CASIO CT-670 as midi keyboard

[Diveywivet]

I've been thru loads of posts regards using an old keyboard for playing VST instruments in Mixcraft (Windows 10) but none describe my issues. I've plugged it in with a midi IN/OUT to USB cable, drivers have installed and it "works" but with some odd results.

First problem is I cannot get it to play polyphonically i.e. to play chords with multiple keys at same time.

Second problem is with many VSTs (e.g. Synths particularly) when I release a key it's like it doesn't actually release and I get a continuous drone which will go on forever. This can then turn into a cacophony if you've pressed a number of keys. However if I look at the VST's keyboard simulation within Mixcraft I can see all the keys show as still being pressed but I can release them with a mouse click over them.

If anyone has any suggestions that'd be great. I guess it may simply be that's it's a very old keyboard from 1993. Or maybe I'm not using quite the right drivers. Thanks.

[squeakie]

Does Casio have updated drivers for that model? The other issues sounds like a sustain issue. Are you using a pedal? If not you’ll want to use a pedal with the proper polarity. However, the driver is what I’d look into.

Sqk

[Diveywivet]

Hi, thanks for replying with thoughts. I've searched for and installed drivers a few ways and the results have always been the same. I haven't found any drivers specifically for this or related models.

I've also noticed that it doesn't specifically appear under Preferences>Control Surfaces tho a number of others are listed - maybe I'm supposed to select one of the ones listed.

Your idea about sustain may have something in it. I've not got a pedal, there's just an empty socket for one on the back. Maybe there's a way I could plug in a jack plug to simulate "sustain off" ?

[JonInc]

If you are connecting from the keyboard's MIDI out, then drivers (for the CASIO) shouldn't come into play here, as it's only the MIDI spec your PC cares about. If you haven't tried a different USB port, do that. Avoid USB3 (blue inner strip) if USB2 is available (black inner strip).

What MIDI/USB cable are you using to connect to you PC? Can you provide a link?

Also, if there's a master reset button for the CASIO, press that.

You need to confirm that your keyboard ->MIDI->USB>PC signal is basically working before adding the MC/VST layer on top of it.
So try to test your keyboard with a standalone virtual synth and see if you get the same symptoms. If it works okay, then you've narrowed the problem to MC/VST and can troubleshoot from there.

[Diveywivet]

Hi JonInc. I only have USB2 I believe. The cable is a cheap Chinese thing with a USB plug on one end and 2 * 5 pin IN/OUT DINs on the other. The OUT socket from the Casio is connected to the IN plug of the cable. No master reset button on Casio.

As I said originally the keyboard does "work" with Mixcraft VSTs but not as expected for all presets, many continue to drone forever after I've released the key while others seem to work and the note releases (e.g. the default piano instrument). Also no polyphony.

I've only tried it with Mixcraft but I will try find a standalone synth as you suggest and see what happens. Thanks.

[Diveywivet]

So I've downloaded the Helm free synth (nice btw) Different results. Getting polyphony now which is cool but I'm still getting the continuing drone on key release generally tho not on all presets.

[JonInc]

Try disconnecting the Casio and using your QWERTY keyboard as the controller just to see what happens.

To enable the qwerty keyboard, click on View - Musical Typing, or press CTL+ALT+K (Explained on pg14 of MC9 manual).

[Drdish007]

Hi,
When you play sounds from the Casio keyboard, do you get the droning of notes? If you do, you may have a problem with the sustain pedal jack on the Casio keyboard.
- Myran

[grumpysnake]

Hi,

I had a similar issue with a £5 USB to midi cable that I ordered from Amazon which I believe was from China. My thoughts could be that the cable may be the issue here as sometimes I had limited polyphony and other times it was fine, just depended what mood it was in. The best chance once you have tried the other suggestions is to change out the cable if possible to a higher quality one and see if that fixes the problem, since I changed mine to a Roland one a friend gave me I have had no issues

grumpysnake

[Diveywivet]

Hi all. Issue seems to have been fixed with the purchase of more expensive cable (£11 eBay). It appears the cheapo Chinese ones do not work. Thanks for all the advice.

[Acoustica Greg]

So many problems over the years with cheapo MIDI cables.

[Judi]

hey everyone.
I know Im late but I have the same problem. @Diveywivet could you please tell me which cable it was that worked at the end. As is said before I have exact same Problem and just spend 14€ to buy a cable and it didn't work. So I would be very grateful if you could tell me which cable you brought.

regards
Julius

[Acoustica Greg]

hey everyone.
I know Im late but I have the same problem. @Diveywivet could you please tell me which cable it was that worked at the end. As is said before I have exact same Problem and just spend 14€ to buy a cable and it didn't work. So I would be very grateful if you could tell me which cable you brought.

regards
Julius

Hi,

Make sure that you have the Keyboard Out port connected to the MIDI In portion of the of the cable, and the Keyboard In port connected to the MIDI Out part of the cable.

Are you using Mixcraft? Which version do you have? Do you have a virtual instrument armed, with a virtual instrument like Acoustic Piano selected on that track?

Greg

[Judi]

yes I checked that a lot of times and also switched it to see if maybe the cable was wrong soldered. But nothing works very well. As I said before I have the same keyboard and the exact same problem as Diveywivet.
I also changed a lot of things in fl studio. Tried different plugins etc.
I don't use Mixcraft and I don't know what it is actually. Maybe you could explain?

best regards
julius

ps.: thank you for the fast answer!

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

You're posting on a forum for Acoustica Mixcraft. Check it out here: Acoustica Mixcraft 9.

Greg