Using a Digital Piano as a Master Keyboard – MIDI, USB, Bluetooth

Editing sheet music, recording with an electric piano, or simply improving the sound with a piano VST or a piano sound library – there are many ways to use a digital piano as a master keyboard. But what makes a digital piano suitable as a MIDI controller?

The possibilities are endless, and there are many accessories available to help you use your digital piano as a master keyboard. However, before purchasing anything, you should take a close look at what you really need and whether any purchase is necessary at all. After all, your digital piano or stage piano may already have all the required features. For example, the Yamaha Arius YDP-165 shown above comes with everything you need to connect it to a music computer, smartphone, or tablet.

MIDI, USB, or Bluetooth – at least one of these interfaces is a prerequisite for using your digital piano as a master keyboard. Then you need to clarify what your goal is:

Do you want to play the piano …

• with a DAW,
• using a VST host program,
• via a piano app,
• with a piano module?

Digital Piano as a Master Keyboard Without Accessories

As the universal music tool for notation, composition, recording, etc., the computer is a central element. You don’t even need expensive music production software to play the piano with your audio PC. Apple laptops and tablets, for example, come with GarageBand preinstalled anyway.

With recording capabilities and thousands of sounds – including great piano sounds – GarageBand is the cheapest way to make music on your computer or tablet. And it couldn’t be easier – if you have a digital piano with USB or Bluetooth MIDI, you can get started right away.

But there are other ways to install free DAW software on your computer – for Mac, Windows PC, and even Linux. For tips on free DAW software, click here.

What Is a Master Keyboard?

First of all, what exactly does the term master keyboard mean in this context? The term is mainly associated with electronic keyboards with different numbers of plastic keys (25/49/61). However, there are also a few master keyboards with piano keys. Regardless of the keys, all master keyboards lack a built-in sound generator, meaning that they do not produce any sound themselves.

When connected to an audio PC, master keyboards only generate MIDI data: MIDI notes with velocity and controller data. The software (DAW, piano VST/library) calculates this data in real time to produce the sound we hear through headphones or speakers.

Digital Piano and Piano Library

Next to internal sound generation, a digital piano also transmits pure MIDI controller data from the keyboard and pedals. In this respect, you could say that every digital piano is also a MIDI controller. What’s more, many digital pianos also offer the option of connecting external sound sources. Examples include MP3 players, smartphones, or tablets, as well as an audio PC via audio inputs or a USB audio/MIDI function.

This means that you can not only play a piano library on your computer but also integrate it into the audio system of the digital piano. Handy if you want to play online lessons with headphones, as you need both signals (digital piano + tablet, etc.) in one system.

Good audio integration is not a must, but it is an advantage if you want to make music with a DAW. The settings of the “Local Control” function of a digital piano are important in this context.

USB to Device or USB to Host?

To connect your digital piano to your music computer via USB, you first need to make a distinction. Some instruments have two connections: “USB to Device” and “USB to Host”. The latter is the correct interface to connect to your computer.

Once you connect your digital piano to your computer via USB to Host, you must register it as a MIDI source in your music software. You only need to set this up once, as the program will remember it. The next time you launch the software, you will be good to go right away.

USB to Device: This connection is for storage devices (USB flash drives, etc.) and is used to store saved sound settings or to record and playback audio or MIDI files.

Connecting a digital piano via MIDI

The simplest application is a USB interface. Basically, every modern digital piano is equipped with one. In addition, of course, there is the MIDI connection via DIN jacks. Older digital pianos have MIDI connections as a standard, but this is not necessarily the case with current instruments.

The MIDI interface has been around since the 1980s. Not surprisingly, the underlying MIDI protocol is deeply rooted in the technology of musical instruments and music production. Sequencers, notation programs, synthesizers, stage pianos, and keyboards all use the MIDI protocol to communicate with each other. Only the transmission method varies: MIDI cable, USB cable, or wireless via Bluetooth MIDI.

Do you need a MIDI interface?

MIDI functionality is available on modern instruments with USB or wirelessly via Bluetooth. If you connect the digital piano to your PC via a MIDI cable, you will need to add a MIDI interface. If your audio interface does not have MIDI, your digital piano does not offer USB and a Bluetooth MIDI adapter is not an option for you, then the only option is to purchase a USB MIDI interface.

