VSL Synchron D-274 my best settings so Far

OlivierW

Hi,

I share my VSL D-274 best settings, because the default VSL D-274 presets have somme velocity and dynamics errors compared to a real Steinway D.

Here my Best settings :

Why Dynamics at 75 ? and not 100% ?

Because the 100% are wrong, the Dynamic Reach more than 50 dB ( more than a real Piano : real Piano 30dB to 40 dB).

AT 75 % the dynamic is more like the other real Steinway or the New-york and Hamburg Steinway good modelised Dynamic of Pianoteq 8. So avoid 100%…..

Pedal noise : - 9 dB -> to high in presets default (i don't understand why…) And the Pedal noise is always the same with several speed of Pedal Action. (On Ivory 3, the Pedal noise depend on velocity and how fast you play/release the pedal -> approach more real)

Sympathetic Resonance : i set it do 6 dB. (The fx still not work very well : the overtone decay is to fast and wrong within you keep a key undamped that create the overtone rule, and the main played key produce to loud overtone even the pedal is up). 6 dB is the best soluce to have a 10% real effect ok….. without change the sound in a wrong way.

2 or 3 mics are the Maximum. Here i've used intimate presets, and add the magical Ribbon mic(s)

Condenser + Ribbon in VSL are incredible combination. it give the full Steinway D magical bell spectrum

I use Main to have natural reverb, and i set the artificial reverb to "off"

In VSL Pianos the release level was to high and not natural.

And since V1.3.301 to high. To hear the bug in V1.3.301, release very slowly C6 or F6 keys, you will hear that the release dampers and release is very higher than then main decay sound…..

I set here the release at -12 dB in V1.3.301, and if VSL fix the release volume in next Version i will set it at - 6db or -3dB.

Here the files of my Optimised VSL Synchron D-274 :

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/43grppivmmwqxqpfmgtd2/h?dl=0&rlkey=yirvnu1ju6s3j7lr3pt97k5ge

Here my files to use VSL D-274 with Pianoteq 8 in Logic 10 DAW to have full Real Sympathetic resonance and real repedalling : (MAC users that own Pianoteq 8 )

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/okri68hyteefwd1x0whqj/h?dl=0&rlkey=xntlf1isgpahogmuvf7y4xnfb

(You have a Yamaha N1X .logicx preset too, to have smooth release simulated by Pianoteq 8 resonance)

Here my files to use VSL D-274 with Pianoteq 8 in Reaper DAW to have full Real Sympathetic resonance and real repedalling : (Windows users that own Pianoteq 8 )

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/9cda9garjas78akrb10a9/h?dl=0&rlkey=2iauvepy5f6rfh4gj08jn3ypf

(Don't forget to put the script file in Reaper in midi script directory, before load the preset. In reaper, script are not saved with main preset…. in Logic 10 it's easier….)

Regards,

Olivier F.

YAMAHA N1X users : please don't use the Touch sensitivity 2 with VSL and others VST, default curve :

the midi external resolution is 0 to 110. You don't have full MIDI resolution for VST with default Touch Sensitivity. It's a bug.

Please use Touch Sensitivity 1 : you will have a better MIDI resolution, more definition 0 to 120 / 0 to 127. (My VSL D-274 velocity curve is for full 0-127 resolution)

To set Touche Sensitivity to 1 on Yamaha N1X after each "on" : Piano/voice + A#6 (key) if C7 is the last key (or A#7 of you consider C8 is the last key)

(You have to do this after each on/off, Yamaha N1X doesn't keep Touch Sensitivity preset on his memory)

It's better to have full midi Velocity resolution à-127 for Yamaha N1X, and then , tweak your VST velocity curve for Touch sensivity 1.

David B

OlivierW YAMAHA N1X users : please don't use the Touch sensitivity 2 with VSL and others VST, default curve :

the midi external resolution is 0 to 110. You don't have full MIDI resolution for VST with default Touch Sensitivity. It's a bug.

You can adjust the touch curve in the Synchron Piano player to get the full midi resolution when using sensitivity 2 on the N1X. When I use sensitivity 1 I have to adjust the touch curve to keep me from getting to the higher velocities too quickly. Six of one, half dozen of the other. That last phrase is an English idiom that simply means it's the same either way.

