My Concern with PianoTeq

David Lai · 2024-10-03T13:46:50+00:00

Hi friends, This thread is mainly for, well, you guessed it. Under inspiration of Pete14's message on a thread about a sampled Steinway D: "Okay, let’s forget about who’s the best for a minute (Pianoteq), and pay attention to the bigger picture…" In his mind, there's none other than PianoTeq that has all he wants in a piano. It's a pitty the demo of PianoTeq has some non-working keys, otherwise, I would now throw in an audio file of recordings from a real Steinway, compared to Modern D, then PianoTeq. But since I can't, I'll do the next best thing. I discovered this video not long ago, and I thought I'd post it here. It's someone demoing PianoTeq's acoustic pianos in various musical styles. Here are my thoughts after listening to the video: From version 6 (pirated version I happen to try) to now with version 8 (as presented in this video), how far have we come? It seems like we've progressed little, if not at all. The nasal mids are still there, the synthetic high register is still there, the strange tones when played loudly is still there. The synthetic quality of this synthesizer remains unchanged. And no matter what type or kind of piano it attempts at, it fails because it has its own sound signature pasted on all of these pianos. So they are not models of Steinways, they are PianoTeq versions of Steinways at best, and I'm being polite in still giving it a name and place. That's why PianoTeq never won me over in the first place, even with its playability and phrasing. Of course, it's small on resources, too, but the main thing that makes me want to continue using the piano VST is its sound, and that, PianoTeq loses bigtime. Now with the Modern D, I could phrase like when I'm on VSL, or (heck) PianoTeq, but it won't give me a harsh metallic synth sound. What I hear is a warm, true-to-life sound that is just like the Steinways I've played at school, and the Steinways I hear on recordings. Which is the best? Clearly, a 100% sampled Modern D! As for PianoTeq, if we look at it realisticly, from a sound and aesthetic perspective, it pales in comparison. Now, some people might say, what about resonances? Well, an actual acoustic piano has resonances that blooms over time, and as new notes add to the resonance, the gradual fluctuation of the volume of the resonances is something magical. For the first time, Modern D captures this kind of life-like (living) resonance experience. However, while PianoTeq is best when it stays in the background offering modeled resonances, its resonances can be best be described as a wall. It never interacts with the sounding note, and thus, is dead, not life-like (living). Double hit for PianoTeq. That's all I have to say about it, and I'm very serious about it. No joke! For proof, just listen to the kind of sound PianoTeq produces, as that video as an example. OK, let me take a break from this topic for a bit. You guys, have fun.

CyberGene

David B you just described me 😀

Pete14

David B Of course, this is really a first world consumer phenomenon. I'm thankful to be part of the experience. 🙂

This!

There are some people out there, in the poor, still playing a Korg M1, and an even smaller -lucky few- might’ve just saved enough money to buy a 1999 Dell, so even if someone gifted them the Modern D, the Dell wouldn’t be capable of running it; not to mention, that it wouldn’t be able to download it to begin with (no internet connection), and whilst this sounds terrible to us, it might be their “normal;” therefore, they’re not aware of, or bothered by “what’s the newest thing out there,” like “we” are, but rather, they keep playing that Korg M1, and running windows 94 on their new but old Dell.

Perhaps I should be more thankful; even for something as simple as hanging out here; because, once again, that proverbial Dell can’t connect to the internet; however, since they’re not stuck to a screen all day, they probably get better sleep than us, still look up to the skies and marvel at the constellations, milk their own cows, grow their own veggies, and cook their own food with two hands, and not holding a steak in one hand whilst the other types incessantly (like some people I know tend to do)!

David Lai

Pete14 And I’m the one living in fantasy-land?

Yes, sir, you are.

My statement doesn't need "IMHO," because "my" search is over, not "our!" I'm just saying that there's a now both a playable and good-sounding VST, and I use "we have," as in "there is." Did you not get it? Others like CyberGene got it. Therefore, I don't need to say IMHO. PLus, who is the person who boldly says that PianoTeq is the best? It's you, Pete! You made a very general statement that PianoTeq is the best VI out there, to which I couldn't agree, because the first time I heard and played it, I immediately perceived that I was listening to a synth. And that's the end of PTQ for me!

This Modern D both plays well, like Piano Teq, but unlike PianoTeq, it sounds real, because it was sampled from an actual acoustic D. What could be better than that? Even the evolving waves of resonances are captured. Synthetic resonances, like those done by PianoTeq, sounds like a wall of sound, dead, if you will. Unlike real resonances from an acoustic piano, notes can interact with them in a very musical way. And I feel it finally on here!

There, I think that's enough debating for now. I hope it sounds clear to you that I wasn't making a general statement, only saying that my search was over. Happy reading!

David Lai

CyberGene Thanks, you said it better than me!

David Lai

CyberGene ). That's why people will always search for the next better virtual or digital piano. And pianos are for playing music, music is emotion, emotion is irrational, hence people sometimes say emotional things that are exaggerated. Unless they are bots. I hope nobody here is a bot

Again, wow, we agree on this, too. Sometimes I wonder, what in the name of Pete is Pete14 thinking? Can he not understand what sounds good and plays well IS indeed good? If this truth can't be appreciated, then he couldn't understand where I'm coming from, and thus would need me to always say "IMHO."

Pete14

David Lai

It would’ve been nice if you’d ended this post with IMHO, but you didn’t, now did you?

David Lai

Pete14 they’re not stuck to a screen all day, they probably get better sleep than us

Well, that's me, and I'm not using tech from the 90s.

But wait… I can't see the screen, I'm blind!!! But for one moment, I found your words resonating a bit, so thank you!

David Lai

Pete14 And why, pray I ask, do I always need to tag that, while you, can go around parading with PianoTeq? I honestly am puzzled.

Pete14

Not always, David, but enough to let us know that you’re indeed humble!

Of course, people already know of my humility, but more often than not, I still end with a nice IMHO!

IMHO!

pianow

Pete14 so even if someone gifted them the Modern D, the Dell wouldn’t be capable of running it

so what? the vsts are tools for producers, and producers don't use windows xp on a 1980 machine,(even bedroom producers use decent computers) it's not like the companies (such as vi labs) intended to make super super resource friendly stuff so even adam and eve can use them with a single core tree
so stop complaining.

David Lai

Pete14 What a strange way to end a post, IMHO! Maybe we should start saying IMHO all the time, IMHO? Isn't this strange, IMHO?

There, satisfied?

It's not my way of expression, so I won't pretend any longer.

I think, on the contrary, that you are not humble. Because you had the amazing courage to say that PianoTeq is the best VST out there in a sampled VST discussion, and you didn't say IMHO.

"Okay, let’s forget about who’s the best for a minute (Pianoteq), and pay attention to the bigger picture…"

There, these were your own words that inspired this new thread, because I really doubt PianoTeq is the best. In my opinion, and indeed many others, it's not, because though it plays good, it fails big time in sound. And sound is what motivates most of us to play with a VST.

For me, what I search for in a VST partly is what I can't achieve. I don't get access to a concert grand in a big space everyday, and now in the US, I can't access a great acoustic piano everyday. So a good sounding, playable VST is how I'm able to have my practice.

OK, I think I've said enough about this. You should understand where I'm coming from, IMHO.

There, I did it for you, Pete!

pianow

Pete14

why? a comment is an opinion
there's no need to address that everytime we write something

Jane

Well, IMHO Franklin was wise...
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/203024-there-is-perhaps-no-one-of-our-natural-passions-so

“There is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility. ”

Proudly IMHO 😉

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