Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Does this exist?

Hello all! Been a minute since I posted, but the sum up is I've been tinkering with my Casio 330px for the last couple of years. Have made some progress, but still nowhere where I would like to be. So here soon I'm going to be shifting my schedule so I can attack with more time and effort.

Here's the thing. I use my Casio only for the keybed. I use Pianoteq for the sounds. I had to switch up because I hooked my keyboard to my HiFi sound system. Nothing super special, just my monster of a computer with a dedicated sound card (Creative SB X-FI)and with the original sounds via vanilla Casio, it was just fine. If anything, smoothed it out more, did a better job of covering up the flaws.

I have now upgraded my sound system again with orthodynamic speakers. For my music collection it has been a stunning addition! But for my piano sounds... not so much. The resolution and detail is so high now that the flaws stick out even more. Kinda hard to get into a piano song when your piano doesn't sound like a... well, piano. lol So the best cost/resolution I came up with was Pianoteq. Took some tweaking but all sounds excellent now!

However, here I am using a DP for it's keys only. I do a lot of stuff with computers, so I always build my systems myself, even including soldering/changing chips and opamps/resistors etc etc for the best results. So I likely will always use my desktop machine to produce the piano sounds (via pianoteq or sample collections) as I always have near first class tech at my disposal.

So here is my question if you've been patient enough to read my little background. Is there anyone who makes Digital Piano's without samples? To be more precise. I mean a Piano Keyboard bed that has just midi support? I'm getting tired of having to turn off my onboard sounds everytime I turn on my DP. (I get to practice only in small junks throughout the day) So it just made me wonder if anyone out has something like this?

Thanks for any input!

What you're referring to is considered a "controller" keyboard...

check out VPC1 from Kawai...also the Numa from Studio Logic.

Hope this helps.

>I'm getting tired of having to turn off my onboard sounds everytime I turn on my DP.

Just cut the wires to the speakers?

Setting the volume low would be less aggressive!

As mentioned, what you're asking for is a MIDI controller, and there are a number of them. But also, any DP that doesn't have speakers in it will make all onboard sounds inaudible unless you specifically connect its audio out to an amp/speaker. Or, for a model with speakers, you can leave a dummy plug in its headphone jack, or keep the volume knob at minimum.

OP's post has Kawai VPC1 written all over it!

Yes agree. But it's 10,000 times the price of a blank headphone plug, which meets the OP's stated requirements.

How about changing the 'Local Control' setting to OFF, and saving to power-on memory?

I'm assuming this is possible with the Casio...

If not, definitely VPC1.

Cheers,
James
x

In my experience, boards don't generally remember the "Local Off" setting between power cycles. Probably because manufacturers don't want to get customer calls, "how come my piano isn't playing anymore?" ;-)

Yes, that's understandable.

However, I believe all Kawai DPs that offer a 'User Memory' function (i.e. that ability to store preferred settings so that they are recalled automatically when the instrument is turned on) will also store the 'Local Off' setting.

We also draw attention to the 'Local Off' setting within the 'The instrument is turned on, however no sound is produced when the keys are pressed' issue of the owner's manual's Troubleshooting pages. Generally speaking, adding useful functions shouldn't be a problem for consumers, provided they are documented clearly.

Cheers,
James
x