VirtualKeyboard

If you ever wanted to play the piano, but you could not afford a real one, then one alternative to account for is a digital piano. Providing you have a MIDI instrument, it is safe to assume that you possess all utensils to learn how to master this musical instrument.

VirtualKeyboard is an intuitive app designed to assist you with your efforts of learning the piano while taking advantage of the versatility of the MIDI instrument from your computer keyboard.

One first note is that the program is can be used as a plugin, but also as a stand-alone component. In order to access it as the latter, you are required to download the piano offered when the program when you run it for the first time. It goes without saying that if you want to employ is as a plugin, you need to have a suitable VST host.

It is worth mentioning that if used as standalone, the application comes with a couple of extra features, such as playing, pausing and resuming MIDI files at different speeds, for instance. Moreover, you can use it with DirectSound, ASIO and similar devices.

Custom color schemes can be created, and different settings saved for later use. In fact, the app allows you to stop the cursor in the DAW so you can view the notes being played.

Speaking of notes, you can configure the tool to fade them away instead of ending them abruptly. Consequentially, you have some time to visualize the quick runs.

Since it only connects to the audio layer for the sole purpose of reviewing the notes, there are no options to alter the sound. The interface is resizable in width, just to restrict the view space to the keys of interest.

All things considered, VirtualKeyboard is a versatile and easy to use application that can make learning how to play the piano more convenient.