I've Written A Patch Editor For the CZs and CT6500

[IanB]

Hi @machineintel it's really nice to get some feedback! Thank you!

 

Regarding the feature request, I've been thinking about doing so but didn't implement it initially as the CZs require the entire patch to be sent, you can't edit individual parameters at the Sysex level (I think it's too late to ask Casio for a firmware upgrade!) and I was worried about sending overwhelming amounts of MIDI messages. I only have one keyboard (a CT6500) so didn't want to get too clever and produce something that may not work for other users.

But I also agree with you, I find this a bit irritating too. I'll see what I can do, it's down to an issue from the programming end of when to send a patch without sending too often.

 

Also, a rate and review on the Windows Store would be really nice, if you could see your way to doing that

[IanB]

Another update--

 

 

Version 1.1.0

 

"MIDI" tab name changed to "Setup" tab.

 

Added "Auto Send Live Edits" option (default: On) so that Live Patch edits are instantly sent to the synthesizer. Switch off if the quantity of MIDI data being sent is too great and causes problems. It's on the Setup tab.

 

Added capability to select any MIDI channel. This enables editing of the sounds in Multi-Channel mode, including on the CT6500, and CZx synths on MIDI channels other than 1 in multi-keyboard setups. It's also on the Setup tab with other MIDI settings.

--------------------

 

I am nothing if not responsive to feedback

[IanB]

New update

 

V1.1.5.0

 

New Features:

 

Envelope numeric parameters can now be adjusted by hovering mouse over value and using the mouse wheel. This makes for much faster envelope editing.

 

You can now run multiple copies of VZV CZ to easily control different MIDI channels or devices simultaneously. Ideal when the CZ is in multi-channel mode.

 

Minimum width reduced to allow only left panel is visible if desired.

 

"Nothing" option added to MIDI inputs and outputs to allow easy disable.

 

Bugs fixed:

Crash when moving panels.
Detune +/- not auto-sent.
Incorrect values in default patch.

[concerned_parent]

This looks fantastic!
Is it possible to do a release outside of the Windows store? My main computer connected to the internet runs Linux, and my Windows studio is air-gapped. I can't seem to get an offline installer from the Windows store. I would really love to try the editor.

[IanB]

Hi concerned_parent, are you running Windows 10? VZV CZ doesn't work on any other versions currently.

[IanB]

One day I will understand why people post a question then don't come back.

[Joe Muscara]

15 hours ago, IanB said:

One day I will understand why people post a question then don't come back.

No, you won't. Neither will anyone else. 😂

[RFeria]

I just downloaded it to try with my CZ-5000. I can't seem to get the graph to show the waveform... any one have a solution for this or what I might be doing wrong?

[IanB]

Hi Rferia, what do you mean by the graph to show the waveform? The waveforms are selected with buttons so I presume you mean something else..?

[IanB]

...and another questioner vanishes mysteriously. I am beginning to wonder if there is some kind of government conspiracy "disappearing" users of CZ synths for nefarious reasons...

[Brad Saucier]

RFeria hasn't visited the forums since posting the question.  

[IanB]

That's because shortly afterwards he woke up in this weird resort wearing a blazer and every time he tries to escape a giant weather balloon chases him and brings him back.

[Chas]

On 10/14/2020 at 2:09 PM, IanB said:

That's because shortly afterwards he woke up in this weird resort wearing a blazer and every time he tries to escape a giant weather balloon chases him and brings him back.

 

He's not a number, he's a Casio CZ owner!

[IanB]

The Casio Prisoner:

 

"I am not a number, I am two letters and three numbers!"

[pianokeyjoe]

Hmm I feel dejavue here.. lanB? Did you and I talk in the past? Say in 2018? About the CT6500 of which I have 3 units? I remember talking with some one about these keyboards and a patch editor for them.. The details are hazy cause I was not only in the middle of a divorce at that time but I also just moved into my future dream home and was working in my tech room with these keyboards when I talked to some one about "the CT6500 editor". I was still selling Casio parts and keyboards on EBAY under pianokeyjoe2009 back then. I do remember then complaining the editor was for Windows 10 and I only used Windows XP pro and Widows 7.

