WK-3500 rhythms and CTK files

[DeeperGroove]

I am working with a WK-3500, and having trouble understanding how to accomplish certain things.

 

The manual says that there are a variety of files with Z00 through Z09 extensions, which hold sets of parameters.

 

I wanted to be able to load files from the Casio Music website, but the only files available there have CTK extensions. How do I extract the files I want, and how do I load them into the keyboard ? I am looking for specific instructions on loading rhythms into the user rhythm locations, but I didn't see anything about that in the manual.

 

Also, is it possible to edit or create rhythms on the WK-3500 itself, or does that need to be done on a computer and then exported and copied to a diskette ?

[- T -]

The breakdown on the Casio Z0X file system for the WK-3X00, and equivalent 61 key CTK keyboards, is as follows:

 

Z00: Rhythm Pattern Files

Z01: Registration Files

Z02: User Song Files

Z03: Drum Sound (with wave sample) Files

Z04: Drawbar Organ Tone Files

Z05: Tone Files

Z06: Tone (with wave sample) Files

Z07: DSP Files

Z08: Package Files

Z09: All User Data Files

 

By "CTK extensions", I assume that you are referring to the Casio "CKF" (Casio Keyboard File) extensions.  CKF files are a Casio file distribution system similar to ZIP files.  A CKF file could contain a single file, or several files of a single type (ie: Z00) or any number of files of different types (ie: Z00 & Z01 & Z02, etc, etc).  The CKF files are loaded into the appropriate version of the IDES Data Management Software, for that particular model of keyboard.  The IDES software then extracts the various Z0X files and sorts them into their various categories and downloads them into the proper User Memory areas on the keyboard.  The Casio Internet Data Expansion System (IDES) software version to Casio model compatibilities are as follows:

 

IDES-1: CTK-671 *

IDES-2: CTK-691 / WK-3000 / WK-3500

IDES-3: CTK-900 / WK-3200 / WK-3700

IDES-4: WK-3300 / WK-3800 / WK-8000 / PX-410R / px-575R

 

* "IDES-1" is my reference.  I do not believe Casio ever referred to it as IDES-1.  Rather, they just referred to it as the "Internet Data Expansion System for the CTK-671", but being for the oldest model listed above, it was the first version released to the public.  The most important item to understand about the various IDES versions is that the higher numbered versions are NOT upgrades or updates to lower numbered (older) versions.  Each version is specific to the model(s) for which it is listed.  Newer (higher numbered) versions of IDES will not necessarily work properly (or at all) with the older model keyboards.

 

For the WK-3500, you can download the IDES-2 software and user guide from:

 

http://music.casio.com/e/data_ex2/before.html#software2

 

Scroll down to the Version 2 area near the bottom of the Window.

 

You can also download WK-3500 compatible CKF files from:

 

http://music.casio.com/e/data_ex2/

 

I can not attest to the compatibility of this software for Windows 8/10, but do have the IDES-4 software for the WK-3800 running on a 32-bit Win-XP (SP2) laptop, a 64-bit Vista desk top (which Casio says is not possible), and a 64-bit Win-7 laptop with no problems.

 

The WK-3X00 models do not provide for the editing of tones or rhythms on the keyboards.  The IDES software comes with a stand alone Tone editing module that is fairly full featured, but the equivalent Rhythm module is actually for converting MIDI files to Rhythm files from scratch, rather than editing existing Rhythm files, and is usually more bother than it is worth.

 

Good luck with the WK-3500.