The last ABF recital prompted a conversation regarding the Kawai CA65/95 settings for recording. I received some good advice when I first got my CA95 and offer in turn some suggestions for setting up the sound and making use of the instrument for learning on. Maybe others could offer more knowledgeable advice or ideas.
Some of the settings may be found on other digitals that may offer similar benefits or practising strategies. Of course, if you're using a digital as a supplement to an acoustic little of the following might apply.
One of the most touted features of digitals over their acoustic counterparts is one of their greatest weaknesses, viz, the volume control. It may have its uses in regulating the headphone level but if there's any ambition to play an acoustic at any time in the future the default setting for the volume control should be loud enough to match an acoustic. For me that has always and only been full on.
Many players play almost exclusively on headphones for domestic or other reasons but to acclimatise ourselves to the level of an acoustic instrument and learn to control that level with our playing it is advisable to practise on (loud) speakers (or an acoustic) as often as possible.
With headphones the sound is very clear and direct. It's very flattering to the sound itself but it isn't how you'll hear an acoustic unless you play a well made and well maintained model in a good acoustical environment.
Most acoustic pianos have two touches, one normal and a lighter one when the dampers are lifted, and most players with teachers experience at least one other piano on a regular basis. This helps build the ability to adjust your touch quickly. A good alternative is to adjust the touch curve frequently on the digital. My old Clavinova (from the eighties) didn't have such a feature but the Kawai has five levels (Normal, Light, Light +, Heavy and Heavy +) as well as customisable touch curves (that are unfamiliar territory for me). I always use the heaviest setting for recording that makes soft playing easier, the Heavy and Normal levels for headphones while the default, for playing on speakers, is the Light setting that makes it more difficult to play softly. I reserve the lightest setting for occasional exercises in control with familiar material.
The default Concert Grand voice is where Kawai invested most of their R&D budget and gives me the most satisfying experience overall. The secondary piano voices are from the earlier CA63/93 models and don't offer the improved 'Harmonic Imaging XL' technology.
The sound can be quite bright on the Kawai on Normal and Light settings but it can be regulated using a variety of tonal adjustments in various combinations. In the Virtual Technician Settings the Topboard can be set reduced or set to Closed or the Voicing set to one of two Mellow settings. In the Basic Settings options the Tone can be set for mid-cut though I find that the least appealing.
For recording purposes there's no need to simulate acoustic piano noises so the sound can benefit by turning off Damper Noise (the splash you hear when you hit the pedal too hard or the whish when you release it too quickly), Key-Off effect, Fall-back Noise and Hammer Delay. The default Reverb setting is a bit strong, too, but that's a personal adjustment. I use the first, Room, setting for recording and headphones. It's not needed on speakers but it doesn't interfere at that level.
The Kawai has Registration memories that allow standard settings to be used at the touch of one or two buttons. My default power on setting is for speaker mode, a light touch and loud sound. I have settings for headphones, recording, pedal practise and various 'home alone' settings with dual voices to boost the volume and with the lightest touch setting where the windows and acoustic guitars rattle and hum in sympathy.
I've lodged a little sliver of lollipop stick to prevent the volume slider going below halfway. It makes it very convenient to change from headphone/half volume to speaker/full volume positions.