Kawai MP 10 Stage Piano

The action you love,
the sounds you need,
the control you dream about.

From the moment you sit down at the MP10 you realise it's something different, something special. Perhaps it's the sight of your own hands reflecting in the tall fallboard, or the authority of a family name that has been building exceptional pianos for eight decades. Either way, this is clearly a cultured instrument that demands to be taken seriously.

Keyboard Action

Take a little time to play the keyboard - gently at first, then really dig into it. It's all there, everything you'd expect from a master piano builder: the quality of the IvoryTouch key surfaces beneath your fingertips, the smooth, consistent movement of the long wooden keys, and the reassuring grade-weighted touch that feels just like the real thing. Kawai actions are renowned for being the best in the business, and the RM3 Grand action in this new MP is definitely no exception.

All eighty-eight black and white keys are crafted entirely from long pieces of wood, pivoting smoothly on a central balance pin, to replicate the familiar "seesaw" motion of an acoustic piano action. When pressed, the back of each key triggers a grade-weighted hammer to play the note, while additional counter-weights are also placed at the front of the bass keys, helping to lighten their heavier touch during pianissimo passages and the let-off simulation recreates the subtle "notch" sensation felt when softly playing the keys of a grand piano.

Sound

However a great action counts for nothing if the sounds aren't up to scratch, and today's working pianist needs sufficient variety in their board's main patches if they're going to cover everything on the setlist. Fortunately this is another area where the MP10 really shines - we've quadrupled the amount of sample memory and focused our attention on nailing the sounds that really matter. Brand new acoustic pianos, individually miked and recorded for classical, pop, and jazz, with three distinct variations of each. Recording each of the 88 keys individually in this way - as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes - ensures that the rich harmonic character of the original grand piano is preserved including damper and mechanic noises and many other aspects of the sound.

Complementing their impressive variety of acoustic piano sounds, the MP10 also feature a selection of brand new electric pianos. Classic tines, reeds, and clavs - each one lovingly sampled from original vintage instruments to ensure their distinctive characteristics (and occasional imperfections) are richly preserved. The MP10 offers an AMP simulator with a selection of six different amp types ranging from the crispclean Tweed Deluxe and tender Jazz Combo, to the crunchier growl of a British Blues or UK Class A with direct access to the drive, level and EQ of that amp. Simply select your favourite EP sound, crank up the amp drive, and dig-into vintage keyboard playing heaven.
And finally a selection of lush strings, pads, and subsidiary voices for those occasions that require additional layers blended into the mix.

Operation

Straightforward, hassle-free operation is another hallmark of a winning stage piano, because when the lights are down and you're halfway through a set, you really don't want to be guessing buttons, or thumbing through the owner's manual. The MP10's control panel is clearly laid-out, with everything where you'd expect to find it. Each sound section features its own volume fader and dedicated effects, reverb, and parameter controls, while the four freely-assignable centre knobs allow you to tweak multiple characteristics in realtime, without getting lost in pages of menus. In addition a 3-band EQ with parametric mids is onboard.

Click on the MP10 panel picture to enlarge.

USB / AUDIO

The MP10 is equipped with USB ports that not only allow the instruments to be connected to a Mac or PC for MIDI use, but also to load and save data directly to USB memory devices. This "USB to Device" functionality allows customised sounds, SETUP memories, and recorder songs stored in internal memory to be saved to USB for future gigs, or even exchanged with other MP owners online. USB memory devices can also be used to play back MP3 or WAV audio files, and SMF song data, allowing performing musicians to play along with professional backing tracks, or simply learn the chords or melody for a new piece.

It is even possible to record and save performances directly as MP3/WAV audio, or SMF song files for emailing to band members, casual listening away from the keyboard, or further editing using an audio workstation. Furthermore, the MP10 also supports recording from external audio sources such as other keyboards or vocals using the instrument's convenient LINE IN jacks. Adjust the input level from a dedicated panel fader, select the preferred audio format, then press record - the MP takes care of the rest. Produce crystal-clear digital recordings of all your performances, without ever having to leave the keyboard.