Features I miss on newer Casio keyboards

[Pravito]

Here are some great features from the past models that I miss on newer models, and expect them to return on upcoming models

 

1. Rhythm Editor on affordable models

I think the most disappointing downside about CT-X700, CT-X800, CDP-S350 and CT-S400 is the lack of rhythm editors. Remember the CTK-4000 family? This was a killer feature back then

 

2. Sampling

Casio keyboards got better sounds in the recent years, but it would be great if the SAMPLING feature from CTK-4000/WK-200 family is retained for CT-X and Casiotone models

 

3. "Voice" Drum Kit, a.k.a Drumset 9

This is an old, beatbox-like drum kit that makes an appearance on older Casio models featuring A² Sound Source, and well known for its use in the rhythm "JazzVoice" and song "LONG LONG AGO" in those models. Perhaps this was the predecessor of the Dance/SynthSet of newer models, since it was also used on some Techno rhythms

 

4. Built-in Pop Songs

For copyright reasons, I don't think this would return on current models. Back then it was fun to listen and play-along to pop hits like "My Heart Will Go On", "Can You Feel The Love Tonight", "September", "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" and many others.  Meanwhile, Japanese exclusive Casio keyboards such as the LK-512 (rebranded CT-X800 with lighted keys), has loads of Japanese pop songs with anime and video game soundtracks built in. 

 

5. Old arrangements of "Air on G String", "The Nutcracker", "Aida Triumphal March" and "Bridal March"

In the older models, these four songs are arranged in a more interesting pop style, while in the newer one it was redone with Baroque-classical type arrangement. Just my opinion

 

6. Funk 8 Beat, Mellow 8 Beat, Pop 1/2/3,  Rock Ballad1, Slow 16Beat, DancePop, Discosoul, Latin Fusion and 16Beat Shuffle1/2

 

These are great rhythms from AHL generation models that is sadly missing on newer models

 

7 Drawbar Organ

Back in 2018, I was expecting this to return on the CT-X5000's mixer function. But for now, it's no longer seen on other models. This was last seen on MZ-X500 and CTK-7200/6200

 

8. Touch Panel Control

The good old touchscreen of PX-360, PX-560 and MZ-X. Makes everything easier and more intuitive

 

9. CTK-7000/6000 display interface

If touch panel is not possible, this display can be a good alternative. Personally, I prefer the display interface of CTK-7000 series than the CT-X. 

 

Got any features you miss from Casio? Let me know in the comments 

[hant7]

  Мне очень не хватает подсветки активных клавиш, хотя уже привыкаю. CTK-6200.

[Pravito]

On 9/21/2022 at 12:40 PM, hant7 said:

  Мне очень не хватает подсветки активных клавиш, хотя уже привыкаю. CTK-6200.

 

Подсветка активных клавиш в основном появляется на дорогих моделях, но сейчас она устаревает. В любом случае, CTK-6200 все же лучше CT-X3000 с точки зрения пользовательского интерфейса. Он более интуитивно понятен и прост в использовании. Я хочу, чтобы такой интерфейс вернулся на новые модели.

 

Backlight active keys mostly appears on the higher end models, but now it is getting obsolete. Anyway, CTK-6200 is still better than CT-X3000 in terms of user interface. It's more intuitive and easier to use. I want this kind of interface to return on newer models. 

[hant7]

Приходится преодолевать ВСЁ!

[d. gauss]

5 pin midi

[Pravito]

On 9/23/2022 at 7:36 PM, d. gauss said:

5 pin midi

Same here. The last Casio to have this port is MZ-X and PX-560/360 

[CYBERYOGI =CO=Windler]

We need a "pro mode" with simple synth to edit internal parameters. At least something like the Casio VL-1 "ADSR" mode (simply type any 8 digit number to create a sound) should be part of even the cheapest toy grade keyboards.

 

The accompaniment section should definitely accept non-chord key combinations to play disharmonic note cluster staccatos. The many synchro start and chord memory combinations  of early 1980th keyboards were much more interesting (use plain rhythm with manual chord, stop rhythm during chord section key release to stutter rhythms etc.). I also miss sustain and vibrato on/off button and the good old optional arpeggio control in modern home keyboards.

[Ijomne]

Definitely a fully editable synth section (including mono mode) like the MZ-X500 had, and Hex Layers.

 

We need a CT-X with a fully editable synth, pitch and mod wheels, and hex layers. Also drawbar organ too.

 

More out of sounds I miss the old Consonant Vowel synthesis sounds on the newer models as well as the additional ethnic instruments and rhythms on the Chinese, Arabian, Indian, Latin, and if they made them Indonesian/Malaysian models (did Casio ever make an Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean CTK/LK model with an altered song and tone/rhythm back in the day?).

[XW-Addict]

On 10/7/2022 at 11:17 AM, Pigeon City Chicken said:

Definitely a fully editable synth section (including mono mode) like the MZ-X500 had, and Hex Layers.

 

We need a CT-X with a fully editable synth, pitch and mod wheels, and hex layers. Also drawbar organ too.

 

Synth editable section similar to the PX/Hexlayer and a software editor like  the XW. 

But definitaly not CT= specific there are edit limitation with the CT its a more out of 

the box and play the CT is nice portable good pro entry keyboard with good sounds now

but its nothing like the WK , MZ and PX deep editing and modulation capability. Those you want. 