God Bless,
David

nhanzero

Could I use these on P515, and how do I test to arrive at your numbers? And any reasons to use both VSL and Pianoteq? Sorry I'm just new to this.

OlivierW

nhanzero I use Pianoteq 8 with VSL because Sympathetic Resonance and Sustain behaviour is wrong. When you set Sympathetic Resonance in VSL, overtones fx are not real and nice. And if the Sustain pedal is down and then you play a key/chord, and you release pedal within the key or chords are still down, VSL don't stop the Sustain resonance (because they use classical Sustain Resonance samples) . (Noire, The grandeur, Garritan CFX … do this right because sustain samples are only resonance samples and not full classical sustain samples) linked to Sustain midi value,). So the pedal doesn't behave like a real piano in VSL when you release sustain. So i desactivate VSL sustain samples and use PIANOTEQ 8 for Sympathetic Resonance between keys full Sympathetic resonance when all keys are undamped with sustain).

Pianoteq 8 side chained audio produce same fx than the YAMAHA VRM and Real modeled resonance, nicer than VSL sampled resonance or Sympathetic Resonance that don't work in Version 1.3.301. Perhaps they will fix that in next updates. The Best Steinway D sampled sound with 60 layers with the best modeled resonance.

Like Ivory 3 or UAD Ravel Piano and Yamaha VRM N1X/P515… : sampled + modeled.

Regards,

Olivier

OlivierW

Don't agree : with touch sentivity 2, N1X send midi external value 0 to 110.

So you use only 110 values, even if you change internal VSL sensitivity to 2, you lost midi resolution.

So it's better to use full 0 to 127, and then adjust VSL velocity (with my map that keep all 60 layers played for example).

Same for Ivory 3, or Pianoteq 8 : adjust Software velocity, but be sure that N1X send 0 to 127 and not 0 to 110.

So better to use 127 values than 110 , and then adjust your VST software curve velocity.

Regards,

Olivier

OlivierW

Yamaha N1X with default Touch Sensitivity 2 send only 0-110 velocity value to a VST/AU

so you have to set

But it's better to set Yamaha N1X with Touch Sensitivity 1, and Yamaha N1X send all 0 - 127 values and choose a velocity curve in VST/AU : (the curve i use with Ivory 3 and Pianoteq 8) like this

( so with this curve you use all 127 velocity values, with Yamaha N1X, and MF/F/FF doesn't play fast)

It's a moderate fast keyboard preset 🙂

And in Ivory 3, even better, you choose the hammer hardness function of velocity :

OlivierW

Today (19 march 2023) : i've updated all files and copy screen, with dynamic at 100% and new VSL D-274, 60 real layers map that work well (by hear and under finger), with both Touchsensitivity of Yamaha N1X : touch 1 or Touch 2.

Sound nice with both N1X velocity presets (1 and 2)

OlivierW

Finally, i find that VSL sound best, only with RIBBON magical close mix, and some room mix if you want to have room

No more need Condenser, or tube (not natural)….

the Royer SF 24 are arranged in a classic "Blümlein" : best for Piano (but only in Full version of all VSL Synchron piano libraries). Sound better than mix with to much mic()s. no need several mics. Room-mix is already perfect 🙂 to add some real ambiance.

nhanzero

OlivierW it sucks the CFX doesn't have the ribbon mics, I might wait for VSL to let me demo another piano samples before I could test all your settings!

OlivierW

nhanzero

Hi,

VSL CFX have Ribbon

Close 2 (Royer SF-24), but only in "Full " version not standard. (Like VSL D-274)

You have to pay more, to have the best close mic(s) (marketing choice)

Audio demo of CFX with only Ribbon , VSL CFX :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n66c32kUnMU

Regards,

Olivier F.

nhanzero

OlivierW Thank you very much, I didn't realize the ribbon mic is the close 2 (they don't name the ribbon on the front so I thought CFX doesn't have one, my mistake). The video sounds lovely, I will have to wait for VSL sales to grab the full version then.