How to advance CTK 6200 sequencer to a particular measure

[John Houston]

I can find nothing in the manual that tells me how to advance the sequencer to a particular measure in the middle of the song to ad a piano part. I can not believe you cant do that, otherwise how would you ever finish a song? I can't start from the beginning every time I need to ad a part in another location in the song, or to put a finish on the song. ??????????????

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Normally you'd record different instrument sounds (or "tones" as Casio calls them) on different tracks-- piano on one track, organ on a second track, guitar on a third track, etc.

I don't know about appending an additional recording of the same tone at the end of an existing track, but near the end of the song sequencer section (on page E-93) they talk about using "step input" to add individual notes to a song-- you can create an entire song that way, inputting the notes one by one manually instead of recording yourself playing the keyboard. This is a good method for people to use if they can't play the keyboard well enough to record themselves playing.

You can also use the method described on page E-87 to insert a new "note" event in an existing track.

Another thing you could do is record a new track with the part you want to add to an existing track, then use the "merge track" feature to combine the two separate tracks into one single track. See page E-79 for details. You could do the same thing again to add still more to a track, and so on, until you're done.

I haven't read through the entire song sequencer section, so I don't know if you can actually append a new recording at the end of an existing track. It may be possible, but if it isn't then I'd probably use the "merge tracks" method-- record another track containing the part I want to add on, then merge the new track with the old track. I haven't done any recording on a Casio keyboard, but on my two Yamaha keyboards when you record an additional track you have to listen to the existing tracks and play along with them. I'd expect it to work similarly on the Casio, so you don't just start recording the new track-- you listen to the existing track(s) and start recording the new track at the desired spot.

Alternately, since there's a function for copying measures, and another function for deleting events, you could record the new track starting at measure 1, then copy the notes to the measures where you want them to be, then delete the original note events from the beginning of the track before merging the new track with the other track.

However, you'll probably eventually run into something that either isn't possible to do using the built-in song sequencer, or is extremely difficult to do-- so in the long run you'll want to start thinking about using a DAW to record, edit, and mix your songs.

 

[John Houston]

Normally you'd record different instrument sounds (or "tones" as Casio calls them) on different tracks-- piano on one track, organ on a second track, guitar on a third track, etc.

I don't know about appending an additional recording of the same tone at the end of an existing track, but near the end of the song sequencer section (on page E-93) they talk about using "step input" to add individual notes to a song-- you can create an entire song that way, inputting the notes one by one manually instead of recording yourself playing the keyboard. This is a good method for people to use if they can't play the keyboard well enough to record themselves playing.

You can also use the method described on page E-87 to insert a new "note" event in an existing track.

Another thing you could do is record a new track with the part you want to add to an existing track, then use the "merge track" feature to combine the two separate tracks into one single track. See page E-79 for details. You could do the same thing again to add still more to a track, and so on, until you're done.

I haven't read through the entire song sequencer section, so I don't know if you can actually append a new recording at the end of an existing track. It may be possible, but if it isn't then I'd probably use the "merge tracks" method-- record another track containing the part I want to add on, then merge the new track with the old track. I haven't done any recording on a Casio keyboard, but on my two Yamaha keyboards when you record an additional track you have to listen to the existing tracks and play along with them. I'd expect it to work similarly on the Casio, so you don't just start recording the new track-- you listen to the existing track(s) and start recording the new track at the desired spot.

Alternately, since there's a function for copying measures, and another function for deleting events, you could record the new track starting at measure 1, then copy the notes to the measures where you want them to be, then delete the original note events from the beginning of the track before merging the new track with the other track.

However, you'll probably eventually run into something that either isn't possible to do using the built-in song sequencer, or is extremely difficult to do-- so in the long run you'll want to start thinking about using a DAW to record, edit, and mix your songs.

 

[John Houston]

So, are you saying that I can't even advance to a specific measure just for playback? I am doomed to have to do every playback from the beginning of a song? If I create a part on a new track then copy it to the end of a song for an ending, I have to play back from the beginning just to see or hear if it is right? Because if that is the case, then I didn't buy a sequencer, I bought a black hole.

