi?

[Case]

I created many song on my casio ctk 811 ex but I dont know can I convert all that songs, pattern and sessions to midi - Can I? Is Casio only one instrument which read it?

[- T -]

Case

 

The CTK-811EX was quite a keyboard, in its day, and in its price range, but it is beginning to show its age a bit.  There are no direct conversion programs for the files you mention, and there would be no point in converting any of them, other than the "csg" song files, as the other files only have a useful function on the CTK-811EX.  As far as the "csg" song files, do not be confused by the Casio SMF (Standard MIDI File) Converter program.  Its purpose is to convert SMF's into a Casio compatible format for those keyboards that are NOT SMF compatible,  The CTK-811EX IS SMF compatible, so the converter program would be of no use to it; plus it does not convert in the direction you are looking for anyway.  While the CTK-811EX will PLAY SMF's, it will only record songs to the "csg" format, and there is no program for direct "csg" to SMF conversion, but all is not lost.  The CTK-811EX does transmit MIDI signals from its MIDI OUT connection.  With a USB-MIDI adapter, you could send that data to your computer and record it with DAW/sequencer software (Anvil Studio [free], Aria Meastosa [free], Tracktion [older versions free]), and save it as, or convert it to SMF.  If the SMF is straight MIDI and provides its own accompaniment, then the default MIDI settings on the CTK-811EX should work, but if it only provides left hand chords, and relies on the keyboard to provide its accompaniment, you would need to go into the CTK-811EX's MIDI Settings and change the AccompOut setting from OFF to ON so that it transmits the accompaniment data.  One of the advantages of the CTK-811EX is that all of its accompaniment tones (voices) are General MIDI (GM) voices, so they would sound correctly on any other GM device you would play them on, but the right hand melody voices may require some occasional re-voicing to sound correctly on other devices.  If so, this can be easily accomplished with the DAW/sequencer software.  The USB-MIDI adapter, I mentioned, would be something like this:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Roland-UM-ONE-MK2-MIDI-Interface/dp/B00967UN50/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522254500&sr=8-1&keywords=roland+um1

 

This one sells for $40 USD on Amazon.  There are much less expensive models, but those less than about $15-$20 USD are pretty unreliable (defective, connections mislabeled, etc).  There are also units that provide only one way transmission, at a lower cost, but I recommend a two-way communications device (has both a 5 pin MIDI IN and a 5 pin MIDI OUT connection), so that you can also play SMF's from your computer back to the CTK-811EX.

 

I think you may have posted this same question on another forum, and also asked about MP3 conversion.  I am not a member, so could not answer you there, but will do so here.  If MP3 is your main objective in this, then you would be better to just connect the CTK-811EX's Phones Out connection to your computer's MIC/Line-In connection, with the appropriate audio adapter cable, and record the CTK-811'EX's audio output on your computer with something like Audacity (free) audio recording software and save it as or convert it to an MP3 file.  Many users purchase a USB-Audio Interface Unit for this, but that is not absolutely necessary.  I recommend starting with a direct audio adapter cable.  If it sounds OK to you, then go with that, if not, then get an Interface unit.  The only thing here is that the keyboard's Phones Out is a high level output, while the computer has a low level input, so you would need to keep the keyboard's main volume at a very low level to avoid over-driving the computer's input and causing noise and distortion.  Use the computer's sound system as your recording monitor instead of the keyboard's speakers.

 

Good luck !

 

- T -

 

[Case]

Thank You. Ill be honest. Ive got adapter, but record from this is terrible. Every error - even the smalest when I touch a key - is visible. (To make a clear record I have to be a perfect player - pianist but Im not) So I asked about some conversion. Thats gonna be (maybe?) better?

[FERNANDO2022]

On 4/5/2018 at 2:43 AM, Case said:

Thank You. Ill be honest. Ive got adapter, but record from this is terrible. Every error - even the smalest when I touch a key - is visible. (To make a clear record I have to be a perfect player - pianist but Im not) So I asked about some conversion. Thats gonna be (maybe?) better?

I have the same problem, I don't know if you could help me, because I no longer have the Casio 811 ex keyboard working, but I do have the Csg files on my computer. I don't know how to convert the files to midi