rsaintjohn Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 (edited) Just sharing some results from some experiments with the CT-S400, and using iPhone apps to externally control it via MIDI. (private video) First, thanks again to Jay C, Brad, and others for providing details on the Casio MIDI implementation elsewhere in the forum. Using those clues, I was able to get the CT-S400 to do some things via MIDI I didn’t expect. I’m not sure if this is old news or even of interest, but I wanted to document my findings in case anyone ever wants to do anything similar. The video demonstrates how I have an app called Zenbeats on an iPhone XR sequencing three separate tracks over different MIDI channels. Zenbeats is available on iOS, Android, and desktop and is a favorite of mine for quick work with virtual instruments and MIDI, and has a killer library of drum patterns. It’s like GarageBand, but with better MIDI support. I also used another iOS app, MIDI Wrench, and configured it to send program changes to different MIDI channels on the CT, based on the MIDI documentation in the CT-S400 user guide. At first, I was using Bluetooth MIDI with the Casio WU-BT10 adapter. Using the app BLE-MIDI, I was able to establish a reliable BT MIDI connection between the phone and the CT. By sending Program Changes over MIDI channel 10, I was able to load different drum kits. By sending Program Changes over MIDI channel 1, I was able to load different keyboard tones. Awesome. I soon abandoned the WU-BT10 when moving to the next phase, external sequencing. The data proved to be too much and the response from the CT was buffered and stuttered. So I switch to an Apple Lightning to USB camera adapter and a regular USB A to micro cable, connected to the Host port of the CT. Don’t bother to try a single Lightning to USB cable to the CT’s other USB port. Without an adapter in between, neither device sees itself as host, and the apps won’t find the CT. Use my method and apps will see CASIO USB MIDI as an interface. Using a wired connection resolved my data and sync issues. This, too, was awesome. With Zenbeats, I generated a drum loop and set the drum track to output to MIDI Channel 10. Success! With MIDI Wrench, I was able to select alternate drum kits. Back in Zenbeats, I added a new track configured to accept input over Channel 1. I ran the loop and set the track to record data input I played from the CT. Zenbeats recorded the notes. Then I used MIDI Wrench to change the CT instrument on channel 1 to a synth pad. When I changed the track to output to channel 1, the CT played the notes with its internal tone. I repeated for track 2 and MIDI channel 2, and that worked as well. I’m not sure if the limit is 4 tracks like the CT itself, or just polyphony. I’ll have to dig deeper. When I was done, I could play the three track sequence in Zenbeats, hear it all from the CT, and even play on top of it. I also noted that the song recorder of the CT does not record what is being externally sequenced, nor recognize MIDI Start/Stop. The key takeaway here is that this external MIDI stuff is being played on another layer, independent of the local CT itself: no recording, no reflection of any of this in the display. The CT will still respond, play, and record what you do on the keyboard itself, but it’s independent from the external MIDI actions. That’s all, I think, for now. I think the practical application of this is just a different kind of performance and flexibility, like another way to do the drums. It also demonstrates how the CT can be useful as a keyboard for some mobile apps. And it may turn out to be a way to do with the CT-S400 a little bit more than it can do on its own. BTW, I have to say that the CT-S400 turned out to be fantastic all on its own. This is my first Casiotone in decades. I have a number of them as well as CZs, and XW-P1, a PX-S3000. It’s possible I didn’t need to do any of this stuff with the 400, but I like to explore. You never know when it’ll be useful. But the CT-S400 is kind of a Casiotone dream come true for me. The sound, form factor, layers and splits, arps and harmonize, workflow… I just love this keyboard. I have a studio full of synths, drum machines, and software, but sometimes it’s more fun to kick back with something like this in another room. Very inspiring and lots of fun. More to come when I have time! Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. Edited December 14, 2021 by rsaintjohn 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShidoStrife Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Hello, I'd like to ask if CT-S400 midi control includes the pitch bend? The manual says it doesn't transmit pitch bend, but the lower model (CT-S300) does, again according to the manual. It's kinda weird if the higher model doesn't transmit pitch bend data while the lower model does, so I'd really like to confirm this. Thank you in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaintjohn Posted December 30, 2021 Author Share Posted December 30, 2021 (edited) On 12/29/2021 at 8:45 AM, ShidoStrife said: Hello, I'd like to ask if CT-S400 midi control includes the pitch bend? The manual says it doesn't transmit pitch bend, but the lower model (CT-S300) does, again according to the manual. It's kinda weird if the higher model doesn't transmit pitch bend data while the lower model does, so I'd really like to confirm this. Thank you in advance! Sorry for the delay, needed time to find the right USB cable and one long enough to test it out. CT-S400 both transmitted and received Pitch Bend (14-bit high res too!) It also seemed to Tx/Rx Velocity. It also Received drums over channel 10, and notes over Omni. It doesn’t seem to Transmit on 10. It will Transmit keyboard notes on channel 1, possibly ch 3 for Split (lower) and ch 8 for the second Layer (upper 2), according to MidiView and Zenbeats DAW I need to dig further there. No start/stop or clock, as far as I can see. Edited December 30, 2021 by rsaintjohn Added clock, sync 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShidoStrife Posted December 31, 2021 Share Posted December 31, 2021 7 hours ago, rsaintjohn said: Sorry for the delay, needed time to find the right USB cable and one long enough to test it out. CT-S400 both transmitted and received Pitch Bend (14-bit high res too!) It also seemed to Tx/Rx Velocity. It also Received drums over channel 10, and notes over Omni. It doesn’t seem to Transmit on 10. It will Transmit keyboard notes on channel 1, possibly ch 3 for Split (lower) and ch 8 for the second Layer (upper 2), according to MidiView and Zenbeats DAW I need to dig further there. No start/stop or clock, as far as I can see. Thank you for the confirmation. Now I'm confident to pick up this keyboard Happy new year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskavle Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 How do I connect my CT S400 to a Macbook Air using a wired midi connection? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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