Pianoteq Connection to Silent Master Midi System

I know it costs a fortune, but at least for now it has no equal. I am almost on the verge of buying it. The Gold version doesn't cost too much, we are around €270, but the difference is made by the full version with 3 different microphone recordings that can be blended together. The problem is that there we are at about €400 and, to this, you must add 50 euros for the iLok key which is not included. A library worth a million old lire... In my opinion, however, it's worth every penny. A library that keeps up with it in my opinion is the Garritan Authorized Steinway. It's the only library in the world in which Steinway participated as a company and authorized its distribution. That one is also very beautiful; I have the basic version which doesn't cost too much, unfortunately I couldn't buy the professional version since it is no longer available on the website... A real shame. Even the basic version, however, if you know how to set it up well, sounds divine. But I continue to say that the EastWest recordings are very difficult to distinguish from a recording made by a real acoustic piano.

I can ultra-recommend Simone.

But tell me, what is your real interest in these excellent simulations? I imagine that if you have to record a track or a CD of tracks with a Steinway, you won't have great difficulty achieving it (PianoExpert will lend it to you 😉).

What are the use cases for these splendid sounds? I am sure they can fool anyone, even on a very slow and bare classical piece, but would you use them in such an area?

I have been dreaming of an East-West collection for years, but it is also true that since 1987 I no longer own a piano... and I can say that I have forgotten the sonic sensation of the instrument...

In short, would you release a "Simone Renzi plays Chopin" using Garritan Steinway without too many scruples? (I definitely would 🥷😆 !!)

I will list the reasons for you below immediately...
Right, Paolo would lend me his Steinway and it's not the first time he has lent it to me to play and record on if that is what you mean, and I take this opportunity to thank him publicly. However, speaking of libraries, I must tell you that an expert ear will notice anyway; I am talking about someone who knows their stuff, has heard practically all of them, and works with them. I must tell you that I would have considerable difficulty recognizing East West...
There are, however, some technical, qualitative, and economic issues linked to each other that make me opt for recording with a library rather than in a studio or at home...
At the same level of quality and sound output, library vs. acoustic recording:
To obtain the same sound you would get with those libraries, you would need microphones costing at least—and I emphasize AT LEAST—1500 euros each, and a normalized location. By normalized location, I mean a room completely covered in wood or sound-absorbing material. You might say: there are pianists who go to record in temples on top of mountains, true; I'll answer you, those techniques exploit the natural reverb of certain ancient buildings. In this way, everything sounds more natural, even though nobody does this nowadays since amazing convolution reverb machines are available on the market. This is why pianists now only record in studios and no longer in the temples of music (the great concert halls)...
Even the price for an excellent convolution reverb exceeds 2000 euros. To this, we must add excellent tube preamplifiers; here we are around 4000 euros for a two-channel setup. A digital mixer for volume management and pre-equalization, a computer, and finally, a vast amount of knowledge to make everything work and to perform post-production. The total? I haven't done the math, but I believe we are approaching 10,000 / 12,000 euros!
One might then think about recording in a studio. To record in a studio equipped with a Steinway (there are some in Rome), it costs 250 euros per day for last-minute offers (studios that work hard to ensure the studio is busy on a day without appointments offer last-minute deals with rock-bottom prices); otherwise, normally a studio would charge you 150/200 euros per hour to record. Mastering excluded, therefore...
Are digital samples used because errors can be corrected? Well, I would say absolutely not; I mean, errors can also be corrected with audio recordings—you do takes of various phrases and take the best one by copy-pasting and cross-fading. It's easy to understand why in old records there were clearly errors and in today's there isn't even a trace of them. So, were pianists in the past bad and those today geniuses? I don't think so at all; it was simply that back then it wasn't possible to do these tricks. You could cut and edit entire sections of a Beethoven sonata, but not a single phrase. Therefore, regarding the error argument, it seems obvious to me that it is not the reason why one turns to samples. Obviously, recording live in a studio is a beautiful experience, but with these prices!!
The choice of the perfect sample is therefore fundamentally determined by only one factor: convenience. One looks for a sample that is indistinguishable from an acoustic performance in a studio. This way you save a ton of money, no one notices you didn't play on an acoustic piano, the output is perfect, and above all, nothing changes with the studio recording: as many errors as you make with samples, you fix them; as many errors as you make in the studio, you fix them. What changes is the money left in your pocket, and if we want to talk about the environment, but if we are talking about audio recordings and not video, I ask you: what do you think changes?

The previous discourse was aimed at recording. I would never dream of going to perform a concert with a digital [instrument]; the ear is fine, but the eye also wants its part...

There is also another pro in the libraries: they allow everyone to enjoy the sound of major brands even if one cannot afford them. Doesn't that seem like a little?

