vbdx66 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 Hello everybody, I know that last year the hype was all about the CT-X line, now after NAMM 2019, it is about the new CDP-S350 and PX-S1000 and PX-S3000. One little unit was forgotten, though, the CTK-3500, which looks impressive at its price tag with its touch-sensitive keys, nice sound library, USB connectivity and pitch-bend wheel, as well as Chordana compatibility. Here are my questions: 1. Has anybody here (hello, Casio staff 😎) already tried/owned this keyboard and what do you think of it? 2. How does it compare with the CT-X700? 3. Any way (even not documented) to add external rhythms to the keyboard, maybe through a DAW? In the meantime, here is a video from Casio Brazil which shows that this little bugger is certainly not a toy: Actually, I am seriously considering it as a contender to the CT-X700 as a a second, very light portable keyboard for vacations, small gigs with friends, ...to complement my oh-not-so-portable Yamaha DGX650. Thanks for your input, Regards, Vinciane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 57 minutes ago, vbdx66 said: 1. Has anybody here (hello, Casio staff 😎) already tried/owned this keyboard and what do you think of it? I'm not from Casio, but I toyed in the store with the CTK-2550 and CTK-3500. Those models don't have any writable internal storage. No MIDI recorder/sequencer, can't upload additional lesson songs or accompaniment rhythms. All the more advanced functionality relies on the connectivity to the external application. If it wasn't for CT-X700/800 models I would've rather bought one of the LK models that support the SD cards for storage. If you can stomach always playing with the tablet/phone connected via the USB then you can use an external MIDI app to adjust the levels of layers/splits on the CT-X 700 and 800. Given your requirements and playing experience you should rather look at CTK-6250. It has all that you ask for. It wasn't for me, because I absolutely need the built in lesson functionality that these models lack. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 CTK-3500 was released in the last half of 2017. It's a little older than the CT-X series which was released in the first half of 2018. It does not use the AiX sound source. There's a pretty big difference in sound quality between the CTK-3500 and CT-X700. And no, there is no way to add more rhythms to a CTK-3500. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 5, 2019 Author Share Posted February 5, 2019 @2112 Thanks for your input. @Brad Saucier Could you please elaborate more and tell which sound chip the CTK-3500 is relying upon? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted February 5, 2019 Share Posted February 5, 2019 For whatever reason, Casio never gave the CTK-3500 a brand name for its sound source technology. If I had to guess, it is probably based on an older Casio chip design similar to other CTK and WK models of the past several years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 Thanks Brad. My own guess is that the CTK-3500 being either an entrey level keyboard for beginners or a second keyboard, Casio thought nobody but geekies like me would bother about the chip 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 8, 2019 Author Share Posted February 8, 2019 On 2/5/2019 at 9:29 PM, 2112 said: If you can stomach always playing with the tablet/phone connected via the USB then you can use an external MIDI app to adjust the levels of layers/splits on the CT-X 700 and 800. @2112 Thanks for your comments. Actually I have an iPad so it might be the right solution for me. Have you any particular iPad app in mind? Actually I have been trying for quite some time to find a way to control keyboards by MIDI from my iPad but I don’t have a clue as how to do this. Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 On 2/8/2019 at 12:49 PM, vbdx66 said: Have you any particular iPad app in mind? No, unfortunately no. I personally don't use any of the modern Android/iOS devices. Due to historical and backward compatibility requirements I'm stuck with very old versions of those. As far as modern systems I only use Linux and some proprietary software. I did describe the underlying process of looping back the MIDI stream to some teenager at the music store when he was shopping there with his mom. Within about half and hour he was able to find the appropriate app named something like "MIDI wrench" or "MIDI pipe" or something similar that to me sounded like a street melee weapon 😉 . I spoke with them in English but that wasn't their native language, thus the relevant Apple App store may have been from another continent. But this overall issue is something that I'm going to research much deeper. It seems like nearly universal workaround for the limitations of many modern MIDI instruments, no matter who is the manufacturer. I'll post more when I collect more information. