Ravenscroft 275 VI Labs Impressions?

[synchronizer]

http://www.vilabsaudio.com/Ravenscroft-By-VI-Labs



Has anyone tried this instrument? It sounds beautiful, but I am not sure whether it would be useful to me. I am working on a project with a very specific piano sound (airy, reverberant)

https://soundcloud.com/synchronizerman/ ... -2-excerpt

I have the VI Labs American Grand and I can't seem to make it sound like the above (Galaxy Vintage D Steinway Grand for Kontakt, built-in church reverb)

My first thought is that I should stick with what works, but my second thought is that the Ravenscroft may (with its additional features, more realistic resonances and specifications that are superior to those of even the American Grand) be more suitable.

Does anyone have any words about the product? I need a very deep bass with a non-metallic higher range. I would ask someone to render a midi as part of a test, but I am not sure whether this request is realistic. Thank you in advance. I am looking forward to responses.

~synchronizer

[synchronizer]

Bump for the morning.

[synchronizer]

Anyone?

[bltpyro]

Check out this thread on vi control. http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37719

[synchronizer]

Ah thanks.

Unfortunately the demos that people have posted to that forum returned 404 messages. I'm still rather unsure.

[Ben H]

I was just going to post the same link to that vi-control thread.

Still, even without the demo links working anymore (which did sound rather good), that's a lot of high praise from people's opinions who I trust/respect.

If you're still keen then PM the people in the thread, and I'm sure they'll happily re-up you the demos or whip up another.

[synchronizer]

I suppose that I will have to make an account just to contact them, but I suppose it is not too much of a hassle.

Really I'm trying to figure whether I can create a sound similar to the one above.

Anyway,

Thanks!

EDIT: In truth I wish I had known about the Ravenscroft in January, when I purchased the True Keys American Grand at its discounted price. I could have waited and purchased the Ravenscroft for its pre-order price. It is too bad that there is no educational discount, as I have used my sample libraries for university projects.

[synchronizer]

Bump in case anyone else has some thoughts.

[synchronizer]

No one else?

[erted24]

It is better than all software pianos on the market today. It can sound warm, it can sound shiny or airy if you want it (no need to change EQ or velocity), you just have to play it properly and - if you wish - add some reverb or the effect of your choice. It will only sound like a Ravenscroft grand piano which is suitable for classical music, pop, rock, jazz (don't expect it to sound like an upright piano or a Steinway, because this is better: it lacks the nasal character of some Steinway pianos - such as the one sampled in Ivory American D). It also responds way better to the way you touch the keyboard compared to other software pianos. I use it with a Roland RD700sx, Muse Receptor Trio and Roland RPU3 digital piano pedal (important because it has the soft pedal on the left which widens the range of sounds you can get out of Ravenscroft).

[synchronizer]

Would you be willing to try and produce a sound similar to that featured in the first soundcloud link? That would be very helpful.

(-preferably with internal effects)

[Ingonator]

Around 5 weeks ago i had started a new thread where i tried to do an overview of the currently available grand piano libraries and /or emulations:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=470003

Later i had also posted quite a lot of audio demos of teh piano libraries i own and additionally also forma free piano and teh Pianoteq 5 standard demo version (i do not own this yet). The demos are also colected in the original post of taht thread, after the list of pianos.

Finally after doing some more research i bought the VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 and really love it. Since then i mostly focus on this one and have rarely used the otherpianos except for comparisons.
None of teh other seem to sound similar, no matter if i tweak tehm or not. Maybe it would be possible to get closer with some extensive EQ tweaking but as i already got the Ravenscroft this does not realy make sense for me.

As i currently mostly focus on the Ravenscroft 275 i thought it would be also good to posted in a dedicated thread oposing to the more general one where i posted in so far.

BTW while i am no classical pianist most demos doen so far are based on MIDI files of clasical pieces also as those seem to be good for testing purposes. The last demos were a bit different and hopefully i could post my own demos created "from scratch" soon (maybe some improvisations first).


Here are the demos i had already created with the VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 (also posted at the other thread):

Demos using the "Close" mic position (external Lexicon MXR Native reverb):
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata mvt.1_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata mvt.3_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Beethoven - Appassionata mvt.1_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Beethoven - Appassionata mvt.3_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Beethoven - Für Elise_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Mozart - Turkish March, KV331 mvt.3_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Mozart - Piano Sonata No. 16 , KV545 mvt.1_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Debussy - Clair De Lune_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Chopin - Nocturne Op 27 #2_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Chopin - Fantasie, Op 66_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Chopin - Op 39_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Rachmaninov - Prelude Opus 3 No.2_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Jordan Rudess - Grand Illusion_Ravenscroft 275 Close
Piano Shootout MIDI file_Ravenscroft 275 Close

Here are 6 of those demos without the external Lexicon MXR Native reverb (and also no built-in one):
Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata mvt.1_Ravenscroft 275 Close + no Reverb
Beethoven - Appassionata mvt.1_Ravenscroft 275 Close + no Reverb
Rachmaninov - Prelude Opus 3 No.2_Ravenscroft 275 Close_no Reverb
Debussy - Clair De Lune_long & soft_Ravenscroft 275_Close + no Reverb
Chopin - Nocturne Op 27 #2_Ravenscroft 275_Close + no Reverb
Jordan Rudess - Grand Illusion_Ravenscroft 275_Close + no Reverb

UPDATE:
Here are 7 more demos using the VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 with the Player mic deafult, a slightly harder velocity curve than the default and the built-in "Bright Concert Hall" reverb (no external effects were added here):.

Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata mvt.1_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Beethoven - Appassionata mvt.1_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Mozart - Piano Sonata No. 16 , KV545 mvt.1_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Debussy - Clair De Lune_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Chopin - Fantasie, Op 66_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Rachmaninov - Prelude Opus 3 No.2_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb
Jordan Rudess - Grand Illusion_Player default + Bright Concert Hall Reverb


- My own "remix" of "Time" by Hans Zimmer using VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 for piano + Waldorf PPG Wave 3.V and Synapse Audio The Legend for synth Strings and Lead sounds:
Hans Zimmer - Time (Remix by Ingo Weidner)_Ravenscroft 275 + PPG 3.V + The Legend

The only external FX is the Lexicon MXR Native Reverb for the piano, no EQ and compressor used.
At the beginning and end only the piano plays, other instruments like Synth Strings and a Lead are added step by step during the track.

- Here is a rendering of "Kiss The Rain" by Yiruma using the Ravenscroft 275 (Close preset, built-in reverb):
Yiruma - Kiss The Rain_Ravenscroft 275_Close default + Bright Concert Hall