Esus7 Piano Chord: How to Play, Notes & Fingering

Striking the Right Chord: The Legacy and Appeal of the Kawai ES7 Digital Piano

In the expansive landscape of digital instruments, few portable stage pianos have left as enduring a mark on musicians as the Kawai ES7. While shorthand and naming conventions in music technology often merge model codes, or blend with chord notations like the E7sus4, the “ES7” stands proudly on its own as a watershed moment for portable digital piano design.

Combining the acoustic heritage of Kawai’s world-class grand pianos with cutting-edge digital processing, the ES7 bridged the gap between home console luxury and stage-ready portability.

1. Engineering the Acoustic Touch: The Responsive Hammer II Action

One of the most persistent hurdles for digital piano designers is replicating the physical feedback of an acoustic grand piano. Kawai addressed this head-on in the ES7 by introducing the Responsive Hammer II (RHII) keyboard action with let-off simulation.

• The Feel of Ivory: The keys feature Ivory Touch surfaces, which absorb finger moisture and provide a secure, tactile grip during complex, rapid passages.
• Triple-Sensor Detection: Unlike basic dual-sensor systems, the ES7 utilizes a modern triple-sensor key detection system that dramatically improves repetition speed and dynamic accuracy.
• Let-Off Simulation: Pianists playing softly notice a subtle “notch” or let-off feel just like a real acoustic grand piano’s escapement mechanism, allowing for ultimate dynamic control.

2. Breathtaking Sound: Sampling the Kawai EX Concert Grand

At the heart of the ES7’s acoustic voice is a meticulously detailed stereo sample of the renowned Kawai EX concert grand piano, hand-built by Master Piano Artisans in Japan.

Using Kawai’s Harmonic Imaging XL technology, every single note across the 88-key keyboard was recorded dynamically. This means players experience not just a change in volume when hitting a key harder, but a fundamental shift in harmonic resonance and timbre. Coupled with built-in string resonance and damper resonance modeling, the instrument reacts dynamically to how the dampers and pedals interact, mimicking an acoustic soundboard’s natural sympathetic vibrations.

3. Versatility for Stage and Studio

While its acoustic grand piano emulation won over purists, the ES7 earned its keep among gigging musicians due to its incredible versatility: