My Desert Island Piano VST - VI Labs Modern D

Windows systems can be hit or miss for low latency audio, regardless of drivers or external hardware. Unfortunately, there's no standardized spec you can look at prior to purchase that'll tell you whether or not a given system will be suitable.

Last year, for instance, I got a great deal on a laptop, only to have to return it because it was useless for playing VIs. Crackling at all buffer settings, regardless of what I did, even when using my audio interface and its dedicated driver. A mini PC with essentially the same CPU, memory and storage allotment as the laptop, however, has given me exemplary results, allowing me to run virtually all of my libraries* with the minimum buffer size allowed by my audio interface, with zero issues.

*The only exception is the Embertone Walker, which must just be poorly optimized because it's crackly on every system I've tried, and I've read of many other people having similar trouble. Even the official demonstration video has some crackling in places.

Argyris That's interesting. So for my next Windows computer, maybe I should think about mini PC's?

My second impression is that the piano still sounds gorgeous, but that the upper mids regions (form C5 up) is a bit soft and it requires really much (too much?) effort to make it stand out and "sing" compared to well prepped acoustic pianos, built-in digital piano samples and Pianoteq. Do you agree?

porco_rosso My second impression is that the piano still sounds gorgeous, but that the upper mids regions (form C5 up) is a bit soft and it requires really much (too much?) effort to make it stand out and "sing" compared to well prepped acoustic pianos, built-in digital piano samples and Pianoteq. Do you agree?

I agree that the upper registers are on the softer side. According to VI Labs, every hammer was voiced, so this softer more intimate sound is deliberate. At first I was a little surprised by it, but now I appreciate it as part of the overall character of the piano. I'm not sure what it would sound like in a concert hall, but I think it would be perfect for my living room. 😀

God Bless,
David

porco_rosso My second impression is that the piano still sounds gorgeous, but that the upper mids regions (form C5 up) is a bit soft and it requires really much (too much?) effort to make it stand out and "sing" compared to well prepped acoustic pianos, built-in digital piano samples and Pianoteq.

David B I agree that the upper registers are on the softer side.

This actually makes me more curious about the Modern D since I often find the treble on VI:s to be a little too forward and fatiguing, especially when used with headphones.

from how I’ve played and heard Modern D, I do feel that the lower notes are more powerful than the treble, but this response is also true on New York concert D’s. Older D’s even require me to voice the right hand a bit more than my left hand in order to get a sharper attack, if that’s the sound I was after. That said, I suggest loading an additional mic perspective, this would increase the thickness of the mid to upper notes.

VI Labs managed to capture how a contemporary New York Steinway D feels and sounds like, and I think that’s really special.

FWIW, I like pianos that have kind of weak high notes compared to the mids and bass. That's how most acoustic pianos seem to work, there's really a very short speaking length of the strings, while the hammers are rather tiny and sharpened since they have to make sure they put energy in a more concentrated way and not dampen the high-frequency vibration while still near the string, so there's no way that region can sound overpowering compared to the rest. Some digital pianos (for instance most of the Kawai-s I've played) and sampled libraries seem to be overly sensitive and piercing in the treble and I hate it. FWIW, whenever I test Pianoteq, it also has overly sensitive touch and sound in the treble region. Of course, this can be corrected but I wonder what controller and speakers they use to make their default touch curves and brightness of sound.

CyberGene Well said. I feel like generally speaking, more so on concert grands, I have to voice the right hand significantly more than you do the left.

CyberGene FWIW, I like pianos that have kind of weak high notes compared to the mids and bass. That's how most acoustic pianos seem to work, there's really a very short speaking length of the strings, while the hammers are rather tiny and sharpened since they have to make sure they put energy in a more concentrated way and not dampen the high-frequency vibration while still near the string, so there's no way that region can sound overpowering compared to the rest. Some digital pianos (for instance most of the Kawai-s I've played) and sampled libraries seem to be overy sensitive and piercing in the treble and I hate it. FWIW, whenever I test Pianoteq, it also has overly sensitive touch and sound in the treble region.

I think this differs a great deal among acoustic pianos but If there's one acoustic brand that generally have this sensitiv and high energy in the treble it would be Bechstein in my experience, especially the new ones (not in a disturbing way though).

johanibraaten And I also find smaller concert grands to be more treble forward.

Interesting! But yes - I played a Steinway D once, and also found that it wasn't so upper mid/treble foward as most acoustic pianos I played. But I think I just like it more when it's easier to make the melody "sing" on a piano.

johanibraaten I often find the treble on VI:s to be a little too forward and fatiguing

Same here! Quite often indeed.

Cheers,

HZ

HZPiano That's also due to how some VIs are scripted. They voice the treble a bit more forward. And, fun fact, on VI Labs and VSL pianos, you can make a curve so that the treble notes are responded brighter / easier played out. But I decided to not go with that for my Modern D custom VPC 1 curve.

David Lai

After a long hiatus, and triggered by the Modern D commotion, I toyed somewhat with the Ravenscroft VSTi again. Those trebles are also approaching piercing. Given the real Ravenscroft grand, that is to be expected, though.

I tried to curve them down a bit but then the rest of the range goes too dull and muffled.

Anyway, after a few hours of tinkering fun (which I seldomly allow myself) I went back to my trusted Modern U.

Cheers!

HZ

HZPiano Sorry to tempt you with it, but I feel playing wise, Modern D might be your cup of tea. The rounded tone reminds me of Modern U a lot.

If you want an everyday musician's perspective, you're welcome to watch this review.

Have fun!

David Lai

It might. Or not. So far, I'm still at: Superb piano VSTi, yet not my sound character. And that has everything to do with me not having a click with the actual Steinway sound character.

And yes, I watched David's video over morning coffee 🙂.

Cheers!

HZ

PS Piggy bank considerations aside, and all of that…

HZPiano sounds to me like you're trying really hard to find reasons not to think of Modern D 😀

Cheers and happy denial 😉 Kidding!

Truth being told, I think I shouldn't have purchased the Modern D not because it's bad but because I use VST-s only when recording videos for YouTube and I've not had any desire to do that recently. Even then, I already have the perfect piano for that purpose, Garritan CFX. I don't even play/practice often lately but when I do, I always use the on-board sound of the N1X. So, yeah, I don't want to make anyone spend money on something I personally won't use often, if ever 🙂

CyberGene

😄 😅 😄

Do not think of a pink elephant, do not think of…

David Lai

PS My absolute favorite weekly TV show "Podium Klassiek" used to have a splendidly absolutely gorgeously well-roundedly voiced Yamaha (perfectly matching my taste) grand in the studio. For some specific performances they rolled in a Steinway and occasionally even Faziolis.

Since the start of this season, the Steinway is their regular. I'm gutted! Yesterday some nice pieces were performed on it, I could definitely hear the resemblances with Modern D's sound, and was reinforced that it is not for me.

Cheers, as always,

HZ