LK-280 Error "No File" when importing MIDI file

[Bev]

Hello,

I purchased a Casio LK-280 for the purpose of downloading MIDI files (I'm new to this) so I can learn new songs with the lighted keyboard. I just formatted the SD Card on the keyboard (SanDisk 2GB) - no problem - said "complete" -- and then I transferred a mid file from my MAC into the MUSICDAT file that's on the Card. When I insert the card into the keyboard and follow the instructions in manual to a "T" - l, I get a "No File" error message. Has anyone had this experience? When I checked the trouble shooting section in the manual the only explanation is that there was no MUSICDAT file. But that's not the case here. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!  

[- T -]

Hi Bev!

 

Welcome to the Casio Music Forums and to the exciting world of the LK-280!

 

Re-insert the SD Card into the MAC and use the MAC's file manager to verify that the file is, in fact, in the MUSICDAT folder.  This may sound over-simplified and redundant, but believe me, misdirected file transfers are the number one cause of the "No file" error message.

 

Also, with the MAC's file manager, verify the file extension.  It must be .mid (only).  Extensions of .midi or .smf, or anything else, will not be recognized.

 

Can you play the file with the MAC's MIDI file player?  If it is corrupt, the LK-280 will not recognize it.

 

The LK-280 does not actually play a MIDI file "directly" from the SD Card.  Instead, it first loads the file into a temporary area in internal memory, and then "plays" it from there.  I read, just within the past few days, that the size of that memory area is something a little less than 4Kb (something like 3998Kb).  Files larger than this can not be loaded, so will not be recognized.  So far, I have not been able to verify this figure, so can not state for certain whether this could be a problem, but it may be worth checking as just a consideration.

 

Once we get you beyond that "No file" message, the next question is: does that MIDI file have the left and right hand note data on the correct MIDI tracks/channels to properly light the keys on the LK keyboards.  Most do not.  As a matter of fact, most have BOTH left and right hand note data on the SAME track/channel.  This presents a bit of a challenge, but it can be dealt with, after a fashion.  The problem will be that I am familiarl with the Windows tools for dealing with this, but nor so much those of the MAC environment, but we will cross that bridge, when we get to it.

 

- T -

[Bev]

Hi, 

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Since I posted I researched some more and realized I had to "change the channels" using Aria Maestoso. The file plays beautifully in the this program and is already separated to two hands.  I changed the right hand to 4 (was on 5) and left hand was already set on 3. Then I exported it to a Midi file. I checked the extension and it was MID. So then I put it on the SD card and check with file manager. All seemed okay and tried again on the keyboard. Same thing, "no file". BUT, the file size was 8KB. So, maybe what you've read about the file size is the problem. Maybe the song is too long. Ugh. This is the only reason I purchased the keyboard b/c I wanted a faster way to learn the songs that my music teacher gives me (I'm an adult student)....Maybe tomorrow I'll try calling Casio - I called them last week when I couldn't format the SD card and turns out I purchased the wrong one. Just purchased a new one.

 

Thanks so much! If I find the solution, I'll post it. I'm new to the technology and the forum.

 

B

[- T -]

OK Bev!

 

You are already about 3 steps ahead of the game.  So, make a copy of your original file, and call it something like "Test.mid".  We do not want to do anything to spoil your original file.  With Aria Maestosa, load your new file "Test.mid" and simply cut it to about 1/3 its current length, and save it.  Load that into MUSICDAT and see if the LK-280 will play it.  If it does, then we know there is something to that file size limit, but you have to keep in mind that a file size limit is only a concern if you are trying to play the file from the Card, but if you play it from the MAC to the LK-280, nothing is "loaded" into LK memory, so there is no real size limit.

 

We have to remember that, for all their sophistication, these LK series keyboards are, after all, entry level "learning" devices.  It follows that any songs they would be assumed to handle would be simple "folk" type songs, like Stephen Foster works, or Celtic airs, lullabies, and ballads, or simple passages from the well knoown classics - all of which woulld generate fairly small MIDI files.