 

[Ted Nicoson]

No, John !

You bought neither a sequencer nor a black hole. You bought a $500 economy priced keyboard with a sequencer that has features consistent with the keyboard's price point. While it is unreasonable to expect economy priced automobiles to come with leather interiors, high performance engines, and luxury audio systems, it is just as unrealistic to expect low end keyboards to come with the sequencer capabilities of their high-end counterparts. Yamaha currently offers several keyboards in this price range whose (so called) sequencers have only six tracks and are little more than one-shot recorders with no editing capabilities whatsoever. Make one mistake, and you start over from the beginning. The last workstation I owned that had a full fledged (DAW type) sequencer, was a Yamaha Motif XS6. I paid around $2200 for it. Workstations currently on the market with most or all of the sequencer features you want/need are:

Korg Chrome $1000
Korg Kronos X $3200

Yamaha MO-XF6 $1200
Yamaha Motif XF6 $2000

Roland FA-06 $1200

But, even so, I would still tend to agree with Michael. With some of the things you are trying (or wanting) to do, I am afraid that many (most ? / all ?) of onboard sequencers would still be strained to fulfill all your sequencing expectations. Even my Motif XS6 sequencer relied heavily upon full integration with PC based Cubase in order to easily access all of its capabilities. A PC based DAW would be the most efficient way of expanding your sequencing capabilities without having to invest in a new keyboard. There are several available on the web for free download, but Cakewalk offers their full featured Music Creator DAWs, that include audio recording capabilities, for around $60.

BUT . . . be advised that the CTK/WK Song Sequencers can only load/edit/play Casio proprietary "CMS" Song Files, which are only generated by the CTK/WK Song Sequencers. PC based DAW generated MIDI (.mid) files, or MIDI (.mid) files exported by the CTK/WK Song Sequencers, while playable from SD Cards by the CTK/WK onboard MIDI File Players, can not be loaded into the Song Sequencers for playing or editing. The CTK/WK Song Sequencers are strictly "CMS" file devices.

NOW ! All of that said. On the CTK-6200, if you select the track you want to edit, and go into Event Edit Mode - just like you did for quantizing - you can use the >>FF button, the <<REW button (in the transport controls), and the Data Wheel to set the Song Position Pointer to the exact measure and beat that you want. You can stay in Event Edit Mode or exit from it and the Song Position Pointer will remain exactly where you set it. When you press the PLAY/STOP button, playback will commence from the position you selected.

Best of luck !

Ted

 

[John Houston]

No, John !

You bought neither a sequencer nor a black hole. You bought a $500 economy priced keyboard with a sequencer that has features consistent with the keyboard's price point. While it is unreasonable to expect economy priced automobiles to come with leather interiors, high performance engines, and luxury audio systems, it is just as unrealistic to expect low end keyboards to come with the sequencer capabilities of their high-end counterparts. Yamaha currently offers several keyboards in this price range whose (so called) sequencers have only six tracks and are little more than one-shot recorders with no editing capabilities whatsoever. Make one mistake, and you start over from the beginning. The last workstation I owned that had a full fledged (DAW type) sequencer, was a Yamaha Motif XS6. I paid around $2200 for it. Workstations currently on the market with most or all of the sequencer features you want/need are:

Korg Chrome $1000
Korg Kronos X $3200

Yamaha MO-XF6 $1200
Yamaha Motif XF6 $2000

Roland FA-06 $1200

But, even so, I would still tend to agree with Michael. With some of the things you are trying (or wanting) to do, I am afraid that many (most ? / all ?) of onboard sequencers would still be strained to fulfill all your sequencing expectations. Even my Motif XS6 sequencer relied heavily upon full integration with PC based Cubase in order to easily access all of its capabilities. A PC based DAW would be the most efficient way of expanding your sequencing capabilities without having to invest in a new keyboard. There are several available on the web for free download, but Cakewalk offers their full featured Music Creator DAWs, that include audio recording capabilities, for around $60.

