Piano Hi lite

[hayseed]

Has anyone had anything to do with the Piano Hi lite bar that is used on acoustic pianos
https://www.smartpiano.com/pages/piano-hi-lite

it says that it can be used as a midi unit and hooked up to a computer.

I think this would be a great addition if it would work to use in  conjunction with an acoustic piano, even if the hi lite would only run the left hand chords.
I have a midi foot pedal that I have been considering converting to a unit similar to the hi lite but my unit would be using physical micro switches.
Thanks
Hayseed

[Dan]

I really want to build something like this, with switches on every led... Compact, and USB powered, to control vArranger
If some electronics experts are here and want to help?

[haweneu]

Hi Dan,
do you want to scan the piano keys with sensors?
Or do you only need buttons with LED Feedback and some analog controllers to control VA2 on a small stripe with usb connection?

[Dan]

Only buttons with led feedback in a long bar with usb connection for midi + power
Flat compact and can put on any keyboard....

I already created a prototype with only one long ribbon (variable resistor) converted to midi notes for vArranger and it is nice

[haweneu]

Hi,
problem is not the electronic!

I made my own diy usb powered midi interface, that is built with 3 cascaded boards (each board has its own STM32 microprocessor). Every board can control 10 buttons with led feedback and 4 analog inputs or 14 buttons then without analog inputs.

So i have 34 Buttons with led feedback, 6 analog potentiometer for track colume and a joystick for pitch and modulation. Works very well and i can control during song play the most important functions of VA2 with my left hand (plays chords and controls joystick, start/stop, intro/ending....).

Problem ist to build a small cabinet from metal or wood or 3 d plot. My wood solution with oak plywood was very very hard to build with integrated electronics! and the work was many

I use it on my Wersi Spectra in front of the lower manual for VA2 control.

Attached a foto.

[hayseed]

haweneu
would you be able to build a bar such as the Piano Hi lite for the bottom two octaves of a real  piano, the people at Piano hi lite emailed me today and said that the piano Hi lite is not midi compatable as such , here is the reply

"The Piano Hi-Lite itself is not a MIDI player. However, the Piano Hi-Lite can be connected to a 3rd party app and use it as a MIDI player. For example, it can be connected with Synthesia, the famous 3rd party app.

If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Thank you for your support!
The ONE Music Group Support Team "


I would like to use the varranger in conjunction with a real piano and I'm looking to only use the styles to add drums and bass to the real accousitic  piano  so I would only need the bootom two octaves to set the chord that's needed.

As I mentioned in my previous email I have a midi module that will do this task  and I bought it off ebay quite some time ago and then added my own switches to use as a foot pedal ( the unit was designed to be used in conjunction with organ style foot pedals.) but this system uses actual switches and on a real paino I think this would be difficult to do , this piano hi lite bare with sensors looks like it might be better , my problem with using apps such as they are suggesting is bad latency , I have had some experience with Irig  and using an external midi keyboard and it is unusable because of latency

If anyone has some other solution for getting varranger towork with a real piano please share your ideas

Thanks
Hayseed

[haweneu]

Hi,
i have no solution for scanning the 24 keys with sensors!
Dan asked only for buttons with led feedback!
Sorry
Werner

[Dan]

It seems that this module recognize the notes you play and send them as MIDI notes over USB !
So should work for vArranger. Not sure about the velocity
However, it is not 100% clear on their website .... You can ask them again

[hayseed]

Hi Dan
From what I can gather from watching a few video's on the Hi Lite bar the note signal is sent over blue tooth.   looks like the attached cord is only for power supply. but I'm Going to ask them for sure.
PS  Is there a newer version of Varranger  my version is about 3 years old.
Thanks
Hayseed

[Dan]

In the Specs, they says : Bluetooth and micro USB for data too (probably midi?)

[haweneu]

Hi all,
i mailed a question about MIDI.

Here the answer:

Support (The ONE Music Group)
Nov 6, 19:26 MST
Hello Hans,

Sorry to notice you, the Piano Hi-Lite can not be use as a MIDI input for PC software. However, the Piano Hi-Lite does support some 3rd party apps, such as Synthesia.
This app does supports MIDI files and the LED lights will work as well.

Does this answer your question?

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Thank you for your support!
The ONE Music Group Support Team


Best regards
Werner

[Dan]

SO you can ask, what kind of data and protocol is used trough the USB cable to get the played notes, and light the leds ? MIDI / HID / KEYBOARD ...?

[haweneu]

Hi,
i will try it.
Werner

[haweneu]

Hi Dan,
here is the answer:

   
Support (The ONE Music Group)

Nov 7, 20:11 MST
Hello!

First of all, thank you for like our product. But The ONE Piano Hi-Lite cannot be used as a MIDI player. It only supports our app and some 3rd party apps like Synthesia that supports MIDI files.

As for your second question, we cannot share what protocol we are using for our product. This part is confidential. We are deeply sorry for the trouble caused.

If you would like to work out deeper, you can contact with our Corporation Department at partners@smartpiano.com They are the best people that you want to talk to if you want to work together about making Piano Hi-Lite suitable for Varranger.

If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Thank you for your support!
The ONE Music Group Support Team

Bets regards
Werner

[Dan]

Ok so maybe you can ask them

With a laser sensor on each key. If CPU is very fast and sensor is precise, you can even translate any piano into a MIDI keyboard with velocity sensitive, measuring how fast the key is moving

Lots of potential. A lot more than their iPad game app

[haweneu]

Hi Dan,
hayseed should please do this further contact, if he need more information.

I dont need this and will concentrate me at the SD1000 Effects!

Best regards
Werner