BigFoot69 Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Hello everyone... That's it, it's ordered. Initially a keyboardist, I switched to the guitar a long time ago. But as time went by, I wanted to go back to an arranger keyboard. After hesitating for a long time, hearing, trying and comparing many models, I finally decided to go for a Casio CTX-3000. Yes, korg and Roland are nice. Yes, Yamaha's are super easy and have a lot of cool styles. And Casio had a toy image. But as I studied the sounds (thanks keyboardcrazy from youtube), and the features offered, I figured that for the price, the Casio seemed the best fit for what I wanted to do. Because while watching the forums and videos, I realized that most of the keyboards were either toys for kids or ultra high-end stations that I didn't need at all. Finally, on many of the forums, a large number of users were either of a certain age or were nursing home animators. Let me explain: on most keyboards, a large part of the styles correspond to needs that are not mine: waltz, cha-cha or 60/70's varieties. I have nothing against these musical styles but I am more zztop, acdc, Pink Floyd or even Metallica or even harder 😉. The idea of a keyboard arranger is for me to facilitate the composition of songs (try out cadences or chord progressions), or to make backing tracks without having to run the whole range of software on the PC. And I realized that most of the demos (from manufacturers or users) stayed in the variety register... So there are tons of Axel Foley or other demos and very few modern things, and even less rock. As for hard or metal.... There you go, so I'll soon join your community. Of course, it seems much smaller than Yamaha's or Roland's but reading this forum, it seems to me active and voluntary. So I hope to be able to bring my contribution and share my discoveries and experiences with you as I go along... Ps: I'm going to try to create lots of rather rock styles, so if any are interested... 😉 PPS: Sorry for my english, it's a google translation... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Alex Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 All musical instruments can be split into two categories. 1. With keyboard 2. Without keyboard So you will never be able to achieve realistic sound of #2 category on device with the keyboard. This is explains lower amount of guitar based styles available for keyboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFoot69 Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share Posted October 14, 2020 Hello to all. Well, here it is, it was received last night and I come to give you my first impressions. Already, it imposes. By the size and weight, we are far from the small PSR that I knew 20 years ago. The materials look solid, well assembled. It looks serious. First good point for Casio, there is the paper user manual (it's becoming rare) and in at least 10 languages! Once unpacked, I turn it on and start playing.... The touch is good, (even if, like everyone else, I had to quickly adjust the sensitivity of the keyboard), the velocity reacts well. I do a quick tour of the sounds (800 anyway !!!). There is everything, from excellent to very average. All the drum kits, the basses (real or synthetic) are excellent. Pianos (acoustic or electric), strings, orchestral instruments (violins, cello...), saxes and other brass instruments are good. The synth sounds are numerous, varied and of rather good quality. As always, it remains the black point of the guitars. If nylon, steel or even electric clean can illusion, we are quickly disappointed by leads guitars and distortions. I don't blame Casio, these are probably the most difficult instruments to model and, having tried one, even a Genos doesn't do much better. Let's say that to put some palm mute in the background of a rhythm is OK, but no more. For me, it doesn't bother me, my goal being to make backing tracks to put MY REAL guitar on it... But I might as well say it so that future buyers won't be disappointed. Second point, I'm going around the rhythms a bit. Same thing, there is something for every taste, and they are rather successful. If some of them scare me off, it's not that Casio did his job badly, it's just that this musical style scares me away ! (So maybe that means they're successful ? Lol...) The third point to note: sound. Fabulous, nothing else to say. Either via the HP (2*6w at home, it's more than enough) or the headphones. No distortion or saturation, no noise... The drums come out marvelously, the bass is round and deep... Superb. Plugged in my monitoring headphones (AKG K240 MKII), the rendering is really beautiful. Let's now go into the (slightly) negative points... First of all, I quickly found the main use of the score holder: it's an instruction manual holder ! Because I might as well say it, without it we're lost ! even if, in my opinion, Casio is not (totally) at fault. In fact, Yamaha has set up a system, which it has maintained for many years, with its qualities and flaws. Competitors (Korg, Roland or others) have been inspired by it and operate on the same philosophy. As a result, since Casio proposes a relatively different approach, we're completely lost. The system is not so bad or illogical, we just have no reference points, we have to start from scratch... And the "book you are the hero" way of using it doesn't really help. Looks like the chapters were randomly drawn... It's a bit confusing but I think I'll have to have it laminated, otherwise it will wear out quickly 😉 The navigation in the menus and sub-menus is quite .... Hum ... erratic. Several times I've arrived where I wanted to go but I'm not really sure if I can come back to