BUT . . . be advised that the CTK/WK Song Sequencers can only load/edit/play Casio proprietary "CMS" Song Files, which are only generated by the CTK/WK Song Sequencers. PC based DAW generated MIDI (.mid) files, or MIDI (.mid) files exported by the CTK/WK Song Sequencers, while playable from SD Cards by the CTK/WK onboard MIDI File Players, can not be loaded into the Song Sequencers for playing or editing. The CTK/WK Song Sequencers are strictly "CMS" file devices.

NOW ! All of that said. On the CTK-6200, if you select the track you want to edit, and go into Event Edit Mode - just like you did for quantizing - you can use the >>FF button, the <<REW button (in the transport controls), and the Data Wheel to set the Song Position Pointer to the exact measure and beat that you want. You can stay in Event Edit Mode or exit from it and the Song Position Pointer will remain exactly where you set it. When you press the PLAY/STOP button, playback will commence from the position you selected.

Best of luck !

Ted

 

[John Houston]

Thanks for the help once again. Concerning the lecture about cheap sequencers and luxury cars, I must tell you that having purchased both, I am somewhat accustomed to being dealt with in an honest fashion. It's just something I have grown to expect. My bad. Point is, before I purchased this keyboard that is not a sequencer, I did a whole lot of watching youtube videos with CASIO REPS talking all about that SEQUENCER that doesn't exist. And when I spoke to my rep a Whitewater.com, he seemed to think there was a sequencer in there somewhere. He seemed to think it was very capable of doing what I needed. The keyboard specialist at The Guitar Center in Greensboro is apparently misinformed as well. The guy who sold me my KIA told me it had AC and a radio, and what do you know, IT DID! What should be done about all these people talking like there is a sequencer involved here since there isn't. I asked a whole lot of questions about these very issues before buying this keyboard because I specifically wanted these features. But you have made it clear that I was quite the fool for trusting those darn CASIO REPS, and you have certainly schooled me well about expecting the unreasonable. You took me out behind the barn, so to speak. The next time I need a good scolding, I'll ask another question.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

John, I didn't say that you can't advance to a specific measure in the various situations that you mentioned-- I said I don't know whether you can or can't advance an already-recorded track to a specific measure and then start to append to it (or for that matter overwrite it) with a new recording. I'm not familiar with the built-in song sequencer of the CTK-6200 or other Casio keyboards, because my old Casio CTK-710 keyboard doesn't have any built-in recording abilities at all.

I do know that my two Yamaha keyboards don't let me do that-- I can record new tracks, but I can't edit or append to an existing track, or combine (merge) two tracks-- but then, I've got two "beginner" Yamaha keyboards (albeit they're "top-of-the-line" beginner models), and most or all of the Yamaha keyboards that are "above" mine in features and price do have those types of editing abilities.

I didn't see any specific instructions on advancing a recorded track to a particular measure and then overwriting it from that point forward with a new recording, just as I didn't see any specific instructions on adjusting the start time (in MIDI terminology, the "delta time") for a "note" event. But that doesn't mean you can't do these things-- maybe you can, or maybe you can't; I honestly don't know-- because it's possible that (a) the instructions are in the manual but I didn't see them as I was flipping through it; or (b) the instructions for those things were left out because the people writing the manual thought the steps were obvious and didn't need to be explicitly described. For example, the manual explains about the "cursor" that indicates which part of the display is currently selected, so maybe it's as simple as moving the cursor to the specific thing you want to change (e.g., the current measure number, or the measure/beat/tick numbers for a specific "note" event) and then using the buttons to change the current value? The thing is, since I don't have a Casio keyboard with a built-in song sequencer, I can't try anything to see if it works.

