Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai 'Virtual Technician' iPad app now available

Hello Hr., welcome tot he forum.



No, I'm afraid not.

The way the Virtual Technician is implemented on the MP11/SE and MP7/SE is a little different to other models.

Kind regards,
James
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In theory you would be right. But if you go to the CA98 and NV10 threads on this forum you will notice that the current version of the GUI is very far from being user-friendly and hassle-free. So, given the lack of bug fixes and improvements to the GUI for more than 6 months, the VT app would be the best option to configure the otherwise excellent CA98/78/NV10 models.

Let's not forget the Android users.
Will Kawai produce a Virtual Technician app for them as well?

arc7urus, please don't take this the wrong way, but may I ask what kind of functionality you believe the Virtual Technician app would be able to offer that isn't already implemented from the LCD touchscreen built into the CA98/CA78 and NV10?

Kind regards,
James
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For James:
I use the virtual technician app for the past year w my Kawai ES 110. So this new app just for models listed?

Hello Hotstrings,



The app discussed in this thread (first started around 3.5 years ago) is the same Virtual Technician app that you're already using with your ES110. Occasionally the app is updated to support new models - most recently the CA48 and CA58 - however the core functionality has remained the same.

Kind regards,
James
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Hi KJ! This app is not about adding new functionality to the CA98/78/NV10, but to expose existing functionality through the user interface of a mobile device. The app also adds no functionality at all to the models it currently supports, nevertheless Kawai decided to release it anyway. Let me try to illustrate its value through a couple of use cases.

- Editing VT settings that have a per-key value, like Key Volume and Voicing. The app shows the settings per key as a 88 column graph and the value for each key can be directly edited. Editing these settings on the DP is cumbersome and there is no way to visualize the settings across the overall keyboard. The touchscreen adds no value. The app does.

- Viewing and editing presets. The app shows a one-page summary of the VT setttings for each preset and makes it easy to view and edit these settings. In the new models it is not possible to view the settings of a preset/favourite or even to edit existing presets. The app supports this.

I think part of the Kawai community would actually welcome if the app was extended to support not only the VT settings but *all* the functionality on these DPs, including
- viewing and editing all the setttings, not only the VT settings
- managing the presets/favourites. This means viewing the full summary of each preset and supporting editing each favourite.
- viewing and editing the pianist mode settings (character, resonance, ambiance, ...)
- selecting the sound mode instruments in normal, split, layered modes
- selecting the instruments in the GM sound bank. These can be selected using a third party MIDI application but not through the GUI.

And then Kawai could actually start thinking about adding new functionality that would only be available though the app, like the competition has been doing for a while. Such flexibility can be achieved if an external app is used, since the touchscreen software and hardware constraints would not apply anymore. Finally, developing and maintaining an app (or two separate apps, one for iOS and other for Android) should lead to shorter update cycles and to reduced costs since Kawai would not have to deal with the localized distribution of multiple versions of GUI firmware updates for different DP models on a global market...

Don't you think such an app would only increase the value of the CA98/78/NV10 and forthcoming models? Thanks!

arc7urus, thank you very much for your reply. I think you make some good points.

Just to respond to some of your comments:



This is not strictly true. The VT app is very useful for Kawai DPs that only have a few buttons (e.g. ES110, KDP110, CN27, CA48), and actually provides a greater level of functionality than is possible using just the panel controls.



Yes, this is a nice idea.

I often make suggestions to the product planning and development teams, based on my experiences using instruments in development, and interactions with customers. However, I'm somewhat reluctant to comment further on what may/may not be possible with the VT app.

Thank you once again for your valued feedback.

Kind regards,
James
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Is there ever going to be an Android version of the App?????????

Maybe, someday, Kawai can eliminate the Menu and Functions on the piano itself, and use a SmartPhone or Tablet for such things. If, one can fly a quadcopter/drone with an iPhone, maybe, it can do the settings for a piano as well.