Complete and exhaustive.

Forgive my curiosity, but it is a topic that has always fascinated me. I am in line with you.

Thank you!

leaving aside the mediocre execution...

http://www.pianoconcerto.it/forum/index.php?/topic/521-chopin-op-64-n-2/

and it's a vintage D and it seems very, very plausible, especially with an abundance of reverb

Ahhh, I also have the Vintage D from the Galaxy series; in fact, the sound seemed familiar to me, very good, but I believe it is a step above the Galaxy Vienna Grand, especially in the lows and the cantabile. In any case, since the Galaxy series is of excellent quality, I still consider it inferior to the Garritan Steinway and the East West Quantum Leap Gold pianos. Then again, it depends on tastes, but above all on your pockets... Reverb should be added everywhere, even in live recordings; there is no one who doesn't like it. Obviously, one shouldn't abuse it... In live recordings, I prefer to obtain a dry sound and process it in post-production. It's the same logic as photography. There is no point in inventing absurd filters to make a photo come out in a particular way. One should think about taking a sharp photo rich in colors; then with effects in Photoshop, you can add as many as you want. In my opinion, the same applies to sound. A dry and defined sound, and then in post-production, you adjust the dynamics, equalize the reverb, etc., etc. The important thing is that the recording does not have volume peaks so-called "out of range," meaning it doesn't generate a square wave...

Regarding Pianoteq

Since yesterday, April 18th, the long-awaited new version of the "piano-playing android," as our Gorino called it, has been available on the web.

I have already updated to Pianoteq 4, not trusting the demos too much, and I can assure you that, in my opinion, while playing it, this physical modeling system, inspired by the Hamburg Steinway D, has made remarkable progress.

Believe it or not... or don't believe it.

Wow, I'll have to try it... Let's see how much they've improved it. I remember that the previous version didn't particularly excite me.

My unrefined ear was satisfied with version 3 (demo).

Now I'm trying version 4.....(still a demo...so with the limitations it has, sooner or later I'll get bored, and I'll buy the Full version and a real piano!!)

Pianoteq has recently launched a new model, Blüthner Model 1, authorized by the Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik GMBH of Leipzig.

In my opinion, this is a further step forward, following the Grand D4 from last April 13th.

Demo: http://www.pianoteq.com/bluethner

Listened... They worked better on the sound attack, which is now starting to be believable; the sustain and decay of the sound sound just like big digital instruments! Dragged-out sound. I continue to reject it and prefer samples! We're still not quite there...

I use version 4.5 (after having used 4) and I must say I am very happy with it..... at least for what I need to do.

I use it on both Mac and PC (with an excellent sound card) and it runs like a charm, and it is convenient for some "customizations" that can be performed (you can tell I come from analog synths??)

Curiosity: It was also used in some tracks from Laura Pausini's latest album

Obviously, my heart starts racing automatically just standing in front of a real Steinway!!

Here you can hear an example

Forgive the performance...........

Open content (youtube)

Hello everyone, since this is more or less what is discussed here, at the suggestion of some industry experts, I wanted to try using different sounds on my Yamaha piano's Silent system via MIDI, since in my opinion the Yamaha sampling leaves a bit to be desired. But before venturing into crazy expenses on software systems or high-level cables, I tried to make do with what I had. So far, I have managed to get the MIDI signal recognized by the Pianoteq 2.2.0 program, but the result was nothing short of depressing. Enormous latencies, overlapping sounds, and the right pedal acting as if it were constantly depressed. I wanted to understand what might be causing this. In practice, the unit installed on my current Yamaha Silent is called SILENT MPZ, a product dated December 1999. The MIDI/USB cable isn't much; it's new but not a brand name, paid 4 or 5 euros. At first, I thought the issue was caused by MIDI cable extensions, then I tried on my laptop without extensions using Garageband as software, identical result. In particular, when I press the right pedal, a note comes out, as if it were an organ pedalboard to be understood, then when I release the keys, the program interprets it as a new percussion; as a result, every staccato chord is played twice, and it doesn't catch fast passages.... I think I have said everything, but at this point I fear it depends on the piano. Can anyone give me some clarification/help??

Hi, thanks.

Marina

Marina I replied to you in the topic you opened...

Used is affordable, and besides, EastWest occasionally makes offers; some time ago the Gold version could be obtained for about 180 euros, I don't remember exactly. Regarding Pianoteq, it's finished, but for me version 2 sounds better than 4.

Piccinesco wrote:

Used is affordable, and besides EastWest occasionally makes offers; some time ago the Gold could be obtained for about 180 euros, I don't remember exactly. Regarding Pianoteq, it's finished, but for me version 2 sounds better than 4.

I use the EastWest Platinum library; I agree that it has no equal, as a second choice I would say Ivory.