[Pravito]

On 10/7/2022 at 4:17 PM, Pigeon City Chicken said:

Definitely a fully editable synth section (including mono mode) like the MZ-X500 had, and Hex Layers.

 

We need a CT-X with a fully editable synth, pitch and mod wheels, and hex layers. Also drawbar organ too.

 

More out of sounds I miss the old Consonant Vowel synthesis sounds on the newer models as well as the additional ethnic instruments and rhythms on the Chinese, Arabian, Indian, Latin, and if they made them Indonesian/Malaysian models (did Casio ever make an Indonesian/Malaysian/Singaporean CTK/LK model with an altered song and tone/rhythm back in the day?).

 

A combination of CTK series (sliders, large screen, drawbar organ, CKF converter, and sampling), PX-series (AiR/MXi based piano samples) and CT-X5000 (AiX sound, world content, 30W speakers,  and 4-variation rhythms) plus editable synth (whether it's HexLayer or a new one)  is a perfect recipe for the next Casio arranger. 

 

The screen and interface of CTK-7200/6200/6000/7000/6250 is more intuitive than in X5000. If touch screen is not applicable, that kind of screen should return in newer models

Edited October 10, 2022 by Pravito

[Just Alex]

The most obvious thing is that no one ever going to listen or consider any of these ideas.

They usually run a survey in a "target focus groups", which usually consist from the people, far away from anything complex, rather than single finger play

[Jokeyman123]

I don't know Alex. I like to keep a positive attitude about whether Casio reps read our posts and suggestions. The technical decisions from what little I know, have to be submitted to Casio Japan. I post ideas anyway-have to take a shot. "Let George do it?"...and George never does it. Can't hurt-I've posted ideas about wind controllers, a return to digital guitars, a midi mallet instrument like the Malletkat or Malletstation.

 

One rather ominous sign I've picked up on-there is now a huge resale market for musical electronics that were innovations 20-30 years ago, suddenly coming on the market out of Japan, especially Yamaha-products I thought were long gone, and many look new. Apparently, many of these were never sold, and vendors are now trying to get rid of all these old keyboards, modules etc. If a huge player like Yamaha never sold all this "old stock" I can guess Casio has to be very careful not to fall in the same trap, manufacturing something that will collect in a warehouse somewhere forever. Then I see Japanese vendors still trying to sell some of the original Casio digital guitars from 30+ years ago! I just bought a Yamaha 1990's P50m piano module which looks almost new, from Japan. I can't believe they still had these!

 

I might whistle in the wind, but then product development, must be such a black art. What will people buy, why and for what? Trying to predict the future-impossible. So many musical failures-Seil, Generalmusic, Ensoniq, Technics, Wersi, too many to mention. Especially since the virtual music world has taken over, and there are so few venues left for live musicians to play, outside of education, major city clubs and freebee jam sessions. So the need for performance instruments-ain't what it used to be. I just drove past Sam Ash in Paramus, NJ. One of the few places in this amazingly populated area where I could walk in, try the latest keys, pick out some cymbals, throw some chords down on a huge collection of guitars and basses and look over whatever new stuff came out. Plus check out who's playing where. It's an abandoned, graffiti infested ghost town now, fenced in like a prison. Talk about depressing.

[Just Alex]

There are some bugs in current CT-X series firmware, which prevent them from normal operation.

I contacted Casio Japan directly several times.

There was zero number of responses received.

[Jokeyman123]

PM Mike Martin. He contacts Casio Japan through the US office. If I could contact Japan's offices directly about any of their instruments, that would have solved several of my technical problems. I don't think they can handle direct contact with customers in the US, only the US Casio reps, and other Japanese companies (Yamaha, Roland) never had success trying to find out how to directly contact them as a customer.

[Jokeyman123]

The one (minor) disappointment-I was hoping with the new releases re Privias and CTS series, there would be a return to the MZ-X/XW/PX5s and PX560 series with some upgrades, even a full workstation with 76/88 keys. guess Casio is trying to gain a market share where there isn't so much competition and there have been a flood of cheap Chinese digital pianos recently which i'm sure are nowhere near Casio's qualityso that segment isn't much to worry about I would think.

[AlenK]

I miss Phase Distortion (PD) synthesis, last seen in hardware form on the CZ series synthesizers. I really don't know why Casio has resisted including that synthesis mode on any of their keyboards since the CZ series. I suspect that when they subsequently came out with interactive Phase Distortion (iPD) in the VZ-1 keyboard synth, the VZ-10M rack-mount synth and the PG-310 & PG-380 guitar synths back in 1987 (and 1988?), Yamaha may have slapped them pretty hard with a lawsuit. Because iPD was just a thinly disguised (and less capable) version of Yamaha's FM synthesis with ring-modulation added to it. (The original PD is related to FM synthesis but not closely enough to be covered by Yamaha patents at the time.) It may be that Casio agreed or signed something that in effect promised they would never release another product with PD or iPD synthesis in it. That would stop them from doing so today, even though Yamaha's original FM patents have long since lapsed and the original PD never violated them. Pure conjecture with not a shred of evidence, but I have no other way to explain why PD has not made a reappearance in Casio keyboards. It sounds really good, it takes very little hardware or software muscle to do it and there are MANY people who have told Casio they want to see it. 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by AlenK