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 On the Yamaha forum, the same issue came out because the Yamaha PSR E keyboards have the same kind of limitations as the lower-end Casio’s. Someone did an extensive tutorial on how to stream back MIDI to a keyboard with a DAW called Mixmaster which works under Windows. It was complicated and a DAW seems like overkill just to adjust the volume or panning of voices. I think that on the iPad the same thing could be achieved by an app called Cubasis, which is a cut down version of the computer-based sequencer Cubase by Steinberg. But it also looks like an overkill and Cubasis is rather expensive for an iPad app (50 euros). On Facebook, there is a group for people who are making music with an iPad. I’ll ask the question there when I’ll find some spare time. Vinciane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 Hi, would this by any chance be the MIDI app you had in mind? https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/midi-wrench/id589243566?mt=8 That said, honestly, I wouldn’t know were to start using this app to control a MIDI keyboard. Vinciane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted February 13, 2019 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, vbdx66 said: Hi, would this by any chance be the MIDI app you had in mind? I wouldn't really know. It was in November and I don't recall the details, I was focused on what I was doing trying to understand another instrument. I'm positive they were successful because they thanked me before they left the room to complete the purchase. Like other people I know that this can be done because I tried it with a large MIDI sequencing application. But I bought my instruments with explicit requirement that they need to be usable for lessons/practicing without a computer or any sort of permanent network connection. I will post the required MIDI codes as soon as I get my Casio back. Currently it is at a friend's place. Edited February 13, 2019 by 2112 English grammar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vbdx66 Posted February 13, 2019 Author Share Posted February 13, 2019 Thanks 😊 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOLMAR Posted June 15, 2021 Share Posted June 15, 2021 ctk 6250, custo-benefício impressionante, comprei há uns meses e é quase como ter um sintetizador em termos de som final, já tive uns mini sintetizadores bons ok, tem que programar tudo na telinha é chato , mas compor e gravar em 32 canais assim como editar timbres é legal, só 'um pouco travado' ao vivo, mas o uso como estúdio é espetacular, acredito no universo profissional também, não sei, sou um cara da garagem com dedos sujos. para quem não insiste no sintetizador 'on live', e quer apenas obter ritmos e bases prontas, é excepcional, E com todo o som dos sintetizadores, em formatos gerais, E EDITAVEIS. o ctk 7000s e além também parecem ser ótimos. Ele não tem aquela tela de toque avançada, como a 'moda antiga' de apertar botões combinados para diferentes funções, mas a roda do painel ajuda muito. minha experiência com o chefe gt 100 foi um facilitador. em uma simulação de sintetizador, além de pitch bend de 24 tons, o volante pode trazer ótimos efeitos ao vivo se usado no modo de edição 'live action' ... Eu adoro abusar nos ensaios (adorei) ... para eu ... 'dinheiro pobre', ótima escolha ... parabéns do Brasil ... de um cidadão 'não nazi' aqui ... MORE OR LESS THIS... ctk 6250, impressive cost-benefit, I bought it a few months ago and it's almost like having a synthesizer in terms of final sound, I've had some good mini synths, ok, you have to program everything on the small screen is boring, but composing and recording on 32 channels like that how to edit timbres is cool, just 'a little stuck' live, but the use as a studio is spectacular, I believe in the professional universe too, im dont know, I'm a garage guy with dirty fingers. for those who don't insist on the synthesizer 'on live', and just wanting to get ready-made rhythms and bases, it's exceptional, AND with all the sound of synthesizers, in general shapes, AND EDITABLES. the ctk 7000s and beyond seem to be great too. It doesn't have that advanced touch screen, like the 'old fashion' of pushing buttons combined for different functions, but the dashboard wheel helps a lot. my experience with the gt 100 boss was a facilitator. over a synthesizer simulation, in addition to 24-tone pitch bend, the steering wheel can bring great live effects if used in 'live action' editing mode... I love to abuse in rehearsals (I loved it) .... for me... 'poor money', great choice... gongratulations from Brazil... from a 'not nazi' citzen here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casiofun Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 Vbdx66 the soundchip in the CTK-3500 is most likely the AHL. It requires a computer with a DAW software to record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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