CT-S1000V Review Part 7 - MIDI Connectivity

[Chas]

Hey all,

Here's Part 7 of my Casiotone CT-S1000V Review where I explore its MIDI Capabilities, and where I also discover an unexpected limitation. 

 

 

 

[Lechdude]

Epic review Chas! Answered all my questions that's for sure.

 

Ta,

 

Le Chef Dude (as in the french word for cook "dude", even though I am British lol)

[Brad Saucier]

Okay, I'll to clarify things regarding the MIDI questions.  The limitation with MIDI is mainly with DSP effects, since those are insert effects (limited by hardware resources) reserved for the local sound engine.  System effects are available for all MIDI addressed tones.  

 

Yes, you can layer sounds over MIDI.  You can layer 16 different tones.  A full 16 track recording can be made in a DAW and played back using the CT-S as the sound module. 

 

This is what Casio intended the extra 16 part sound engine for.  You can playback your DAW recording (or GM files) without interfering with local tones used for keyboard performances.  The sound engine on these, and many other Casio models, is actually 3 times more powerful than the MIDI standard allows, since 16 channels is maximum which can be addressed by MIDI.  This is why the 48 part sound engine is divided  into 3 groups of 16.  

 

Also note, whenever recording MIDI in a DAW,  your tones selections for each recorded track should be made after you press record in your DAW, so the track can record bank and program change data (which tone you're using).  On playback, the tracks will properly select the tones in the CT-S MIDI sound engine. 

 

If you want to record a registration in your DAW software, one that includes splits and layers, you'll need to enable recording on multiple tracks at once, each one receiving the various MIDI channels being used by splits and layers.  Again, press record in your DAW software before selecting your registration, so the tracks can record all of the configuration data transmitted by the CT-S.  

[Lechdude]

Thanks for adding this info and useful tip Brad,

 

Lechefdude

[Chas]

On 7/5/2022 at 5:55 PM, Lechdude said:

Epic review Chas! Answered all my questions that's for sure.

 

Ta,

 

Le Chef Dude (as in the french word for cook "dude", even though I am British lol)

 

Thank you! 

 

Fellow Brit here also (you could probably tell by my accent in my videos!) Originally from Watford/ NW London, now leaving in West Central Florida!

[Chas]

@Brad Saucier - Many thanks as always for clarifying and expanding on the technicalities of this quirky beast!

I should have been clearer in my review when I said that you couldn't layer Tones over MIDI, because what I meant was that you couldn't activate the "Layer" function as per the UI. I did mention that the S1000V was 48 part multi timbral, so yes, you can layer by the use of separate MIDI tracks but my point was that it would have been nice to have been able to record one MIDI track and have it play the two layered Tones as already set up in a Registration. 

 

Also yes, you can add the required Tone to a MIDI track by  selecting it after pressing record, though by using the pop up box and adding the bank and program change number beforehand does the same thing, at least in my DAW. And that's how all my other MIDI devices generally operate. It would be kind of awkward if a MIDI part came in right at the beginning of a track and I'm trying to select it while recording has already started! The process I've always worked with is to arm the appropriate MIDI track with all the details, such as patch number and MIDI channel before the record button is hit.

 

Regarding recording a Registration with splits and layers via multiple MIDI tracks, thank you for the heads up on that one. I will try that once I am back home (we've been away for over a week and a half house sitting an elderly relative). We return home this weekend, and though I'm going to have a lot of catching up to do (I'm dreading the state of the yard and the pool!) I'm planning on resuming filming and editing my various projects asap. With this new information (thank you again) I will look at putting together an addendum MIDI Connectivity video to cover the MIDI information that you have just given to me.

 

It's also worth pointing out that I HAVE spent of lot of time trying to understand the S1000V, including pouring over the main User Guide and also the MIDI user guide, and was trying to go by the information I read. And as much as I haasve encouraged people to NOT approach the S1000V from the mindset and workflow of a pure synth, maybe I was guilty of doing just that. And though I am no expert, I perhaps have a little more experience and knowledge that the general buyers of the S1000V won't have,  thus it's likely that I won't be the only person to find themselves in this situation. In fact in some discussions I've seen had the exact same thing happening, including one buyer returning it because he couldn't get the MIDI to record the Tones as in the current state his keyboard was in.

