Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

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Virtual instrument software, sometimes referred to as "VI" or "VST", allows the sound of a wide range of different musical instruments to be produced using a computer. These "software instruments" are typically played using a dedicated MIDI controller such as the VPC1, however it's also possible to use the standard MIDI functionality built into most Kawai digital or hybrid pianos.  Many instruments also feature Line In connectors, allowing the sound produced by the computer to be fed into the piano and played through its speaker system.  This article outlines how to achieve this functionality.

Please note that the speaker systems of Kawai digital and hybrid pianos are optimised for reproducing the native Kawai sounds generated by the instrument.  Kawai does not guarantee that externally generated sounds will be reproduced by the speaker systems with optimal quality.

1. Connect the computer to the Kawai digital or hybrid piano using a standard USB 'A' to USB 'B' cable.  The USB 'A' connector should be connected to the computer, while the USB 'B' connector should be connected to the instrument's 'USB to Host' port.  Upon connecting the cable, the computer should install the USB-MIDI driver built into the operating system automatically.

Note: It is also possible to use Bluetooth MIDI (if available) to exchange MIDI data between the piano and computer.

2. Launch the virtual instrument software, either via its native application, or via a host application (DAW etc.).  Configure the software to ensure that the MIDI IN device is set to USB-MIDI.  Play a few notes on the connected digital or hybrid piano's keyboard to verify that the computer is receiving MIDI data from the piano.

3. Connect the computer's "Line Out" or "Headphone Out" connector to the Kawai digital or hybrid piano's "Line In" connector(s).  Depending on the instrument it may be necessary to use a 2x 1/4" mono (TS) to 1/8" mini-stereo (TRS) converter/adapter cable.  If the instrument features a Line In volume knob, adjust the knob and the computer's output volume to approximately 50%.  Play a few notes on the connected digital or hybrid piano's keyboard to verify that the sound from the computer is being played through the instrument's speakers.

Note: It is technically possible to use Bluetooth Audio (if available) to output the computer generated sound through the instrument's speakers, however this is generally not recommended due to the additional delay (latency) that may be introduced. This delay is an inherent characteristic of the Bluetooth standard, and not a flaw in the Kawai implementation.

4. From the connected digital or hybrid piano's control panel, open the MIDI Settings and set the "Local Control" setting to "Off".  This will prevent the instrument's built-in sound generator from producing a tone when the keys are pressed, leaving just the sound produced by the computer.

5. Adjust the output volume of the computer, the Line In volume knob on the instrument (if present), and the Master Volume slider on the instrument to achieve a natural, balanced playing volume.