# Current best pianos?



## utopia (Jun 7, 2013)

Hey everyone. Been thinking of getting a great all around piano. Currently I own the SI Emotional Piano (which is great!) but I was thinking of getting something else, more versatile and neutral. Wanted to ask what's everyone using for their pianos? So far I've checked out the Ivory American Concert D and True Keys American and both seem great. Anyone one got these two and can comment on how they compare? Any others I should look into?
Thanks a lot 8)


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## marcotronic (Jun 7, 2013)

As far as versatility is concerned I would also have a look at Galaxy Pianos. Very nicely adjustable to any possible sound/style.

Marco


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## Theseus (Jun 7, 2013)

I wrote my thoughts in another thread about Piano in blue. Here you go:

http://vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3706254&sid=c90245a6344ff50b547c2e47ffeb7674#3706254


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## bryla (Jun 7, 2013)

An overlooked library is Alicia's Keys. It's very versatile and playable. I love it and use it every time.


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## gregjazz (Jun 7, 2013)

Definitely check out the Evolution Rosewood Grand sample library for Kontakt 4 / 5. It has nearly 14 GB of samples, with 12 velocity layers and 2x round-robin (chromatically sampled, too!). It also has two mic perspectives that you can mix between, giving you a lot of tonal flexibility.

Evolution Rosewood Grand features advanced scripting with realistic damper modeling, pedal techniques (half-pedaling, repedaling, etc.), and sympathetic resonance. It also includes soft pedal support and sostenuto pedal as well. The voice handling engine allows you to set a "soft" polyphony limit--that way you can reduce the polyphony usage without running into voices audibly cutting out.

Here's the promo video: http://youtu.be/-HtYyPqAuCY

Tech videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgaA8tW2FXY (Tech Demo #1: Sympathetic Resonance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59x3cPZ7-lU (Tech Demo #2: Modeled Damper Motion)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9fMIISnkU (Tech Demo #3: Sustain Pedal)

You mentioned that you own the SI Emotional Piano sample library, which would qualify you for the $40 OFF competitive crossgrade discount, too.


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## chimuelo (Jun 7, 2013)

Dude...why didn't you tell me Sostenuto by a developer was finally captured.
I am buying it right now just to see that feature so many seem to pass up.
Also am holding off for the percussion......

Made the girl use her account since she wanted the cash in my pocket.
It's still me though here in LV.
You're samples never have missing files, so I anxiously await the Rosewood.
Now that you mentioned the Sostenuto Pedal I am sure other Pianists might like it.
Piano Teq has it, but it's a rare feature in the world of sampling.
Should have known you would nail it though.


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## lumcas (Jun 7, 2013)

marcotronic @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> As far as versatility is concerned I would also have a look at Galaxy Pianos. Very nicely adjustable to any possible sound/style.
> 
> Marco



+1

I'm a piano whore... own really lot of them but keep coming back to Vintage D - although it's few years old, the interface is very cleverly laid out and tone shaping possibilites are endless. And not only that but the basic tone and playability are still among the best I've come across.

http://galaxypianos.com/tv-tutorials-pianos-articulation.html (http://galaxypianos.com/tv-tutorials-pi ... ation.html)

I love the tone of 8dio's 1928 but I just can't play it (inconsistent velocities - volume jumps). Hope they sometimes revisit the library and make a version 2 because it's a stellar library soundwise...


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## utopia (Jun 7, 2013)

Greg, thanks - great work you did there guys. I wish you sampled a Steinway someday, Yamahas are not my cup of tea unfortunately. Checked out other suggestions also, thanks to everyone! Will have to think about it a bit more. Any other advice?


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## Moderato Maestoso (Jun 7, 2013)

bryla @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> An overlooked library is Alicia's Keys. It's very versatile and playable. I love it and use it every time.



+1


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## utopia (Jun 7, 2013)

Hm...any users of True Keys American Grand? Can you guys share your experiences? It does sound nice from the demos..


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## Dietz (Jun 7, 2013)

utopia @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> [...] Any other advice?



-> http://agaland.overblog.com/his-majesty ... r-imperial


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## Christof (Jun 7, 2013)

I like that, every time when it comes to piano sample questions, Dietz chimes in.
The Vienna Imperial, my number 1 choice for years now.

Christof


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## Dietz (Jun 7, 2013)

Ha!  I happily admit that Vienna Imperial is on of my favorite VSL instruments.


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## TheUnfinished (Jun 7, 2013)

I never tire of playing about with Imperfect Samples' Fazioli. Lovely sound.


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## kclements (Jun 7, 2013)

Sampletekk has some great pianos. They are a bit older, but they are workhorses. I use them everyday.


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## mk282 (Jun 7, 2013)

For me the only true virtual piano is Pianoteq. Everything else is just facsimiles.


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## RasmusFors (Jun 7, 2013)

Check out Pianoteq 4. There is a demo you can download for free on their website. 

Do somebody have 8dio legacy piano ? I really love the pianos tone, but how playable is it ?


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## Echoes in the Attic (Jun 7, 2013)

I have to say I'm perfectly happy with what I use now:
-Addicitive Keys Bundle
-Komplete U9 Pianos (Alicia's Keys mainly but sometimes like the Giant and The New York)
-Imperfect Samples (Upright mainly but Fazioli is cool too) 

I've seen the Orange Tree Rosewood in action too and it seems nice.


I think Addicitive Keys and imperfect Samples is a great combo. Addictive Keys is flexible and light. Imperfect samples have lots of character and detail.


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## Andreas Moisa (Jun 7, 2013)

+1 for Vienna Imperial. The noise level is also very low so you can crank up the low velocity layers and get a nice "Newman" Piano out of it


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## chimuelo (Jun 7, 2013)

mk282 @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> For me the only true virtual piano is Pianoteq. Everything else is just facsimiles.



I totally agree with this as I am a happy PTeq 4 owner and absolutely love 200A and the Uprights. The Grands were my fav because of the overtones and pedals.
But now that Orange Tree has decided to take a sampled Piano and add sostenuto I had to dive in. Didn't even need to listen to the demos. 
If it was recorded as well as everything Greg has made, PTeq 4, Rosewood, Neo Soul and my FS1R should cover my electric and acoustic needs.


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## Will Blackburn (Jun 7, 2013)

Soundiron's Emotional Piano


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

wcb123 @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> Soundiron's Emotional Piano



Which the OP mentioned they already have.


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

It depends greatly on the timbre, style of playing and mixing environment you prefer.

For a warm, rich and mellow timbre, the library you already own as well as Malmsjö Acoustic Grand and Bluthner Digital Model One are all good options.

The Synthogy Ivory II American Concert Grand D is superior to the other Ivory products in terms of the sampling - for example the additional velocity layers. I personally also find the timbre more engaging and at NAMM spent a lot of time demoing back and forth between all the different products to see if there were types of material I preferred playing on the others. For solo work, I would choose American Concert D over the other Ivory products, hands down.

The 8Dio Legacy Grand Piano has an interesting timbre and ambience and I liked the way it rendered a particular MIDI on this site a while back, but I have never played it.

I have not played the Production Grand at ProductionVoices.com yet but it is worth a look for their unusual miking approach alone.

PianoTeq has some great playability aspects, but the majority of classically trained pianists I have talked to hate the timbre. It does improve over time, though.

I bought QL Pianos years ago (full, not gold) and rarely use it. The miking approach used does not gel with my mixing very well and I am not the biggest fan of the dynamics rendering, but there are some good timbres in there and it has the best rendering of a Bechstein that I have heard thus far (certainly the most consistent with my limited experience playing one here in town).

No one has done a good job sampling an August Förster Model 215 or Model 275 yet and that is really unfortunate as my favorite piano that I have ever played would is a 215.

On the less expensive side of the equation, PMI Emperor remains a useful sound with a rather wide dynamic range and presence that makes it good for everything from classical to rock.

The Vienna Bösendorfer Imperial is certainly a technical tour-de-force but I do not engage with it much personally as a performer (and after all, piano preference is a hugely personal thing). 

For my own work, I have used BDMO more than any other library for several years now. It really is a shame it hasn't been updated (there are a couple minor bugs with the UI that I'm used to working around, for instance) but the dry recording, warm timbre and dynamic range are very useful to me in improvising - especially in the pianissimo section.

The one that I most want to try from the demos at the moment is the Legacy 1928 from 8Dio.


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## mk282 (Jun 7, 2013)

Per Lichtman @ 7.6.2013 said:


> PianoTeq has some great playability aspects, but the majority of classically trained pianists I have talked to hate the timbre. It does improve over time, though.



Interestingly enough, classically trained pianists I know absolutely ADORED Pianoteq after I showed it to them, especially the most recent D4 and Blüthner models.


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

@mk282 Yes, pianos really are a personal thing.  Did they compare it to other piano VIs and prefer it? Or were they commenting on it in isolation?


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## twtech (Jun 7, 2013)

true keys by vi lab!

https://vilabsaudio.com


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

@mk282 I just listened to several of the most current D4 and Bluthner model demos. I can't speak for the pianists I played earlier versions for, but for myself - it still is very much in the same vein as before. Like or don't like it, either way is fine with me - but if you played just one note on it vs any of the well-recorded libraries here or an acoustic performance, I would be able to pick it out as "not a real piano" more often than not.

As far as the pianists you mentioned, I truly find it bizarre if they commented positively on the tone (as opposed to the playability) of the instrument in comparison to other libraries. I am not saying they didn't (the world is a varied place) it's just that it is one of the very few times I find it almost impossible to hear what they might be hearing.


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

And before any PianoTeq fans get the impression that I am against the project, let me add this.

I think PianoTeq has great potential and I think that the playability, configurability and system demands of the product are high-points already. They have improved a lot in lots of ways from V1 to V4.

But the timbre needs to evolve a lot further before it approaches what sample libraries have been doing for years. There is just so much missing in terms of detail right now - but one day that may not be true anymore, and the fact that people are buying it now encourages them to spend resources on making that happen.

So I am not at all against PianoTeq - I just think the sound needs to improve a lot.


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## chimuelo (Jun 7, 2013)

Classically Trained Pianists wouldn't play any of these instruments, but having a few of them on the cover for an endorsement would easily fool any Virtual Composer into buying it.