A constructive suggestion if this might well be a regular occurrence when people are trying to record splits and layers as MIDI within a DAW - perhaps for the next revision of the User Guide/ MIDI User Guide is to include a section explaining how to do exactly this. Because users used to a "pure" synth expect that generally it outputs just one MIDI track with all parameters set beforehand, and this will be recorded as a single track MIDI recording. Whereas with the Casiotone having so many different sections, a lot of users aren't familiar with setting up multiple MIDI tracks to record all the different sections simultaneously.  

 

Anyway, thanks once again for the helpful information and advice, and I will be sure to try this out when I'm back home.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Chas

[Chas]

Hey all, after house sitting an elderly relative and then having another family relative come to stay with us for a week, I'm back to trying to get this MIDI recording and layering aspect of the S1000V functioning in my DAW so I can make a follow up video.

 

@Brad Saucier- I've tried some of your suggestions to get my DAW to record bank/ program changes, and also Registrations, AFTER I hit record, but I'm not having a lot of luck. I don't know if it's my DAW or some setting I'm missing. I'm still having the same issue of my DAW recording the MIDI note data fine, but it reverts back back to the same default sounds as per when I imported a previously recorded  S1000V MIDI file in the Recording Episode of my review series, even though each track has been routed to the appropriate Casio MIDI channel.

 

I've set my DAW project up as per below. Each Recording MIDI track, 1 to 16, is armed to correspond with the 16 tracks available via the Casio USB MIDI input (the drop down boxes on the left of the screen). The output "Instrument" for each track is routed to the same MIDI track/ channel number using the Casio USB external device. (the window to the right of the screen)  I toggle the output device to mute when a track is armed and recording, and then do the reverse when when I want to play the recorded track back (unarm the track and unmute the external Casio "instrument").

 

 

 

As said, it will record the three MIDI parts of the S1000V, such as U1 and U2 upper Tone layers (U2 if engaged) and also an L1 split Tone (if lower split is engaged). But, it won't record the Program or Registration changes and will only play back using the same default sounds.

However, I guess a work around is to go into the automation section of each MIDI track, and there I found all the MIDI parameters that can be automated/ changed. I can then set Program, MSB, and LSB at the very beginning to engage the correct Tone on playback, plus I can also change any of the other CC parameters at any point. This also means that I can draw in and automate the Filter cut-off  CC parameter to replicate an LFO and/ or envelope that the S1000V lacks.

 

 

 

 

 

By setting MIDI CC parameters at the beginning of each automation track, I am able to simultaneously play multiple Tone layers in the S1000V via MIDI, as well as replicate an LFO sweeping the filter cut off. It is still a crying shame that the ACT DSPs cannot be used over MIDI, and of course it would have been nice for my DAW to be able to record my S1000V in the state it was currently set rather than have to enter a number of MIDI CC details, but at least it seems to be a workaround.

 

Any idea why my DAW isn't recording the Program and Bank changes at the start of the track? Is there a MIDI setting that I've missed somewhere? 

 

 

 

Edited July 20, 2022 by Chas

[Brad Saucier]

Hi Chas,

 

Can you check the event view for your tracks?   You should see a short section of events including tone selection at the moment you pressed the registration selection you wanted.  If that's not in the recording, perhaps an event filter or MIDI receive filter is active in your DAW.  I'm not aware of anything in the 1000V which will disable transmission of this data.  Software like this can be so tricky sometimes.  

 

 

[Chas]

Thanks as always Brad for the heads up and suggestions.

 

I've been doing some more experimenting with this and have been having quite a few hair pulling/ banging head on desk sessions! In one session of frustration, I thought "DAMN IT!" and for the hell of it I fired up a different DAW (Reaper) just to rule out my DAW (Mixcraft) being the issue. I have an evaluation copy of Reaper installed from when I was testing out DAWs, but decided to go with Mixcraft because I preferred the layout and workflow better.  Anyhow, though I don't know my way around Reaper anywhere near as well as Mixcraft, I managed to set up a MIDI recording project and recorded the S1000V's MIDI. During recording I selected a registration I had made that used a split keyboard and arpeggiator, toggled between "Instrument" and "Lyrics", and also hit the layer button to layer a U2 TONE with a U1 Tone. Reaper recorded all of this, and also played it back correctly. The way it routes  recorded MIDI tracks is different to Mixcraft and I'm not sure if that's what is the issue. I should also mention that a couple of times it didn't record the "lyrics"/ Vocal Synthesis selection properly and played that back with a different sound. Mostly though, it seemed to do correctly what Mixcraft doesn't. This all seems to suggest that part of my MIDI recording issue is with Mixcraft, not so much the S1000V or my audio/ MIDI interface. And that the issue seems to be with MIDI playback and not the actual MIDI recording.

