Topic: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

Just wondering if anyone's had a chance to play PT with a high resolution MIDI keyboard. Also wondering about experiences anyone's had with note-off release velocity.

My Numa Nero has recently been returned (permanently) because in just a few short weeks it's developed glitch after glitch. So I have the question (again) of which MIDI keyboard or controller for PT. Have been considering in particular the more or less new tri-sensor models: Kawai ES7, Privia-350 and equivalent Rolands. My understanding is the Privia-350 transmits high-resolution values (#CC 88) for note on and also note-off release velocity. But I don't know if that's totally accurate ...

With some luck I'll try the P-350 and the K-Es7 today.

Thanks in advance for all info ...

Re: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

you can download high resolution midi files from that e-competition that pianoteq uses for advertisement. When you let pianoteq playback such a file you can switch between high resolution midi and normal resolution midi. I've tried that and I can't really hear much difference ~1023 velocities vs. 127  velocities. Note off velocity is a good feature for pianoteq as it will graduate the noise of the action and you can play softly released notes. This is great if you want to play pp pieces along with ff ones without having to readjust action noise.

DIY digital piano on salvaged piano action with homemade optical sensor bar: http://sebion.wordpress.com

Re: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

thanks for mentioning those hi-re files. ... i'll listen to them ... am very interested in what i might hear .. .. i just tried casio privia's (the 150 which dealers say has the same key mechanism as the 350) .. was able to do this in two different shops. and also compare the 150 action against kawai mp6 (for further comparison.

it is cery difficult to hear a substantial difference w/pt with standard midi and hi-res. that said, the privia keyboard, when played softly w/pt receiving hi-res velocity does seem like it responds to touch in a more nuanced way. at soft dynamics, the sound (of) pt (w/hr midi) seems a little more articulate than standard midi. and the same when playing fast, articulate passages ... fir example, jazz eighth notes at a speedy tempo. the sales guy said that hi-res seemed just a little more lively as well. his impression was pt was responding just a little bit better w/high res.

the p-150 i tried has release velocity locked at 64. or at least that was the setting (release at 64) on the two 150's i tried. so i can't say from experience how release velocity influences sound.

comparing the kawai mp6 action to the casio action, i found the kawai feels like a very finely tuned mechanism. it's a little smoother and feels like it has more engineering. BUT .. i also felt - or i think i felt! - the lack of hi-def resolution on the kawai. which is to say that that nicer, more acurate keyboard on the kawai seemed still to lack in expressiveness compared to the privia.

overall, i'd say i was having a more interesting, engaging experience w/high res rather than standard midi.

well, that was my experience from this morning.

Re: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

ah that is a good point. Of course the difference to HR midi will come up more clearly when playing pianissimo. If I get the time for it I'll try to add hr-midi to my sensor bar, just to check it out myself.

DIY digital piano on salvaged piano action with homemade optical sensor bar: http://sebion.wordpress.com

Re: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

in fact, i'd say that particularly, when playing soft chords, i found the hi-res velocity to be noticeable to me as a player. the chords seemed to respond as i heard them and wanted to hear them instead of how the keyboard interpreted them. but thinking more about it, my opinion is any extra amount of responsiveness helps to dissolve the border between player and keyboard.

this is very very subjective, of course. anyway, looking forward to hearing about your experience with it if you down the hi-def road.

Re: High resolution midi, note-off release velocity, 3-sensor keysboards

... I've been doing some measuring in Max/MSP. It looks like the XP midi files for the e-competition give ~1024 or so velocity steps (meaning ~10 steps between each of the standard 128 velocity values). But I think the the High-Res CC#88 midi dialect - which the new Casio Privias seem to speak - allow 16,384 steps (~128 steps between every standard velocity value).