Simlar to Bob Moog and Isao Tomita giving cred to Arturia Moog Modular.
That things a Kazoo, but maybe it nullifies.
But what a popular selling item just from cool pictures of hardware and a few endorsements.

I'd really love a developer to just go off the ranch sometime and have a guy with a good demo saying,......... 
"This thing's a piece of shit, but since you can't afford real instruments it might fool the stupidest of directors and producers, surely anyone from the Rap world. I give it 5 stars ( as he has finger on tongue with head pointed down,)....something like that.


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## EastWest Lurker (Jun 7, 2013)

This is so difficult. I already have so many good ones that frequently I do not know which to reach for, and there are at least 6 more that sound fantastic in the demos.

So, in no particular order:
QL Pianos
Sampletekk Seven Seas Grand and Blue Piano
ArtVista Virtual Grand Piano 2 and Maljmso


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## Per Lichtman (Jun 7, 2013)

@chimuelo Actually, they would play some of them - at least to practice - if they really wanted to/needed to play an instrument and there were no real pianos around. 

Certainly I've often seen them prefer an inexpensive old upright to sample libraries of pristine and expensive pianos.

But that doesn't mean that they can't pick between the "lesser of two evils", as it were.


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## George Caplan (Jun 7, 2013)

pianoteq is very bright.


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## duanran007 (Jun 7, 2013)

I just got True Keys. Can't stop playing it!


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## mk282 (Jun 7, 2013)

George Caplan @ 7.6.2013 said:


> pianoteq is very bright.



It CAN BE. But it is ENTIRELY CONFIGURABLE. Not all models Pianoteq has are "bright", there are some that are quite subdued. Also, if you have the feeling that ALL of its models are bright - it is very likely that you didn't set up the velocity curve to suit your MIDI controller properly. This is the most important thing to do with any virtual piano, but Pianoteq even more so.


@Per - yep, I have Galaxy and Emotional Piano here as well as some others, they all prefered the even response, overall tone and playability of Pianoteq in comparison to those two, a few have noticed the note decay is not the same each and every time you hit a key - and this is something you just cannot fake with round-robin. Not to mention proper pedalling and genuine sympathetic resonance behaviour, which samples still cannot and will never be able to nail to the tee like modeling can.


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## Steve Steele (Jun 7, 2013)

In order of how much I find myself using them..

PianoTEQ - The pianists piano, period.

VSL Vienna Imperial - Starting to get my attention.

Piano In Blue. Excellent sampled piano for many reasons. It has that 1950s Steinway sound, but it does a great job of what it does. A must buy at $99.

1928 - Didn't like it at first, but the tone grew on me on certain work. Am using it more and more.

Spitfire's Felt Piano - At 3$ it's a MUST buy. Use it a lot. Great sounding instrument and very useful. 

The Giant. Now that's a fun piano.

Emotional Piano - Don't like the Kawai sound, but the patches are really good. 

Alicia's Keys - Again, don't like Yamaha tone but once tweaked it's not bad at all.

Bottom line. For pure pliability, no noise floor, no latency and a bunch of sounds, PianoTEQ HANDS DOWN is the winner.

VSL Vienna Imperia- Very big and lush sounding. A bit overbaked maybe, but it's VSL, and overall it's great if you like that Bösendorfer sound.

PIB - Great all around piano. A bit stylistic. Id like to see CineSamples do another modern piano.

1928, Emotional, The Giant - Good scoring pianos.


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## Arbee (Jun 7, 2013)

Just can't get into the sound of Pianoteq (sorry, not this pianist's piano) or Piano in Blue. I own Emotional Piano and Ivory American D, doesn't get any better than that for me after much agonising research. I tip my hat to VSL Vienna Imperial but happy enough with what I have which covers a wide range of styles. 


.


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## Steve Steele (Jun 8, 2013)

PianoTEQ NOT the pianist's piano? How so??

Zero latency. Zero Noise floor. Put if through EQ and room IRs and get a beautiful warm and rich sound.

Plus it can play faster than anyone can without ever stuttering.

I call that a pianist's piano.


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## Steve Steele (Jun 8, 2013)

utopia @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> Hey everyone. Been thinking of getting a great all around piano. Currently I own the SI Emotional Piano (which is great!) but I was thinking of getting something else, more versatile and neutral. Wanted to ask what's everyone using for their pianos? So far I've checked out the Ivory American Concert D and True Keys American and both seem great. Anyone one got these two and can comment on how they compare? Any others I should look into?
> Thanks a lot 8)



Send me a short MIDI file of your choosing and I'll play it back through PianoTEQ, Piano In Blue, 1928, Alicia's Keys, Emotional Piano and The Giant. Then send it back to you.


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## Manuel (Jun 8, 2013)

I would really recommend the imperfect sample pianos, especially the extreme version with up to 5 mic positions. These allow very different tone qualities. Maybe not the best for purely classical music, but for everything else, its perfect!

best, Manuel


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## fourteentoone (Jun 8, 2013)

Another +1 for Imperfect Samples. Wonderful sound and feels great to play.