 

- T -

 

[Bev]

Ok., so I got it down to 3KB and still got the error message :((.  But if the file size of the songs can't be over 4kb, I think I made a bad purchase here. I should have researched it a bit more. But for $200, what can I expect. LOL. Quick question, I purchased the cable too - had problems with that too,  but if I get it to work, does that enable the lights to work? or just plays the music on the keyboard vs. the computer? 

 

Thanks again for all your help! 

[- T -]

As long as you have the note data on the correct tracks/channels (which you have already done), the keys will light when you play a MIDI file from the computer via the USB cable, just the same as if you are playing it from the SD Card.  I had an LK-280 on loan from a local shop for some time.  I normally played MIDI files from the computer rather than from the SD Card because file selection from the computer was much easier than from the Card.

 

Cutting the file size down says that that is not the issue here, and brings into question the validity of that supposed "size limit", so I am going to completely disregard that, for now, and I recommend that you do so, as well.  There has to be something else wrong with your ability to play that file from the Card.  I recommend that you try the cable again.  The LK-280 is USB-MIDI Class Compliant, which means it works with the device driver that is already pre-installed in Windows and MAC-OS.  There should be no need to install any after-market or third party driver.  It is conpletely Plug-N-Play.  But . . . back to the Card . . . have you tried playing that file with Garage Band.  If Garage Band will not play it, most likely the LK-280 won't either, and that would mean it is a file issue - not an SD Card issue.  Yes!  I am trying to verify that Aria Meastosa generated a valid .mid file export.

 

- T -

 

 

[Bev]

Hi,

Yes, plays perfect in Garage band. I just tried, it's playing the original midi file I downloaded from Musicscore - without touching the channels. I just went back to the manual and hooked up the cable following the steps exactly. But I am totally lost now. It says to configure music software settings in your music software program. So, I googled how to do this in Garage band (I'm totally unfamiliar with this program).  But there's no indication that it's recognizing the keyboard. Even after I plugged in the cables, I thought something would pop up on my Mac showing that I had connected to an external device. Just for the heck of it, I tried following the instructions to set up the MIDI settings on the keyboard, but they are totally confusing. I guess and put in the navigation channel to 4. I tried playing the song but it plays through my computer. I'll have to contact Casio tomorrow and see if they can help.  I feel like I've already imposed upon you - this is way over my head. I appreciate all your help! :))

[- T -]

What the LK-280 manual is saying is:

 

Once the LK-280 is connected to the computer, you have to go into each one of your music software package's SETTINGS or PREFERENCES menu and tell it what MIDI DEVICE you want it to use. The LK-280 will be something like CASIO USB or such.  BUT . . . Garage Band will only receive MIDI from the LK-280.  That is, you can use the LK-280 to "play" Garage Bands "instruments" (sounds), but Garage Band will not transmit MIDI to external devices.  Garage Band will not "send" a song to the LK-280, but your other software will, once you tell it to.  The point of this is, if you have several different keyboards connected to several different USB ports on your computer, you can tell all of your software packages to use the same keyboard or different keyboards.

 

- T -

 

[Bev]

Hi there,

 

Just want to let you know I finally got this to work using "Mixpad" - It did light the keyboard too! Looks like it was just the left hand though. I'll have to do some more research to figure out how to get both hands to light. When I imported the song, it said "there are 11 tracks do you want to merge them" and I said yes, not knowing what else to do. Well, this has been a learning experience for sure. Still learning. lol.

 

Thanks again for all your help!

 

Bev

[- T -]

Do you still have your original file, intact, or did you have the merged import overwrite it.  If still have the original file, re-import it and tell it not to merge.  If the merged file is all you have, we may not be able to work with it, if there was data on those other nine tracks.  Apparently there was, or it would not have asked if you wanted them merged.  I can show you how to separate 2 tracks, but not 11.  Hang in there.  You are a lot further along today than you were a couple of days ago.  Now we just need to get the data for the lights sorted out.

 

Just picked this up from another forum.  Aria Meastosa numbers its tracks from 0 to 15 instead of the standard 1 to 16 like all the other software.  You have to take that into account when setting the Navigate channels for the LK-280.  Instead of left on 3 and right on 4, as long as you are using Aria Meastosa, you have to tell it to put the left on 2 and the right on 3, but if you are going to stay with Mixpad, that won't be an issue.

 

- T -

 

[Bev]

Hello again!