 

If it was you, HEY HEY!! I am a Casio forum member now! lol! bout time right?

 

I have the CT6000,CT6500(3),CZ5000 and CZ3000 keys. We may have spoken via email.. or Ebay messages maybe?

Edited January 23, 2021 by pianokeyjoe
misspelling

[Resynthesizer]

I will be installing this. Recently acquired a 6500 and I’m looking forward to seeing what this beast is capable of. The stock factory patches blew me away. 
 

Question, does the buffer hold data for the accompaniments, bass, and obligato? Can I push patches into all of these ? 
 

Also, my current thought is to audition and create patches with your software and use your Roland MC-500 to send the sysex. Sound possible ? 

 

 

[IanB]

On 1/23/2021 at 9:15 PM, pianokeyjoe said:

Hmm I feel dejavue here.. lanB? Did you and I talk in the past? Say in 2018? About the CT6500 of which I have 3 units? I remember talking with some one about these keyboards and a patch editor for them.. The details are hazy cause I was not only in the middle of a divorce at that time but I also just moved into my future dream home and was working in my tech room with these keyboards when I talked to some one about "the CT6500 editor". I was still selling Casio parts and keyboards on EBAY under pianokeyjoe2009 back then. I do remember then complaining the editor was for Windows 10 and I only used Windows XP pro and Widows 7.

 

If it was you, HEY HEY!! I am a Casio forum member now! lol! bout time right?

 

I have the CT6000,CT6500(3),CZ5000 and CZ3000 keys. We may have spoken via email.. or Ebay messages maybe?

 

 Really sorry, I missed you posting this! I need to keep a closer eye on this thread, the problem is g*dd**n Windows Mail keeps putting forum notifications in the Spam folder, grrr. Meanwhile it lets through "Amazing business opportunity" without a glitch...

 

I had that discussion but where I dunno. I discussed the CT6500 and XP patching with someone on YouTube, which was what inspired me to figure out how to repatch it and write the editor. Was that you?

[IanB]

3 hours ago, Resynthesizer said:

I will be installing this. Recently acquired a 6500 and I’m looking forward to seeing what this beast is capable of. The stock factory patches blew me away. 
 

Question, does the buffer hold data for the accompaniments, bass, and obligato? Can I push patches into all of these ? 
 

Also, my current thought is to audition and create patches with your software and use your Roland MC-500 to send the sysex. Sound possible ? 

 

 

 

Good news... you can repatch all the parts (except the drums which are generated by analogue circuits, unfortunately). You just need to put the CT6500 into MIDI Multi-Channel Mode (it's in the manual) and write it to the buffer patch while addressing that part's MIDI channel- 1 for Melody, 2 for Bass, 3 for Chord, 4 for Obligato. The only downside is that the second polyphonic voice- "Chord"- is single "line", which is Casio-speak for an oscillator, so whereas Melody, Bass and Obligato are dual "oscillator". that is single "oscillator" per voice.

 

Basically you have two of the CZ voice chips on the board, each has 8 oscillators, sorry, "lines" for a total of 16. In normal mode, that's 2 oscillators per voice. In accompaniment mode or MIDI multi-channel mode Casio splits them up as 8 for Melody, 2 for Bass, 2 for Obbligato and 4 for Chord. What this means is that in my editor (or any editor) any settings for Line 2 will just be ignored. That makes the voices thinner, like a single oscillator analogue synth.

 

In fevered moments of madness I've considered rewriting the firmware to give yet more flexibility (e.g. two 8 voice single line patches, 1 16 voice single line patch, etc), but the CPU is an obscure and hardly documented Japanese elaboration of the 8085 architecture and it would be a nightmare. And there's 2 of them talking to each other in there, heh.

 

It's a great sounding instrument, hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine! As to the Roland, I'm not familiar with it but if it can record sysex, it should be able to do that. There's a MIDI "conversation" format for getting data in and out of a CZ, if you need that let me know. You can pull patch data out of any voice, not just the buffer, for a full patch dump btw.

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by IanB
A bit more information.

