Copyright: Copyright (c) 1991-1994 by Twelve Tone Systems


Contents

Welcome to
Virtual Piano

While using Virtual Piano, you may get context-sensitive help -- help about what you're currently working on -- at any time.  Press the F1 function key, or, press the Help button of any dialog box.

Point and click on any of the following items for help:

• Connecting to Cakewalk

• Using the mouse to play the Virtual Piano

• Using the computer keys to play the Virtual Piano

• Using the Pitch Bend slider

• Using the Modulation slider

• Changing the Velocity

• Keyboard Shortcuts

• File menu

• Settings menu


Connecting to Cakewalk

To connect the Virtual Piano to Cakewalk, take the following steps in Cakewalk:

Note: If you have just installed Cakewalk, remember to exit and restart Windows.  You should do so before performing the following steps.  Cakewalk SETUP installs a MIDI driver for the Virtual Piano.  This driver will not be available until Windows is next started.  The Virtual Piano needs this driver to function properly.

1.  Choose the MIDI Devices command from Cakewalk's Settings menu.

2.  From the list of Input devices (the list on the left), select the driver called

TTS Virtual Piano In

To select it, click on the name and make sure it appears drawn as selected (in a different color).  To un-select it, click again.

Tip: If a driver name is surrounded by a dotted rectangle, but is not drawn in a different color, then it is not selected.

Note: If you wish, you may select more than one input device.  Cakewalk merges them.

3.  Press OK.

After you take these steps, Cakewalk will read MIDI input from the Virtual Piano just like any other MIDI input device.

Note: The Virtual Piano will also work with other Windows programs that use standard Windows MIDI drivers for input.

See Also:

Help Contents


Using the mouse
Using the mouse to play the Virtual Piano

To play the musical keys with the mouse, point to them and click.

Simultaneous notes

• Press and hold the SHIFT key to turn on two or more notes at the same time.  The notes remain on so long as you hold the SHIFT key.

• Use the CAPS LOCK key to set the SHIFT state on or off without having to hold the SHIFT key.

• Use the SPACEBAR to turn off all notes sustained by CAPS LOCK.

Sustain pedal

Use the CTRL key to send a MIDI sustain pedal message (MIDI controller 64).  This is different from actually holding down the notes on the keyboard.  It is like using the sustain pedal of a piano to hold the notes, even though you have released the keys.  Press the CTRL key to push down the sustain pedal and release the CTRL key to lift the pedal.

Note: The exact effect of sustain pedal depends on the synthesizer or sound card you are using.  If there doesn't seem to be any effect when you press the CTRL key, it is probably because your synthesizer or sound card does not respond to MIDI sustain pedal messages.  If so, this feature simply will not work.

See Also:

Help Contents


Using the computer keys
Using the computer keys to play the Virtual Piano

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

In the rows of computer keys that correspond to the black musical keys, not every computer key makes a sound.  As the illustration shows, on a musical keyboard there are "gaps" in the series of black keys.

Changing the octave

Each pair of computer rows may play a different octave of the musical keyboard.  Drag each octave selector horizontally to match the octave you wish to play.

Shortcut
Keys:	LEFT and RIGHT -- Adjust top row octave mapping up and down
UP and DOWN -- Adjust bottom row octave mapping up and down

Sustain pedal

Use the CTRL key to send a MIDI sustain pedal message (MIDI controller 64).  This is different from actually holding down the notes on the keyboard.  It is like using the sustain pedal of a piano to hold the notes, even though you have released the keys.  Press the CTRL key to push down the sustain pedal and release the CTRL key to lift the pedal.

Simultaneous notes

• Press and hold the SHIFT key to turn on two or more notes at the same time.  The notes remain on so long as you hold the SHIFT key.

• Use the CAPS LOCK key to set the SHIFT state on or off without having to hold the SHIFT key.

• Use the SPACEBAR to turn off all notes sustained by CAPS LOCK.

