Hidden wonders in the Casio CTK-900 keyboard's DSP

[@johnny14794]

I own a Yamaha PSR-E 473 and this one. I always go to the CTK-900 for synthesizing and playing it as main lead and use the PSR-E 473 as accompaniment keyboard when using them both. The Casio CTK-900 I called it my sleeper keyboard. People when they listen to it they at 1st think it's a Yamaha mid-range keyboard like a DGX or PSR-S keyboard. Upon closer inspection they are left with their jaws dropping when they see what is producing the sounds, etc. I also use it as an arranger and have uploaded some great voices and rhythms to it. It can give current keyboards a run for the money. The built-in voices and presets are already superb and the DSP takes the sounds to a whole new level. Got mines second hand on Ebay at a great price and great conditions. Also thanks to Gearfacts on a prior review video about this keyboard is the reasons I picked up one and am one proud owner. Stay safe and God bless.

[@braderrey5391]

without many tools, you sound is still better. Good job Bro.

[@gearfacts]

I appreciate that!

[@georgeredhawk1996]

I got one of these a few years ago for the kids to learn things on, at first I thought it was a kid’s learning keyboard because that’s what it was marketed as back then. It is more like a arranger keyboard than anything.

[@hellitastenfan]

Hello... great demo... yes the DSP is also in the XW-P1. I have been a big fan of Casio for two years now. The summary of your video is: I'm buying the CTK-900. (It already happened) love and thanks.

[@gearfacts]

Ah that's cool! Thanks for watching, Helmut :) #Gearfacts

[@AEGYOKILLER]

where did you find one? I am currently looking for one too :)

[@madeinengland4910]

I got the Xwp1 too ,and i got my ctk for £5 in uk i bought for the kids to teach them .then i stumbled across a vid on here..im astounded how good this is..drawbar too also easier to prog than xwp1 .what do you think .

[@Simon-ui6db]

these are basically a 61 key wk3000 , brilliant underrated boards.

[@josephkeck4752]

I have 3000-3300-3500 the 3000 is strongest... can one register master eq settings to memory, to make accomps louder??

[@Mr.Face222]

They're the same thing, it's just the amount of keys that's the only difference, like the CTK-4200 and the WK-220.

[@rc4a0frios]

Maybe the Wk 3800 is the best of all?

[@josephkeck4752]

@@rc4a0frios this is what I've heard repeatedly, do you have any experience with them??

[@funkiEst]

Hey Simon, i see you know this series ... and i'm wondering if you can tell me about the differences between this one and the ctk-691 ?

[@ziggypop8106]

Have you done one on the Drawbar feature please? I've had this keyboard for decades I don't even know 5% of its capabilities. I'm not good with tech.

[@aramis844]

crazy man, that keyboard goes so funky! wont expect that

[@gearfacts]

Yeah I'm sure I had it doing even more fancy tricks during the audition too... Didn't film that part... :) #gearfacts

[@glenesis]

Dang man, this thing sounds great! You could release those jams as tracks, so nice :) Thanks for another lovely demo. Stay well and have a fantastic day!

[@gearfacts]

Aw such a nice message, G. You have a good one too!

[@glenesis]

@@gearfacts Thanks :)

[@vito_keys]

Still better than the CT-X700

[@georgeredhawk1996]

Can you run a sequencer or a sequencer program from a pc through this keyboard.

[@gearfacts]

It is difficult but it can be done with a MIDI/USB interface

[@piotrkasinski1929]

Shame ... Casio ctk 900 don't have pitch bend and modulation wheel. Casio wk 3000 got it. What about audio out to connect to external amp?

[@gearfacts]

I just use the headphone socket.

[@GaryR55]

Were these demo songs?

[@gearfacts]

They're all preset styles. Some of them were from the Roland PMA-5 sent via midi.

[@onspinkster9018]

Where can I get one of these

[@gearfacts]

Gumtree, Facebook marketplace, ebay are the only serious options.

[@tnah777]

Хорошее ознакомление с инструментом. Я тоже приобрёл недавно этот CTK 900. У Вас хорошие стили/ритмы в банке. Где можно скачать такие. Понравилось: 4.07 -5.27! Подскажите. Спасибо.

[@gearfacts]

Рад, что тебе понравилось видео, Игорь. Все стили берутся из предустановки, поэтому я не знаю, можно ли их где-нибудь скачать. Может быть, на форуме Casio?

[@Orionsbelt31]

Thank you! Looking at a Wk-6500 in my area and didn't realize THIS is what DSP meant. Though at the end you mentioned "with some external control"...what were those? Also, looking at the CTK 900 manual it didn't list 199 DSP's, but 28 single effects then another 31"multi" - each has up to 7 singles [if I read that correctly]. When looking at the WK-6500 it has 100 "Presets", 14 "Single", and 30 "Duals". But in the Parameter List it shows [I think] how each can be adjusted - kinda confusing relative to the 900 model. ?? support.casio.com/pdf/008/Web_CTK6000_WK6500E1B.pdf Perhaps a silly question but is the 6500 more configurable from a custom tone perspective where the 900 just offered the presets - Or something like that? Reading the user manual I want to say yes but....??