 

Here's my dilemma though. I've invested considerable time and also money into Mixcraft, so I really don't want to have to switch DAWs. Plus I have numerous projects on the go as well as a whole bunch of templates. Switching to another DAW at this stage would be frustrating and time consuming, therefore I'd like to try and get to the bottom of why Mixcraft is not sending recorded MIDI back out to the S1000V correctly.

 

My DAW (Mixcraft Pro Studio 9) doesn't have a MIDI events viewer like the one in your picture, but it does show all CC changes made in an automation lane. I can select from a list any individual CC parameter, then any changes will be shown as blue vertical lines along the time line. Each line represents a value from 0 - 127, and can also be edited (or drawn in) to change the value by increasing or decreasing the line height. In the picture below you can see highlighted in blue all active MIDI CC parameters used on the selected track, and you can also see that I've selected the Data Entry parameter (6) that shows two places along the time line where changes were made. I've also checked  the values of the Program Change, Bank Select (MSB) and Bank Select (LSB) recorded entries and their values correspond to Tone I selected with the Tone list in the User Guide. Therefore I can confirm that yes, my DAW is recording all these MIDI CC changes correctly., but it's not sending them back out to the S1000V correctly.

 

 

 

You can also see three track recordings in the picture above corresponding to Tone U1 (Track 1), Tone U2 (Track 2) and Tone L1 (Track 3). In the picture below you can see how I've routed the MIDI input and MIDI output of track no 1.  Under the red "arm" button you can see the drop down boxes where I've selected incoming MIDI to come from Casio USB MIDI, and I've selected it to record the Casio USB MIDI Channel 01. The two windows in the middle and to the right show the output routing for Track 01, and you can again see that I've selected Casio USB and  MIDI Channel 1. Note that during recording I switch off the MIDI output otherwise I would get MIDI loopback. Once the MIDI is recorded, then I switch it on. And FWIW, I've also experimented with routing a MIDI input track  as "All MIDI Channels"  rather than a specific number, and also checking/ unchecking the "Send MIDI clock and Status Messages" check box but get the same result

 

 

 

 

One thing that confuses me though is page 5 of the MIDI USER Guide (see below). For parts 01 to 05, it states that each of these parts transmits on channels 1 - 16, whereas parts 06 to 16 transmit on single corresponding channels i..e. Part 06 only transmits on Channel 6. Also the MIDI receive channel for all part numbers is just shown as blank. 

 

 

 

 

From what I've shown above, is there anything standing out that might be what is causing me playback issues? Am I routing tracks correctly? For Parts 01 to 05, should I record them in and send them out as individual MIDI channels or should I select "All MIDI Channels"? I'm pretty sure that I've tried every possible combination but have had no luck. I'm really trying to get my head round this to resolve the issue so that I can make a follow up video to add to my CT-S1000V review series. Hopefully it's just a setting I've missed in Mixcraft rather than a bug that requires me to switch to another DAW!  

Edited July 22, 2022 by Chas

[Brad Saucier]

I have never used Mixcraft, so I won't be much help outside of generalized ideas.  Perhaps some sort of MIDI event filtering is occuring in the software.  Other than that, I can only suggest double checking each tracks routing. Make sure they are transmitting and receiving proper MIDI channels.  

 

16 hours ago, Chas said:

From what I've shown above, is there anything standing out that might be what is causing me playback issues? Am I routing tracks correctly? For Parts 01 to 05, should I record them in and send them out as individual MIDI channels or should I select "All MIDI Channels"?

 

Each track needs to receive and transmit through individual channels.  

 

16 hours ago, Chas said:

One thing that confuses me though is page 5 of the MIDI USER Guide (see below). For parts 01 to 05, it states that each of these parts transmits on channels 1 - 16, whereas parts 06 to 16 transmit on single corresponding channels i..e. Part 06 only transmits on Channel 6.

 

Those parts are configurable to any of 16 channels in MIDI controller mode.  The CT-S1000V and S500 have a dedicated MIDI controller mode.  That mode turns off local control, and allows manual selection of MIDI output channel per part (upper 1, upper 2, lower) and allows manual input of other MIDI data.  Check out the section in the manual on "Using the MIDI controller" mode.  I'm impressed they added this mode in this series of keyboards.  

