Kawai’s MP11 digital piano provides some of the most authentic and realistic sound piano sounds you could hope to achieve, and so with the most articulate control. The Kawai MP11 offers a variety of beautiful concert, jazz, and pop grand pianos, and a full-bodied traditional upright – appropriately voiced and mic’d for a broad range of musical styles. You can enjoy playing the original sounds, or delve into the powerful Virtual Technician to adjust the piano beneath your fingertips.
The PIANO section showcases a variety of Concert, Studio, Jazz, Modern, and Pop grand piano sounds that are suitable for a wide range of musical periods and styles. A traditional upright is also provided for songs that evoke a feeling of nostalgia, or simply call for a slightly more intimate tonal character. And for playing in a live band setting, additional mono piano sounds ensure that the MP11 will cut through even the heaviest of mixes.
THE SOUND OF A GRAND PIANO
The beautiful sound of the Kawai EX concert grand piano is at the heart of the MP11, with all eighty-eight keys of this world-class instrument painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms. Recording each key individually in this way – as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes – preserves the rich harmonic character of the EX concert grand piano, and guarantees that the sound heard when playing any one of the MP11’s wooden keys is a faithful representation of the original acoustic source.
When playing a fine piano, the amount of pressure applied to the keyboard affects not only the volume of the sound produced, but also the unique tonal character of each note. Therefore, in order to construct a realistic acoustic portrait of the EX concert grand piano, not only is each key recorded individually, but also at various different volume levels, ranging from gentle pianissimo to thunderous fortissimo.
The E.PIANO section features a treasure trove of authentic tine, reed, and modern electric pianos. Warm, creamy, smooth, slick, dark, or gritty… whatever the style or sound, the MP11’s vintage EPs are guaranteed to get any player’s fingers moving. A couple of crunchy clavs are also provided to cover most funk needs, while the electric grand – lovingly sampled from Kawai’s own EP308, with all its imperfections – delivers that trademark striking pop sound.
Complementing the MP11’s stunning acoustic pianos and vintage EPs, the SUB section contains additional sounds that add depth to the performance. Premium quality strings and soothing pads are ideally suited for layering, while the rich electric and acoustic bass sounds are perfect for left-hand splits. Finally, a choice selection of harpsichord and mallet voices complete the line-up, for those occasions that require a specific sound.
Expanded sound memory allows the MP11 to deliver the finest multi-layered, 88-key, extra-long samples available in any stage piano. However when combined with the instrument’s brand new audio processor, sonic realism is elevated to another level. This advanced hardware is responsible for enriching the core sounds with subtle resonances that enhance playing authenticity, and reverbs that build depth and character.
The MP11’s effects system has also been completely rewritten in order to take full advantage of this additional processing power. While most stage pianos offer a handful of effects and limited control, the MP provides over 100 effects (sorted by category), with a wide range of tweakable parameters. Effects can be applied to each sound section independently, with EPs afforded two separate effects blocks for greater flexibility.
The MP11’s Virtual Technician parameters simulate these refinements digitally, allowing performers to shape various aspects of the acoustic piano sound’s character to suit their personal preferences. Perform touch weight and voicing adjustments, regulate subtle hammer and key release noises, and fine-tune string, lid, and damper resonances – all in real-time.
Virtual Technician parameters are also available for electric pianos, allowing an instrument to sound worn and tired, or brand new and factory fresh.
The tonal character of an amplifier or speaker cabinet is an important component of any vintage electrical instrument. The MP11 therefore includes an amp simulator within the E.PIANO section, helping to fatten the sound with nostalgic analogue warmth.
In addition to the five distinctive speaker cabinet types, the MP11 also provides extensive control over the amplifier’s drive and volume levels, in addition to dedicated frequency and tone adjustments. It’s even possible to select the kind of microphone used to mic the amp, along with axis positioning and ambience levels. For vintage keyboard enthusiasts, the MP11’s infinitely tweakable amp sim is icing on the EP cake.
The MP11’s global EQ controls provide immediate access to a powerful four-band graphic equaliser, with two of the mid-range bands adjustable as a parametric EQ. Alterations are made directly from the panel using the instrument’s four control knobs, with fine-grain adjustments reflected in real-time via the large LCD display.
The Kawai MP11 is a superb stage piano and a great controller!