Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai CS11 users/ pianoteq set up help

I just purchased a new Kawai CS11 digital piano and am experimenting with the various sounds of pianoteq. Pianoteq is great, but the ONLY way I can hear the sounds is to utilize an audio interface and play through external speakers. I am having difficulty getting the sounds to come back through my CS11 speakers. I have watched several youtube videos, but they all have the sound go through external speakers! I am sure it's probably operator error, but I need to make sure I don't need to call a Kawai technician! Please can someone walk me through the proper set up so I can play the various sounds directly through my piano? Thank you in advance!

Thanks,

Kelly

I have a Kawai CA67 - and it has similar capabilities in terms of interfaces to the CS11. I don't use Pianoteq, but I do use a program (Piano Marvel) that sends sound back through my piano speakers.

So using a USB B to USB A cable I connect the squarer USB B connection on the piano to the USB connection on my laptop. From the laptop earpiece socket to the Piano "Line In" socket I run a 3.5mm to 3.5mm stereo audio cable and adjust the little volume control next to the line in socket on the piano to balance sound (I only mention this because you need to ensure its not turned down to off - you are not balancing anything I have to - see below). The two cables you need are connected to a panel under the keyboard right at the back - at the bass end. The "line in" (for the audio cable) is the left most socket and the volume control is a little spindly knob next to it to the right. The usb socket is near the other end of the panel (there are two midi sockets on the far right of this panel - the usb midi out is to the left of these two).

Because you don't want the piano to sound when you press a key (you send a midi signal to the computer where pianoteq generates the sound) you need to turn "local control" off. You will find this by going to the menu keypad and pressing button 2 to get you to the main menu - chose Menu 4 (Midi Settings) and then item 3 (Local Control On/Off) and set Local Control to off. I would do this last because whilst you are testing the set up its best to be sure you are pressing a key

Hope that helps

Hi, congratulations on getting your CS11! I've had one for a year or so and love it! To be honest, ever since I got it I haven't felt much need to fire up Pianoteq, as I've found enough sounds I love already built into the CS11. But I have connected other audio from various sources so I can confirm it is easily done, and that AKC42 above is right. Basically you want one connection sending midi information from the CS11 to your laptop - this can either be done over USB or with a midi cable and midi interface. And then you want another connection sending audio from your laptop back to your CS11 speakers. This could probably be done over USB but the easiest way, as AKC42 says, is with a 3.5mm audio cable going from your computer's headphone socket to the "line in" socket of your piano.

I would also add that, once you've turned "local control" off in the settings as AKC42 describes (so you don't get the clash of two piano sounds being generated at the same time by both your CS11 and Pianoteq), it might be worth saving your settings in one of the registration slots at that point, so you can turn local control on and off more quickly in the future. That's what I did.

Good luck!

totallyclassics, congrats on your new CS11!

The explanation offered by akc42 and jgmallard is spot-on.

Kind regards,
James
x

I have a Kawai CS11 also and yes you can do it. You need to route your PC audio through the line in jack under the keybed on the left. Be warned though that the input audio quality is pretty garbage, well it is on mine anyway. Very high gain that picks up electrical noise from computer, touching connectors etc.

You will also need to disable the local keyboard audio under the MIDI menu so you don't have 2 piano's playing at once

Isn't it the same on all digital pianos? Same on CA98. Any way around it?

You can turn the gain down with the volume control. I don't get any bad sounds

Right, the Line In level cab be used to adjust the input gain. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to have a high volume on the external device, and a relatively low input level, however it pays to experiment with different settings.

Kind regards,
James
x

I did try quite a bit with the input gain attenuation and output volume and it was either too quiet or too much background noise. It may have to do with the Macbook also not being plugged in / grounded though, will need to experiment more.

@jgmallard, which sound do you find yourself using the most on your CS11?

I'm driving this from both a Macbook Air and an Ipad Pro. both work really well with or without mains power. I have the volume up quite high on both computers. I've been using the Macbook Air for over 18 months whereas I just bought the Ipad Pro and am preferring it because a) I can keep the music stand up and b) the screen allows for music to show in Piano Marvel (the app I use most). My usb B to A cable is quite high quality and is shielded. Maybe that is the secret The audio cable is a simple stereo 3.5mm jack on both ends audio cable - but there is nothing special about it.

Of course I get a hum if I pull the jack out of the computer and touch the end with my finger, but that is the only time.

So the answer is what? USB audio? How set it up? I don't think I have the option to send audio via USB on my computer.

This reminds me of a bad joke ...
Patient: Doc, I get a hum whenever I touch the jack with my finger.
Doctor: So don't touch the jack with your finger. And pay the receptionist $50. Bye.