Suggestions for Software Piano instruments

[Baldo]

I'm possibly looking for a software piano to connect to my old Technics SX-P50 Stage piano. Any suggestions would be welcomed. I have decent mixer and speakers so should be able to get a nice rich deep sound.

I have both a PC and a MacBook Pro so wither of those could be used for this.

I have checked out pianoteq as recommended by one of my other posts here. I would would love to hear of other applications that might also be very good. Even though I just want a piano sound initially I suppose something that can also do Synths might be nice but not necessary.

Many thanks once again for any help here.

[Drew Stephenson]

Are you looking for a standalone application or something that can be played through a DAW? If the latter then it's worth checking out the options from Spitfire LABS. Mostly more experimental than standard sounds but there are various piano options in there that might be of interest.

[RichardT]

I have 7 or 8 sampled pianos, plus Pianoteq. My favourite by a long way is Noire by Native instruments.

To run it you need the free Kontakt Player software, also from Native Instruments.

[Baldo]

I would essentially use it via my PC (which has a nice Juli@ sound card with ASIO drivers). I dont use it as a DAW.

I use a MacBook Pro running Logic Pro for the DAW (when I hook it up!!), and the audio interface for that is a nice Apoogee Duet, beautiful sound.

I have been playing around with Pianoteq and I must admit that the Steniway D piano sound does sound a lot better than the sound I get from my Technics.
I assume that that will just cost me the price of pianoteq since it includes two instrument choices.

[sonics]

Such an oft-trod path!

From your other thread we know you like a "Steinway". What sort of Steinway. Bright, bold modern classical? What is you repertoire, playing style, ability?

There are some dozen or so good pianos in my collection, and many, many more on the market.

Assuming a classical grand piano, but not too warm (i.e. discounting Boesendorfers) for use in solo playing, I like:
EastWest (Steinway or Yamaha C7)
Garritan (Steinway)
Ravenscroft
Ivory II
AcousticSamples Yamaha C7
8Dio Steinway (1969)
(I've think I've forgotten a couple since I'm not at the studio computer.)

Those to me are the most realistic for a range of classical and jazz styles.
The absence of Pianoteq indicates that, although it is indeed an excellent product, there is something too dry about the sound for me. It's a little too perfect, even when the imperfections are added. Like a meal with a subtle but essential ingredient missing.

This is all very personal. Play all the demos you can.

Good luck in your quest, brave Sir Baldo!

[RichardT]

I find Pianoteq a bit strange. Sometimes it sounds a bit clanky to my ears.

I would definitely recommend listening to some good sampled pianos before you make a final decision.

[N i g e l]

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

If you want somthing more down to earth, LivingRoom Upright Piano is nice

https://www.soundonsound.com/news/livin ... keypleezer

[Peevy]

I find Pianoteq a bit strange. Sometimes it sounds a bit clanky to my ears.

Same here. Hard to pinpoint, but it doesn’t sit right with me. Something about the overtones?

I keep returning to the Galaxy Vintage D. It’s pretty old now, but I find it sits well in a busy mix and stands alone well in something more sparse. This was the review in Sound On Sound back in 2010:

https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/galaxy-vintage-d

[sonics]

I keep returning to the Galaxy Vintage D.

That's a lovely piano indeed. I felt it didn't work as well solo compared to some newer pianos, so it lost its place in my "squad"!

[ajay_m]

The best classical piano I've heard is Embertones, which is sampled from a Steinway. More a jazz piano but Alicia's Keys is also very playable. Most of the rest I've looked at have one or two notes that jump out and become very annoying over time.

[MaestroMikeT]

I’m a classically trained pianist, doing mostly modern jazz/classical original pieces. And although there’s really no substitute for a real grand - it’s not just the sound but that inexplicable connection between keyboard feel and response, and the infinite sound timbres being generated - I have come to the conclusion that, from my own collection of piano recreations, two stand out:
- the sampled engine on my Nord Piano 3 (better, the different pianos in Nord collection) together with their great keybed;
- an ancient but extremely musical modeling plugin, 4Front True Pianos, to wich I recur over and over again. It’s really old by today’s standards, but very well coded, and very tweakeable. And really inspiring, wich I have as one of the top qualities such a plug-in or library must have.

[sonics]

- an ancient but extremely musical modeling plugin, 4Front True Pianos

Thanks for that reminder. I recall having one or two of their models. I also remember liking them, but assumed they would have been surpassed, so didn't install them on my latest system. Is that the product with gemstones for names? I'll have to see if my installers can be found. 32-bit, I suppose?

The Nord is excellent, but pricey of course. Earlier versions weren't that good, IMO.

If you had to use a sample library, do you have any favourites?

