Casio PX300 only plays GM

[funkygas]

I've tried to send a single midi track to my PX300 (from Cubase LE4), but it only plays its GM tones, not the much better non-GM tones.

Via Cubase I can manipulate the Bank & Patch selections as well as turning them off. I've done this before with my Yamaha QY300 (patch sector off) and the midi track just plays and I can change the tone to whatever I choose.

I thought I could do the same with the PX300, but it ignores the selected tone and just plays GM.

I'm assuming this is a Casio quirk. Does anyone know a way around this?

Thanks!

 

[funkygas]

Ok, after pulling much of my hair out in frustration, I figured out a solution!

The PX330 has a USB out which essentially acts as MIDI. If I connect to my PC with a USB cable and play the midi (from Cubase) it act as I expected it to. Just plays the midi notes with whatever tone I select. I don't understand why the difference, but it worked. (I used midi cables from my Lexicon Lambda USB interface previously)

Now I just have to figure out why the one of the speakers had some strange feedback while connected via midi . . . .!

 

[happyrat1]

This is a MIDI sequencer quirk. Your sequencer sees every MIDI keyboard as GM compatible unless you configure the software with an appropriate configuration file specifically written for your synth. In Cakewalk you use an INS file to specify your keyboard. In Cubase I'd imagine there's something similar in the configuration options. Usually a whole slew of different keyboard configurations are available right out of the box but otherwise it's usually possible to simply edit a text file and create your own.

Anyway, without the proper config file it wouldn't matter if you had a $5000 Kronos. It would still only play GM tones.

 

[b3maniac]

This is the reason why GM was developed, to have a common configuration standard on all GM instruments. .

 

[happyrat1]

Take a look at page 6 of this document from Steinberg about configuring Cubase with your MIDI hardware.

ftp://ftp.steinberg.net/Download/Cubase_4/Docs_English/MIDI_Devices.pdf

It explains your configuration options for playing proprietary sounds in your sequences.