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## Casiquire (Jun 8, 2013)

NOT a fan of Pianoteq at all. And I'm a pianist. It just doesn't "feel" right, and it doesn't roar the way a real piano would. When I first sat down and played it I thought "well this sounds pretty nice" but after I walked away and played a real piano, suddenly I realized how Pianoteq just has no character the way a real piano does. Honestly QL Pianos is the only one I've tried that has just the right level character and that really gets the dynamic range right for me. The lows and high dynamics on the Bechstein are thunderous and the whole range of the Steinway is even and clear, metallic and jarring when played loudly and quiet and crystalline when played softly. Even though I'm not a fan of the Yamaha, that still leaves three pianos that I absolutely love. So at current prices, it's like eighty dollars per piano I love, plus a freebie Yamaha, for the full library. Good deal.

Having said that I haven't played all the other pianos mentioned here, so that doesn't mean I don't respect these other libraries, I just don't think QL Pianos should be counted out.


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## Steve Steele (Jun 9, 2013)

Casiquire @ Sat Jun 08 said:


> NOT a fan of Pianoteq at all. And I'm a pianist. It just doesn't "feel" right, and it doesn't roar the way a real piano would. When I first sat down and played it I thought "well this sounds pretty nice" but after I walked away and played a real piano, suddenly I realized how Pianoteq just has no character the way a real piano does. Honestly QL Pianos is the only one I've tried that has just the right level character and that really gets the dynamic range right for me. The lows and high dynamics on the Bechstein are thunderous and the whole range of the Steinway is even and clear, metallic and jarring when played loudly and quiet and crystalline when played softly. Even though I'm not a fan of the Yamaha, that still leaves three pianos that I absolutely love. So at current prices, it's like eighty dollars per piano I love, plus a freebie Yamaha, for the full library. Good deal.
> 
> Having said that I haven't played all the other pianos mentioned here, so that doesn't mean I don't respect these other libraries, I just don't think QL Pianos should be counted out.



Yeah PianoTEQ doesn't give you the feeling of 'being there", and it's a bit boring, but it still blows away all of the other sample libs. It's much stronger, fuller, with good tones all the way up and down the keyboard compared to most Kontakt libs which sound like they were recorded with dynamic mics. You get some of the liveness of the piano, but most of them are EQ'd wrong, have noise floor issues, or are bad pianos to have sampled in the first place.

I'd rather hear a "pretty close" modeled piano, than a piano I don't like being played back through stereo speakers in the first place..


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## lumcas (Jun 9, 2013)

Casiquire @ Sun Jun 09 said:


> ...Honestly QL Pianos is the only one I've tried that has just the right level character and that really gets the dynamic range right for me...



It's funny, but if I should mention the biggest problem with QL Pianos I'd say dynamic range - the timbre changes as you go higher in velocities but not volume (it's kinda compressed) - unless they made some groundbreaking update which I'm not aware of...

Regarding Pianoteq - I tried the demo recently and the sound has improved enormously over the years, but the high register still doesn't cut it for me. But I think we're there in five years or so...which is amazing.

And the good news is that we really have many options to choose from these days...


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## JPQ (Jun 9, 2013)

Casiquire @ Sun 09 Jun said:


> NOT a fan of Pianoteq at all. And I'm a pianist. It just doesn't "feel" right, and it doesn't roar the way a real piano would.



what kind pianist ? i not pianist but to me sound somehow synthy even mixed other things,i know some sounds work fine when mixed with other things to me is not true. ps. i try found suitable piano sound(s) for me.


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## EastWest Lurker (Jun 9, 2013)

Piano TEQ to me is like a girl who has had a rhinoplasty, a boob job, collagen treatment, etc. so that she can be a starlet.

She's almost perfect but but her looks have no character.


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## utopia (Jun 9, 2013)

Thanks so much guys! 
Nightwatch,thanks a lot for the offer,man! I'm currently leaning towards the true keys american D judging from the demos.
I've downloaded the pianoteq demo and while it is certainly very playable compared to the sampled instruments the sound to me is not really up there...to each his own i guess


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## yves (Jun 9, 2013)

I think that Addictive keys is a good all around piano library .

It's not as detailed as other bigger libraries ( and more expensive ) but it's versatile with it's mixing options and very fast loading time .

The upright is also very cool


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## Casiquire (Jun 9, 2013)

lumcas @ Sun 09 Jun said:


> It's funny, but if I should mention the biggest problem with QL Pianos I'd say dynamic range - the timbre changes as you go higher in velocities but not volume (it's kinda compressed) - unless they made some groundbreaking update which I'm not aware of...



There is a response curve that you have control over in most of the EWQL libraries. I always tweak this curve a bit because I never feel like the response is just right either, but once that's adjusted a bit it's perfect.

Nightwatch, we are in total agreement regarding the Kontakt piano libraries! The only one I can stand to listen to is Alicia's Keys, the rest are full of problems. I guess I'd rather have a piano that's not boring and that has some details and flaws but that gets my inspiration flowing.

JPQ - are you saying Pianoteq sounds a bit synthy to you? I guess we have the same opinion then, I don't use it. Wouldn't it be nice if we could try out all the piano plugins before choosing one?



EastWest Lurker said:


> Piano TEQ to me is like a girl who has had a rhinoplasty, a boob job, collagen treatment, etc. so that she can be a starlet.