[@gearfacts]

Hi JLS (well done on those speed-flights btw, the other seagulls were so wrong about that). These are good questions. Fortunately the answer is very simple: They're all equally versatile in terms of sound-creating. You're right about the effects thing too. All Casios with this kind of sound engine have a set of basic effects, then a series of effects pairs. Bear in mind that you can adjust the master effect too, and also layering sounds (particularly the ones that have a natural oscillation in them) really helps to generate interesting results. Hope that helps, happy to discuss further :) Glynn

[@Orionsbelt31]

@@gearfacts Thanks Glynn ... I was natural compelled :) So...went back to the 6500 manual given I'm debating the purchase - man they don't make the instructions intuitive and compared it against the 900/WK-3200 and that's way better written. It appears the 6500 has 'some' more DSP options or it appears that way because they granularized the DSP functionality which is a double edged sword. Conversely the 900/3200 have what looks like a superior set of "DSP presets" - those 31 multi's you're demo'ing are awesome. Why...It abstracts the user [mostly home market newb's like me] from the complexities of sound engineering while educating them at the same time because they're solid starting points of which can be taken further. A good design choice for Casio, and odd they didn't carry that code over to maintain that paradigm because now the user has to do much more configuring - at least that's what it looks like. ? On that note... "layering sounds (particularly the ones that have a natural oscillation in them)"...so I can create "multi's" with their functionality? I ask because frankly it was hard to tell from the manual. Also the 900/3200 have all that separate Drawbar functionality [no sliders but still] and seems like they did something similar with the Synthesizer tones as an extension of the DSP parameters...or something like that. I didn't see that drawbar DSP or synth level controls in the 6500 unless I'm missing something? Funny, now many years later they've redux'd the drawbar stuff with the 7600 and put actual sliders. I'm almost tempted to actually buy new just for those sliders...lol. [Correction] - It appears the sliders on the 7600 are multi functioning for DSP - though confusing via the manual. All that said Glynn...you mentioned "external controls"...much? I ask as I want to know what this 6500 can't do given the functionality is pretty similar to the 900/3200.

[@gearfacts]

@@Orionsbelt31 Well, there are so many Casio models now that it's hard for me to answer in detail unfortunately. I feel that Casio have released about twice as many models as they needed to. And the model numbers don't make a whole lot of sense, there's a lot of overlap and inconsistency. One general rule I've found with Casios is - If it doesn't have DSP written on the front panel then it's not worth getting. As for the drawbar functions, my personal feeling is that it has to be 'real' drawbar sliders or you might as well be happy with preset sounds. Pressing buttons to operate drawbars is absolutely zero fun. That's just a personal opinion though, some people might be happy doing it that way. Oh and oscillating sounds - yep, they are the key to making nice combos, even if they are just layered quietly under a nice primary sound. Casios with DSP are great instruments for challenging your creativity when it comes to making up sounds :)

[@Orionsbelt31]

@@gearfacts LOL..."too many released" - agreed. I'm answering most of my questions as I go back to compare manuals given this is about a purchase decision. It seems it isn't so much the newer models lacking but Casio should reconsider their technical writers, cuz wow. 7600 - originally wrote the anti logic of single use sliders but finally saw they're multi assignable. That casio didn't think to put that powerful feature front and center in the manual is boggling. AND just discovered a used one in my area - so maybe spend the little extra and to hell with buttons... :)) Being a tech guy I'm still baffled as to why they didn't keep the tone/preset code base and simply extend it vs introduce some new paradigms and what I'll describe as hiding shit/make it tougher to configure. That said given the granular configurational functions of either the 6500/7600 it looks like I could probably recreate the 900/3200 DSP multi's by following their well documented descriptions in THOSE user guides. At least in theory... Anyhow...I won't take up anymore of your time. I've enjoyed the conversation and thanks you! If you feel like divulging what additional effects you applied via a DAW to that 900 I'll be all ears! Cheers, Orion

[@gearfacts]

@@Orionsbelt31 Excellent chatting to you! I really appreciate you taking such an interest in my work :)

[@idolevi612]

How do you record your piano?

[@gearfacts]

Direct to the camera's audio input. Not the best way, I know!

[@narcisalin5176]

Please, help me.. Casio ctk900, you have touch response?

[@gearfacts]

Narcis Alin Yes is has touch response. You can also override it if you want to :) #gearfacts

[@samdrew4217]

Does this have loop

[@gearfacts]

No

[@robin4970]

But you can create multiple layer records which can be looped. Its just not usable for instant live looping