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Hi all,

I am Silvio and recently bought a digital piano kawai es920.
I wanted to record some tracks with my DAW and wanted to record a drums track.
I know that my piano has a rhythm section but it apparently can be used only as background when playing the piano.
I can play midi files from the usb key and they contain drums so I wonder how I can play directly drums using the keyboard to record a track using the line-out.

Can anybody help me?
Thank you very much in advance.

Sorry, it appears the drums are MIDI-only:

38 voices PIANO: 10 sounds, E.PIANO: 6 sounds, ORGAN: 5 sounds HARPSI/MALLETS: 4 sounds,
STRINGS/CHOIR: 8 sounds, BASS: 5 sounds,
MIDI only (Rhythm Section): 38 sounds + 4 drum kits

I recall there are computer programs, even as web apps, for some Roland DPs (like FP30, FP10) that receive MIDI notes from the DP and send them back to the DP in a different MIDI voice, which is included in the DP but not directly selectable.
Alternatively, you could use a VST for drums in your DAW. Generally, good VSTs are better than built-in DP engines these days.

I had drums on the DGXs which you played from the keys. Several different kits to choose from, and you could utilise the backing tracks to best effect using such keys, and the transitions offered.
It was such fun . . . .they were very powerful, too.

Hmmm...could some external MIDI keyboard (or other trigger device) send suitable real-time MIDI data to play drums on the ES-920?

Good question .... but even if that is doable, i suspect that the rub will remain - how to get this recorded?

I’m guessing peterws’ clue leans more toward’s the answer ..... but, this is just a guess. This may be one of those “how to?”s that requires hands-on trials to best answer.

Hello scambias,

We have already exchanged emails regarding this topic, but just to summarise things for the sake of the thread, and others who may have similar enquiries in the future:

- the ES920 does include a number of different "drum kit" sounds.
- these "drum kit" sounds are mainly intended for use with the built-in Rhythm Section feature, or to playback General MIDI files with the drum track recorded on ch.10.
- these "drum kit" sounds cannot be selected directly from the ES920's panel, but can theoretically be selected by sending a MIDI Program Change command to the instrument (please refer to the ES920 MIDI settings manual PDF). This should allow drum sounds to be played directly from the keyboard, and then recorded by an external MIDI sequencer/DAW.
- there are various software tools available to send MIDI Program Change commands, it's best to select the best tool for the device operating system that you're using. Scambias is using an Android phone, so I suggested the "MIDI Commander" app, although I do not have any experience of using this app myself


Cheers,
James
x

Hi James,

thanks for your reply. I was about to do some tests in the weekend and, after that, updating the post.
Thanks a lot for your post: I will let you know if the suggestions work fine!

Cheers,
Silvio

You'd better use VSTs (EZdrummer etc.) - they sound better and you get a more efficient workflow. Plus you can always you the Kawai as a MIDI keyboard to finger drum.