LOL


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## George Caplan (Jun 9, 2013)

what about galaxy pianos?


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## EastWest Lurker (Jun 9, 2013)

nightwatch @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> In order of how much I find myself using them..
> 
> PianoTEQ - The pianists piano, period.



Hmmm, I have been playing piano since I was 8 and now I am 64, but since you say "period", then I guess I must not really be a pianist.

Good to know :lol:


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## Daryl (Jun 9, 2013)

Galaxy fan here. Particularly the Steinway.

D


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## Giant_Shadow (Jun 9, 2013)

Agree on Pianoteq, just got the new Upright addon, and its sounds very musical. Make sure your trying out the latest version.

If your looking for something off the beaten path try SpitfireAudio's Felt Piano, its only costs a 2E donation to Unicef and is playable for weeks at least for me.



RasmusFors @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> Check out Pianoteq 4. There is a demo you can download for free on their website.
> 
> Do somebody have 8dio legacy piano ? I really love the pianos tone, but how playable is it ?


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## feck (Sep 8, 2013)

Vienna Imperial - hands down my #1 favorite piano, and I have or have tried virtually all of them.
Production Voices Production Grand - my new #2 favorite - very well sampled and playable with plenty of varied mic options.


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## pavolbrezina (Sep 8, 2013)

Ivory American D by far best sounding piano library to date


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## StatKsn (Sep 8, 2013)

+1 for Ivory American D! It is beautiful.

1928 Steinway has an interesting sound and I love the soft/softest patches. However I don't think it is an all rounder with the resonant character being so strong. Now I want to try Imperfect Samples pianos...


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## SymphonicSamples (Sep 8, 2013)

You would have to add Orchestral Tools , The Orchestral Grands to the list now ! Absolutely superb .


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## Per Lichtman (Sep 8, 2013)

Obviously, there's no "best" piano or there would be a lot more consensus here - pretty much everybody here loves or hates at least one piano that several other people in the thread disagrees with. 

But at least there are a lot of different pianos mentioned in the thread to try out and to listen to.

Personally, I'd pick practically any other piano in the list over the Pianoteq. I say that as someone that has visited most of the piano stores in the area, driven several towns over to hear or play additional pianos and e-mailed producers in other parts of the world just to get to hear more recordings produced with some of my favorite real acoustic pianos. And when I brought other pianists to hear the pianos I loved, they often came in skeptical and left blown away by those pianos.

My opinion is no more or less valid than anyone else here. It is based on a large amount of time dedicated specifically to listening to, playing and comparing a large number of pianos as a dedicated activity - not just as a means to an end.

Picking a piano is largely a personal choice - if you play it and feel it expresses you, then that's a great start. And whatever piano you pick, don't be surprised if you need to EQ it a bit in post to make it sit or feel right. I can't tell you how many recordings I hear that drive me nuts because people let either the bass or the treble run wild.

If the treble screams out and distracts from the line, you're losing emotional connection with the listener. If the bass swamps the line, you're losing the listener. If the timbre is unnatural, you're losing the listener. If the dynamics of the piano can't follow you're playing, then it loses the player and the line.

But you learn to play to/play with the instrument. You can learn to EQ it. So pretty much any one of these you can do good things with because the information is there to start with.

So go for it and enjoy it - but I really would pick any one of the others over the Pianoteq. I mean, the timbre of the Pianoteq is better than before but... it still sounds unnatural to me playing single notes, which many of the other here do not. It's fun to play, but not really to listen to.

And of course that is just in my opinion - but if you read through my posts over the last 10 years in various forums, you'll find there are very few instruments I speak poorly of. I'm afraid that's one of the only ones I feel that strongly about the sound of - though it has potential for the future.


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## jamwerks (Sep 8, 2013)

Just bought the PIB, and find it very unbalanced, like 4-8 db too light above 440hz. Just me, or any others find the same?


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## 5Lives (Sep 8, 2013)

I love Ivory American D - great piano. Bit on the bright side, but no surprise there. Emotional Piano is nice, but I haven't gotten that into it - sounds a bit muffled. I prefer the sound of 8Dio's 1928 based on the demos at least. I still really enjoy Alicia's Keys - sounds lovely. As does Orangetree's Rosewood Grand (but unfortunately gave me some CPU trouble). I have PianoTeq as well - I love it for a quick tool to play stuff in, but switch it out in the final mix almost always.


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## SimonCharlesHanna (Sep 8, 2013)

IMPERFECT SAMPLES


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## Giant_Shadow (Sep 8, 2013)

+1 on Imperfect Fazoli. Recently got it and currently my favorite along with Felt Piano from Spitfire. which is much differnt and quirky (and nearly free).

The one argument I always make for Pianoteq is it fits in the mix, when so many others get lost.



TheUnfinished @ Fri Jun 07 said:


> I never tire of playing about with Imperfect Samples' Fazioli. Lovely sound.


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## 5Lives (Sep 8, 2013)

Imperfect Fazioli sounds nice, as does the Walnut Steinway based on the demos. Which one overlaps least with American D?


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## XcesSound (Sep 8, 2013)

There isn't really a "best" piano. Every piano has it's own character, and if the library is programmed welled and has great playability, they will work in different situations.