[pianokeyjoe]

YES! I am pianokeyjoe on youtube too lol! It IS good to hear from you again! I am glad you have gone further with the editor. I do wish it was Windows 7 compatible, as Windows 7 was the LAST version of Windows to allow full USB midi without Windows spying on you, constantly crashing and well, 64bit CPU support with more than 3GB system ram support. Actually, would have been nice to have had the Windows XP pro editor as I could still use that OS in embedded devices! Mind you.. I have 3 of those CT6500 keyboards, and 2 CZ keyboards still. I am not sure what this editor could do for the CT6000? It seems to be a bit different beast but would be nice to explore further?

[IanB]

@pianokeyjoe Thinking about it, I think we may have discussed this on another vintage synth forum and you were the only replier to my thread about creating an editor?

 

Anyhoo, the Windows 10 thing... well when I started this it seemed at the time that Windows 10 apps, "UWP", was the future of deploying software for Windows and I uncharacteristically decided not to be a stick in the mud and to instead embrace the future, march bravely forward into the Brave New World, etc etc. Since then Microsoft seem to have largely given up on everyone switching over and are quietly abandoning UWP for continuing the traditional Windows programming model so... well that's me led down the garden path to nowhere then. At some point when I've got the time and urge I'll probably port this to Win32.

 

I'm afraid this editor can't do anything for a CT6000, completely different technology. The only CT using the CZ engine is the CT6500. It's a curious beast really, it seems odd to have a CZ engine and full programmability over MIDI and then not properly tell anyone about it or document it. Once you know it can be done it's kind of implied in the MIDI spec in the manual but it's far from obvious and you'd never realise unless you really try. So far as I know I'm the first person outside Casio to figure out how to repatch it!

[Chas]

As Ian says, the CT6000 is a very different beast to the CT6500. The Casio model numbers are confusing, because the CT6000 and the CT7000 are partly related and use the same Consonant Vowel synthesis engine (though greatly expanded in the CT6000). Meanwhile, the CT6500 that sits in between these models numerically, is entirely different as it uses Phase Distortion, as per the CZs.

 

To confuse matters further, the CT6000 has MIDI, albeit in a very primitive form. In fact, I believe that the 6000 may have been the first Casio home keyboard to be fitted with MIDI. As such, many see the 6000 with MIDI and its advanced features (velocity and after touch!), plus with it being released in late 1984 just prior to the CZ range, and assume that it's related to the CZ series. In fact, it traces its lineage back to the first Casiotone model of 1980, the CT201 as well as many early eighties Casio models.

 

As far as the CT6000's MIDI is concerned, I believe it can only send and receive note on, off and velocity, plus pitch bend and modulation/ after touch. I don't have the user guide for my CT6000 so cannot confirm its exact MIDI implementation.

[Resynthesizer]

I’ll be downloading this in the morning. Thanks for your hard work. The CT-6500;is, to my ears, very fat and warm. 

 

Quick question. My Win 10 machine isn’t in a handy place. I’ll need to drag it into the music room. I have an air gapped XP machine in there that controls my Motu Midi express and has other editors and VSTs on it.

 

So, once I create and audition patches using your software, can I save as a sysex or midi file and use some sort of hardware to transmit the patch into the buffer ? I have an MC-50. 

[IanB]

Hi Resynthesizer, yes you can save patches as sysex files. The easiest thing would be to just save those files onto a thumb drive and copy them onto the XP machine. Because the 6500 can only load one patch at a time into the buffer, you'd be best off saving each separate patch as a single sysex file rather than as a bank of patches.

 

My software is designed to act as a "virtual" patch bank though and you might find things a  bit cumbersome having to transfer patches in and out all the time. One specific design goal was to ensure it would run on low end hardware, so that you can use something like a cheap Win 10 tablet to work with the synth. I picked up a cheap Linx tablet on eBay and use that. It sits nicely on the music stand

[Resynthesizer]

Excellent, thanks Ian ! I am excited that your software can send to the different parts. It’ll be fun doing multi timbrel things with it.  I’ve got quite the eclectic collection, and the 6500 will be a large part of it.

[IanB]

You need to put the CT6500 into multichannel mode then send the patch to the correct MIDI channel for the part (1 is Melody, 2 is Bass, 3 is Chord, 4 is Obligato). Remember that the Chord part can only play a single "line" (oscillator) of the voice.