On the other hand, I do know that most DAWs will let you do the sorts of things you're wanting to do-- and more! So you should consider buying a commercial DAW, although since there are some free DAWs available on the web (e.g., Anvil Studio) I recommend that you start with one of them so you can become familiar (for free) with the different things a DAW can do before you decide to shop around and spend money on one. It's likely that one of the free DAWs will let you do everything you want to do, in which case you won't ever have to spend any money on a commercial DAW unless you eventually run into something you want to do that the free DAW can't do. I can certainly sympathize with anyone who might be reluctant to use a DAW, because I have several DAWs-- most of them free-- and when I started up some of them I felt so bewildered and intimidated by their displays that I ended up just exiting out of them. One of the "free" DAWs I have (it's really "donation ware") is SynthFont, and I kept going back to using it because for some reason it didn't seem as "scary-complicated" to me, maybe because it was the first one I had tried-- but the "free" (unregistered) version of SynthFont didn't let me record incoming MIDI events, so I eventually "graduated" to using Anvil Studio. I do still like to use SynthFont, though-- sometimes one program will do a particular thing differently than other programs do, so I might use Anvil Studio for certain things, SynthFont for other things, and then switch over to Mixcraft (an inexpensive commercial DAW) or Ableton Live Lite 8 (a free "lite" version of an expensive commercial DAW that came with a MIDI keyboard controller I bought) for yet other things.

By the way, one DAW that seems to be very popular with home recording artists is Reaper, which is free to download and try, and inexpensive to license for personal home use. However, I've never tried it, so I can't say how it compares with other DAWs-- I just know that there seem to be a lot of people who use it and they highly recommend it.

Also, regarding what Ted said about the "CMS" song recording format that Casio uses, I assume you can convert/save a recorded song to the standard MIDI file format, after which you could load the MIDI file in a DAW and modify it. I know nothing about Casio's "CMS" format, but my two Yamaha keyboards work like that-- if I record a song on the keyboard, it's stored internally in a format that's incompatible with a DAW (it contains MIDI data but no file header, and the auto accompaniment data is "compressed" in a manner of speaking), but there's a function that lets me save the recording as a standard MIDI file, after which I can load the file into a DAW and modify it.

Hang in there!

 

[John Houston]

THESE ARE YOUR WORDS. "You bought neither a sequencer nor a black hole." YOU SAID THAT IT ISN'T A SEQUENCER. I JUST REPEATED YOU. DO YOU WORK FOR CASIO?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Are you asking me, or Ted? Ted said that, not me.

In any case, I don't work for Casio; I just own a Casio keyboard-- albeit a very old model that's nowhere near as nice as any of Casio's newer models.

 

[John Houston]

Wow, it never pays to be a hot head. Sorry to both of you for the bad, I'm new to forums and am only just learning how they work so excuse the confusion over who I was talking to. Actually, I didn't know there were two different people. As you might guess, I don't learn easily. Anyhow, after working with the 6200 for several hours today I have come to the very disappointing conclusion that the only way to end a song is record the ending on empty tracks, what few there are left, and copy it to the appropriate measure when all else is done. I am assuming that punch ins are out of the question. That would be a game changer at this point. I did see where overdubs are possible, though I will likely never need that feature. It is also impossible to copy a measure from one track to another track that has already been used. No way to go to the end and do a tag on. I'm just going to have to save my money and buy a used 01W. I feel betrayed by the people who mislead or misinformed me. I will never be ready for the gigs I had booked now. I have learned my lesson though. Hey Michael, you want to buy a slightly used CASIO CTK 6200 keyboard? You will be amazed at what it will not do.

 

[happyrat1]

Seriously man, does ANYONE still actually USE on board sequencers nowadays?

Use a DAW like Reaper or Cakewalk Music Creator 6 or Anvil Studio.

Dirt cheap, FREE even in some cases and loaded with easy to use features and tutorials.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+reaper

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+cakewalk+music+creator+6

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=how+to+use+anvil+studio

Frankly it's a p*ss poor workman who blames his tools...

Gary

 

[SeaGtGruff]

John, no worries about the confusion!

As for the built-in song sequencer, have you tried asking in the forum that Gary had mentioned in another thread?

http://casiomusicforums.com/

Since it's specifically devoted to Casio keyboards, someone there should be able to help you better than I can.