SI Emotional Piano is still my most often used piano in my scores, but there are so many great libraries out there each with it's own personality.


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## mark812 (Sep 8, 2013)

PiB, IS Fazioli, NI The Giant.


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## feck (Sep 8, 2013)

To all those who aren't familiar, definitely check out Production Voices Production Grand. One of the best kept secrets in VI pianoland.


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## RGM (Sep 10, 2013)

*Piano Tree Elettriche - Black Grand & EWQL*

Choice of piano comes down to its function and personal taste. For my film work I prefer a Steinway D classical piano which has a less brittle sound than many others but it wouldn't be the best at biting through a rock track.

I'm sure many would think it heresy but at the point I was about to start recording everything on a real piano, I stuck with Sampletekk's BLACK GRAND (and Logic), eventually deciding that the ability to retain control of the relative velocities I'd "demoed" was more important than any other consideration. 

Although it's been around for a while, I still use the BLACK GRAND, but also have a copy of the EWQL piano with similar Steinway that I used on "Midnight Scents" .... one of my album's 10 tracks as I think it has the best pp notes.

The album's called PIANO TREE ELETTRICHE and released in October .... there are some promos (wrongly dated July) including with visuals on Vimeo (all Black Grand except EWQL piano on Midnight Scents 69080766) :-

https://vimeo.com/69084986
https://vimeo.com/69081807
https://vimeo.com/69080766
https://vimeo.com/69079256
https://vimeo.com/69080142

Best
Richard


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## Eric (Sep 10, 2013)

I've either purchased or demoed the majority of available pianos (the biggest omissions probably being Ivory II American D, Galaxy II, and the Imperfect Samples grands). As others have stated above, choice of vi piano is very personal. If at all possible, I'd recommend trying out a piano before purchasing - listening to demos will tell you about the sound of an instrument, but won't help you know how playable it might be. I'll refrain from mentioning my disappointments, here are my favorites (in no particular order)... 

- Production Voices Production Grand: immense tonal flexibility.

- Galaxy Vintage D: kind of pre-carved, no hassle to get a very useable sound.

- Premium Sound Factory: very much a dark horse piano, nobody talks about this one. Literally no tweakability, but I'm in love with this instrument - it's my go-to quick load practice piano

- True Keys American Grand: plentiful modern features, clean and flexible tones, and the action is IMO the best of the sampled pianos I've tried.

- Vienna Imperial: IMO best dynamic control by far of all sampled pianos I've tried.

- Alicia's Keys: resonant while remaining a pop capable instrument

...favorite character pianos (in no particular order): Imperfect Samples Braunschwig, Ivory II Uprights Yamaha U5, Piano In Blue, Emotional Piano, 1928 Legacy, Acoustic Samples OldBlackGrand.


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## williemyers (Sep 10, 2013)

Eric @ Tue Sep 10 said:


> ...Premium Sound Factory: very much a dark horse piano,


Eric, you're not kidding!(a "dark horse") It doesn't even come up in a Google search! Have you got a link?


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## MrCambiata (Sep 10, 2013)

Eric @ Tue Sep 10 said:


> - True Keys American Grand: plentiful modern features, clean and flexible tones, and the action is IMO the best of the sampled pianos I've tried.



My favourite, all round piano. But yes, there are more unique timbres in some other sampled pianos such as PiB and 8dio 1928 (that I know)


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## Eric (Sep 10, 2013)

@williemyers: no wonder - please forgive my typo!! Meant to type Premier Sound Factory, link is... 

http://www.premiersoundfactory.com/modules/zox/pianopremier-p-1.html (http://www.premiersoundfactory.com/modu ... r-p-1.html)

A playable octave demo available here...

http://www.premiersoundfactory.com/modules/zox/premierfreesamplepack-p-29.html (http://www.premiersoundfactory.com/modu ... -p-29.html)


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## TuomasP (Sep 10, 2013)

EDIT:
nvm, oops i was so slow about that Premier Piano :D


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## ProtectedRights (Sep 10, 2013)

+1 for Pianoteq.

Regarding flexibility you cannot beat this. Regarding sound I can't say much because I only own New York Grand.
As a pianist myself, I like pianoteq a lot for the natural resonance feeling. You gotta be careful though what you do with the settings, especially EQ, you *can* reach artificial sounds if you wish. Also microfoning is critical and many presets sound rather hollow to my ears.


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## feck (Sep 10, 2013)

Pianoteq is VERY playable and flexible, but it has a serious boxy-ness that just can't be done away with as far as I have ever heard or used it. For just spending time coming up with ideas it's great, but it has never made it onto any of my released productions.


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## mk282 (Sep 11, 2013)

Pianoteq's Blüthner Model One is my fav model. I use it all the time. None of that boxiness feck is talking about - I've no problem in using it in productions and nobody seems to mind it, too. In fact, I get a lot of "what's that, an actual recorded piano? because I know you're using plugins!". 

Microphone placement page is the key, along with IRs.


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## Per Lichtman (Sep 11, 2013)

@mk282 Have you compared the timbre to a sample library made from a real Blüthner Model One?

http://www.proaudiovault.com/demos.htm


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## Dan Mott (Sep 11, 2013)

Depends what you are doing.