[MaestroMikeT]

Amazing as it is, 4Font is 64 bit! I’m happily using it in Nuendo ever since Steinberg made the switch to 64-bit only (tried J-Bridge with a couple of vsts and vstis but decided it wasn’t worth the instability).
Yeah, Nord is pricey, and to be honest I find their products, albeit really good, a tad over-expensive. They now they have a good reputation and they capitalize on it, I guess that’s the way of the world… A bonus: I was torned between the Piano 3 and the Stage 3 88, and the Piano was almost 1000€ cheaper AND HAS A BETTER KEYBED!!!!
About sample libraries I used Ivory II on a friend’s PC, never bought it, not bad, but I remember using the Alicia Keys Piano at a studio in Lisbon (just to lay last-minute very simple piano licks in a busy R&B mix) and it surely grabbed my attention. The Garritan is also nice, but neither steared me way from the TruePianos. I bought Pianoteq, but never escaped that “over-clear-in-not-a-very-lifelike-way” feeling. Superb for specific tasks, but not my cup of tea for more proeminent piano parts.

[Baldo]

Question about Embertones,

I like the sound, but what do i need to play this? Do I need some kind of virtual instrument or a sampler. It requires 200GB of disc space which is not really an issue.

Is this some thing that I could use in Logic Pro on my Mac or is is virtual instrument that is trigger via usb midi like Pianoteq.

thanks for all the suggestions. I do like the sounds of some of these.

[Baldo]

Ok, is Embertones to be used with the Native Instruments Kontakt player? And is Kontact a Free application or will I have to buy that as well???

[zdawgster]

MaestroMikeT's response is very interesting and brings back a lot of memories. Back in 2009/2010 I also used the free version of 4font true pianos while practicing. I was a student at the time and when I wasn't at the university I would practice at home on my Yamaha digital. But at times I wasn't satisfied with the sound. Somehow came across True pianos and it was a nice change from the Yamaha. So I would kind of go back and forth between the two!
I never had the pleasure of trying the Nord pianos but have heard a lot about them. I did try out Pianoteq a few times but even though I really like the idea of a physically modeled instrument and it does have a lot of potential, it somehow is lacking a kind of depth to the sound or something....
For me whenever I tried a virtual piano, I always struggled to get the velocity response set up well to work with the software. The connection between your hands/fingers and the sound is the more important aspect and will always trump a more "realistic" sound.

[adrian_k]

Ok, is Embertones to be used with the Native Instruments Kontakt player? And is Kontact a Free application or will I have to buy that as well???

In case this question gets missed…

From the Embertone website, Steinway D instrument:

Compatible with Kontakt Player 5.7+ or Kontakt Full 5.4.1+

Kontakt player is a free download from Native Instruments.

The Tiny Grand instrument appears to require full Kontakt.

[Baldo]

Kontact may be a free download but is that the one that I can use or will that be the trial limited one? It seems that the free one is just to try things out.

Or am I mistaken?

[RichardT]

Kontact may be a free download but is that the one that I can use or will that be the trial limited one? It seems that the free one is just to try things out.

Or am I mistaken?

You can use Kontakt player indefinitely.

[blakedirksen]

You can use the free Kontakt player but some sample libraries haven't paid the licensing fee so you have to upgrade to the "full" player for those to work.

One place to start is pianobook. Hundreds of sample libraries to choose from and you can sort by whichever player interface you want to use (I use Full Kontakt).

https://www.pianobook.co.uk

The piano samples in Logic also are not terrible so you may want to check what you already own.

Lastly as someone above mentioned, I also really like the spitfire piano samples. In particular the Mrs. Mills piano and the Firewood pianos. They are only $29 and come with their own plug in so no worries about the player. The history on the Mrs. Mills piano is incredible so it is worth the $29 bucks to read up on and then play around with it and feel like you are at Abbey Road.

Have fun!

[ajay_m]

Unless you want all the mic positioning options the standard mic option on the embertone walker piano is going to work 99% of the time and I think that's about 30g disk space. And very reasonably priced. I come from a classical music background and the embertone piano is the only one I've played that really to me works for Beethoven and Debussy and that kind of repertoire. Those folks just have a natural musical understanding of what sounds "right" at least to my ears. And look. You can buy the lite version for 39 bucks which really is a steal, even the full standard mic version is only $99. I don't think any of the other contenders come close price wise and it is just a lovely instrument. I come back to this and Alicia's keys for jazz as my "goto" pianos.

[sonics]

I come from a classical music background and the embertone piano is the only one I've played that really to me works for Beethoven and Debussy and that kind of repertoire.

Clearly, I must try the Embertone. What competing products fall short? So much of the sound is mics and acoustic environment for classical, rather than the subtleties of the sample library, which often get lost.

[Baldo]

Is there any way to try out Embertones? I just want to se how it feels and sounds in MY studio with MY keyboard and sound system.

[Baldo]

I must say that the customer service from Embertones is no exactly great. I have reached out to them several times and not a single response apart from an automated email. Makes me think twice about whether I should be spending my money with them.

I mean how hard is it to respond to customers who are interested in buying your product?

So no matter how great their product may be, if the customer service is not up to standard then I will be very reluctant to buy.