Pianoteq 7

[EvilDragon]

Sure, it's already taken over 10 years to develop Pianoteq to where it is. And where it is now is better than any other sample library for what I want my virtual piano to be.

[Psuper]

Some people will never be satisfied and will always cry wolf because they have been conditioned and biased by prior experiences.

There are always fan boys who do not want to face reality. Even Pinoteq itself seems to know that there is still a lot to do. In the changes to the current version there are a few improvements. If everything would be perfect there would be hardly any improvements.
The previous versions were not usable for me because they were too artificial but the development continues. Maybe version 7 is already much better... otherwise maybe version 8.
I can already see that the future lies in physical modelling and maybe some day it will replace samples completely. But you also have to be realistic that some things just take time.

Software will always improve over time: its not an admittance of poor quality. The differences in sound between 6 and 7 is minimal, the main difference I can hear is in how the resonance swells with certain harmonics.

I likely own more piano libraries that came out prior 2016 than everyone in this thread combined, and played most of the recent releases that matter. It bears repeating I'm torn between laughing as hard as I possibly can at the 'I haz special ears' people who undoubtedly would fail miserably at identifying the "pianoteq" piano out of even a few examples, versus staying silent so less people use what is undoubtedly one of the most innovative musical inventions of all time thereby watering down my own 'I haz special software'.

But I'm curious, what blind test did you take? I'd consider producing a real blind test to prove a point, but frankly it wouldn't benefit me at all.

[Benutzername]

The piano itself is only part of the equation.

What is missing is the recording chain. Expensive sample libraries place the piano in a very nice room and they use high end microphones, preamps, compressors, tape machines and so on to create a huge sample set with tons of variations. The result is still static but it sounds like a perfect recording of this piano.

I think Pianoteq still has some room for improvement here. It is really fun to play but the plain output sounds a little raw and rough in comparison. It lacks a bit of high end shimmer for the lack of a better word. But this is nothing that a set of nice insert effects can't solve. On the other hand I don't know any sample set that can seamlessly morph from a hand drum to a Steinway grand piano.

[Sampleconstruct]

Morphing between three customized timbres in Pianoteq Pro 7.

https://youtu.be/aLzBnAfEQuM

[Krakatau]

Morphing between three customized timbres in Pianoteq Pro 7.

https://youtu.be/aLzBnAfEQuM

beautiful...

[Sampleconstruct]

Thanks.

[bharris22]

Just upgraded to Pianoteq 7 Standard from Pianoteq 5 Standard, but would like access to the 32 bit installer for Pianoteq 5 for my older machine(s). Does anyone know if this is available on the Modartt website - I don't see it anywhere in the legacy downloads or in my account?

[Spitfire31]

Just upgraded to Pianoteq 7 Standard from Pianoteq 5 Standard, but would like access to the 32 bit installer for Pianoteq 5 for my older machine(s). Does anyone know if this is available on the Modartt website - I don't see it anywhere in the legacy downloads or in my account?

Probably Modartt support might be that "anyone" in the know?

[cthonophonic]

Just upgraded to Pianoteq 7 Standard from Pianoteq 5 Standard, but would like access to the 32 bit installer for Pianoteq 5 for my older machine(s). Does anyone know if this is available on the Modartt website - I don't see it anywhere in the legacy downloads or in my account?

Can you see the links to older versions by expanding the link that says "Previous versions are still available, in case you encounter any problem with the latest version, click here." in the Downloads section of the user area?

There seems to be a regular syntax to the links for old version downloads, so you can simply edit the URL if you don't see the link in your user area. For instance, even though I bought Pianoteq at version 6, I can manually enter the following link when I'm logged into my account, and it will download version 5.8.1:
https://www.modartt.com/download?file=p ... p_v581.exe

EDIT: and I just confirmed that version 5.8.1 works fine with my v6 registration code. So if you want the best 32-bit version, you may even be able to install and authorize version 6.7.3. I think this is enough to get me to jump onto v7, since 32-bit support is one thing I don't want to lose.

[bharris22]

Just upgraded to Pianoteq 7 Standard from Pianoteq 5 Standard, but would like access to the 32 bit installer for Pianoteq 5 for my older machine(s). Does anyone know if this is available on the Modartt website - I don't see it anywhere in the legacy downloads or in my account?

Can you see the links to older versions by expanding the link that says "Previous versions are still available, in case you encounter any problem with the latest version, click here." in the Downloads section of the user area?

There seems to be a regular syntax to the links for old version downloads, so you can simply edit the URL if you don't see the link in your user area. For instance, even though I bought Pianoteq at version 6, I can manually enter the following link when I'm logged into my account, and it will download version 5.8.1:
https://www.modartt.com/download?file=p ... p_v581.exe

EDIT: and I just confirmed that version 5.8.1 works fine with my v6 registration code. So if you want the best 32-bit version, you may even be able to install and authorize version 6.7.3. I think this is enough to get me to jump onto v7, since 32-bit support is one thing I don't want to lose.

Expanding that link worked - didn't notice that before. Thanks!!

[jamcat]

I hope they improved the physical modelling? The last time I tested it, it sounded still very artificial.

I'm sure a lot of people will still think it's artificial, because they're absolutely determined to think that way.

Unfortunately not, it was very easy in a blind test to pick the Pianoteq version compared to a sampled piano. It sounded too clean more like a ideal piano. It misses all this liveliness.

Being able to tell Pianoteq and a sampled piano apart isn’t a good test, since that test doesn’t tell you which one sounds closer to a real piano. You should be comparing both to a recording of a real piano performance instead. You may very well be so conditioned to the sound of a sampled piano and how the notes (don’t) interact that it has become your baseline for what sounds “right.”

[masterhiggins]

Morphing between three customized timbres in Pianoteq Pro 7.

https://youtu.be/aLzBnAfEQuM

I love that piece you’re playing.

[jamcat]

Unfortunately not, it was very easy in a blind test to pick the Pianoteq version compared to a sampled piano. It sounded too clean more like a ideal piano. It misses all this liveliness.

But what exactly is this "liveliness" anyways?
Is it the sound of many disconnected notes fighting each other, rather than resonating sympathetically to create a single, blended sound? Is it the sound of some notes jumping out because sampled velocity dynamics aren't uniform? Or could it be a high number of idiosyncratic notes, because the sample library developers chose to include the more "interesting" samples in order to emphasize "character" and give the illusion of dynamic variation? Or perhaps it's the sound of the room or post processing sheen?

Could it be the source MIDI itself was artificial? A sampled piano would hide that better than a mathematical piano for the above reasons.

If you listen to a recording of a skilled concert pianist playing a fine instrument, will the performance sound smooth and controlled, with a single organic, harmonically blended sound, or will it sound "lively" as you describe it?

Like I said, I think you may have been conditioned by sample library developers to associate their production tricks with "realism." Here's a good test: listen to a movie trailer and a live recording of the Berliner Philharmoniker. If the movie trailer sounds more like your ideal, then you have been conditioned by Kontakt.

[Sampleconstruct]

Morphing between three customized timbres in Pianoteq Pro 7.

https://youtu.be/aLzBnAfEQuM

I love that piece you’re playing.

Sometimes those video jams actually produce some decent music too

[agharta]

Morphing between three customized timbres in Pianoteq Pro 7.

https://youtu.be/aLzBnAfEQuM

I love that piece you’re playing.

Sometimes those video jams actually produce some decent music too

They should pay you for producing that video as it's much more useful than the video they produced with regard to morphing.
Tempted me to buy it, for which you deserve a commission.