Also, don't be too quick to sell off your CTK-6200 (unless you've already got your eye on something fancier), because you can connect it up to your computer and use a DAW to record and edit songs. Do you have a USB cable for that? You'll need a "USB A-to-B" cable-- one end is flattened (like the end of a USB thumb drive) and the other end is more rounded:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Link-Depot-USB-10-AB-BK-Link-Depot-10-USB-A-to-B-Printer-Cable/15779600

They're sold just about everywhere-- Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Staples, etc. If you connect your keyboard to your computer, you can do all sorts of neat things, like recording and editing song tracks, having your computer control your keyboard as though it were a player piano, and so on.

A little bit later this evening (I've got to get dinner right now) I'll post some links to some of the free DAWs I use, and if you want to try one of them I'll do my best to help you learn some of the ropes.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Seriously man, does ANYONE still actually USE on board sequencers nowadays?

Built-in sequencers and recorders can be handy for making quick recordings, especially if your keyboard isn't hooked up to a computer or tablet at the time. But yeah, a DAW will always beat an onboard sequencer hands down.

Unlike the higher-end Yamaha keyboards, I don't even have "sequencers" on my two keyboards, just "recorders"-- I can record tracks but I can't edit them at all, just delete them and re-record them if needed. That doesn't mean the built-in recording functionality is (completely) worthless, just that I need to convert anything I record to a standard MIDI file and pull it into a DAW to work on it. Yes, it's more direct for me to just record it with a DAW in the first place-- but it's also a bit easier for me to record on the keyboard itself rather than having to reach for my mouse, click on the "record" button, play something on the keyboard, then reach for the mouse again so I can click the "stop" button.

Frankly it's a p*ss poor workman who blames his tools...

Whaaaattt???? Next thing you know, you're going to suggest that the reason my keyboard sounds like poop is because I can't play worth a poop! (And you'd be right about that! )

Seriously though, you're correct that it's the workman who does the work-- but some tools are better than others. I know it must be so, because some keyboards cost several thousands of dollars-- and if they're no better than my two $250 Yamahas then a bunch of people are getting ripped off!

 

[happyrat1]

Built-in sequencers and recorders can be handy for making quick recordings, especially if your keyboard isn't hooked up to a computer or tablet at the time. But yeah, a DAW will always beat an onboard sequencer hands down.

...snip...

Whaaaattt???? Next thing you know, you're going to suggest that the reason my keyboard sounds like poop is because I can't play worth a poop! (And you'd be right about that! )

Seriously though, you're correct that it's the workman who does the work-- but some tools are better than others. I know it must be so, because some keyboards cost several thousands of dollars-- and if they're no better than my two $250 Yamahas then a bunch of people are getting ripped off!

First off I've watched you spoon feed this guy with detailed button sequences no doubt gleaned from hours of studying the CTK manual on your own time and then writing up a novel for each answer with awe and wonder for the past three days.

Seriously Mike, you must have the patience of a bloody saint to repeat this procedure 4 times over now and counting when it's obvious the original poster hasn't invested a lick of effort into trying to follow the manual himself and then starts badmouthing you, the keyboard and even the Casio Corporation because he doesn't understand the words written in front of his face.

We're all here to help out, sure, but there are limits to exactly how much hand holding it takes to nudge someone on to the correct path as compared to becoming his own personal "seeing eye dog."

As for my "tools and workmen" comments, I stand by them. I'd much rather enjoy listening to Chick Corea playing on a sh*tty little Casio for two hours than listening to a musical kindergarten student practice "Itsy Bitsy Spider" on a $10,000 Yamaha Grand any day

Stay loose... Stay Cool... Stay Free Like the Wind!!!

Gary

 

[John Houston]

So, I take it that you didn't accept my apology since you just threw right back in my face. Great form Gary. Sorry to have wasted all you precious time reaching out for help in a crisis. You can blame to wizards at CASIO. They told me I could get help here, since I can't get it there. No need to answer. I won't bother to read it anyway. Thanks for your grace Mike.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

John, feel free to ask me for help any time-- you can even PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting "in public."