To me, the Imperfect samples pianos are the closest thing to actually sitting in front of a piano and playing it. They aren't concert pianos or classical type pianos at all. However, I love IS because of their intimacy. Good for ambient tracks!


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## mk282 (Sep 12, 2013)

Per Lichtman @ 11.9.2013 said:


> @mk282 Have you compared the timbre to a sample library made from a real Blüthner Model One?
> 
> http://www.proaudiovault.com/demos.htm



Yes, and I prefer Pianoteq by far - BDMO is very close-miced, and I'm not a fan of that sound. Pianoteq's model was authorized by Blüthner, too, so I doubt they would allow to put their name on a half-assed product  Also note that a different BDMO is modelled in Pianoteq (from 2009), so of course the timbre is not going to be 100% the same.

It's all a matter of taste.


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## Per Lichtman (Sep 12, 2013)

@mk282 Yes, because a company putting their name on the product has everything to do with quality and nothing to do with money - that's Arturia's authorized Moog emulations are the most faithful.  Honestly, you'll find tons of threads on product after product that completely invalidate the overall wisdom of relying on that as a decent indicator of quality.

Regarding the sound, I'm surprised and find your preference difficult to understand - the Pianoteq to me sounds very little like the modern Bluthner I played in real life. But if it works for you, it works for you and there's certainly nothing I can do to invalidate your experience (nor should there be).

But regarding the close-miking on the Bluthner - that makes it ridiculously easy to mix. I can easily create distance using the usual bag of tricks (EQ, reverb, placement plug-ins) but reducing it is much more difficult.

Still, there are certain things about the BDMO that I wish they would update but I'm not holding my breath.


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Sep 12, 2013)

Can someone tell me what piano this is:

https://soundcloud.com/8dawn/8dio-adagi ... eminiscing


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## paulmatthew (Sep 12, 2013)

> Can someone tell me what piano this is:



Just a guess, but since it's and 8DIO demo by Bill Brown , I would say it's probably the 1928 Steinway by 8DIO which Bill Brown also did a demo song for.


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## Jeffrey Peterson (Sep 12, 2013)

This is the one your talking about?

https://soundcloud.com/8dawn/1928-stein ... conspiracy

Maybe its just the difference in style of music but don't you think thats a different piano being used in "The Conspiracy" than in "Reminiscing"?


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## ProtectedRights (Sep 13, 2013)

mk282 @ Thu Sep 12 said:


> Pianoteq's model was authorized by Blüthner, too, so I doubt they would allow to put their name on a half-assed product



Thats what kind of surprised me to be honest. I think they did some good talking to the Bluethner guys. But I guess the Bluethners are just a bunch of nice and friendly, in the best sense naive grampas, with white hair and mustaches, working with wood and metal and love. Never heard of VSTi, so they don't know the competition  Thats purely my imagination of course.

I like the term half-assed :D In german we say "halbseiden" which is half-silk. A little classier, but less fun to say :D


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## Sasje (Sep 13, 2013)

I always seem to fall back on Sampletekk's Black or White Grand. Love them both for a general Piano sound/feel. For more intimate Piano's I strictly use ImperfectSamples.


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## Rv5 (Sep 13, 2013)

Imperfect Samples Fazioli Grand, I love it.

Also +1 for Spitfire Labs Felt piano, a gem!


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## foreveryoungmusic (Sep 23, 2013)

I can't comment on the two you are considering, but I have to say I recently picked up Quantum Leap Pianos and was thoroughly impressed. Deeply sampled with lots of RRs pedal up/down, true staccatos, three mic positions. Beautifully recorded with phenomenal rooms/acoustics. My only complaint is that on some of the patches, there is an inconsistent amount of recorded hiss. In other words some notes have noticeably louder background hiss than others. I really only hear this in the headphones though and not so much in the speakers. Also, Waves X-Noise removes it admirably without creating artifacts, so I have a workaround.


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## Blakus (Sep 23, 2013)

Dan-Jay @ Thu Sep 12 said:


> Depends what you are doing.
> 
> To me, the Imperfect samples pianos are the closest thing to actually sitting in front of a piano and playing it. They aren't concert pianos or classical type pianos at all. However, I love IS because of their intimacy. Good for ambient tracks!



I agree - I keep coming back to the IS steinway


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## feck (Sep 23, 2013)

foreveryoungmusic @ Mon Sep 23 said:


> I can't comment on the two you are considering, but I have to say I recently picked up Quantum Leap Pianos and was thoroughly impressed. Deeply sampled with lots of RRs pedal up/down, true staccatos, three mic positions. Beautifully recorded with phenomenal rooms/acoustics. My only complaint is that on some of the patches, there is an inconsistent amount of recorded hiss. In other words some notes have noticeably louder background hiss than others. I really only hear this in the headphones though and not so much in the speakers. Also, Waves X-Noise removes it admirably without creating artifacts, so I have a workaround.


Hold down the sustain pedal and do some scalar runs - you will hear a BUNCH of low end rumble and noise just stack up. This made these samples unusable for me quite often. In contrast to Vienna Imperial, which is so silent you can sustain runs all the way up the keyboard and there is literally no noise buildup. Awesome.


