Keyboard Casio ctk-3509
- Thread starter chanko
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What process are you using to transfer the songs?
When you say "they dont sound good," it sounds as though you're actually able to get the songs transferred, but aren't happy with the results; is that correct?
What file format are the songs in? What are the file extensions at the end of the file names?
When you say "they dont sound good," it sounds as though you're actually able to get the songs transferred, but aren't happy with the results; is that correct?
What file format are the songs in? What are the file extensions at the end of the file names?
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chanko!
Are you just making a comment, or are you looking for help? If you are just making a comment, then you have made it- "you don't like them" - and that is the end of it, but if you are looking for help, you are going to have to help us help you by giving us better information.
The Casio CTK-2500, CTK-2550, and CKT-3500 were designed specifically to work with the Casio Chordana Play App for "smart" devices: tablets and phones: Apple iOS and Android. When you say "trasfer", I assume you are loading them into the CTK-3500's internal memory with the Chordana Play "Transfer Mode".
When you say they sound bad, do you mean the sound quality is bad (noise, hiss, distortion, mushy, break-ups), or that they sound "tinny" (like a toy piano}, or that the songs, themselves are too basic, too simple, too plain (childish)?
If the sound quality is bad, how do they sound if you just play them with Chordana Play on your phone or tablet, instead of on the CTK-3500? How do they sound if you just "play" them to the CTK-3500 with Chordana Play, instead of transferring them to it? How do they sound compared to the CTK-3500's "built-in" songs?
Where did these MIDI files come from? Were they listed as being Standard MIDI Files (SMF)? Not all MIDI files with a ".mid" file extension are SMF's. Chordana Play and these three keyboards require MIDI files be SMF's to ensure that the instrument sounds called for by the file match the instrument sound sets of Chordana Play and the keyboards. If they do not match, they will never sound right.
Are you just making a comment, or are you looking for help? If you are just making a comment, then you have made it- "you don't like them" - and that is the end of it, but if you are looking for help, you are going to have to help us help you by giving us better information.
The Casio CTK-2500, CTK-2550, and CKT-3500 were designed specifically to work with the Casio Chordana Play App for "smart" devices: tablets and phones: Apple iOS and Android. When you say "trasfer", I assume you are loading them into the CTK-3500's internal memory with the Chordana Play "Transfer Mode".
When you say they sound bad, do you mean the sound quality is bad (noise, hiss, distortion, mushy, break-ups), or that they sound "tinny" (like a toy piano}, or that the songs, themselves are too basic, too simple, too plain (childish)?
If the sound quality is bad, how do they sound if you just play them with Chordana Play on your phone or tablet, instead of on the CTK-3500? How do they sound if you just "play" them to the CTK-3500 with Chordana Play, instead of transferring them to it? How do they sound compared to the CTK-3500's "built-in" songs?
Where did these MIDI files come from? Were they listed as being Standard MIDI Files (SMF)? Not all MIDI files with a ".mid" file extension are SMF's. Chordana Play and these three keyboards require MIDI files be SMF's to ensure that the instrument sounds called for by the file match the instrument sound sets of Chordana Play and the keyboards. If they do not match, they will never sound right.
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Look at the plugs on the cable you are using. Count the number of metal connectors on the shaft of the plug. If there is a metal tip and 2 metal rings and a metal sleeve, that is a 4 conductor plug. If that is what you have, try a standard 3.5 mm 3 conductor stereo cable. That will usually solve the problem with 4 conductor cables. The 4 conductor plugs are for mic/ear-phone headsets on phones. The 3 conductor jacks in keyboards don't understand 4 conductor plugs very well. If you are already using a 3 conductor cable, we will need to look at the files. They may be corrupt.
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Two possible issues that you might run into when using other people's MIDI files-- including ones you've bought-- are (1) you might need to edit the file so it doesn't try to select sounds and effects that aren't available on your keyboard, and so it selects the best ones available; and (2) in some cases you might need to check that the number of notes being played back at any given moment doesn't exceed your keyboard's maximum polyphony.
Aside from that, you might want to edit the file to adjust note velocities, channel volume, channel expression, and channel pan to achieve a better mix of volume and separation between the channels as well as more pleasing dynamics in different parts of the song.
Keyboardists who use MIDI song files and auto accompaniment files tend to spend a good bit of time tweaking the files for their particular make and model of keyboard, as well as for their own personal musical sensibilities.
Aside from that, you might want to edit the file to adjust note velocities, channel volume, channel expression, and channel pan to achieve a better mix of volume and separation between the channels as well as more pleasing dynamics in different parts of the song.
Keyboardists who use MIDI song files and auto accompaniment files tend to spend a good bit of time tweaking the files for their particular make and model of keyboard, as well as for their own personal musical sensibilities.
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There should be a number of free MIDI editors available, depending on your computer's operating system. You can search the internet for the best free MIDI editors for your operating system, because there are usually people out there who enjoy writing about "the 10 best free" programs or apps for doing a given task in a given operating system.
Note that there are different ways that MIDI data can be displayed, and some might be easier to work with than others.
For instance, there are musical notation programs that can display MIDI files as musical notes on staves. They generally can't display other types of MIDI events, but they might be the easiest way to edit the MIDI Note events.
Another common type of display is the "piano roll" view, which displays Note events as rectangular blocks of varying widths depending on the duration of each note. They can also display "automation lanes" that show Note velocities and MIDI CC events as thin rectangular blocks or vertical lines, with the height of the block or line reflecting the value of the Note velocity or MIDI CC event.
And there are also "event list" displays, which list a file's MIDI events in text form. This type of view can be difficult to work with if you aren't familiar with the MIDI file format and how MIDI events are structured, but for a MIDI expert it can sometimes be the most precise way to work with MIDI events.
Note that there are different ways that MIDI data can be displayed, and some might be easier to work with than others.
For instance, there are musical notation programs that can display MIDI files as musical notes on staves. They generally can't display other types of MIDI events, but they might be the easiest way to edit the MIDI Note events.
Another common type of display is the "piano roll" view, which displays Note events as rectangular blocks of varying widths depending on the duration of each note. They can also display "automation lanes" that show Note velocities and MIDI CC events as thin rectangular blocks or vertical lines, with the height of the block or line reflecting the value of the Note velocity or MIDI CC event.
And there are also "event list" displays, which list a file's MIDI events in text form. This type of view can be difficult to work with if you aren't familiar with the MIDI file format and how MIDI events are structured, but for a MIDI expert it can sometimes be the most precise way to work with MIDI events.
On a Mac, the app Garage Band is free
For a PC then Cakewalk is available via the BandLab website.
For a PC then Cakewalk is available via the BandLab website.