Is my pitch bend backwards?

[PaddyMusic]

Every pitch bend I've used goes down in pitch when turned towards me, and up when turned away from me.

The one on my second hand XW-P1 works the opposite way. This applies to internal sounds and to MIDI transmission.

 

Is this normal for the XW-P1? If not, is there a setting where it can be reversed? All I can find are range settings.

 

If it can't be altered, I'm going to have to try for a hardware modification. I've already had the thing apart to repair the power input jack and sustain jack - it didn't turn out to be in the "excellent condition" the seller claimed - I discovered this when it carried on working when unplugged from the mains, revealing that someone had put batteries in before selling it!

 

Still, I got them to knock off £50 for my pains, so it's a bargain at £150.

Thanks in advance

- Paddy

[Chas]

That's definitely not right. Both my P1 and G1 have pitch bend wheels that operate in the standard way - push up (away from you) for pitch up, pull down (towards you) for pitch down. All of my other synths operate this way too.

 

I wonder if your P1 has been 'repaired", and if someone put the pitch bend wheel in 180 degrees out? 

[Display Name]

Check out Block 10: Controllers  and see if you can edit the pitch bend "away" and "toward" actions. (PAGE E-29 http://support.casio.com/storage/en/manual/pdf/EN/008/XWP1_1B_EN.pdf )

Lemme know if it works! 

 

 

[PaddyMusic]

Thanks for suggestions, folks. I did a full Initialize All and it's still working backwards.

Time to get the screwdriver out, or is there some setting that escapes the full initialisation?

If I go for this, yes I'm hoping I can just put the wheel in the other way round rather than resoldering, which might not be as simple as it sounds.

Thanks

- Paddy

[Chas]

I've never taken my XW's apart. However, I wonder if the the pitch bend wheel has a wired connection to the main board, and if it's possible to connect it 180 degrees out? If so, maybe unplugging it and turning the connector 180 degrees may fix the issue?

 

Of course, this assumes that the pitch bend wheel uses a wired connection. Only way to find out is to open up your P1 and have a look.

[PaddyMusic]

Yes, Chas, I'm hoping I can reverse the connection, or just physically turn it around. The back part of XW-P1 is quite easy to get into (just a lot of screws). I think the front bit may be more difficult.

[PaddyMusic]

I've taken the hardware approach!

Anyone interested in taking apart their XW-P1 or XW-G1 might also find this useful.

 

 

[Chas]

Well done for getting it sorted!

 

I do wonder how it came to be reversed in the first place. With the wires being soldered to the main board, I wonder if the actual bend wheel was fitted 180 degrees out, or if there is a removable wiring connector to the bend wheel? Regardless, now yours is working there is no need to take it apart any further!

[PaddyMusic]

I had a look at the pitch bend wheel while I was inside. The potentiometer is on one side so it wouldn't fit in the other way. There are no obvious signs of any tampering with it either.

I'd love to know if it was that way from new, but I think it was sold to a second hand dealer who sold it to me, so I've no idea what happened to the keyboard before I had it.

I still think it must be a software setting somewhere, but if even a factory reset doesn't clear it... And the hardware fix was good fun anyway!

[Chas]

I had a good look in my P1's menus and couldn't find anything that could flip the operation of the bend wheel. Bend range for sure, but nothing that could reverse it. I take it that there was no sign that the wires you resoldered had already been unsoldered previously?

 

I guess it may have been possible that it was a one of factory fault from new. It is certainly the only incidence of this specific fault that I, and most of the forum, have heard of!

 

As said, glad you have is sorted now 👍