Virtual Piano 3.1 Help

Advanced mode

Virtual piano has two modes, one is simple mode and the other one is advanced mode. The program always starts off in simple mode. The advanced mode is for advanced users who wish to use the extra features of Virtual Piano such as reverb, pitch adjustment etc. The online help only explains the simple mode.

Simple mode

Here is an illustration of what the screen looks like in Virtual Piano's simple mode.



1. File The File menu provides access to various important features, such as saving/loading a recording from a file and starting a new recording.
2. MIDI Device Use this menu to choose a different MIDI device. If you can't hear anything when playing the piano, you should try another MIDI device.
3. Base Note This menu item lets you choose a different base note (that is choose a lower or higher octave).
4. Channel This menu item lets you select a different channel. Channel 10 is for drums.
5. Mode This menu items lets you switch between simple/advanced mode. The program always starts in simple mode. Advanced mode contains some extra features to fine tune your music.
6. Help This menu lets you access the help files of Virtual Piano (like this one). You can also contact customer support directly and register the program.
7. Instruments List Box Here is a list of the various musical instruments/sound effects you can play. To see a list of sound effects and drums, select the option buttons (11 & 12 in the image).
8. Play using computer keyboard To play the piano using the computer keyboard, you need to select this button. Click here for more info on this.
9. Ins This option lets you play 438 instruments.
10. VL This option lets you play 136 variations of instruments like Spanish Guitar and Jazz Guitar. This is only available in track 1.
11. FX This option lets you simulate 42 different sound effects like Train and Thunder. Please note that the effects don't sound like a moving train or thunder, they are merely background "mood" music effects.
12. Drum This option gives you access to 9 different types of drums like rock and jazz.
13. Preset Song Clicking this button will play a preset recorded song.
14. Switch to Advanced Mode This button lets you switch from simple mode to advanced mode.
15. Record This button lets you begin recording a song. If you have already recorded a song, this button will let you add to the existing recording.
16. Play

 This button lets you playback what you have recorded or loaded from an existing recording using the 'Load a recording' feature.

Playing with the computer keyboard


To play the musical keys with the computer keyboard, use the top two and bottom two rows of the keyboard.

Each pair of computer rows plays an octave apart. The top rows plays an octave above the bottom rows. In the rows of the computer keys that correspond to the black musical keys, not every computer key makes a sound.

The computer keyboard was not constructed to act like a piano keyboard. This means a computer keyboards can detect only a limited number of keys pressed down at the same time. Also, the keyboard can't detect certain new key presses until other keys are released.

To change the base note (i.e. play a lower or higher octave) go to the 'Base Note' menu in the menu bar.