Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards VPC Editor software - now available for Mac OS X

Good morning folks,

I'm delighted to announce that the VPC Editor software is now available for Mac OS X.

This software allows Mac users to adjust touch curves, velocity offsets, and other MIDI settings stored to the VPC1's internal memories. Here are some screenshots:

Touch Curve selection/organisation:


Touch Curve editing:


Velocity Offset editing:


MIDI settings/routing:


For more information and to download the editor software, please visit the Kawai VPC website at www.kawaivpc.com.

On behalf of everyone at Kawai, may I thank all those who have selected the VPC1 as their piano controller of choice, and a special thank you to Mac users who have remained patient during the editor's development.

If you have any queries regarding the VPC1 or the VPC Editor software, please feel free to raise them in this thread.

Kind regards,
James
x

ps. This software was actually uploaded yesterday (April 1st), however I opted to wait 24 hours before posting the announcement to ensure it was not misinterpreted as an April Fools' joke.

Thanks Kawai James for the info. It would seem Kawai states the driver requires OS X 10.8+. I guess in that case the VPC is out for me, as I would need to add another $1,200 for a new Mac to operate the VPC. It's a shame Kawai couldn't make it compatible to Snow Leopard or even Lion. Yeah I know, my Mac is 3-years old and ancient according the genius at the Apple store, but it doesn't make sense to me to replace a perfectly good laptop every other year.

Do you really need the editor? Sure, it has velocity presets for Ivory, Galaxy, and Pianoteq. But those software pianos have their own velocity curve adjustments. So if you can't use the VPC tool on your version of Mac, it's not a dead loss.

The VPC velocity editor seems to follow the highly useful Pianoteq model rather than the clumsier ones in Ivory and Galaxy. Kudos, Kawai.

It's too bad they didn't put in a sustain pedal adjustment curve.

4evrBeginR, thank you for raising this point.

The following information has been added to the Q&A page of the VPC website.



So, the VPC Editor will work under OS X 10.6/10.7 (64-bit), however we can only provide official support to users running OS X 10.8.

Kind regards,
James
x

Wow that's great news for April 2!
Can't wait to try the software (although I'm still on 10.6...).

Thanks for taking care of us Mac-ists.

Yay! Congrats all you Mac+VPC users!

Awesome!

I will plan to upgrade OS X at some point but just not quite yet. This is good to know. Back on check list.

I think the custom curves are critical for this product for me as I find fiddling with the curves within the software packages less than satisfactory.

That has been one of the more vocal gripes against the VPC so nice that Kawai has listened and delivered!

I haven't looked at the editing software myself (PC) and don't really feel the need to. I trust the engineers have developed the velocity curves to their full potential. For me to start messing with it would probably just make it worse - or send me down rabbit holes of tweaking.

At least its there for those who like to do that kind of thing.

Yes, we're glad to have finally resolved one of the main criticisms of the VPC1.

Regarding this point, however:



It's perhaps worth noting that the VPC1 has always been compatible with Macs, and that selecting the built-in approved touch curves is possible by holding the power button and pressing one of the top-most five black keys.

However, now Mac users also have the ability to tailor these curves, create brand new curves, and adjust other settings that were previously only accessible using a Windows PC.

Cheers,
James
x

Will it work with my CA ...( I know - nope , no chance , never)

...or the mp11 ? (more chance perhaps in an update ?)

Great to finally have the editor. Saves you from using bootcamp or other solutions. Good work.

No



Unlikely, but never say never.



Thanks!

I'm glad we were finally able to address one of the few negative points about the VPC1.

Cheers,
James
x

I'd like to thank Kawai for the software.
I'll download it this weekend.
I just got finished with the week from "heck" at work. Darn weather. It's worst when it's right at freezing 32f/0c. Three days of it. Over and over. Would have been much better if it were colder. Wouldn't be slippery icy. Don't ever want another week like this again. Yes, I have to drive in that stuff all day long. Doh!

I might try again and play with the light curve. Increase it a little lighter.
Nobody has disagreed with me. I keep thinking real pianos are touchier.

BTW: James? Now that those R&D boys are free from this project. How about helping on that Godzilla Metronome? Sorry about the two boys who got hurt in the fire breathing accident. I need that fire breathing to light my cigars when playing.

EDIT: Seriously thank you. Without goofing up the curves myself. I just chose the light curve. My keys now feel very much more like my old M8000. Which I loved. Using tons of touch again in my playing. I like this curve better than the Ivory curve. Using it on Ivory. I feel I have a better connection with my VPC now.

I'm posting again just to bring this to the top. Have a question for you all who have this.

When you set the velocity curve to light. Is it simply psychological? I know the response is touchier. I keep playing this today and the more I play the more I can swear the keys aren't as "sluggish" as they were.
It would make sense though. I'm hitting the keys lighter. (Otherwise I'd be playing like a wounded water buffalo in heat.) When hitting them lighter. I'm quicker. They feel quicker.
Also in light curve. I'm loving having more feel of the weights on the keys. That actual "camber" action of the weights and gravity. I guess I'm just being more sensitive to the feel with the light touch.
In short. I love the light curve with Ivory II.

EDIT: I know it is different. But noticing there is no change in the color of the on button light with either the Light or Heavy setting. Only color change for the basic 5 that are changeable with the on button and keys. Can go to Light or Heavy on any of those 5. Same exact color shows on the little "on" button in the software. But always highlights which one I clicked on also. So I'm running with orange light and "light" highlighted. Can do this with any of the 5 and "light" or "heavy".