# Virtual piano software

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 8, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617 "2007-11-08T02:09:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617/1 "2007-11-08T02:09:06Z")

</div>

What is some good software that will turn your computer keyboard into a virtual piano?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617/2 "2007-11-08T05:14:37Z")

</div>

[Akoustic Piano](http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=akoustikpiano) from Native Instruments is phenomenal, but quite expensive, but man its good

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617/3 "2007-11-08T05:21:15Z")

</div>

Do you literally mean your computer keyboard, or a MIDI/USB keyboard hooked to your computer?

Mac, Windows, Linux?

What’s your budget?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Carnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carnick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnick)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617/4 "2007-11-08T06:19:48Z")

</div>

I mean the computer keyboard itself, for Windows or Mac. Price isn’t an issue if it’s good software and has a trial.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\
**Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virtual-piano-software/425617/5 "2007-11-08T06:25:00Z")

</div>

I’m sure somebody has done something like what you’re looking for. I’m just darned if I can fathom why you’d want to play piano on a computer keyboard, if for no other reason than your “keyboard” would have 1- or maybe 2-note polyphony. It’d be like using a tennis racket as a guitar controller.