Now, you must understand-- I can't promise that I'll respond in a timely fashion; you might have to wait several hours, or a day or more, before I can reply. And I can't promise I'll actually know the answers to your questions-- especially if they're about how to use specific functions on the Casio CTK-6200, since I don't own that keyboard (or any similar model). But I'll give it a go. And I'm willing to try to help you learn how to use a DAW-- especially if it's one I happen to have, such as Anvil Studio. But I should warn you that I'm not a wizard at using DAWs-- my present experience with them is actually somewhat limited, so I'm sure there are plenty of things I don't know how to do in a DAW yet.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't you mention in another thread that you'd suffered some sort of spinal injury last November? I know you said you've had to give up the guitar because of the pain, and that's why you've turned to the keyboard. So I was supposing that you most likely need to take pain killers or other meds, and I figured that either the pain, or the meds, or both, could be a factor in why you were having trouble with the manual.

On the other hand, as I said in an earlier post, the instructions in the manual seem to jump all over the place, with steps that say "follow steps 1 through 3 on page X," and when you flip to page X it says "follow step 5 on page Y," and when you flip to page Y it says "follow steps 2 through 4 on page Z," or something like that-- it's like embarking on a treasure hunt where you've been given a cryptic map that you must successfully decode. So I can see why just about anyone (myself included) could have a bit of trouble unraveling those instructions into a simple step-by-step procedure.

Anyway, I want to encourage you again to hang in there. As long as you don't give up, and don't get too flustered and frustrated (or "flustrated," as my ex-boss used to say), and keep plugging away patiently, eventually you'll get there. I know you're on a schedule-- which doesn't help, since it makes you feel pressured-- but try to take things a step at a time. And please, make the switch to using a DAW-- believe me, once you do that, it will open up doors and you should be able to make faster progress on your projects.

Now give me a little time to put together a list of the DAWs that I have, with links, then I'll post it for you in a bit.

 

[John Houston]

Thank you again Mike. I take you to be a Saint. As a matter of fact, the pain is a huge issue as well as the effect it has on my eyes. I can sit at the keyboard no more than an hour and a few minutes at a time before having to recline. I won't be booking gigs that require more than two, 45 minute sets, assuming I ever get to the point that I can get songs finished. I can't read for more than a few minutes at a time before my eyes become blurred. It's worse looking at a screen, so I am not so good on computer, but I saw my neurosurgeon yesterday and he agrees that I am showing some improvement in my motor skills. I was a quadriplegic when I came out of surgery. The doctors at Duke call my recovery miraculous. They are at a loss to explain how a spine can re-fuse its self. It just isn't possible. So I must be getting some unseen help. By the way, how do I PM you? And thank you for your gracious offer. I am still trying to figure out how to create a song ending. I think I can do that using the on board rhythms and accompaniments, but I am not finding some of the rhythms I need, and I find most of the accompaniments lacking as well. It seems that I may be handcuffed to them in the end. If that is the case, I will learn to eat that most unsavory stew. I am also assuming that, since I can not create my own song endings, there is probably not a fade or volume in and out feature as with mix down in a recording studio. I did have this idea about creating song endings though. See if you agree. If I restrict recording to 8 tracks of instruments, I can use the other 8 tracks to duplicate the same instruments and create an ending and then copy the end created on the second 8 tracks to the applicable measures where I want the song to end. Does that make sense to you?

 

[John Houston]

I downloaded a DAW this morning. I've never seen one before. It is the FL Studio 11. Holy smoke! And I thought the 6200 was intimidating. FL Studio looks like something you might find on the Space Shuttle. Looks like it's time to put my head in the clouds. I'm already getting nose bleed. Hey Mike, I think I just found a way to finish a song. I found a feature called "Insert an event" in the manual. I don't yet understand just what an event is, but If it can be a few measures of piano for instance, on one track, and that event can be copied to measures on another track, then I just won the lottery. Still trying to understand the manual but it's like trying to read Mandarin.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Wow! Your physical issues sound much more severe than I'd imagined, but I'm glad to hear that your progress has been so good! As you said, you must be getting unseen help-- although I think willpower and attitude are critical to healing (or for that matter to just getting through day-to-day life even if we're as healthy as a horse), so it's important for us to stay positive in the face of our obstacles and frustrations, and keep striving as best we can no matter how long and hard the road may be.