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## Giant_Shadow (Sep 24, 2013)

A man after my own heart : )



Rv5 @ Fri Sep 13 said:


> Imperfect Samples Fazioli Grand, I love it.
> 
> Also +1 for Spitfire Labs Felt piano, a gem!


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## synthnut (Sep 24, 2013)

Versitile .....Addictive Keys 
Bread amd Butter .....Sampletekk 
Intimate / Detailed .....Imperfect Samples


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## rnappi (Sep 24, 2013)

I'm looking for a good Stride piano. Does anyone have experience with Acoustic Samples Old Black Grand & Orange Tree Evolution Rosewood Grand?


Thanks,
rich


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## Tanuj Tiku (Sep 25, 2013)

Daryl @ Mon Jun 10 said:


> Galaxy fan here. Particularly the Steinway.
> 
> D



+++1

Galaxy Piano is really good. Thanks to Daryl's recommendation last year, it covered all my piano needs. Excellent quality and programming. 

Very consistent and tolerant to processing, so you can process it and create your own sound.

Three great pianos. 

Although, my favourite is the Vienna Grand. 


Tanuj.


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## Goran (Sep 25, 2013)

vibrato @ Wed Sep 25 said:


> Daryl @ Mon Jun 10 said:
> 
> 
> > Galaxy fan here. Particularly the Steinway.
> ...



+1 for Galaxy Pianos and Vienna Imperial, can only recommend both of these. I've never worked with EW Pianos, but the demos played by Steffen Fahl never cease to amaze me (especially Ravel's Alborada del gracioso)


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## Pianistikboy (Jan 3, 2014)

My current favorite piano is Piano in Blue. To demonstrate, this is a demo showing its great capabilities :
http://youtu.be/gnjmrP64Uls ('Le Piano Suspendu' (feat. Piano in Blue'))
Thanks for listening.


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## XcesSound (Jan 3, 2014)

Pianistikboy @ Fri Jan 03 said:


> My current favorite piano is Piano in Blue. To demonstrate, this is a demo showing its great capabilities : http://youtu.be/gnjmrP64Uls ('Le Piano Suspendu' (feat. Piano in Blue'))
> Thanks for listening.



Really beautiful! Thanks for sharing it with us.


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## Pianistikboy (Jan 3, 2014)

Many thanks Xiaotian. :wink:


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## Rob (Jan 3, 2014)

also, the Garritan Steinway has still something to offer, specially when soft, natural expression is required...


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## ProtectedRights (Jan 3, 2014)

I changed my mind, Pianoteq is fun playing, but the sound is sterile and artificial.

I like Sampletekk White Grand (though it has no resonance simulation) and Fluffy Audio MyPiano, two budget pianos.
PianoInBlue seems to be of the same sound category, also quite budget friendly, but I read there is a noise buildup on sustain samples?


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## Pianistikboy (Jan 3, 2014)

Since I've got Piano in Blue, I really enjoy to play the piano on my digital Yamaha. The sound is very rich for me, mainly the upper register where you can hear the amazing piano resonance. 
Yes : be advice that there is a slight white noise in the upper register when you play a lot of notes together. But it isn't detectable in a full mix. And the sound is just so great. I have no regrets about this purchase and regarding to the price.
Important point : you will need to buy the last version of Kontak to open 'Piano in Blue'. If not, it will be a demo software version of the Piano in Blue. (It doesn't work with the Kontakt free player). You have to know it. Regards.


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Jan 3, 2014)

Une vraie belle pièce, Anthony! Superbe mélodie et développement, plein d'émotion. Moi aussi j'adore le Blue, et cela depuis sa sortie. 

=o o-[][]-o


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## Pianistikboy (Jan 3, 2014)

Merci Ned, ça vaut le coup de s'être cassé la tête alors !!


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## Giant_Shadow (Jan 3, 2014)

As someone who recently ran the piano gamut (bout 5 of them since fall) my findings were that allot of the more delicate piano's get lost in the mix very easily unless you EQ, compress, process them, where Pianoteq usually stands up in the mix. For writing I am using both of the Spitfire's Felt Piano's for inspiration and then usually switch them or layer them with Pianoteq. YMMV


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## zvenx (Jan 3, 2014)

I have most mentioned here, played almost all.
Got VIlabs True Keys for Xmas. Hands down my best 2013 purchase. I can't stop playing it...
so clearly these get my vote.

rsp


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## tack (Jan 3, 2014)

I gave True Keys a serious shot but I just couldn't connect with it. I just can't seem to shake Vintage D, which is so brilliantly playable. Perhaps the only criticism I have with Vintage D is that it doesn't do partial pedaling (i.e. outside half or full pedal) convincingly (or at all), but it seems to get everything else right. For me it's the most playable software piano apart from Pianoteq, except that it doesn't sound like plastic.

Alicia's Keys has awesome sustains. Some years ago I did a rendering of Moonlight Sonata with AK that remains one of my favorites. But IMO AK has very poor playability.

I don't really have a lot of experience with mixes. Playability probably matters a lot less, and I imagine a brighter tone is preferred?


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## Fleer (Mar 28, 2016)

Go try that new Model B by Pianoteq.


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