Questions About User Arpeggios

[AlenK]

This is a question for anyone who has a Casio keyboard that allows programming of arpeggios. I am aware of five models that allow that: XW-P1, XW-G1, PX-5S, MZ-X300 and MZ-X500. Maybe I missed a few. In any case, here is the question: Who here has programmed their own arpeggios?
 

If you have programmed your own, did it involve more than adding or creating a control track for a synthesis parameter (such as filter cutoff)? That’s something that Mike Martin demonstrated in a webinar for the PX-5S (below). So I would expect PX-5S users to at least do that. 
 

 

I ask because there are very few user arpeggios posted in the forums. I found only a handful for the PX-5S. Maybe most users of models that allow arpeggio editing are satisfied with the presets. Maybe arpeggio editing seems too difficult. Or maybe people edit when they need something different but feel no need to share their custom creations. 

[Brad Saucier]

I think that's all of the models that have editing to date.  Other models with an arpeggiator are preset patterns.  As far as the PX-5S, edited arpeggios can be contained in a stage setting file, so you'll find some in those uploads.  I've done a few myself that way.  One of the ones I had most fun with was my attempt to recreate the marimba repeat function on a Lowery organ.  

 

 

[AlenK]

Yes, I figured there would be some in stage setting files. But I doubt user arpeggios show up in more than a few of them. Re Baba O’Reilly, I’m sure you did the Who proud. 
 

The number of user arpeggios posted for the XW synths, which are now 12 years old, is one data point that suggests rarity. That number is zero. 

[XW-Addict]

To get more versatile I've stepped into arpeggios a time back, at first because for easy

transport with a stage, I had quiet a learning curve cause the traditional way wasn't 

as useful you know my usual wacky stuff. But steadily gained expirience bit by bit. 

 

Have a few for transient kind of music spread and nameless didn't think would be

for the community , I love the community arp, Especially  learning from them

the Baba O'reilly ones are gorgeous and concise with the sounds. The community 

are more practical with them than I am. Hope to catch on to post some useful ones 

myself.  

 

 

 

[Mike Martin]

I've programmed a bunch. The PX-5S is the only one that can have controller information for each of the steps as far as I can remember. 

[AlenK]

The MZ-X300 and MZ-X500 also support a programmable control track in user arpeggios. And there are two preset arpeggios  called "Filtering"  and "Panning Up" in the PX-5S, the PX-560, and the MZ-X arrangers that by their names I have to assume do something with the filter cutoff and stereo position, respectively, of whatever tones they are applied to. I am chagrined to admit I have never tried those particular arpeggios on my PX-560, so I don't know for certain what they actually do. 

 

One thing I would like to mention about the preset arpeggios is that the first keyboards whose documents identify which of them are step type and which are variation type are the MZ-X arrangers. The relevant documents for the XW synths, the PX-5S and the PX-560 do not show that information. I'm not saying anything that Mike doesn't already know, but for all of the models I named, the first 60 preset arpeggios are step type and the last 40 are variation type. And the variation-type presets are the same on all of those models.

 

In fact, going by the documentation, the entire preset arpeggio list appears to be the same from the PX-5S on up to the MZ-X models. The XW synths have a different set of step-type arpeggios (no "Filtering" or "Panning Up") but 58 out of 60 of them are the same. 

 

I have lately been studying the preset arpeggios in my XW-P1. They are an interesting collection. I have also documented the parameters for all 100, information that does not appear in the XW-P1 Appendix and which most people wouldn't spend the time to collect. I wonder what the best way to share that information could be?  

[Brad Saucier]

Unfortunately the control track on MZX keyboards is only programmable to filter or pan.  PX-5S has MIDI CCs 00-97 available for the control track, with pan and pitch bend also available.  Hmm, I don't think I have ever tried programming an arpeggio pattern with a pitch bend control track.  That could be interesting.  

[AlenK]

20 minutes ago, Brad Saucier said:

Unfortunately the control track on MZX keyboards is only programmable to filter or pan.  

Why oh why would the MZ-X engineers implement such a silly restriction?  
 

PS. Looks like the arpeggio feature got increasingly defeatured on each new generation of models. 
 

Edited April 6 by AlenK