Changing midi channels for LK-280

[Rafal]

Hello,

I have Casio LK-280 keyboard and midi file that I want to use in learning mode in that device. In order to do that I need to change channels assigned in midi file so that left hand is in channel 3 and right hand is in channel 4. How can I reassign channels? I would be very happy if you can provide me with step by step instruction.

Also, not sure why but when I choose Views -> Staff View, I can see empty sheet music, i.e. only with one line with pauses. But it plays correctly when I press play button.

Thank you!

PS How is it possible that such an advanced software is available freeware :-) ?

[user 905133]

(1) Make sure the track you want to view in Staff View (or another view) is selected. With my Theme (below), the selected track number is highlighted in blue. Then go to Staff View.  It also works if you have multiple tracks selected. You can then see multiple tracks in Staff View. By the way, you can see the midi data as text in the Event List.

 

(2) You can force a track onto a single channel with the "C" [for Channel] Track Control Widget.  If  you don't have the channel widget, choose "All" in the Track Control drop down (probably in others, too, but "All" is probably easiest for now). You can also create your own set of visible widgets with the Track Control Manager.

But first you probably want to separate the two staves--unless you want to change channels note-by note-in the Event List (the hard way). There are several more convenient ways to select notes and change the channels in groups of notes. 

(3a) I would probably make two copies of the track and mute the original just to preserve it. Then with one duplicate track, I would erase all the left hand notes with the erase tool and force the track to play on channel three.  Then, I'd turn the second duplicate track into a right hand track and force that to play on channel 4.

There are other ways depending on personal preferences.

 

ADDENDUM: Instead of using the Erase Tool, you can use the Select Tool and hit Delete.

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
(3) to suggest using the select tool + delete button; (2) to add "with the erase tool" - (1) To add a screen shot of "the hard way" (Event Editor)

[user 905133]

1 hour ago, Rafal said:

PS How is it possible that such an advanced software is available freeware ? ?

There are tons of us that paid hundreds/thousands (USD), perhaps starting with the MS-DOS version plus many upgrades along the way that built a solid core of loyal users (and some disaffected users) and abundant support from staff and third parties so that when the last previous owner of SONAR / Cakewalk abandoned it, the dedicated owners of Bandlab saw a good product, wanted to make it accessible at a very low cost, and rescued the product from the ashes.

Just a guess.

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
to change last to previous

[user 905133]

(3b) Another useful feature is Select-by-Filter, though more involved than (3a) for the current task. You could duplicate tracks and then Select the ranges of notes with a text-based filter. Easier than changing channels for each note in the Event List, though.  Just wanted to add this option because it might be useful for future tasks.

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
to add ", though"

[Rafal]

Thank you for your reply. To be honest I still wasn't able to make the desired change. I can see in my midi file that it has two tracks. In the first point you write about Staff View and selecting track - I was able to display either one track or both tracks. I have found that it is in Tracks -> Pick Tracks.

In the second point you write about forcing a track onto a single channel with C widget. When I press C the widget appears but I wasn't able to find the part of this widget where I can make the change of channels. Where is it?

I have also tried the following. I have entered inspector and there in the clip tab I can choose Track 1 or Track 2. There is also "Ch 1" there and I can change it to "Chan 3" by selecting 3 and deselecting 1. Then I have done similar to change Track 2 to channel 4 and saved modified midi file. But it still doesn't play correctly in the learning mode on my Casio. So probably it is not the place where I can make this change I want to make.

[user 905133]

22 minutes ago, Rafal said:

In the second point you write about forcing a track onto a single channel with C widget. When I press C the widget appears but I wasn't able to find the part of this widget where I can make the change of channels. Where is it?

In the image above that has 16 channels for my E-Mu Virtuoso 2000, there is a small arrow on the right side of channel widget button. In the picture above, I have "None" selected. That means that whatever channels I have in that track will be sent to my E-Mu Virtuoso (for example). This is useful for sending midi that's on multiple channels.

To force all the midi data on one specific Cakewalk track to be sent to just one midi channel on your external gear, choose one of the 16 channels (below "None").

Below: the arrow (circled in orange) gives you the drop down menu forced channel channel choices/

[user 905133]

1 hour ago, Rafal said:

I have also tried the following. I have entered inspector and there in the clip tab I can choose Track 1 or Track 2. There is also "Ch 1" there and I can change it to "Chan 3" by selecting 3 and deselecting 1. Then I have done similar to change Track 2 to channel 4 and saved modified midi file. But it still doesn't play correctly in the learning mode on my Casio. So probably it is not the place where I can make this change I want to make.