 

16 hours ago, Chas said:

Also the MIDI receive channel for all part numbers is just shown as blank

 

Taking a look at the chart again (and the preceding paragraphs before that chart),  Port C, parts 1-16 receive MIDI input through channels 1-16.  Port C is the "MIDI IN" sound engine. The main sound engine (Port A) is not accessible by MIDI input, which is why the chart is blank on the receive column.  Port C is also why DSP is not available for MIDI input.  DSP is allocated to Port A only.  

[Frenetos]

@Chas

In case it helps with your investigation, you can easily see MIDI events in REAPER.

On a track, click on FX to add a plugin, choose "ReaControlMIDI".

On that plugin, click on "Show Log". This opens a panel on the right where you can see all the MIDI events.

 

 

On this topic, after using Cubase and Ableton Live for years, I really very very very much prefer REAPER, so I encourage you to maybe slowly migrating to this fantastic (and extremely alive) program 😀.

[Chas]

@Brad Saucier& @Frenetos - thanks so much for responding and for the suggestions.

UPDATE - I think I might have identified the issue.

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was able to get the correct sounds playing by going into the individual MIDI tracks and manually entering in the Program Change, Bank MSB and Bank LSB data for the Tone I wanted to be played. The issue seemed to be that some of the MIDI data wasn't being recorded and thus not transmitted on play back.

 

To examine things further, I once again set up a project  using the S1000V and selected the Casio USB "External MIDI device" as inputs, and routed Casio USB MIDI channels 1, 2 and 3 to be recorded on tracks 1, 2 and 3 in my DAW. I also routed each track's MIDI back out to their corresponding MIDI channels via the Casio USB. When recording I'd switch off the output MIDI to avoid loopback, and turn them on for playback.

 

I recorded a Registration that used three simultaneous tracks corresponding to U1, U2 and L1. This Registration split the keyboard and started off with a sample (802) patch, then during recording I switched to a Lyric Tone, then I changed registrations for a different Tone, added a layer to that Tone and also played the L1 Tone that was triggered by an arpeggiator. If you look at the picture below, you can see in Track 1 where I played a melody Tone followed by a break, then I played another chord Tone followed by another break where I changed the Tone etc. On Track 2 you can see towards the end where I triggered and played a layered Tone, and on Track 3 you can see the dotted information towards the end that corresponds with the arpeggiated bass being played.

 

Note also the blue waveform at the bottom of the screen that is MIDI parameter (74) - Sound Brightness according to the MIDI CC menu on the left, though it's actually the filter cutoff. This is where I manually swept the filter to affect the filter cut off, and you can clearly see that it has recorded this MIDI CC information. Also note from the MIDI CC parameter window that any parameter highlighted in blue has actively recorded MIDI information. and any parameter that is still in black has no recorded MIDI information. When I play this recording back, it plays all the correct notes on the S1000V and also sweeps the filter, but none of the Tones are correct.

 

 

 

 

Now take a look at the picture below. I've selected Track 01 that recorded all the U1 Tones, included the changes. I then opened the Track 1 MIDI CC parameter box and selected (0) Bank Select (MSB). You will note that along the bottom of the screen there is no MIDI information (that would be represented as blue bars) for this parameter. If you go back to the previous picture above, you can see that MIDI parameter (0) Bank Select (MSB) is in black and not highlighted blue, because it has NOT received/ recorded any MIDI information. But as you can also see, there are many other parameters highlighted in blue that shows that the S1000V HAS sent a whole load of MIDI data, but for some reason Mixcraft has recorded everything EXCEPT parameter (0) Bank Select (MSB). This is problematic as Bank Select (MSB) is crucial for selecting the correct Tone., as a Tone requires Program Change, Bank MSB AND Bank LSB data to tell the S1000V which Tone to select.

 

 

 

Note also the small window in the middle and towards the right. this pops up when I select the output for the Casio USB for a track, and in this instance it's for Track 1. Here I can select the MIDI channel that I want to route the recorded MIDI track to, and in this case I've routed it back out to the same channel it came in on - channel 1. I also have the option sending a single MIDI Program Change and a MIDI Bank Change message at the start, and also to send MIDI clock and Status messages if check the appropriate boxes. I was using this window when I made my MIDI Connectivity episode as I pre-selected one Tone for a track rather than recording any Tone changes during recording as I wanted to keep things simple and clear to anyone watching. In hindsight, I would've discovered this MIDI issue had I tried to record actual program and bank changes during a recording. I also wonder if this is why Mixcraft has that pop up window where you can select a Program and Bank changes at the beginning of a track? Hmm....

