Casio PX310 - Bad News

[mikeh]

I purchased a Casio Privia PX310 because it had very good hammer action feel and some good piano sounds.

I planned to use it mainly as a controller for playing piano parts and as a sound module to play back piano sounds (recording MIDI into Cakewalk). Since the PX310 also came with a GM set and advertised that it recieved on 16 MIDI channels I thought I may also use it for other MIDI controlled sounds.

Bad news - the only controllable MIDI function is the MIDI send channel. This unit recieves on all 16 MIDI channels, with no way to turn off a channel or assign sounds to a channel.

So, if my sequencer has MIDI performance data on all 16 channels (piano on 1, bass on 2, drums on 10, etc) - all 16 performances are sent to the PX310.

If I only wnat the PX310 to play the piano part - I can't. This is the poorest planned MIDI application I've ever run into (and I'v been using MIDI since the 80's).

If you just need a piano to play - or plan to track the actual audio (rather than MIDI) - or need a hammer action controller to trigger other modules/samples then the PX310 may be OK.

If you want a keyboard that can actually function as a recieving MIDI module - the PX310 sucks beyond words.

 

[ssscientist]

If I only wnat the PX310 to play the piano part - I can't. This is the poorest planned MIDI application I've ever run into (and I'v been using MIDI since the 80's).

So in all your years of midi experience you've never come across omni mode before?

Omin mode is exactly as you describe. The keyboard responds to note data no matter what the channel.

I have two suggestions, one of which is sure to fix your problem.

First, download Midiox and set it up to send controller number 124 which is 'omni mode off'. It may not be enough to send your keyboard the controller alone --- you may need to play with the values transmitted to get the desired 'omni off' status.

Second, a channel filter would solve your problem. You remember, I'm sure, that before the midi spec was well established it seemed like the miracle of layering two sounds would be enough forever and some keyboards were manufactured without the facility to set the midi channel, either in or out. Channel filters are mostly a thing of the past now, and as such could probably be scooped up for a song on eBay, Craigs List or your local used music equipment shop.

 

[mikeh]

Thanks for the reply.

I should not have indicated I never ran into "omni" mode - I should have indicated I never ran into a keyboard that did not allow a choice of omni vs. multi (at least niot that my advancing years allows me to recall).

What surprises me is that in 2006 they would not allow either on board MIDI parameter control or at very least a software application. Casio claims that at the price point, MIDI was an "afterthought".

I do recall MIDI channel filters - although I never used one.

Thanks so much for the info - I really like the feel and sound of PX310 and it would be worth the effort for the download, etc.