Important: Most computer keyboards can detect only a limited number of keys pressed at the same time.  In addition, the keyboard hardware can't detect some new key presses until other keys are released.  To play simultaneous keys that otherwise aren't possible, use the SHIFT or CAPS LOCK sustain feature, possibly combined with the SPACEBAR to silence notes.

See Also:

Help Contents


Using the Pitch Bend slider

The Pitch Bend slider sends a MIDI pitch bend message.  On most synthesizers and sound cards, this "bends" the pitch higher or lower.

The Pitch Bend slider snaps back to the center position when you release it, just like on most professional music keyboards.

Note: Pitch bend does not work with the PC Speaker option.

Note: The exact effect of pitch bend depends on the synthesizer or sound card you are using.  If there doesn't seem to be any effect when you move the slider, it is probably because your synthesizer or sound card does not respond to MIDI pitch bend messages.  If so, this feature simply will not work.

Shortcut
Keys:	INSERT and DELETE -- Increase and decrease pitch bend slider

See Also:

Help Contents


Using the Modulation slider

The Modulation slider sends a MIDI modulation wheel message.  On most synthesizers and sound cards, this adds "vibrato" or some other effect.

Note: Modulation does not work with the PC Speaker option.

Note: The exact effect of the modulation wheel depends on the synthesizer or sound card you are using.  If there doesn't seem to be any effect when you move the slider, it is probably because your synthesizer or sound card does not respond to MIDI modulation wheel messages.  If so, this feature simply will not work.

Shortcut
Keys:	HOME and END -- Increase and decrease modulation slider

See Also:

Help Contents


Changing the Velocity

The Velocity slider changes the velocity -- downward speed -- of the musical keys you press.  On most synthesizers and sound cards, this makes the notes louder or brighter.

Note: Velocity does not work with the PC Speaker option.  All notes are the same loudness.

Note: The exact effect of velocity depends on the synthesizer or sound card you are using.  If there doesn't seem to be any effect when you move the slider, it is probably because your synthesizer or sound card does not respond to MIDI note velocities.  If so, this feature simply will not work.

Shortcut
Keys:	PAGEUP and PAGEDN -- Increase and decrease velocity slider

See Also:

Help Contents


Keyboard shortcuts

Function Keys
F1	Help (context-sensitive)
ALT+F4	Exit

Other Keys
CTRL+K	Activate Cakewalk

INSERT and DELETE	Increase and decrease pitch bend slider

HOME and END	Increase and decrease modulation slider

PAGEUP and PAGEDN	Increase and decrease velocity slider

LEFT and RIGHT	Increase and decrease the top row's octave

UP and DOWN	Increase and decrease the bottom row's octave

Keypad PLUS and MINUS	Zoom in and out


File menu

Activate Cakewalk	Switch to Cakewalk

Exit	Exit the program


Activate Cakewalk
Activate Cakewalk (File menu)

Use this command to switch to Cakewalk.  Cakewalk must be already running.

Shortcut
Key:	CTRL+K

See Also:

File Menu


Exit
Exit (File menu)

Use this command to exit Virtual Piano.

Shortcut
Key:	ALT+F4

See Also:

File Menu


Settings menu

Always on Top

Use PC Speaker


Always on Top
Always on Top (Settings menu)

Check this option to keep the Virtual Piano window on top of all other windows.

See Also:

Settings Menu


Use PC Speaker
Use PC Speaker (Settings menu)

Check this option to play notes on the PC speaker.

Use this option only when you do not have a sound card available.  The PC speaker is limited: It can play only one note at a time, and the volume cannot be changed.

See Also:

Settings Menu


This electronic help document is Copyright © 1994 by Twelve Tone Systems, Inc.  All rights reserved.

The following are trademarks of Twelve Tone Systems, Inc.: Cakewalk, Cakewalk Express, Cakewalk Home Studio, Cakewalk Professional, and Virtual Piano.

All of us here work hard to provide powerful but affordable software.  From the day in 1987 when Cakewalk for DOS 1.0 first shipped, we have never used copy-protection.  Our best protection is honest customers like you.  Thank you for your purchase of this product!