Sam CA Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 I'm seriously thinking about getting one. There's a ton of positive feedback on it online. PianomanChuck shows how quiet the keys are, which is a big plus. I can't stand that klunk klunk klunk sound of most controllers. There are some older threads here too, but people change their mind after using an instrument for a longer period of time. Be nice to hear all of your good and bad experiences/feedback. Thanks! Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 I played one a week and a half ago at Little Grey studio in Springfield, VA. Can't beat the action for piano. Actually, I was playing Wurli on V TINES, but it felt really good. Volume was being controlled via a Yamaha FC7 pedal. Vibrato depth (and anything else for that matter) had to be adjusted on the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Excellent piano action. I believe it is what Nord stuck in the Nord Grand. A good friend of mine picked it up for his wife, it"s in the house, works great with the software piano libraries and some of them have actually done dynamic curve settings specifically for it. Quote Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 I have had one for quite a while now. Very happy with it. Quote "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt W Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Check that the software you are planning to control handles the triple sensor midi-implementation of the VPC1. I hoped to use a Kawai MP11 to control a Nord Stage 3 Compact but found that Nord did not react on retriggering via the middle sensor. Just a tip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miden Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 At 30kg's it would need to be solid Quote There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence... Time is the final arbiter for all things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markyboard Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 I played one a week and a half ago at Little Grey studio in Springfield, VA. Can't beat the action for piano. Actually, I was playing Wurli on V TINES, but it felt really good. Volume was being controlled via a Yamaha FC7 pedal. Vibrato depth (and anything else for that matter) had to be adjusted on the computer. It"s my 'time out' board for when I want to get socially distant with all the other tech. It"s positioned where I can"t reach the pc mouse, knobs, sliders or do anything else other than play. I do have 2 FC-7 pedals under it; 1 for volume (thus far) and 1 for whatever other parameter I choose to preset it up for in the VST. Both pedals are connected through my MOTU interface. The VPC-1 can only accommodate the 3 pedal set that comes with it- no other external CV inputs. For piano type sounds I love it. Some people here find the action too heavy but I think it"s all what you"re used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 It sounds more and more like a perfect piano controller for me. I love heavy action keys! I usually buy my gears from Sweetwater. I don't remember ever paying for shipping with them, but looks like there is a shipping fee for this item. I gotta get a stand (piano chair height) too. What do you think of this stand for this controller? https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/OmegaStd--k-and-m-omega-table-style-keyboard-stand-black Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 I use this Profile stand. Heavy and sturdy. Not expensive either. My vpc is also in the bottom of it's flight case. Profile Keyboard Stands KDS450MA Quote "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleer Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Now for that VPC-2 ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVC Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Wasn't that the MP7SE action ? Just repeating what I thought I read on PW. From the top of my head, yes, RH-III (used on MP7SE and ES8 among others) with modifications (it seems they removed the escapement simulation notch - there may be others). VPC-1 uses the RM3II, according to this kawai page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 I use this Profile stand. Heavy and sturdy. Not expensive either. My vpc is also in the bottom of it's flight case. Profile Keyboard Stands KDS450MA Thanks Michael. Yes, that's the type of stand I'm thinking about. Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 I found out one of my friends who is a B R I L L I A N T pianist uses the VPC 1. This is what he had to say: "This is one of the greatest controllers I've ever had. The only minor issue that it has is the fact that keys don't bounce back to the original position fast enough. It only becomes noticeable when you do real fast repeated notes. Other than that I can't think of anything else. " Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 well then, looks like a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melving Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I've had a VPC-1 for a while. It was kinda disappointing. All that expectation. Sat down. Started playing. Felt like a piano Reliable, quiet, heavy. It's just me and my technique again... The right pedal is a little creaky. For most of my playing that doesn't need half pedaling, I have the middle pedal assigned as a sustain pedal 'cause it's quieter. I did put lithium grease inside the pedal unit. Regarding noise, truth to be told, I did mod a yamaha GHS to be a quiet keyboard. Put strips of contact felt where the yamaha strip was, which worked quite well. But then I was going to try to sell it, so I got a yamaha felt strip, and then it was noisy again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Salazar Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I'm thinking of getting one of these, but the near 2 grand price tag kind of hurts... What would the next step down be? I'm thinking the Studiologic SL88 Grand is next in line as far as controllers go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throbert Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I've heard only goof things about the vpc-1 but the quality come at the cost of gigable weight, which keeps it at home for the shleping player. Quote Triton Extreme 76, Kawai ES3, GEM-RPX, HX3/Drawbar control, MSI Z97 MPower/4790K, Lynx Aurora 8/MADI/AES16e, OP-X PRO, Ptec, Komplete. Ashley MX-206. future MOTU M64 RME Digiface Dante for Mon./net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 I've heard only goof things about the vpc-1 but the quality come at the cost of gigable weight, which keeps it at home for the shleping player. What's a shleping player? Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Wright Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 I've heard only goof things about the vpc-1 but the quality come at the cost of gigable weight, which keeps it at home for the shleping player. What's a shleping player? Quote "I cried when I wrote this song Sue me if I play too long" Walter Becker Donald Fagan 1977 Deacon Blues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigT Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Check that the software you are planning to control handles the triple sensor midi-implementation of the VPC1. I hoped to use a Kawai MP11 to control a Nord Stage 3 Compact but found that Nord did not react on retriggering via the middle sensor. Just a tip. I"ve heard this before but am not sure of the implications. Does this mean the Compact will respond as if it were a 2 sensor controller? Does it effect playability greatly? I feel controllers like the VPC1 and SL88 Grand are the only good options for the Compact because they have customizable velocity maps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dongna Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Check that the software you are planning to control handles the triple sensor midi-implementation of the VPC1. I hoped to use a Kawai MP11 to control a Nord Stage 3 Compact but found that Nord did not react on retriggering via the middle sensor. Just a tip. Something about this doesn't seem kosher to me. Maybe it's my ignorance, in which case I hope someone here will be able to enlighten me. Doesn't MIDI transmit just simple "note on" and "note off" messages? If that's the case, then wouldn't the onus be on the controller to transmit the MIDI note on via the middle sensor? Maybe this is a parameter setting within the VPC1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 MIDI doesn't know about triple sensors. Check what the middle sensor sends on a retrigger - if it's a note on, any sound source should respond correctly. Quote Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throbert Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I've heard only goof things about the vpc-1 but the quality come at the cost of gigable weight, which keeps it at home for the shleping player. What's a shleping player? Do you want to lift that thing out/in your ride, up/down stairs on/off your stand? Quote Triton Extreme 76, Kawai ES3, GEM-RPX, HX3/Drawbar control, MSI Z97 MPower/4790K, Lynx Aurora 8/MADI/AES16e, OP-X PRO, Ptec, Komplete. Ashley MX-206. future MOTU M64 RME Digiface Dante for Mon./net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Do you want to lift that thing out/in your ride, up/down stairs on/off your stand? I'm a home player. My instruments barely leave my home studio. I do have light-weight keyboards for rare occasions. So does that make me a "shleping player"? Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markyboard Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I'm a home player. My instruments barely leave my home studio. I do have light-weight keyboards for rare occasions. So does that make me a "shleping player"? Only if you catch Schleprocy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 If you are considering the VPC-1, you absolutely owe it to yourself to try the MP11SE first. I had a chance to compare them directly, and thought the VPC-1 was sluggish and a bit stiff in comparison. I would really like to see the MP11SE action in a "VPC-2" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throbert Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Do you want to lift that thing out/in your ride, up/down stairs on/off your stand? I'm a home player. My instruments barely leave my home studio. I do have light-weight keyboards for rare occasions. So does that make me a "shleping player"? If you haul and move your gear from where ever to the gig and back or where ever else then yes you are. If you made enough to afford roadies then you're one of the few. Quote Triton Extreme 76, Kawai ES3, GEM-RPX, HX3/Drawbar control, MSI Z97 MPower/4790K, Lynx Aurora 8/MADI/AES16e, OP-X PRO, Ptec, Komplete. Ashley MX-206. future MOTU M64 RME Digiface Dante for Mon./net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam CA Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 If you are considering the VPC-1, you absolutely owe it to yourself to try the MP11SE first. I had a chance to compare them directly, and thought the VPC-1 was sluggish and a bit stiff in comparison. I would really like to see the MP11SE action in a "VPC-2" I was just looking at it the other day. Apparently it has a whole different keybed with longer keys if I remember correctly. Reviews are confusing as always. Some say the VPC-1 is more piano like, and some say the MP11SE is heavier. I could've checked them both at NAMM 2020, but at the time I wasn't interested. It'd be nice to test both for my own curiosity, but I'm really after a controller than a synth or stage piano. I already have Kronos 2 to satisfy that category. Quote www.youtube.com/c/InTheMixReviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 If you are considering the VPC-1, you absolutely owe it to yourself to try the MP11SE first. I had a chance to compare them directly, and thought the VPC-1 was sluggish and a bit stiff in comparison. I would really like to see the MP11SE action in a "VPC-2" I was just looking at it the other day. Like anything else, it might come down to budget. The MP11SE is $1000.00 more than the VPC-1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundown Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Hi Sam, If you can afford the higher price, get the MP11se. I own an MP11 and I was in similar shoes five years ago. For me, the ability to quickly fire up the instrument and get sounds is invaluable. The onboard sounds aren't going to rival a sample library (except the extraordinary Tine Electric Piano 1), but they are still quite good. There are many times I just want to play in a pinch and firing up my computer, loading Cubase etc., takes up to ten minutes. You also get pitch/mod wheels, four assignable knobs, a simple onboard sequencer/recorder, and of course the triple pedal assembly. I don't gig (thus I don't have to worry about weight/portability), but the MP11 is the Swiss watch of actions. Yes, it's going to run you about three-large with a high-quality stand, but for me, it took away any instrument excuses. If a part or performance isn't right, it's not the instrument. It's me... Best of luck with your decision. Todd Quote Sundown Working on: The Jupiter Bluff; Driven Away Main axes: Kawai MP11 and Kurz PC361 DAW Platform: Cubase Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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