Problem Playing Ct-S500 From Another Keyboard

[BenWaB3]

I've been trying to get my Hammond SKPro to play (trigger) the sounds from the CT-S500 via MIDI. The only way I can get it to almost work is using a MIDI dongle from the MIDI out of the SK and have the CT dongle attached. However after the first few notes the latency jumps to about a second. I've tried running a USB-B from the TO HOST out on the Hammond to the USB-A TO DEVICE on the CT with no luck. Also tried a USB-B from the Hammond to the USB Micro on the CT with the same (non)results. The Bluetooth attempt was with one of the WIDImaster dongles. I also have a Yamaha dongle but you have to put an app on the receiving device to get it to recognize it,  a feature I don't think the CT has. And it's very possible it would get the same delay. Has anyone been able to trigger the CT sounds from another keyboard using just USB cables? And also, would it have killed them to include good old common MIDI sockets on this keyboard? Thanks in advance.

 

Addendum to the original post: I did hook the SK up to a DAW on my computer just to make sure the Hammond was working correctly and it does trigger MIDI on the DAW.

Edited May 27, 2022 by BenWaB3

[Mike Martin]

To be clear, you using the USB-MIDI input? Since the CT-S500 only has USB MIDI, that requires a host - a computer or other type of interface to go between. A direct cable connection is not possible. 

[Chas]

This is standard behavior for USB MIDI - a host is always required. You cannot directly connect two keyboards with just a USB MIDI cable and trigger one from the other the way you can with 5 pin DIN MIDI. 

 

The way round this is to get something like a USB MIDI host box/ converter. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/CAMOLA-MIDI-Host-Interface-Converter/dp/B08MZY59B7/ref=asc_df_B08MZY59B7/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=475739771007&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13038967399193424064&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9012036&hvtargid=pla-1279159642272&psc=1

[BenWaB3]

Thanks for the replies, Mike and Chas. I had copied the post to the Keyboard Corner Forum and, along with Mike's same reply, another poster there had also suggested that host box/converter. Just to be sure: the micro USB on the CT will play MIDI to my DAW on the computer, but does that port receive MIDI as well?  It looks like I would be connecting the MIDI out of the Hammond to the MIDI in on the converter but then I would have to run a USB-A to the Micro USB on the CT. So it would need to be capable of 2-wat transmission. Thanks again.

[Brad Saucier]

Yes, CT-S500 receives MIDI IN.  MIDI IN has it's own sound engine.  Tone selection for MIDI IN will need to be done over MIDI using bank and program change messages.  

[BenWaB3]

9 hours ago, Brad Saucier said:

Yes, CT-S500 receives MIDI IN.  MIDI IN has it's own sound engine.  Tone selection for MIDI IN will need to be done over MIDI using bank and program change messages.  

Thanks for the replay, Brad. Just to make sure - - -  does that mean I wouldn't be able to use the Registration buttons and dial on the CT to choose the tones and could only do so through MIDI? If so, that would definitely be a deal breaker. 

[Brad Saucier]

Correct.  

[BenWaB3]

6 hours ago, Brad Saucier said:

Correct.  

That would pretty much render pushing the Casio from the Hammond useless for me then. What I've done in the past is have a Combination on the Hammond set to play external units & used it to play some iPad apps. I would just bring up the sound I wanted on the iPad then and they would all play from just the one combination on the Hammond It sounds like with the Casio though I would have to set up multiple Combinations on the Hammond, one for each sound I wanted to play from the Casio., which is too much of a hassle. That's one of those head scratcher "why did they do it like that" situations. Thanks for the reply though, Brad. Even though it's not what I wanted to hear I appreciate you letting me know.

[anotherscott]

On 5/28/2022 at 3:43 PM, BenWaB3 said:

That's one of those head scratcher "why did they do it like that" situations. 

"Why did they do it like that" is always what I think when they leave off the 5-pin MIDI jacks... but it's not just Casio... practically all low-cost boards don't have them anymore. And without them, yeah, you need a host function somewhere. But you said that, besides the Hammond and Casio, you also have an iPad in the mix. The iPad can act as a host! So you can run an app like Camelot Pro or Keystage with your two keyboards connected to it, and then your Casio and Hammond will each be able to send MIDI to the other.

[anotherscott]

On 5/27/2022 at 11:16 PM, Brad Saucier said:

CT-S500 receives MIDI IN.  MIDI IN has it's own sound engine.  Tone selection for MIDI IN will need to be done over MIDI using bank and program change messages.  

On 5/28/2022 at 8:49 AM, BenWaB3 said:

Just to make sure - - -  does that mean I wouldn't be able to use the Registration buttons and dial on the CT to choose the tones and could only do so through MIDI? If so, that would definitely be a deal breaker. 

On 5/28/2022 at 9:14 AM, Brad Saucier said:

Correct.  

On 5/28/2022 at 3:43 PM, BenWaB3 said:

That would pretty much render pushing the Casio from the Hammond useless for me then. What I've done in the past is have a Combination on the Hammond set to play external units & used it to play some iPad apps. I would just bring up the sound I wanted on the iPad then and they would all play from just the one combination on the Hammond It sounds like with the Casio though I would have to set up multiple Combinations on the Hammond, one for each sound I wanted to play from the Casio., which is too much of a hassle. That's one of those head scratcher "why did they do it like that" situations. Thanks for the reply though, Brad. Even though it's not what I wanted to hear I appreciate you letting me know.

 

The Oct 2022 update described at https://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/21937-ct-s500-ct-s1000v-firmware-update-now-available/ should let you do what you want.