Digital Piano as a Master Keyboard: Limited Functionality

Compared to classic MIDI controllers, which have many knobs, pads, and buttons for controlling music software and software instruments, a digital piano’s capabilities are naturally limited. But you will hardly miss anything, as you only want one thing from a digital piano: to use the high-quality feel of a hammer-action keyboard for piano VSTs or other software instruments. If you also want control of your DAW, a desktop controller without a keyboard can be a practical solution.

Price Tip: Casio CDP-S110 & Roland FP-10

If you are looking for a piano keyboard for your MIDI recording studio, you can opt for a piano controller – without a doubt a professional solution, but also an expensive one. If you just want a good keyboard, you should take a look at the entry-level portable pianos. The small Casio CDP-S110 is a good choice. The keyboard is very compact and lightweight: Unbeatable in this price range. Equipped with an even better keyboard also the Roland FP-10 is a good choice.

Local Control

When connecting the digital piano to sequencer software via MIDI, you have two options.

1. The digital piano as a master keyboard: The keyboard’s only use is to play the sounds in the computer. The digital piano as a sound source is not present as its volume is set to zero.
2. The sound generation of the digital piano merges with the sequencer software. In this case, the digital piano’s MIDI system settings must be set to “Local Off”.

Why Local Off?

Since this MIDI application (see point 2) allows for integration via In and Out, the sound duplicates with the “Local On” setting: It would sound once directly via the keyboard, and once via the returned MIDI notes of the sequencer track in the computer. This would unnecessarily strain the polyphony of the instrument and degrade the sound. To prevent this, the MIDI function “Local Off” disconnects the electronic connection between the keyboard and the sound generator.

Using a piano app with your digital piano

For added convenience, manufacturers offer free apps for most modern digital pianos. These apps even provide additional features – such as a recorder, learning functions, auto accompaniment, and a song player. Usually available for iOS and Android devices, they are free but only work with the digital pianos they were designed for.

Examples of piano apps include Casio Chordana Play, Dexibell Vivo Editor and xMure, Kawai Virtual Technician, Roland Piano Partner, and Yamaha Smart Pianist.

Enhancing the sound of an older digital piano

A good digital piano will give you years of joy. But development continues, and with each new model, you can hear and feel the technical improvements: better keyboards, more polyphony, and a fine-tuned expressive range. If you have an older digital piano model with a good keyboard, you can improve the sound using software. This works with a computer, tablet, or even a smartphone.

There are many great-sounding piano VSTs available. These are software instruments that can be integrated into sequencer software to create piano sounds – some also work as stand-alone instruments. The prices vary between 100 and 400 Euros – the sound quality and playing characteristics will satisfy even the highest demands. There are also great-sounding piano apps for tablets and smartphones – mainly for iPad and iPhone. Unfortunately, there is only a limited selection for Android mobile devices.

Find more piano controller at Thomann*

Connecting a Digital Piano as a Master Keyboard to iPad & iPhone

Connecting iOS mobile devices directly to the digital piano only works via Bluetooth MIDI. A USB connection additionally requires a Camera Connection Kit. And although a Bluetooth connection is quite convenient and generally suitable for playing piano apps with the keyboard of the digital piano, USB MIDI is more reliable.

You can find out all you need to know about this in the PIANOO.de guide articles: “Electric Piano with Bluetooth: Play Piano Wirelessly” and “Connecting an iPad to an Electric Piano: Piano Apps & Co.”

USB, MIDI, or Bluetooth – which is better?

While all options technically work well, directly comparing the different connection possibilities is actually quite difficult. Furthermore, it mainly depends on the equipment of your digital piano and your audio PC. While Bluetooth MIDI generally works well from version 4.0 onwards, always keep the system latency of Bluetooth in mind here.

When playing software instruments, you must also take the audio PC’s system latency into account. This is the delay in the audio output caused by the digital signal processing in the audio PC. A few milliseconds of delay should be the maximum, otherwise, the software piano will become unplayable.

Even more latency!

Bluetooth MIDI only makes sense if you don’t want to give up the convenience of a wireless connection. Otherwise, Bluetooth-MIDI has no advantages over USB-MIDI (!). The system latency of Bluetooth is small but noticeable when playing a software instrument. Since it increases the system latency of the audio PC, it is better to use the USB connection. Data transfer is lightning-fast and reliable.

The slight delay with Bluetooth MIDI is hardly a problem when working with a music notation program, for example when entering notes via a master keyboard. A Bluetooth audio connection can have an even higher latency because it handles much more data than a Bluetooth MIDI connection. This makes it impossible, for example, to play a digital piano using Bluetooth headphones.