Modern D enhancements

Mindbullets · 2025-07-16T21:54:31+00:00

Saw this on VI Control: Hello all. Some exciting news for Modern D owners and I'm here to pass it along on behalf of Vi Labs: We've been working on an update to the Modern D for several months now to fix the various issues that users reported on forums and by email, the official release will come later this Fall most likely. For now we're doing a soft roll-out to address specific issues, but also to release it before our Summer Sale to avoid customers that would buy it now at full price then be angry with us. Also there still could be some more fixes needed before the official release. We fixed the noise build up when playing a lot of notes and/or using extreme EQ or compression. We also enabled the extra Sympathetic Resonance with pedal down playing like we have in our Ravenscroft 275 and Modern U libraries. Plus there are numerous other bug fixes and general improvements, the full change log will be published with the official release this Fall. The new version is available right now in your VI Labs account, it’s the same link, so use our Installer app or the download page to get it. If you want to keep your old version, simply rename it beforehand by adding 'old' to the filename or such. The new version has the same file name, so any DAW projects will load as expected. Custom drawn Gain Curves will have to be made again since they will not load in the new version, but any other setting from your old presets will. *This update requires the latest version of UVI Workstation V4.0.1 or later, or Falcon 3.1.1 or later.

FREIRE

Just briefly tried it and it seemed to me like it was both more focused and sustaining sound. But have to play it more later.

HZPiano

David Lai

Well, it is a hunch, I don't have the proof of course. But it feels likely.

Cheers!

CC @David B

David Lai

FREIRE I'm sure the sympathetic resonances ringing along side the pedal is helping with the over all tone. It does sound more rich now.

johanibraaten

Do you think there are some updates for the modern U as well on the horizon?

David B

FREIRE Just briefly tried it and it seemed to me like it was both more focused and sustaining sound. But have to play it more later.

David Lai I'm sure the sympathetic resonances ringing along side the pedal is helping with the over all tone. It does sound more rich now.

I wish I would have kept the old version just for comparison. It seems like v1.1 has more clarity and is a bit brighter/focused sounding particularly in the upper resisters. I feel it's an improvement because the older version tended to be more on the extreme intimate side. I like the update because we still have the great tuning, regulation, and even tone but with a bit more life to it. The Modern D was my favorite VST before the update and now it's increased the gap between it and the rest of the field. I don't see anyone catching up anytime soon.

God Bless,
David

David B

HZPiano You're both on different platforms (Mac Mxx resp. Windows). I reckon that explains the difference the both of you see in the file sizes.

Yeah, VSL libraries always loaded with a bit larger size compared to what was advertised when used on Macs.

God bless,
David

HZPiano

johanibraaten

I just wondered the same, thanks for saying this!

Cheers,

CC @VILabs

David Lai

johanibraaten I don't know, but I sure hope they could update some of their more vintage offerings. They've set the bar really high with Modern D.

pc-king

Translated by Google.

Hello! I'd like to test the new version. I'm trying to approximate the sound of classical recordings, which has worked best so far with VSL Steinway and countless tricks. But I'm slowly getting fed up with VSL. By the time they get a one- to three-year-old D-274 German working properly (with realistic resonance and pedal), I'll be long dead.

My question: Is there any way to define fixed points for the velocity curve and connect them with straight lines? Or can I create my own curve using Excel or a text editor? This drawing and smoothing isn't enough for me.

Thank you.

tonyminas

OlivierW YesI I agree. After playing with the 1.1 update, glorious as it is, I think Pianoteq's resonance engine still handles these kinds subtleties in pedaling a bit better. But we are getting closer and closer. I honestly would never have imagined 10 years ago that virtual/digital pianos would ever get this close to recreating an authentic musical experience. If given the choice between my digital setup with Modern D (with or without Pianoteq resonances) and an upright or baby grand. I would pick the digital without hesitation for practice. I can only imagine how much better the experience would be with a hybrid action. Hoping Kawai's NV12 will support note-off velocity finally.

FREIRE Yes it definitely sound more transparent to and less muddy. it's making even playing with just the player mic feel more present and alive.

David Lai So do I. Not counting on it, but an update to the TrueKeys German Grand would be something I'd be interested in. I don't own it but the demos sound warm and have a singing bell like tone. It sounds better to me than Bechstein's own digital grand. I just can't justify spending the money on it when Modern D is so much more advanced.

Tozen

If any of you are inclined to record something, I would love to hear the updates. I am not seeing anything on YouTube right now

OlivierW

modernd-v11-3mics-c414-side-room-impro-cine-paradiso-olivier-w-frappier.mp3

HZPiano

OlivierW

Lovely!

🎶 Cheers, 🎶

HZPiano

tonyminas Hoping Kawai's NV12 will support note-off velocity finally.

I'd like that too.

On the other hand, an excellent instrument as Modern D doesn't even make use of the note-off velocity even if a piano/controller has it.

VI Labs recently confirmed this to me, I think I posted that somewhere on the 'Clack as well.

tonyminas more transparent to and less muddy.

Yes, I hear it in Olivier's recording too.

Also less nasal? I'm allergic to nasalness in pianos and thought I heard a tad too much of that earlier on in Modern D. Seems better now (on a brief first impression).

tonyminas I just can't justify spending the money on it when Modern D is so much more advanced

I do have the TrueKeys bundle but never play any of them. The difference (technically as well as sound quality/consistency) between those and Modern U/Modern D is night and day. Ravenscroft 275 sits somewhere halfway.

Cheers!

David B

I'm having a bit of a problem. Since I updated the UVI player to 4.01 to run the new Modern D update, I'm getting some crackles at my normal 64 buffer size. Never had that problem before. Also, I get this message about "missing tag library" and when I go to download it, I get another message that there is no app to open the file.

What's this tag library stuff all about?

David B

Found this message about the Tag Library on VI Labs site.

Evidently, it's not an issue when using the Modern D. I still have to figure out why I'm getting crackles. My computer should be able to easily handle this workload.

God Bless,
David

pc-king

David B Same here.

David Lai

David B I just press the disregard errors button and the missing tag library dialogue hasn't appeared since.

David Lai

pc-king I'm not sure about curves, but you can change curves in the midi presets menu, or assign minimum and maximum gain. You can also draw or smooth a midi or gain curve.

David Lai

David B Hmm, I don't have any crackles on my PC, even when loading 3 mics. Hope you can find the problem.

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