SF2 soundfonts can be played with the Fluid synth shipped with Ardour.
https://manual.ardour.org/plugins-instruments/
A while ago I posted a list of sound fonts I found, which probably is outdated now:
https://discourse.ardour.org/t/where-to-find-good-sf2-files/111812/10
There’s nothing wrong with recording audio signal thru line in, using the ready sound you chosed on your Casio.
Difference with audio and midi is that midi is so much more adaptable to the song you have in mind - you can change the arrangement, you can change the sounds, you can quantize (make timing of the notes fit perfectly) , transpose, change the tempo…etc…possibilities are endless.
That’s why everyone is talking about midi,
not because we adore complications 
.
So much about todays DAWs and music production (since 80’s onwards) is inevitably connected to midi.
I’ve got 800 sounds on my casio which I’m still getting to grips with.
I haven’t got a song in mind. I have thoughts of trying to compose something but not yet.
When you say the word quantise. It makes me think of a video I watched where this old guy whose been in the music industry a long time reckons it’s the advent of computers, daws, quantization and compression that have a lot to answer for. Check it out if you like it’s only 20 mins. https://youtu.be/JZgPKGVJrdc?si=K9-95ln-gvBujQj6
Ah yea that video…Whatched it before .
He’s kind of right on many topics , and yes, quantisation and many other processes can be a bad thing, especialy if you abuse it.
Just be aware that your Casio IS a midi machine. Those sounds you hear from it’s line out are a combo of proprietary sound librarys and traditional sinthesis, all internaly controled (inside your Casio keyboard) by a midi protocol. You should also be able to control playback with your Casio sounds using midi out from Ardour midi tracks (out) into your Casio midi in. That way you can use Casio sounds and do the arrangement in Ardour. Ain’t midi cool ?
I can well and truly believe my casio ct s500 is a midi machine internally.
What you said is interesting.
You should also be able to control playback with your Casio sounds using midi out from Ardour midi tracks (out) into your Casio midi in. That way you can use Casio sounds and do the arrangement in Ardour. Ain’t midi cool ?
I don’t know for sure if my casio ct s500 has midi in. I’ve only had it a week.
Controlling my casio ct s500 from my ardour DAW is something I’d have to look into. It sounds really advanced to be able to do that. I’ve seen videos where someone is playing a midi keyboard and feeding the midi signals into a Nord or something like that and using it’s sounds.
However of late I’ve been a bit interested in composing having watched a video by a guy called Oscar who runs an outfit called “inside the score”. Here is a link to one of his videos. https://youtu.be/1E1EjqIrZD4?si=R8xfUqUCz4AJy2pf
Just thinking about it a bit. Having a keyboard with drums, bass and guitar accompaniment is a bit like doing stuff on a DAW but maybe more hands on. Don’t you just use DAWs to build up tracks a bit like on an arranger keyboard anyway? Not being an expert in DAWs at all.
Yes, and this was, originally, one of the main ways that MIDI used to work with DAWs and sequencers, before virtual instruments became popular.
With the original MIDI connectors, you could wire MIDI-capable synths together and use the keyboard of one to play the sounds in another. You can still do this using USB MIDI by using the computer as a hub, or buying a specialist MIDI USB hub.
I actually have a Roland sound module which is just a synth box with no keyboard, which plays sounds only over MIDI.
It will have MIDI In.
Not really. Instead of loading a virtual instrument into a MIDI track, you just connect the MIDI outputs of the track to the MIDI input of the synth.
You can, but it tends to be more advanced than arranger keyboards, with more editing controls. For example, you can do “comping” of audio recordings, which I think, isn’t common on arranger keyboards. Part of that is the power of the system it’s running on (i.e. a full computer with large screen, keyboard, mouse, and lots of fast storage).
Having said that, some high-end arranger keyboards are pretty capable these days.
Cheers,
Keith
I’m by no means expert on Casio, and maybe i’m missinterpreting this text, but, in my book,
“use the CT-S500 as a midi SOUND SOURCE” should mean Casio has midi IN (via usb connection of course). Meaning, you feed it midi data and CASIO acts as a sound source, as a sample library, as a synth, as a thing that produces the actual sound.
“…or as a midi CONTROLLER”, on the other hand, refers to Casio’s midi OUT (again, via usb). It means, you can use your Casio to send midi data and thus controll other sound sources (DAW’s plugins and their sample libraryes - GM Synth, Sfizz, FluidSynth and many many more, in context of our conversation).
. So, DAWs do come from arrangers, but are just even more advanced and have more connectivity options, and it’s graphical interfaces are generaly more comfortable. DAWs are more like Frankenstein made of arranger, tape machine, mixer and outboard gear
I’ll take your word for it that you prefer DAWs to arranger keyboards when it comes to making music. I was trying to play some music on my casio ct s500 this morning. I wanted distorted electric guitar in my right hand and chords, backing track in my left. Was it easy to get the electric guitar to appear on my right hand (no). Even my keyboard which should be fairly user friendly is taking time to master. Remember I’ve only had it for 10 days now.
I’m by no means expert on Casio, and maybe i’m missinterpreting this text, but, in my book,
- “use the CT-S500 as a midi SOUND SOURCE” should mean Casio has midi IN (via usb connection of course). Meaning, you feed it midi data and CASIO acts as a sound source, as a sample library, as a synth, as a thing that produces the actual sound.
- “…or as a midi CONTROLLER”, on the other hand, refers to Casio’s midi OUT (again, via usb). It means, you can use your Casio to send midi data and thus controll other sound sources (DAW’s plugins and their sample libraryes - GM Synth, Sfizz, FluidSynth and many many more, in context of our conversation).
On the german Casio product page for that keyboard, just a paragraph after the quoted text they talk about enhancements in firmware version 1.06, especially when used as receiver for external MIDI data. So I’m with paul, it should be possible.
Back in the 90’s, virtually every MIDI capable keyboard-equipped synth had a “Local Off” setting to separate the keyboard (as input controller for the sequencer) from the synth engine (as receiver of the MIDI data sent back from the MIDI track(s) in the sequencer).
To be honest I’m not that bothered about feeding midi into my Casio cts 500 from my DAW. I had a quick look in the manual. I even asked Chatgpt but it all seems a bit convoluted.
In theory I could load Piano Concerto No. 2 (Rachmaninoff) into my DAW then get my Casio cts 500 to play it. But I can already get my casio privia px160 to play it. By the way it sounds great on the px160.
I’ve gone to the casio music forum to see if anyone there knows how get the casio cts 500 to perform using midi fed into it on the USB. It’s not really clear on the manuel.
It will probably just work.
You just need to send it some MIDI data.
Cheers,
Keith
It works as a sound module with a CT-X700, which for the money I paid for it, is a fantastic keyboard. It actually belongs to my stepson, but I probably use it more than he does. lol
Yes, someone said this on the casio music forum.
Yes, absolutely. It is designed for that. With a USB MIDI connection, the keyboard acts as a sound module. The CT-S500 can also play MIDI files directly from an attached USB flash drive.
