# Garritan CFX hurts my ears?



## bz0804 (Jun 12, 2022)

I've recently purchased the Garritan CFX lite version for myself, and I must say I really enjoyed the demo sounds and everything. But upon downloading it and getting to actually play it myself I felt like the upper keys sounded too sharp or high? to a point where it hurts my ears. Is this just a, me problem where only I feel this or is it my headphones or is it my settings?
Thanks.
Here's a recording through CFX's recording option.


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## Jett Hitt (Jun 12, 2022)

I wasn’t overly impressed with the CFX Lite, but the CFX full is my go-to. I think it’s my favorite VST piano.


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## cfodeebiedaddy (Jun 12, 2022)

It's probably a combination of stuff. Garritan CFX *can* be pretty bright, especially paired with certain headphones (I use Sennheiser HD600s which I think bring out the high end nicely...but it's not far off being too much).

Bringing the timbre knob down a notch or two is probably your easiest option to tame brightness without making things sound muffled - but that assumes you've already experimented with mic choices/balance.

It's a very popular VI over at PianoWorld, so you could look for threads over there - plenty of folks have posted their settings over the years, I think.


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## PaulieDC (Jun 13, 2022)

With pianos, 600Hz is generally a bad area that needs to be slightly cut if the sample developer hasn't, and certainly can benefit you in a live piano recording. I noticed you have 600Hz boosted 3db... sure you want to do that? Especially with an SSL Channel strip, they aren't known for warm and fuzzy mids, lol. Maybe try cutting it 3db, and then slightly moving the frequency knob slowly in the 500-700Hz range and see if you can find a sweet spot with your 3db cut. Or crank UP the gain and sweep to find the worst sound, then cut it 3-6db if you want to attack the issue a little harder. They used a KM184 in that patch, that mic definitely does not need a mid boost. Try it and see!


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## PaulieDC (Jun 13, 2022)

One other thought... I have the Full CFX and love it but my older M-Audio controller didn't seem to work the way I wanted, the notes sounded plinky for lack of a better term. I happened to plug in a Korg microKey Air 37 (with the mini keys!) and the sound was what I had hoped for! How could that be? Turns out the little Korg had quite a decent velocity curve, something I never paid attention to (actually it was @keepitsimple who told me it is ALL about the velocity curve and man is he right). So take a look at your controller and see if its velocity curve is adjustable either on board or in software, it may simply be hitting too hard at the top end. In the end I went for the SL88 Grand and the stock curve out of the box is superb. AH, I just remembered that the CFX player has an adjustable curve, I see it in the pics you posted. I forgot about that because I don't touch it with the SL88. Try slightly pulling the top of the curve down a little and see how that works. Between that and EQ, you should be able to shape the tone you are after.


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## Daniel (Jun 13, 2022)

bz0804 said:


> I've recently purchased the Garritan CFX lite version for myself, and I must say I really enjoyed the demo sounds and everything. But upon downloading it and getting to actually play it myself I felt like the upper keys sounded too sharp or high? to a point where it hurts my ears. Is this just a, me problem where only I feel this or is it my headphones or is it my settings?
> Thanks.
> Here's a recording through CFX's recording option.


I hope it is not in your template that track using compressor/limiter/maximizer?


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