Just one less item inside to worry about.

+1. As an Android user, and merely one of the humble 85%+ market share over iPhone, as well as an owner of one of Kawai's premium DPs, it would be really great to have an Android app, as I really have no idea what is offered in the iOS VT app and what I've been missing!

I do thank you for your feedback. I think we all share the goal of improving the features of current and future DP models. I also understand that upgrading the app to support the new touchscreen models may raise a number of conflicts. However, a touchscreen UI on a DP will not be able to keep up with a dedicated Android/iOS app. So, maybe Kawai will eventually start to look at the app as a value-added feature instead of something that is relegating the all-new touchscreen to a secondary role.

Just a short remark on what I meant by "functionality" vs "usability". The models whose settings are controlled via combinations of buttons/keys (like the CA48) expose its complete functionality through this (cumbersome) interface. This means all DP settings can be controlled this way. So, the app is not adding new functionality to the DP but only providing a different user interface. Therefore, the DP functionality remains the same while its usability is improved by the app. This statement will not be true if there are some functions on the DP that are only available through the external app, but I believe this is currently not the case. If the app included, for example, the ability to edit the velocity/touch curve or to edit favourites on the CA98/78 then that would be new functionality.

Cheers!

Actually, this is the case for some models.

For example the CN27 exposes only the Virtual Technician smart mode (=predefined VT presets) via it's own button interface. To get the Virtual Technician advanced mode, you need the iPad app.

JoBert is correct.

Thanks! Did not know that. Does that apply to other models as well, like the CA48 or the ES models? But this means I have to agree even more with the users that are requesting the Android app. Or, as an alternative, Kawai could start bundling an iPad with its DPs for free :-)

Hi James,

I am just a new common customer, we just purchase a CN27 for my kid and myself to re-learn some music as an adult. Therefore, the first things I try to do is testing the feature of the piano and I end up to this thread on the forum. According to what you just write some of the features (advance setting) are no available for the people who do not own an (ipad). I absolutely do realize that in my position I will not need these features probably never however for an object of this price I think that is at least unfair for the customers coming from one of the two main maker in the sector to develop application only for a device that have nowadays represent only a small share of the tablets market. Apparently, Kawai seems not the be the only one company that does that in the piano world. This kind of policy is making the instrument cost effectively 300 USD more. It seems in 2019 Ipad is becoming a niche device, people are using plenty of other kind tablets/real laptops as tablets I do not understand why most of the market are left aside by Kawai and i do not believe a major piano maker do not have the resources to port an already developed applications on other platforms more over Kawai is developing already other software on windows for the VPC, the midi drivers…. I hope it is not some kind snob policy from Kawai (people who play piano must be apple fans…??) or I would probably regret my purchase not because of the product itself but it is a question of principle. Apparently, there is also no place for Kawai customer provide any centralized feedback.
I am sure I am not the only one who feels a disappointment due to something that basically have nothing to do with the quality of the piano itself, and I think it is not right for the product. But, if i had realized this at the shop this detail would probably be a deal breaker for me.

明けましておめでとうございます, James from Hamamatsu Japan 😊
I wish in this new year Kawai will evolve on the software parts of their Digital piano.

Hello yannfrj,

Thank you for your new year greeting, welcome to the forum.

I appreciate your comments and feedback, however I'm afraid that this topic is largely out of my hands.

I can pass-on your comments to my colleagues in R&D, however you may also wish to contact Kawai Japan directly via the link below:

http://www.kawai-global.com/support_e/enquiry/

Kind regards,
James
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Hello guys . We have a 2021. What about app on iPad for Mp11 and MP7se, any changes ?

There is no official Kawai app for the MP11SE/MP7SE, however you may be interested in the following third-party app which is compatible with the MP7SE:

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ru/app/fa-midi/id1527555917
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.abex.FAMIDI

Kind regards,
James
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Hmm...

Links appear to be broken - perhaps the developer pulled the app?

James
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