Digital Stage Piano used as midi Keyboard:Question

Cubase
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Hello, I am using Cubase 10 and a relatively cheap midi keyboard connected . I am thinking of purchasing a more expensive digital piano keyboard to use with Cubase but I am not sure if its going to work as a midi keyboard as the one I have, although it is clearly stated in the description of the seller that the instrument has midi capabilities. In other words, would I be able to resume my composition work on cubase using a digital stage piano instead of a midi keyboard? . Thank you

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If it has midi out or midi over usb then yes. Just look for the model on google and get the manual. Or get a picture of whatā€™s on the back.

3

There are some really nice stage pianos available,
and some of them are usable as master keyboards in complex scenarios.
But some cheaper ones are just simple pianos.

What is the one in question?

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1 Like
5

As far as I can see in a quick overview on the website of Yamaha, this is not a real stage piano and is missing advanced master keyboard functions.
At least it is nothing described on the page.

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can you give me a link of the real one please?

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https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/P515BK--yamaha-p-515b-digital-piano-black?irclickid=yn%3AQYNUoVxyNRN-yNSwHVVdhUkAzBz3Ut0E0zY0&irgwc=1&utm_source=Impact&utm_medium=DPRG&utm_campaign=Online%20Tracking%20Link

Isnt this one the same one?

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What you mean with that request?
There are many master keyboards available, some with very good piano sounds.

Looks the same.
But again, there is nothing mentioned about MIDI capabilities over the USB port.

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But that was my initial question. It has a midi in/out port but that doesnt mean a lot. I am here to ask if it can be used in place of a midi keyboard and does its function .

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I know what your request was, and I tried to answer it already.

Iā€™m sure the keyboard will work with a MIDI interface, but I canā€™t find any hint on the functionality of the USB port. This makes it difficult to say what is possible with the keyboard.
I guess its main use is as a piano at home, not the heart of a MIDI related recording and composing environment.

There are other keyboards available from Yamaha, intended for stage and studio use, with much more MIDI capabilities and good piano sounds.

CP88 for example.

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From the manual:

What you can do by connecting to a computer/smart device:
ā€¢ Listening to the audio data in the smart device through this instrument (Bluetooth
Audio function, page 81)
ā€¢ Using a smart device app (page 84)
ā€¢ Transmitting and receiving audio data (USB Audio Interface function, page 85)
ā€¢ Transmitting and receiving MIDI data (page 80)
ā€¢ Transferring MIDI Songs (extension: .mid, SMF Format 0 or 1) or backup files
(page 105)

Bold is mine.

So, not only will you be able to send and receive MIDI via USB, but you can use the Piano as an interface and record the actual sound on your PC as audio.

If you just want to have a stage piano that talks MIDI back and forth via USB, many keyboards do this, at lower price ranges. Heck, even the 90 Euro keyboards do this. I think this particular keyboard is trying very hard to offer a good touch and response, to compare with a REAL piano.

You said that you want to use this to compose.

But the real question is: Do you want to have an absolutely piano-like touch under all circumstances? Do you use orchestral instruments? How are you going to control Continuous Controllers with this piano? Are you ok with putting them in afterwards, or keeping around a cheap keyboard to tweak CCs with that, in addition to the stage piano?

Edit: Hereā€™s the link to the manual.

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Just some other search. I hope it works with your localizationā€¦

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I am using cubase with a Halion sampler to create various composition. I m not particularly interested in the actual piano sounds unless they are better than the sounds of what halion offers. On the other hand I am interested for what you mentioned: ā€œthis particular keyboard is trying very hard to offer a good touch and response, to compare with a REAL pianoā€. I am taking classical piano lessons that require the use of a real piano keyboard to be able to have an effect in my learning. I cant have a real piano in my house for several reasons so this might be the closest deal .At the same time, I am deeply interested in composition as I mentioned above. My intention is to combine both practices by buying a keyboard that is able to be used for both purposes. I am far from having solid knowledge of the software i am using nor the instruments . Cubase will ā€œseeā€ the piano keyboard since it ll be connected to it. But will it be able to use Halionā€™s VSTi s . Hense my initial question: will this instrument going to be functioning as a midi keyboard.
Thank you all for your effort to answer my question.

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Yes it will.
But ignoring all the above comments will leave you unsatisfied in the end.
It lacks some features for controlling Cubase and Halion comfortably.

1 Like
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Thank you very much for bringing this to my attention

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The piano sound will probably be better. Itā€™s this keyboardā€™s only job.

Indeed, itā€™s good thinking.

You will be able to use any vsti that you load from Cubase. You could even play drums. But as @st10ss, you will not have pitchbend, modulation, available pots for CC control, things that are not needed to play piano, but to play other instruments through halion, or any other instrument (e.g. strings, woodwinds, brass, synths, etc.)

What I am going to tell you now is completely subjective, my own opinion.

You obviously need a pianoā€¦ish keyboard. At the same time composition is of great interest to you. If I were you, I would buy a cheaper stage piano with MIDI ā†’ USB ability for its touch, so that you can practice on it, keep around the cheap MIDI keyboard to control VST instrument parameters and CCs, and buy Dorico. (to use for composition and orchestration. Unless weā€™re talking composition in the general sense.)

If money isnā€™t a problem, you could even go for the CP88 that @st10ss suggested above.

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Thats about exactly what I thought of doing in the first place. Though I want to refrain from using two instruments in my study room. Space is one of the problems I cant have a real piano.

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I know. But the cheap MIDI doesnā€™t need to be 49 keys. It could even be 25. You play from the piano, and control the parameters from the pots of the cheap keyboard. (Using all MIDI inputs on the track in Cubase)

Itā€™s just a thought.

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That would be perfect for meā€¦ if it is possible

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If you only want one instrument then you really need pitch bent and modulation wheels as a minimum as mentioned above