 

I just played Year of the Cat again and seems like both hands are lighting up (this was the song Casio gave me to test - and I merged the file using Mixpad) .  So all good on that song. Now I'm trying the song that I really want to learn (Waltz in A Minor).  Plays nicely on the keyboard if Idon't merge but still no lights - used Mixpad again.  So do I need to change the channels on the keyboard and the software program, or just the keyboard. Right now the keyboard is set to 4 and 3. Not sure what happens when I open the song in Mixpad.  I'm not understanding the 1-16 channel thing? Also, is there a way to get a song to playback slower with the lights - the ones that I play from my own files? How would I control this? Thx agin!

[Bev]

OMG!  I just got Waltz in A minor to play with lights! I used Aria Maestoso and changed the channels on the LK. But now I need to have it play slower so I can learn it! LOL. hoping that's possible!! Thanks. Bev

[- T -]

In the Windows copy of Aria Maestosa that I have, near the top left of the screen is what is called the "Transport Bar", because it resembles the "transport" controls of an old reel-to-reel, or cassette, tape recorder.  This is the bar that has the Record, Play, Stop, Loop buttons.  A little to the right of those is a data field labeled "Initial tempo".  Just click in that field, delete the value that is there and enter a smaller figure to slow the speed.  Do not "save" that.  Whatever you enter there,  will stay, during your current session, until you change it.  When you want to end that session and try to close Aria Maestosa, it will ask if you want to save.  Tell it NO.  It is not a good idea to save, save, and resave temporary settings like this.  Sooner or later you unintentionally save something that is not easily undone, and the file is ruined forever.  Just go to that field each time you load the file and temporarily enter the tempo you want for that session.  If you enter a value that's not quite what you want, just re-enter a different value, but do not save it.

 

- T -

 

[Bev]

Thank you! That worked perfectly!  Really appreciate your help on this. Now I'm trying to get the SD card to work.  I'm sorry  to bother you with this too, but you've been the only person who has been able to help.  I've called Casio 5x and I've received answers from - it needs to be a .wav file to the card is no good - try another card (this is my 2nd card). . But it formats on the keyboard okay. I and I'm able to move the MID file into the MUSICDAT folder. Seems like there's a step missing. In the manual, step 1. says "on the digital keyboard, select the data you want to load as described" but it doesn't say how to select it. Then step 2 is where you insert the card and hold down 16 until the screens says "Lod" - I get this but then when I hit enter, I get "no file".  The file is in the folder too. I Just want to make sure I'm doing things correctly because if the card slot doesn't work, I would like to get it fixed somehow since it's a new keyboard.  I want to make sure it's not me first...

[- T -]

Bev

 

The steps you list above are from the left hand column of Page E-56 of the manual.  These instructions are for loading a recorded song or a User Song from the SD Card into the keyboard's internal memory.  In either case, this would be a Casio proprietary Song file with an extension of .CM2 (not .mid).  This is the Casio Song File format for all of their "Learning" series keyboards.  Since you do not have any of those on the SD Card, it is telling you "No File".  Playing back a MIDI file is much simpler.  Those instructions are in the left column of Page E-58 of the manual.  Start with the keyboard powered off.  Power it on and insert the SD Card into the card slot.  Press the #16 (Card) button.  You should immediately see the name of your song in the display.  Press the #10 (Start/Stop) button, and it should play.  If you have more than one song (file) on the Card, use the PLUS/MINUS buttons in the 10-key pad to scroll back and forth through your list of songs.  Whatever song is showing in the display is the song that will play, when you press the #10 (Start/Stop) button.

 

Here is a link to a YouTube tutorial for this.  Notice that when he brings the SD Card back to the keyboard from the computer, here merely inserts it into the card slot, presses the #16 (Card) button, then presses the #10 (Start/Stop) button, and the song plays:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqhJZ6_m8S8

 

Good luck!

 

- T -

 

[Bev]

Hi T -

This worked!!! I'm so excited now because I can use the control panel to practice/replay certain sections of the song.  I can't thank you enough! - you've been super helpful and patient. I'm sure others will benefit from this thread too!  

 

It took 5 days but totally worth it to get this figured out!  

 

Thanks so much!

 

Bev