Casio

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rose62

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I've got an old casio keyboard with MIDI in/out/thru. What do I need to do (settings wise)to use it with a Focusrite 2i4, a laptop and Ableton Live Lite 9? And what CAN I do with it?
 
You can plug MIDI In and Out cables from the Casio to the 2i4, then connect that to your computer via USB, then use the keyboard to input MIDI control signals to Ableton, where you can edit them and use them to drive VSTi (virtual instruments). You can also send the rerorded MID back to the Casio to drive its built-in sounds.
 
And you can run an audio cable from the Casio back into the 2i4 for recording and/or live gigs, if that's your intention.
 
Thank you guy for the reply. I don't intend to use the keyboard for live performance. I'd like to use it (I think) as Mjbphotos suggested. What would be the settings to get started with that? On Tuesday I bought the MIDI cables but I couldn't figure out how to get anything going into the Focusrite from the Casio.
 
I had no luck following the Ableton tutorial so I asked here. Now, however, I think the Casio may be faulty. If I use the laptop keyboard I get notes. Not so with the Casio. Any advice? By the way, it's a piece of junk that I got at a garage sale and never, until now, considered use of the MIDI capability. But all other functions work fine.
 
Assuming everything is hooked up right, you probably need to enable the MIDI device (the Casio) in Ableton. Look for a menu in Ableton that lists the devices available for MIDI input/output and select it. Also, in most (all?) DAWs there is an indicator light that lights every time the software sees a MIDI signal being inputted. If the light ain't lighting, the software isn't seeing the MIDI device's output coming in.
 
Kinda off topic, but old cheap Casios make great midi controllers. When I was a freshman in high school (2002) I bought an old Casio at a garage sale fundraiser for my marching band for $50. Loved playing around with the sounds on it, we had a real piano and I had 7 years of lessons under my belt but it was cool just playing around with sounds and what sort of music I could make with it. Some research found out it was from 1989, which even back in 02 was ancient tech. Pre General Midi. After the novelty wore out, I didn't do much with it. Once I started my proper recording studio in 07/08 I realized that I could get VSTi's on a computer and run a keyboard midi out into my Firestudio and use the sounds from that. Bam. I've recorded so much stuff on that Casio its not even funny. The live sounds are crappy, but through a nice Hammond B3 emulator on the computer....mmmmm.
 
Look on the internet for a user manual for the Casio (and tell us the model #!) .

In that it should tell of a MIDI "loop test" where you connect a DIN lead from MIDI in to out then usually power up the keyboard whilst holding certain notes and this allows certain tests such as keys play pure sine tones.

Or/and, download the demo of Modartt Pianoteq. This should be easier to configure than Ableton, about which I know jack!

Dave.
 
Thanks all: you don't know how appreciated every little bit of help is at this stage. "Green" is the beginning of the fruit. I'm just a budding flower!! Anyway, the unit is a Casio Tone-Bank CT-670. I will do as suggested and look at the MIDI inputs and do a manual search. I'll post what I find. Thanks again, Steve
 
rose62 said:
Thanks all: you don't know how appreciated every little bit of help is at this stage. "Green" is the beginning of the fruit. I'm just a budding flower!! Anyway, the unit is a Casio Tone-Bank CT-670. I will do as suggested and look at the MIDI inputs and do a manual search. I'll post what I find. Thanks again, Steve
Click to expand...

Ah! Found a manual, bit of a chocolate teapot!
If all else fails, with the kbd off plug a DIN lead MIDI IN to Out (NOT THRU) and power up. The unit will probably go nuts. If not we shall need to investigate further. If it does! MIDI ports are deff'ok.

Got to go out now.

Dave.
 
Before I left for work this a.m., I went into preferences and looked at (I think it was called) Control Surface. Didn't see any Casio stuff. Then I went down below that to the MIDI ports config. and switched 'on' the Focusrite MIDI and it started working. I haven't had a chance to record anything yet.
 
Don't expect 'notes' (sound) until you have a VSTi specified in your DAW and have track monitoring enabled - MIDI is just control signals, not sounds.
 
Before I activated the MIDI switch I went into 'sounds' (as instructed in the Ableton help guide) and selected 'grand piano,' so I did get notes. Baby steps, that what I'm talking about!
 
rose62 said:
Before I left for work this a.m., I went into preferences and looked at (I think it was called) Control Surface. Didn't see any Casio stuff. Then I went down below that to the MIDI ports config. and switched 'on' the Focusrite MIDI and it started working. I haven't had a chance to record anything yet.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's it and it IS logical! In my case I would set Reaper (say) to "Delta MIDI" because that is my internal 2496 sound card which would be CONTROLLING an external MIDI device. If I were using my NI KA6 as sound card, I would set the DAW for "Komplete Audio MIDI".

The head will get around it in time!

Dave.
 
Can I input the Casio drum presets to a track as opposed to using the Ableton metronome? Also, I read the link that you attached Garry: When the unit's 'knob' is referenced it would seem to indicate some sort of a different interface. The Casio has keys and buttons, but no knobs. Are the keys assignable or ......(blank stare here)....?
 
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