Casio ctx3000

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Am thinking of purchasing this keyboard, as I want a 61 key keyboard. Was wondering if anyone has this model, your thoughts. Is it easy to store songs on USB flash drive. Can you store any songs on its internal hard drive.
Thanks
 
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Martha.
Please bear with me, I have just received a CTX5000 and I have not got that far in getting to know my way around the keyboards functions. The 3000 should be very similar by way of its operation but looking at the specs and features I would suggest the 5000 is worth the extra outlay for its connectivity, extra features and better sound system.

The tone quality of the 5000 I have to say is very good, my Wife even commented about how good it sounds.

I have formatted a USB drive in the keyboard and in my PC it shows the Casio formatting has added a Folder, the manual says to store audio files in said folder but as yet I have not got that far. So that is a task for the weekend for me, I will post a more detailed review next week.

Meanwhile do download the manual and look through it, I am used to Korg arrangers and the OS on the Casio is very different.

So far creating layers and splits is very easy as is configuring them but as yet I have not tried saving a Registration.

There are some very good video tutorials on the CTX range (31 in the playlist) and 7 are those for specifically for getting started with the CTX.

Playlist of them all

Video Manual Chapter 1
 
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Thank you for this, will watch for more info from you.
The reason I was not considering 5000 is because it doesn't take batteries, would always have to have accesss to AC ( plugging into a receptacle). That could be hard in a backyard setting, camping. I know you can buy a nifty rechargeable battery thing, Sweetwater told me Casio doesn't support something like that, so am leary about that.
 
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I spent two weeks with the 3000, and returned it and swapped for a Korg EK50. The reason being was the stupid operating system, and bad menu setup. The Casio had some good sounds, yes, if you could get to set them up without constantly going through what is a very poorly written manual. As an example, you search the index for the function you wish to do, you find that particular page, then it sends you off to some other page to actually perform the change. Why Casio, why? If you do a web search, you will find several posts complaining about the operating system, and menus. If you check the Casio forums, there are many new CTX owners on there who are asking about these issues. I would advise you to look elsewhere if you want to ''play'', not tear your hair out.
 
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Thank you for this, also have read/seen these reviews. I have the WK7600. The manual is a bit back and forth also, but all in all probably easier to get around on compared to the 3000.
My purpose is to get a smaller keyboard that's a tad easier to carry around.
Am going to check out the Korg EK50 for sure. Thanks much!
 
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If you have mastered saving Registrations on the WK you should have no problems with the CT-X.

As geobee indicates the CT-X menu system is not the best, but there again the menu system in my experience in a Yamaha E series is far, far worst and even in a 3x the price Korg simply learning how to use the menu system is a steep curve to climb.

If you have a look at Page 68 of the Manual it shows the parameters that can be saved and it also gives the section numbers of reference actions that you may or may not need to perform.

I have spent an hour trying the various setting getting to know the OS and saved three different Registrations.

I have no doubt that once fully mastered it will be a pretty quick action to perform.

The audio quality of the available Tones in a CT-X is; imo, excellent for a keyboard costing only £360.

42A8F0A0-0F75-4AA9-B790-F06E075B0E1F.png
 
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The Korg EK50 is the same price as the Casio here in Aus, anyway, and I must say the Yamaha menu system to me, is much easier than both of those. With both, there is too much ''hold the ...button, whilst pressing such and such''. On the Yamaha's, it is a simple selection of either style or voice, then every function for those selections is performed with the function, category and jog wheel controls. The effects, octaves, levels etc, for all the voices and styles is there in that little group. I can leave the Yamaha aside for weeks, even months, and go straight into the menus, without even looking up the book. I now know why the Casio comes supplied with a ''music stand'', it should have been called a ''a place to hold the manual''. To use the Casio ''live'', would be a nightmare to say the least. The shop where I purchased both the Casio, then the Korg from, agreed that the Casio menu is very labor intensive, and the Korg is much easier to use.
 
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I had a Korg PA700 for three years but not played an EK50, from the specs it very much looks like a cut down version.

The overall quality of the Korg tones and ease of use make it a hard to beat keyboard.

The Korg OS does take some getting used to but once learned is very quick and easy to use.

So do checkout one as per geobee’s suggestion, here is a demo by Luke of Korg UK.


BTW
To show how easy a Korg is, once all the Registrations are set up in the keyboard to access them press Songbook and there are the first page of entries ready to simply touch the applicable one. Touch the chosen Song and everything is then set up ready to play. At the sessions I used to go to the others with their Casios and Yamahas were button pressing galore the three of us with Korgs were always ready to go.
 
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yul

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I had the X5000 which I sold recently. I knew of every function available in it. You can record songs in memory but have to play them back through line outs to record them on PC etc..
 
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By now Martha you probably have read my review and post review experience with a CT-X 5000.

Not good, but there is a rogue in all equipment it just happens that I got one.

Whatever you decide to buy then do keep all the packaging and do try to use it as much as possible in the returns period, just in case.
 

yul

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I had both too! They were quite nice overall for modern electro stuff. Short story in my case :

E-463 : mix sounded mostly great but some tones are a bit old and limited editing (some though). Simple to operate.

Ct-x5000 : some really good new sounds blended with older ok sounds. Overall mix eqing is mid-bright and a bit hard to tame depending on what you do. Sequencer is awesome but complex.
 
