Modern D vs Pianoteq

dikrek · 2026-03-05T01:51:23+00:00

Hi all, making this its own post - thanks for the feedback on the other thread. It became clear we need a great real performance to compare, not some robotic MIDI file, so I used David's own (obviously I don't have the proper velocity curve but let's see). This is his performance on YouTube: Here are 3 renditions with Pianoteq. debussy-lai-sunken-cathedral-hbd.mp3 debussy-lai-sunken-cathedral-nyd.mp3 debussy-lai-sunken-cathedral-bluthner.mp3 @HZPiano to your earlier point - I feel I can connect with the music with this tone. Still lipstick on a pig? 🙂 @David Lai I didn't try to get exactly the recording tone of Modern D but more the essence. @QuasiUnaFantasia still hear a Wurli player mixed with a synth bass player? @David B compare to v8 and tell me if it sounds better to you. @emily still xylophone? 🙂 @Pete14 constructive comments if possible 🙂

Pete14

CyberGene Pianoteq doesn’t reverberate, not sure where that BS came from

So rude, you are!

But I do believe that Pianoteq reverberates whilst the others use reverb!

Of course, I’m being poetic, but still, “the others” seem to produce a “reverb” that’s simply meant to embellish, yet Pianoteq doesn’t embellish, nor does it “add reverb,” but rather it ripples along with the wave (that is also sound), and as the sound intensifies so does the “rippling effect,” (in tandem, as one, reverberatin’ to the fundamental, yet also to the partials)….IMHO!

dikrek

CyberGene understood - but perhaps if you spend 20 seconds at least on the latest go (just the message above yours) on minute 2-2:20 for example, it might quickly show you where things are, and perhaps it would sound better than you remember.

Or not 🙂

David Lai

Pete14 “For the record: I’m not saying that Pianoteq is “synthetic,” but rather that it takes advantage of synthesis whilst still sounding “natural” (a win-win)…..”

You are deaf! Pianoteq doesn’t sound natural at all!

Pete14

David Lai You are deaf! Pianoteq doesn’t sound natural at all!

In your humble opinion!

David Lai

Pete14 in my honest appraisal!

dikrek

dikrek @David Lai Either I'm deaf or this is way closer (click on my name next to yours to go to the referenced message, hopefully that's doable with your screen reader)

Pete14

David Lai in my honest appraisal!

Well, you need to reevaluate your appraisal!

David Lai

dikrek I think you’re repeatedly enforcing/beating the same old conclusion, nothing changed. Synthetic is synthetic after all.

CyberGene

Pete14 you’re such a poet!

Reminds me of one Bulgarian author Trendafil Akatsiev that I adore, but it’s really hard to translate it into another language. I asked Gemini to see if it can come up with something:

Марули, марули, марули,
безкрайно зелено поле.
Сред тях седи и се пули
едно вдъхновено теле.

Lettuces, lettuces, lettuces,
An endless green field in the sun.
Bug-eyed and staring right at us,
An inspired calf having fun.

David Lai

Pete14 no, you need to reevaluate yours. My appraisal is drawn from actually working with and playing the piano, so it is true and faithful. Yours, not so much.

dikrek

David Lai to my ears, that latest iteration seems pretty close. I'd like VI Labs to build something like a 290 or Blüthner, those would be interesting.

Pete14

Guys, let’s take it down a few notches, poetically and otherwise, for we are giving into subjective feelings, and Dikrek is simply asking for some objective feedback……

We should refrain from saying things like “Pianoteq is a synthetic thing,” or “MD sucks,” and instead try to find some consensus; which I wholeheartedly believe is there (if we look deep inside)…..

CyberGene

The consensus is these are all virtual pianos 😉

dikrek

Pete14 you could help by providing real feedback then 🙂

It's easy to derail stuff, hard to make progress.

Pete14

CyberGene The consensus is these are all virtual pianos 😉

Okay, that’s a good start….

And I’m willing to say that MD “doesn’t” totally suck, so I’m looking forward to Mr. Lai finding his way back to the middle and away from the fringes….

David Lai

dikrek the latest iteration as far as the sound mix is concerned is very close. However, from the standpoint of true to life acoustic piano sound, Modern D still wins.

Pete14

dikrek you could help by providing real feedback then

I would, if I hadn’t gone deaf like Beethoven, but I’ll tell you this much, back when I could hear clear as a whistle, I heard the potential in Pianoteq 1, and all the way up to 7 (whence I lost my hearing), but I’m certain that 8/9 are continuing on that glorious path, just like Beethoven continued on his path to “The Ninth” (despite)…..

dikrek

Making it easy again for everyone:

This is the latest from @David Lai (with the synchron reverb)

https://pianoclack.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2026-03-09/1773074583-32473-debussy-solo-mix.mp3

This is my latest with the synchron reverb

https://pianoclack.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2026-03-11/1773249320-467751-debussy-lai-sunken-cathedral-nyd-player-synchron.mp3

Maybe @Pete14 can provide actual feedback this time. How could either one be improved? What's missing?

dikrek

Pete14 being deaf didn't stop Beethoven! Silly excuses.

dikrek

dikrek @srodrigo did you check the last recording?

« Previous Page Next Page »