Pianoteq 4 - oh wow!

[Jake Jackson]

Strange...I have noticed lost of quality in mid register...hmmm.
Low and highs are much better in v4...actually almost perfect IMO.

Remember that you can still load the older pianos into the new engine. The demos are of both the new engine and the new D4 piano. Since you liked the mids better in an older version, loading the older piano (were you using the C3 or the M3 or the K1?) into the new "engine" may get you closer to the sound that you want than editing the new D4.

[koolkeys]

My only major gripe with Pianoteq is the continued refusal to provide a core module for upright piano. There are some decent user patches of uprights, but it would be nice to have an upright model included.

Brent

[headquest]

That would be a nice addition koolkeys ... Yes!

In the meantime, regarding the historic instruments today I recorded this piece of Baroque harpsichord music using the Pianoteq 4 Blanchet harpsichord model:

http://soundcloud.com/keyquest-music/fiocco-andante

I'm yet to properly discover the beauty of the fortepianos included, but will be investigating them in due course.

I studied harpsichord with Robert Wooley (an internationally acclaimed player previously signed to EMI Classics) while I was at the Royal College of Music. To be honest I never really thought that after these years I would get the chance to so much enjoy early music again, having settled very much as a pianist...

Pianoteq has given me a genuine tool that enables me to rediscover my love for that earlier style of playing and writing, and I don't think there is anything else on the market that comes close. So grateful to the Modartt team for making this possible for me

[headquest]

Hello headquest/All,

I'm new to participating in this forum.

Your music is very good (Pianoteq or not) I've found that people have strange 'ways' of expressing biases in this world. Essentially, they are 'human' (unfortunately sometimes a blessing and other times a curse).

Thanks for your kind words and wise observations

And ... Welcome to KVR

[aMUSEd]

I'm finding the new fx surprisingly useful - feels incomplete without a phaser though

[EvilDragon]

Phaser will most certainly come.

[tradivoro]

Just wanted to add to the positive comments about Pianoteq. I've been using synth and samplers pianos now for a long time, and for me, Pianoteq sounds like a great piano, I prefer it to the sound than other pianos out there. One thing that I'm not seeing mentioned here is that Pianoteq also responds like a real piano, at least it does for me.

Somebody here mentioned that back in the day, people liked the DX7 rhodes better than the original rhodes when it came out. I think that we've come to the point in the evolution of pianos that it's just not about "does it sound like a real piano"? but does it sound like an ideal piano that doesn't exist as wood and metal. I think that these models based on real pianos eventually take a life of their own as well. Anyway, I'm very happy with pianoteq...

[Klemperer]

...

I studied harpsichord with Robert Wooley (an internationally acclaimed player previously signed to EMI Classics) while I was at the Royal College of Music. To be honest I never really thought that after these years I would get the chance to so much enjoy early music again, having settled very much as a pianist...

Pianoteq has given me a genuine tool that enables me to rediscover my love for that earlier style of playing and writing, and I don't think there is anything else on the market that comes close. So grateful to the Modartt team for making this possible for me

Hi headquest, that sounds superb! I never (sniff) studied harpsichord, only listened to a ton of great ancient music, and played by people like Wanda Landowska, Scott Ross, Zuzana Růžičková (who seems to be a favourite of mine, highly subjective as always). Your recording sounds most most beautiful!

I am simply stunned about the sheer possibilities since I bought Pianoteq (at v3). I liked and like some sampled pianos a lot, and play(ed) them, but the one I am happy about most, by far, is Pianoteq. The pro-version, besides giving people (I still do not know enough about pianos to use it at its best) the means to model their own "nearly like the original" grands and fortepianos and what not, seems to be a wonderful tool for experiments of all kinds. I love the Bechstein and Pleyel, 2 of nearly all, for example, and am always trying to experiment with those. Well, it's players' heaven . And there is no "right or wrong", in my view. Playing some old pieces by John Bull or Sweelinck or Couperin with a slightly-changed Bechstein or with the cembalos or what there is - sometimes it adds something very good to the pieces.
Thanks again for the recording, so beautiful.

[headquest]

Hey Klemperer, you are most kind in your comments. Thank you

I agree that there are just so many exciting possibilities with Pianoteq. The "playability" is a big factor, because I think as musicians we respond to the specific qualities of an individual instrument. So for example if I use Pianoteq (or any other piano) to play back a MIDI file is rarely sounds genuine if it was recorded elsewhere... I find it necessary to record specifically for the instrument I am using. And Pianoteq is my favourite... I admit it, I'm a fan!

I agree about the experimenting too (although I use Pianoteq standard... the Pro version looks to add features more for the pro sound designer...?). I enjoy playing all this baroque music on a modern piano to be honest, and always include that in my piano concerts. I think there is something particularly revealing about playing the music using authentic sounds though, so it is a journey closer to the composer's own sound world, which will always be fascinating.

Then again, another thing I am keen to do sometime very soon is use the harpsichord sound in a more electronic context, for example with chill out or ambient backing...

[tradivoro]

Got the upgrade to Pianoteq 4 and I must say I am loving the D4 grand piano. I also find the Pleyel sounds better in this version, more realistic, more felts, something, definitely, an improvement to my ears... Even the harpsichord, and I'm not a fan of harpsichords, I tried playing some Bach on it, and it definitely sounded better. Not going to start playing harpsichord, but, objectively speaking as someone who's not crazy about them, there was an improvement in the sound. Overall, this is a great upgrade.

[benjamind]

My guess is they'll include an upright once they nail the grand piano sound, and it looks like they've done it, so I guess the next model will be an I Model (for a Bosendorfer imperial) and an upright model.

They've nailed the sound, I can't believe what I'm hearing, it sounds very realistic to the point where I wouldn't worry about what others say.

[Galuwen]

Hi Folks,

I really was no fan of pianoteq 3, c's used too synthogy II and QL pianos my impression was always: Good playability but very artificial sound.

I am impressed c's the version 4 changed this totally.

I compare above pianos (giga samples) plus the KAWAI CA93 and have to say:

GREAT WORK.

Alexander

[Echoes in the Attic]

They've made the D4 quite close to the Truepianos Atlantis too. I've always liked pianoteq more for the dynamics, but never liked the raw sound as much as Truepianos (especially atlantis), but now it is very close in sound!

I've got the electric pianos expansion as well, as it came with it when I bought it used, but I still prefer sampled ones of those or the Ableton (AAS) electric piano.

[Dr.Wu]

here is a little clip i made that features the new Pianoteq4 as the lead instrument
https://vimeo.com/41527016

[electro]

A new Rhodes model is available
http://www.pianoteq.com/optional_addons#electric