it... I'm groping, I'm discovering. I'm sure, I know, that there are a lot of possibilities with this keyboard, you just have to understand how to do it. Honestly, I've known much worse (yes!). I started composing (in 1990) as a nomad with a Yamaha QY10 (then QY-100). Another time but a very dark one too... I'm just surprised that in 2020, 30 years later, ergonomics is still the last concern of manufacturers. Be also careful with some "peculiarities": you can put things on a USB key, in FAT32, in the MUSICDAT directory... but be careful! No subdirectory or too long file names t... It's like being back under DOS3.11... Tonight, I'll change the firmware in 1.08 (what's new? no idea!) and I try a connection with Cubase... Sorry for being a bit long, but I hope it will be useful 😉 PS: Apparently, when you open a midi from the USB stick, the CTX automatically assigns GM instruments. And I haven't figured out how to change... if someone has the answer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFoot69 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Hello ! The casio has been at home for a few days now and I am beginning to understand how it works. First point, I passed it in 1.08. It's not very complicated but it's long! As for the changes brought by the new firmware: ???? Second point, I now know how to use the splits and the 4 layers offered. And also the arpeggiator... I confess, I made some JM Jarre (the intro of RDV 2) with 2 layers of right hand synth and a right hand arpegio (Oberheim): great! It offers an incredible number of possibilities. I also started playing jazz (Acoustic bass left hand and sax right hand), with a disconcerting ease... Third point, I am now able to revoice my midi files (thanks cubase) and play them with the sounds of the casio. Sublime... Well, you have to name them well because with an 8-character display... Last point, the styles. I tried to migrate the Yamaha styles, without much success. There, there is still work to be done. I don't think the Casio is to blame, rather my way of "migrating" them. I still have some work to do to understand it. Finally, a few small remarks : - When you turn on the Casio, it goes back to its original configuration! (Chord Mode, Arpeggiator/Harmonizer) So I have to recall a preset to get MY configuration. Not very practical. - Updating the firmware overwrites everything: bye bye my pads and presets... I just have to know it and make a backup before! Finally, I started creating / modifying tones. Manual not very clear, I'm having a hard time. So if someone has a lead guitar tone (or any electric guitar) in his drawers, I'm interested 😉 Bye ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jokeyman123 Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Casio firmware updates usually don't describe much except for minor user improvements, don't say what these are. As far as modifying rhythms from other keyboards-search right here at this user group as I and others have posted alot of information as to how to do this-to convert for example a Yamaha .sty file to a Casio playable auto-rhythm. No matter what your approach, it is not too easy depending upon your willingness to work with several computer software programs, all of which are also posted here for downloading. Look at Chandler's posts and "T". Chandler has a comprehensive post which pretty much summarizes all the prior experiments many of us have done, with older CTK/WK Casios, and have posted here. if you are interested, I have many rather more complex auto-rhythms i have created and uploaded here-derived from Roland auto-arrangers and my own midi files-that I designed to play on my PX-560, but will also play on any Casio that can recognize the .ckf auto-arranger files-which includes i believe the CTX series. The tones/styles might not be exactly to your liking, but will demonstrate what can be done, with the right amount of work. I posted these in the PX-560 upload section, where we place our custom tones and hex layers-look for the .ckf files. Yamaha QY's-I've kept mine-the QY22 and QY100 still stand up IMO. There is no easy way to modify those arrangements to play on a Casio-you can export the patterns to midi and using software convert these to a Casio .ckf but I haven't bothered, since I just connect the QY's to the Casio audio inputs and midi connectors-and use these as an additional auto-arranger instrument, since these can follow chords played live from any midi keyboard just as our Casios can. Now if Casio made something like this-a small auto-arranger tone module-it would sell like hotcakes! There currently isn't anything like these anywhere-and the PMA-5 Roland. They might be nervous it would cut into keyboard sales-but could open up non-Casio musicians with different brand keyboards to Casio's newest sound engines (hint-hint). I'd buy one if the price was right, just use the AIX tones it would be a killer module, but that's another topic sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 4 hours ago, BigFoot69 said: - When you turn on the Casio, it goes back to its original configuration! (Chord Mode, Arpeggiator/Harmonizer) So I have to recall a preset to get MY configuration. Not very practical Go into the function settings and turn on auto resume. As far as firmware, 1.08 was minor bug corrections that only some users would ever notice. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFoot69 Posted November 10, 2020 Author Share Posted November 10, 2020 On 10/22/2020 at 1:46 PM, Jokeyman123 said: Casio firmware updates usually don't describe much except for minor user improvements, don't say what these are. As far as modifying rhythms from other keyboards-search right here at this user group as I and others have posted alot of information as to how to do this-to convert for example a Yamaha .sty file to a Casio playable auto-rhythm. No matter what your approach, it is not too easy depending upon your willingness to work with several computer software programs, all of which are also posted here for downloading. Look at Chandler's posts and "T". Chandler has a comprehensive post which pretty much summarizes all the prior experiments many of us have done, with older CTK/WK Casios, and have posted here. if you are interested, I have many rather more complex auto-rhythms i have created and uploaded here-derived from Roland auto-arrangers and my own midi files-that I designed to play on my PX-560, but will also play on any Casio that can recognize the .ckf auto-arranger files-which includes i believe the CTX series. The tones/styles might not be exactly to your liking, but will demonstrate what can be done, with the right amount of work. I posted these in the PX-560 upload section, where we place our custom tones and hex layers-look for the .ckf files. Yamaha QY's-I've kept mine-the QY22 and QY100 still stand up IMO. There is no easy way to modify those arrangements to play on a Casio-you can export the patterns to midi and using software convert these to a Casio .ckf but I haven't bothered, since I just connect the QY's to the Casio audio inputs and midi connectors-and use these as an additional auto-arranger instrument, since these can follow chords played live from any midi keyboard just as our Casios can. Now if Casio made something like this-a small auto-arranger tone module-it would sell like hotcakes! There currently isn't anything like these anywhere-and the PMA-5 Roland. They might be nervous it would cut into keyboard sales-but could open up non-Casio musicians with different brand keyboards to Casio's newest sound engines (hint-hint). I'd buy one if the price was right, just use the AIX tones it would be a killer module, but that's another topic sorry! up.... first i was looking for something like the roland BK7m... But even second hand it was priceless. In fact, just the sound and arranger part of the casio would have been enough for me. One day maybe a brand will come out with a "walkstation" worthy of the name... As a result, the casio is no longer very "walk" (lol) but the sound is sublime and it offers a lot of possibilities, especially coupled with a DAW... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayoMcNasty Posted March 21, 2021 Share Posted March 21, 2021 I was looking for an awesome keyboard with step recording capability so I ordered a CTX-3000. After doing a runaround several times in the manual, and several headaches, I've concluded that this thing is garbage for step recording. It has great sounds, but during step recording there is no way to use any instrument other than stage piano and I think that stinks. You can't even edit the tone to any other tone, even after writing it in, it returns to the stage piano. Horrible arranger! For the good news, with a 1/4" audio to USB converter device, I can play anything I want such as drums into my daw. Analogue is the only way. I just thought it would be nice to already have some stuff arranged in the keyboard itself. Forget about this "arranger" if you plan on arranging within a keyboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 3 hours ago, MayoMcNasty said: It has great sounds, but during step recording there is no way to use any instrument other than stage piano and I think that stinks. The manual assumes something has been recorded to track before entering step edit mode. Recording notes to a track will also record tone selection. Before entering step edit mode, record your tone selection to the track you wish to step record by entering record standby mode, select a tone, then start a recording by playing a single note. Stop the recording and confirm playback plays the tone you selected. Now enter step edit mode, delete the note if desired, and continue to add new notes by step recording. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faz726 Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Brad, great tip but I can't fathom out User Guide pages 106 - 107. I've step inputted a simple melody on the system track. According to the manual I can change the tone. I feel I'm missing something but can't see what. Note Events Use 2 and 5 (down,up) to display a note event Use 1 and 3 (left,right) to display parameter:- Velocity GateBeat GateTick Then, next paragraph... Tone Number Events Use 2 and 5 to display "Tone"(Tone Number Event), but... 2 and 5 simply moves to the next note event. I'm pretty sure I changed the tone of a recorded melody a couple of days ago but can't seem to repeat it. Perhaps I was dreaming! Thanks. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Saucier Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Buttons 2 (up) and 5 (down) are scrolling up or down through various events recorded to a track. If a tone change occurred during real-time recording, a tone event will be among note events in the track. Keep scrolling, and you will find it. Now, if you are looking to edit your initial tone selection made in record standby mode, it can not be edited this way. That data is stored as song header data, rather than track event data. Header data is edited by using the mixer. See "recorded song mixer settings" for details on that, page EN-109. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faz726 Posted March 22, 2021 Share Posted March 22, 2021 Thanks for that. I should have turned over a couple of pages. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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