Hmmmm.  This is another way to access the force channel drop down [green box / orange circle].  (Often there are many ways to do things in Cakewalk.)  Is that what you are changing?    I don't have an option in the Clip Properties section (or any other section) of the Inspector to force a midi channel. Hmmmm.

Also, is the Output Track Control widget pointed to your Casio [purple box]?

         

I will defer to other Cakewalk users who might have other suggestions to get the midi tracks to play properly on your Casio.

 

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
(2) to add a screen shot of the midi output widget; (1) to add a screen shot of the Clip - Properties section of the Inspector

[Rafal]

Thanks! When I press C I don't see these C, E an P drop down menus (with the option to change channel, as in your "3: E-MU Virtuoso 2000" screen shot). I suspect that C opens other widget for me than Track Control Widget. In the Views menu I see that C corresponds to Control Bar so probably this one is opening for me instead of Track Control Widget. But I don't see Track Control Widget option in the Views menu (I can only see e.g. Track View there). So where can it be?

Where can I find Output Track Control widget in the menu?

Edited January 11, 2020 by Rafal

[user 905133]

By default "C" toggles the Control Bar. See the Brown Square and the Purple Circle for access to the track header widgets.

See also The Reference Guide PDF.  Also, I find the Theme Editing Guide helpful for finding things.

    

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133

[Rafal]

Sorry for bothering you so much about my enquiry. I think we may have a bit different version of the software (I have downloaded it today) because under tabs (View, Options, Tracks, Clips, MIDI and Region FX) I don't have this blue indication of time. I have plus and multiple plus icons and then this combo box with All, Custom, Mix, FX, I/O, Track Control Manager options (you have different options on your screen shot).

So I have changed it to "All". What should I expect now? It didn't open for me any Track Header Widget (and C button still opens the same). I have also searched for "Track Header" in the documentation you mention but it didn't help me much.

[scook]

Workspaces can affect what parts of the UI are visible. Setting the Workspace menu to None shows the entire UI which is used by most of the images in the documentation.

The Track Control drop down contains track control presets and access to the Track Control Manager used to create and maintain the presets. The Track Control Manager allows the user to decide which controls should appear in the track header. There is a Track Inspector for each track which shows all the controls regardless of the Track Control drop down setting. Here is the image from the track inspector link above for the MIDI tab on an instrument track. This tab shows the same data as a MIDI track inspector. The Channel drop down is just above the drop down pointed to by "C"

 

 

[user 905133]

26 minutes ago, Rafal said:

Sorry for bothering you so much about my enquiry. I think we may have a bit different version of the software (I have downloaded it today) because under tabs (View, Options, Tracks, Clips, MIDI and Region FX) I don't have this blue indication of time. I have plus and multiple plus icons and then this combo box with All, Custom, Mix, FX, I/O, Track Control Manager options (you have different options on your screen shot).

So I have changed it to "All". What should I expect now? It didn't open for me any Track Header Widget (and C button still opens the same). I have also searched for "Track Header" in the documentation you mention but it didn't help me much.

Help > About Cakewalk shows version.

It is possible I have a different "Workspace" selected than you have.  That might explain why you don't see some things.  There are several factory Workspaces that change (1) what you see in menus and (2) the functions you have within Cakewalk.  See upper right corner of the main Cakewalk Window. You should be able to select None, Basic, Advanced, and some others. 

      

But, maybe you need to widen the track so you see the track controls.

PS: to see larger versions of the posted images, click on them. 

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
To add a PS about how to make posted images larger.

[user 905133]

41 minutes ago, Rafal said:

. . . under tabs (View, Options, Tracks, Clips, MIDI and Region FX) I don't have this blue indication of time. I have plus and multiple plus icons . . .

I just checked all of the factory Workspaces as well as None. On my PC they all show the blue time display.  Not sure why you wouldn't have it. 

BUT if you right-click on the grey area next to the plus and multiple plus icons, maybe you have "None" selected for the time display?

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133
to change click to right-click

[Rafal]

Yeah, thank you a lot! Now I was able to change channels. What was confusing for me about workspaces was that I though "Advanced" gives most of the options, while it's "None" in fact.

And yes, I had time display selected to "None" which is why I didn't have time indication.

What helped me to change channels was this option above C indicated by Scook. I was earlier changing it in P section (Ch: 1) which wasn't the correct thing to change.

So now I can assign different channels and it displays correctly on my Casio. What I want to learn next is how to cut track into pieces (so that I have only about first ten seconds in one midi file, next ten seconds in the other midi file to make learning easier part by part). Hopefully it will be easy enough :).

[user 905133]

Yeah--I had a feeling you were changing things in the Arpeggiator section.  From what I can tell, there are issues with the arpeggiator responding to midi controls.  Glad you got it working with your Casio!

Edited January 11, 2020 by User 905133