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Thanks for all the input. Some questions about the Korgek50: please forgive wrong terminology, etc, am in way over my head but making effort to learn. I do have casio wk7600, am looking for smaller unit for more ease in carrying.
Korg ek50:
While playing back a recorded song, can tempo be changed, very important.
Once recorded, a song becomes a user song, keyboard holds up 999 of them. Does this really mean the keyboard holds all those songs? I'm probably missing something. At what point do you put it on USB stick?

I assume rhythm vol can be adjusted at any time. In regards to this, this is probably something that I could put in the banks, (registration buttons on casio wk7600) instead of changing it every time I turn keyboard on. Something one of you guys said gave me a clue as to what registration buttons are for.

What do you guys use arpeggiator button for, seems like a performance thing, don't know if I'd use it while reading music.

Thought I read somewhere that keyboard speakers can be turned off when plugged into sound system or something like that. Am I correct?

Any replies are appreciated. This would be so much easier if we could speak to a real person, save mountains of time.
 
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Hi Martha, yes you can change the tempo whilst playing, just checked on my EK50. 99 user songs it states in the specs, I guess that could depend on the size of the songs, not sure about that part. Yes, the rego buttons are for saving any settings you change to the styles, sounds etc. All modern day machines would be a nightmare without them. lol I never use the arpegg buttons on any of my keyboards, sound fake to me, anyway.Yes, you can switch off the speakers. IMO, you wont go wrong with the Korg, The Casio was doing my head in, and let's face it, how many Casio's do you see being used on stage, compared to Korg and Yamaha? Sorry Casio fans, but this is a fact.
Hope thei s helps. If you require anything further, I can go the the Korg and try things for you. No problem. Cheers Geoff
 
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If you master the WK in particular saving Registrations then if you look at tutorials on the CT-X you will or rather should find a family similarity in doing the same tasks.

The CT-X probably has an evolved version of the OS in your WK.

Other keyboards will be very different with their OS and they will present their own learning curve.

As for recording if you record in WAV format normally that is fixed but MIDI is another matter as that is a digital format it does not record tones, it records the keys pressed, the duration and velocity of the press coupled with noting what tones are used.

Arpeggio is just a broken chord, all the notes of a chord played one at a time. Given a more complex chord there are many many variations of arpeggiating a chord and pushing the button and playing a note or more triggers an arpeggiating sequence. The rhythmatic thump thump thump of the current Dance Music has arpeggiating tones played over the drum sounds. I too never use it.

Yes speakers can be turned off, just how varies from model to model but it is somewhere in the Menu system but only if the keyboard has output jacks, the CT-X 3000 does not, output of audio is via the headphone socket.

If you fancy treating yourself forget the Korg EK and go straight to the PA700 it is in a different league.
 
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Hi Martha, yes you can change the tempo whilst playing, just checked on my EK50. 99 user songs it states in the specs, I guess that could depend on the size of the songs, not sure about that part. Yes, the rego buttons are for saving any settings you change to the styles, sounds etc. All modern day machines would be a nightmare without them. lol I never use the arpegg buttons on any of my keyboards, sound fake to me, anyway.Yes, you can switch off the speakers. IMO, you wont go wrong with the Korg, The Casio was doing my head in, and let's face it, how many Casio's do you see being used on stage, compared to Korg and Yamaha? Sorry Casio fans, but this is a fact.
Hope thei s helps. If you require anything further, I can go the the Korg and try things for you. No problem. Cheers Geoff
Thanks. I know I need to watch more videos, but how do you keep track of where you put what in the registrations? Guess it's like a filing system. Maybe I make a note on the music I'm using it for. I read music, you guys probably have your music in your head. But, am happy to realize what the registrations are used for, saves a lot of button pushing.
 

yul

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Recording a song/backing tracks in the Casio does not use registrations for the tracks, only the tones.

Registrations is like icing on top once your tracks are recorded OR if you are playing with accompaniment.

Typically what I do is the first registration is a default patch I like to start with for composing or recording tracks on a song.

Only the top A layer of a registration can be used to record tracks and this is then set in stone in the song.

I would blank out the other registrations and fill them one by one in order as I am building songs if needed.

You can save a registration for anything meant to be played live after this.

You would typically remember this by memory or by sounds but I would number the songs with the registrations # associated with them.

The system is really clever and tries to save you time. You will figure out a way to make it work.

For live playing you may need to rearrange registrations in the order you want (I have never had to do this).
 
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I had a Korg PA700 for three years but not played an EK50, from the specs it very much looks like a cut down version.

The overall quality of the Korg tones and ease of use make it a hard to beat keyboard.

The Korg OS does take some getting used to but once learned is very quick and easy to use.

So do checkout one as per geobee’s suggestion, here is a demo by Luke of Korg UK.


BTW
To show how easy a Korg is, once all the Registrations are set up in the keyboard to access them press Songbook and there are the first page of entries ready to simply touch the applicable one. Touch the chosen Song and everything is then set up ready to play. At the sessions I used to go to the others with their Casios and Yamahas were button pressing galore the three of us with Korgs were always ready to go.
I have a Korg EK-50. The styles are very easy to recognize and associate to famous songs. They have good intros and it helps, and motivate us to try that songs similar to that musical phrases of the intros. We can add 96 user styles. But the problem is this Korg don't buit the styles. So, I am searching for another keyboard for using the two together. I recomend this keyboard for playing alive.
 

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