 

 

I also checked this scenario out in Reaper by recording a similar project - 3 tracks corresponding to U1, U2 and L1 of the S1000V, and I did what @Frenetos suggested and installed the ReaControlMIDI plugin to monitor all the MIDI information. If you look at the picture below I have selected Track 1, and in the ReaControlMIDI window you can clearly see parameter 0 - Bank Select MSB has been recorded along with Bank LSB and also the Program Change parameters that correspond to the correct Tone that is required. You can also see on the letters "PC" on the tracks themselves showing when a Program Change event occurred. And when I play the recorded MIDI track back into the S1000V, it does indeed select and play all the correct Tones.

 

 

 

 

To conclude this investigation (I feel like I'm in an episode of Columbo!), what appears to happening is that Mixcraft records all the MIDI information EXCEPT parameter 0, the Bank MSB value. And as mentioned, I can go in and add this value manually wherever it is missing, then the track will play back and correctly select and play the required Tone(s). But if I don't add the data for the missing Bank MSB, then the S1000V either assumes the value is 0 or it doesn't recognise it as a valid PC. Meanwhile, Reaper appears to have no issue with recording all MIDI CC parameters including (0) Banks MSB, therefore the issue is clearly with Mixcraft and NOT with the S1000V nor with the CASIO USB driver. Quite why Mixcraft is not recording the (0) Bank MSB parameter I have no idea, but I will be raising this issue on the Mixcraft User Forum and see if they can offer any suggestions.

And @Frenetos yes, I could look at migrating to Reaper and yes for sure, it's regarded as an excellent DAW, BUT, as mentioned previously, I've invested so much time into learning Mixcraft's workflow that it would be a pain to have to relearn a new DAW. This is similar to me still using Shotcut for video editing, because now there are other video editors available (i.e. DaVinci Resolve free that so many recommend) that weren't available when I started out with video editing.  I have so much experience with Shotcut, and it is still an excellent video editor, so to switch to another would take a lot of relearning and readjusting to a different workflow. I did try DaVinci Resolve, but actually found it to be no faster as far as CPU processing was concerned and everything other than basic cuts took much longer to do because all the shortcuts, filters and key frames work completely differently to what I am familiar with in Shotcut.

 

Going back to Mixcraft, I also have a lot of paid/ licensed plugins that I would have to get working with Reaper, and I also have a bunch of current projects on the go as well as custom preset templates and custom preset FX Rack chains (and my own presets in many individual plugins). The thought of trying to recreate all of this in an unfamiliar DAW is rather daunting! If I continue to have issues with Mixcraft, or if more bugs start to show up, I may well have to consider switching, especially as Reaper is available for Linux and I do want to try and get more involved with the Linux platform. This was actually my goal when I set up my system a few years back and every major program/ app that I chose to use (bar Mixcraft) is also available as open source for Linux. However, my Windows system has been very reliable and productive so I've not been in a rush to jump onto the Linux ship just yet.

 

Anyhow, I've rambled on long enough. Thanks as always to @Brad Saucier, and also @Frenetos for your inputs, at least I now seem to have finally identified my MIDI issue as being caused by Mixcraft. Now I just need to knock up a video addressing this!

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by Chas

[Frenetos]

Great to see that helped and you finally found the issue!! 😃
 

[Frenetos]

I am aware this is not exactly the best way to ask this (have already posted in the Reaper forum), but just in case anybody can give me a hand.

 

Following @Chas fantastic video (with which I have learned a lot), I´m exploring the MIDI capabilities of the CASIO CTS500 in Reaper.

As previously said in this thread, in Reaper we have to use the ReaMIDIControl plugin for changing bank and program. Works perfectly well.

 

You can also load a .reabank file, which is a very simple text file that specifies banks and programs. There are .reabank files for many MIDI keyboards, etc. (even for some CASIO models), so I was thinking about creating a .reabank file for easily using the CTS500 as a soundbank for playing MIDI files.

 

 

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

The structure of this .reabank files goes like this:

 

Bank 121 0 General MIDI

0 Acoustic Grand Piano
1 Bright Acoustic Piano
2 Electric Grand Piano
3 Honky-tonk Piano
4 Electric Piano 1
5 Electric Piano 2
6 Harpsichord
7 Clavinet

 

This is:

To specify a bank, you have to write a line following this format:

Key word "Bank" - MSB - LSB - bank name.

There can be many banks.
 

All subsequent lines until a new "Bank" is found are understood to belong to that bank.