I did have this idea about creating song endings though. See if you agree. If I restrict recording to 8 tracks of instruments, I can use the other 8 tracks to duplicate the same instruments and create an ending and then copy the end created on the second 8 tracks to the applicable measures where I want the song to end. Does that make sense to you?

If I follow you correctly, that should be one way you could do it. However, I see from your other post that you found out how to insert events. Yes, you can insert measures-- see page E-76 of the manual-- and then you should be able to insert events into the new measures.

Speaking of the manual, do you have the PDF of the manual or are you just using the printed copy that came with your keyboard? If you download a PDF copy from Casio's web site-- http://support.casio.com/en/manual/008/CTK6200_WK6600_EN.pdf-- then you can use the "find" command (CTRL-F) to search for a word or phrase, which is a lot easier and faster than flipping through the paper manual hunting for something.

In MIDI an "event" can be many different things-- basically, it's a "command" if you will, and there are different kinds of commands.

Since MIDI is intended for playing music and controlling keyboards, the most common type of event in a MIDI file-- as you might expect-- is usually the "note on" event, which says which note to play and how loud to play it. (In MIDI terms, this is called the note's "velocity," since how fast you hit a key correlates with how hard you hit it, and hence how loud you want the note to be-- although in some "patches" the velocity might control something else about the note, such as the filter cutoff or "brightness.")

Speaking of velocity, you can indeed adjust the loudness or velocity of notes, so you should be able to make your ending "fade out" as desired.

There's also a "note off" event that says which note to stop playing, but a lot of keyboards and programs just use a "note on" event with velocity 0 to accomplish the same thing, for reasons related to data compression (if there's a series of the same kinds of events without any other kinds of events in between them, the data can be squeezed together a bit-- so using "note on" with velocity 0 rather than "note off" allows the "note on" events to be squeezed together more efficiently). I'm going to use "note off" to mean an event that turns off a note, whether it's an actual "note off" event or a "note on" event with velocity 0.

In MIDI each event in a track is prefaced by a "delta time" that says how long to wait after the last event before performing the next event-- so the delta times of a pair of "note on" and "note off" events control the duration of a note. If I'm not mistaken, the Casio song sequencer doesn't show separate "note on" and "note off" events. Instead, you'll see a single "note" event that shows when the note should begin (the measure, beat, and tick), which note should be played (C4, D3, etc.), and-- I think-- how long to play the note (the note's "gate time"?). But if you look at the song data in a DAW's MIDI editor then you'll see the separate "note on" and "note off" events, which is why I've mentioned it. Also, be warned that a given "note off" event might not directly follow the "note on" event that it's paired with, since you might play a note or chord and hold it while playing a sequence of other notes.

Fortunately, DAWs have other ways of editing a song besides editing the individual MIDI events, such as a "piano roll" editor, or a "score" display that's like printed music. Usually you don't even need to look at the MIDI events unless you just want to see what they look like, or occasionally if you need to insert some special "SysEx" ("System Exclusive") command for the keyboard, or if you want to manually "fine-tune" the parameters of an event.

Another common type of event is a "program change"-- usually paired with a "bank select" event-- that says which "patch" (or "tone" in Casio's terminology) should be used to play the notes that follow. But there are many other kinds-- events that set the tempo, events that control the amount of reverb or chorus, events that bend the notes, etc. There's a list of event types that the Casio song sequencer uses on pages E-82 through E-84 of your manual.

I don't have FL Studio, but maybe I'll download the trial version if there is one-- otherwise I might not be able to help you with it except in the most general way. I know what you mean about the screen display-- the first time I started up Ableton Live Lite 8 I felt so overwhelmed by it that I promptly exited the program and went back to using the SynthFont DAW, which for some reason didn't scare me as badly.