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i feel the music stand is so far back there, it just looks like it is hanging on for its life about to fall off the edge. i think it would look better if it was closer to the keys.



of course putting it in the middle would require holes to mount the stand and that would ruin the smooth finish of the top. i think a heavy wieghted portable stand that just sits on top (with a hidden rubber grip bottom) would be better than the current implimentation of putting it so far back.

Hi adak,





+1

No, I'm afraid not.



X-stands are horrible things.
I would recommend a table stand instead.

Cheers,
James
x

That's a bit of a surprise. I would have thought such a controller would really benefit from a matching stand, being so heavy and to locate the pedals. You wouldn't want such a beast to tip over!

Well, if there's a strong enough demand from users, it's perhaps something that can be considered in the future - you never know...

However, for the time being, I still recommend using a table stand over an X-stand.

Cheers,
James
x

Hi James,


I have been a relatively silent observer on this forum, so I apologize to the veterans if my questions might seem a bit too basic. However, I truly appreciate the input you have brought us with regards to the new Kawai products, and taking into consideration real concerns of current (and potentially new customers).

I am contemplating purchasing a VPC1. However, I only have the Galaxy software and do not plan on purchasing any additional software. Instead, I plan on connecting my iPad to the MIDI controller/ VPC-1 and run iPad apps such as iGrand or similar. Please let me know if you anticipate any issues when doing that.

Please see below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPrK_mkRrbg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRm9sFxnw48

https://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubb...0ipad%20-%20Anyone%20tr.html#Post2028910

Looking forward to your reply

Thank you!!

Makis

Hello Makis,

I'm afraid I do not have a great deal of experience running virtual instruments (especially pianos) from an iPad (or other tablet).

However, provided you have the necessary MIDI adaptor on your iPad, I expect the software will work fine.

But is this app really better than Galaxy running on a computer?

Kind regards,
James
x

I was thinking;

- now that the VPC is out and have the support of several software companies ; why don't they make a nice iPad Remote App voor their Software instruments ?! Then you can leave your laptop / PC somewhere else and only place a tablet on the surface of your VPC, or use a nice little iPad holder on a mic stand. In that way you can comfortably control your software with the tablet's touch surface (like DIY Kronos interface ;-) You don't have to run an iApp software piano from the iPad itself , which is inferior to a good SW instrument, but still have the nice, small and tactile form factor of the tablet as a user interface. Best of both worlds I would say.

James; perhaps the Kawai reps that talk to these companies can convince them to develop something like this ? I've been looking around in iApp world, but there's not something like that around yet. For other kinds of software there ARE already nice remote apps, like VNC, Cubase , Roland Hardware synths, etc

So to start with an Ivory, Pianoteq, Galaxy and NI remote app. Bonus; once they have that, they can easily develop more of those apps for the other products they have.

Wouldn't that be nice ; you're own completely customizable and extendible touch screen interface for all your software synths and stuff. It's not even fixed to a certain keyboard so you can use it anytime / anywhere and in combination with every keyboard controller.

Last thought: perhaps it's even quite easy to port the GUI of most SW Instruments to an iAPP, it's sort of a mini OSX under the hood anyway, so a good programmer...I think Korg did this already (MS20, Polysix etc), but also included the synth engine , which isn't necessary for what I mean.

Sometimes "best" is not what customers are looking for; most convenient can also be important in many situations. I think laptops are being replaced by ipads in many homes these days and the desktop computer might simply be in another room.

@Amaruk

that's why: remote App's !

Yes I agree. I've previously stated that the local College here uses iPad software for many virtual instruments connected to cheap DP's.

The iGrand piano(s) are a lot, maybe 1/10 cheaper than V Grand, more convenient to use, and the quality is surprisingly good. Better? Better than GarageBand although that's not saying much. Better is always a personal opinion, and what does better mean anyway.

Now someone has posted info about a new iPad piano, that includes the ability to change the velocity curve (same as iGrand). It seems like Kawai have not tested VPC1 with iPad? I don't think Kawai should ignore this market, like they have ignored Mac so far with the VPC! The VPC should just work with iPad as is anyway. But ignoring a potential audience could mean allowing someone else to step in.

Edit to add: Einaudi (who's he) was on BBC TV before Xmas extolling the virtues of iPad music ability, and even played a segment of I Giorni on one.

Ludovico Einaudi. I have his CD "Stanze" (new age harp). I think he generally plays piano. I'm not a huge fan of new age (too repetitive, little development, no dissonance) but like that CD a lot.

Hi, James,

Could you tell please whether KAWAI addressed this issue already with the VPC1 or the development of it was completed and closed to the time of this earlier discussion? Thx.

Tom Love with KAWAIs promise about ..." with "future keyboards"

Temperament, I believe the behaviour is the same as with the original RM3 Grand action.

Kind regards,
James
x

I am sure this has already been discussed in other topics, so I apologize for asking it again. How is the velocity measured on the RM3 action? Is there a pressure sensor activated by the "hammer" striking it or there are two sensors which measure the time of the hammer travel and calculate velocity?

It's a triple position-sensor action. No pressure sensor. The original RM3 didn't have 3 sensors. The new one should be capable of rapid, undamped repeats.

My understanding is that when you have two sensors, the time of hammer travel between them is measured. This doesn't allow for fast repetition since the hammer may have not returned back enough to activate the first sensor again, that's why a third sensor is added at the strike point to measure pressure. I may be wrong though.

It works like you said, only not with pressure. The extra sensor is in between the two old sensor positions. So now you don't have to release the key as much to retrigger a note, also the damper stays off if you only release to the middle sensor and then play another note. Pressure doesn't need to come into it.

I suspect pressure pads are difficult for some reason - either for accuracy or durability because it really would be much easier to have a real hammer hitting a pressure switch and another sensor for the damper on the key. That's it! Would be so much easier to calibrate. Probably feel more realistic too. None this interpolating velocity stuff, just pure whack of the hammer and dampers determined by the key position. There must be a reason why they aren't doing it though.

I just got a crazy idea. Why not use something like a Rhodes piano? Not for the sound of it but instead use it as a MIDI controller someway. There is a real hammer striking a real tine which induces a pickup. What you need to do is to translate pickup signal into a MIDI value. This seems to me as a better approximation of a real piano, for example repeated notes would strike a vibrating tine which supposedly generates different velocity than if it was static. Also there may be a real string resonance by cleverly measuring open damper tines self-induction, etc.

I remember I've read somewhere there were a few late Rhodes pianos with a MIDI output and I am wondering if they used a similar principle for MIDI generation.

I think "real hammers" striking transducers is possible, even practical.
There is also the question of "product positioning", i.e. whether some large percentage of the buying public would turn away from a "not so silent" instrument.
I am thinking "keyboard klatter", somewhat reminiscent of Underwood typewriters (-:

It may be fine on stage, in a studio, etc., but manufacturers have to appeal to the largest buying audience(pun) they can.