Then the program lines are simply:

Program - Patch name

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
The tone list in the manual appears like this (just a sample of the 800 something tones it has):

Number - Tone Name - Program Change - MSB - LSB
1 STAGE PIANO 0 1 0
2 CLASSIC GRAND 0 24 0
3 BALLAD PIANO 0 25 0
4 BRIGHT PIANO 1 1 0
5 MELLOW ROCK PIANO 0 26 0
6 MELLOW PIANO 0 2 0
7 DYNAMIC PIANO 1 24 0
8 ADV PIANO PAD 0 28 0
9 GRAND PIANO 0 3 0
10 AMBIENT PIANO 0 39 0

If I get it right, the banks are defined by the MSB and LSB numbers, so, in this case, all programs seem to be completely mixed up in different banks.

So, if I want to convert this in to a .reabank file, I understand I should order the info by banks (MSB, then LSB) and, consequently, the programs will be all mixed up:

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bank 1 0 "Bank 1 0"
0 1 STAGE PIANO
1 4 BRIGHT PIANO

Bank 2 0 "Bank 2 0"
0 6 MELLOW PIANO

Bank 3 0 "Bank 3 0"
0 9 GRAND PIANO

Bank 24 0 "Bank 24 0"
0 2 CLASSIC GRAND
1 7 DYNAMIC PIANO

Bank 25 0 "Bank 25 0"
0 3 BALLAD PIANO

Bank 26 0 "Bank 26 0"
0 5 MELLOW ROCK PIANO

Bank 28 0 "Bank 28 0"
0 8 ADV PIANO PAD

Bank 39 0 "Bank 39 0"
0 10 AMBIENT PIANO

 

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

As you see, if we do this for the 800 something tones, we will end up with a completely messed up list, probably useful for nothing...
So, am I missing something here? If I am right, does it even make sense to create a reabank file in this case?
Any advice or help with this will be very welcome.

I have passed all the tone list info to an Excel file and I would be glad to send it to anyone willing to help.

The manual can be downloaded here (the Tone List is at the end, in References):
https://support.casio.com/en/manual/...?cid=008023009

Edited August 1, 2022 by Frenetos

[Brad Saucier]

For what it's worth, apparently Reaper can also read Cakewalk INS files.  Unfortunately I'm not aware of any patch scripts for these newest Casio models.  They may pop up on the Casio site eventually.  

[Frenetos]

Many thanks @Brad Saucier for your answer.

 

Yes, I have also considered that option. I have been checking the "Instrument definitios" in  Cakewalk Reference Guide, and to create a .ins file seems far more difficult and complex. Maybe if I could get hold of one I could learn its structure and tune it.

 

I guess there will be technical reasons for mixing the bank numbers so much, but it would be nice just to have the programs ordered in banks (in this case, an ordered bank for each category would be perfect).

 

I mean, when creating a track, one of the things people tend to spend a lot of time in is just choosing a sound (this is, a tone, a voice, a patch, program, whaever) to see (hear) which one fits better. With VST plugins this is usually easy, many times it is just a question of navigating with the arrows and check each sound (because they are properly grouped and ordered in banks).

Now, say I record a MIDI track for piano and want to play it through the CASIO CTS500. Logically, I want to do the same: flick through the different piano patches of the instrument to see which one fits better. But in this case, the process is much more cumbersome: I have to open the manual, check every MSB, LSB and program number for each tone, and manually introduce all this values in my DAW??? Sorry, but I would say it is a real pain in the ass. Only the General MIDI tones show a logical order.

Anyway, I have been searching around, and apparently it is common practice to shuffle the programs in many different banks. I just guessed there should be a better way of managing programs in a DAW, but no. For instance, the .reabank for the CASIO CDPS350, although a bit more organized, shows the same problem: many banks, with completely unorganized patches. I´ve seen the same pattern in the .reabank file for other models, for instance, the ROLAND FP90.

 

All that said, I´ll create the .reabank file for the CASIO CT-S500 and upload it in the Reaper forum.

In this scenario, you still have to check in the manual the MSB, LSB and program number, but at least you don´t have to introduce the numbers manually, just with a couple of clicks in dropping down lists...

 

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Frenetos

[Frenetos]

OK. So, for any REAPER users out there, here you have the .reabank files.

I have created one with value for LSB=0

and other other with value for LSB=64

To the admins: Should you think it would be good to upload them also directly in the "CT-S500 and CT-S1000V manuals and documentation" thread, just let me know.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Frenetos
fix

[Brad Saucier]

Feel free to post it there.  Thanks for sharing!