Best virtual Bechstein piano.
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 478 posts since 18 Aug, 2006 from Italy
Hello,
I am going to buy a virtual piano and I decided that it will be a Bechstein for sure.
The aim is to make hi-quality realistic renditions of passages of classical music from MIDI, working on Logic on a Mac.
My attention was attracted by the Bechstein included in EastWest Pianos and by the other Bechstein included in Pianoteq by Modartt. It's not easy to decide just listening to the demos. Have any of you compared these two in order to give me suggestions? Thanks!
I am going to buy a virtual piano and I decided that it will be a Bechstein for sure.
The aim is to make hi-quality realistic renditions of passages of classical music from MIDI, working on Logic on a Mac.
My attention was attracted by the Bechstein included in EastWest Pianos and by the other Bechstein included in Pianoteq by Modartt. It's not easy to decide just listening to the demos. Have any of you compared these two in order to give me suggestions? Thanks!
- KVRist
- 38 posts since 21 Apr, 2020
IMHO, the best is Bechstein Digital Grand by C.Bechestein: https://www.bechstein-digital.com/
Also worth mentioning:
NI Maverick;
VI Labs German Grand.
Also worth mentioning:
NI Maverick;
VI Labs German Grand.
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 478 posts since 18 Aug, 2006 from Italy
Thank you, I didn't know that one. A little too expensive for me, probably…VladK wrote: ↑Thu Jun 25, 2020 10:17 pm IMHO, the best is Bechstein Digital Grand by C.Bechestein: https://www.bechstein-digital.com/
Yes, but I think I will not play it live. I will probably use it only with MIDI. How would you compare them in terms of sound?
I agree, they are also my favorite ones when I'm dealing with real pianos.the Bechsteins are up there as being my favorites
- KVRAF
- 8828 posts since 6 Jan, 2017 from Outer Space
Its hard to beat Pianoteq, as they use physical modeling and deliver all kinds of models. Sampling is too static and resource hungry. You can go with the stage version, as you don’t plan to modify the Bechstein.
No matter if you play it live or just with Midi you’ll get a more expressive result...
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 478 posts since 18 Aug, 2006 from Italy
There are many things that make me feel attracted towards Pianoteq. The only perplexity I have – but it's an important one – is that I am not convinced by the audio demos I find. The bass notes of EastWest Pianos Bechstein seem more "roaring", more "rugged" and "scratchy" to me, which I happen to like much more, and Pianoteq seems to me somehow "colder" and "too polished", so to speak… I'm still pondering! Oh, and I would actually like to modify and tweak the instrument whenever possible. Many warm thanks to all of you.
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- KVRist
- 369 posts since 18 Sep, 2008
I know it isn't a Bechstein, but I'd recommend looking at Waves' "Grand Rhapsody" while it's still on sale for ~$30. Shifting the formant to make it brighter gets it closer to a Bechstein's characteristic sound and the sampled key/pedal noises really do add to the realism. Maybe some extra EQ, very light downsampling, and light compression will get you the rest of the way there?
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- KVRian
- 912 posts since 18 Feb, 2004
Just to note VI Labs' True Keys piano trio includes a Bechstein and is $99 for the next 11 days: https://audioplugin.deals/deal-1/
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 478 posts since 18 Aug, 2006 from Italy
Yes, I saw it! The Fazioli is very well made! The Bechstein… so and so…
- KVRist
- 395 posts since 6 May, 2020
AK Studio Grand comes to mind. Even a (admittedly, a cheap sounding option) free VST to play around with for fun - 99Sounds Upright Piano (definitely not for realism)
Take care
- KVRAF
- 12522 posts since 21 Mar, 2008 from Hannover, Germany
So far my favorite models in Pianoteq 6 Stage are the Ant. Petrof 275 and Steinway D but i just started to use the demo of the "C. Bechstein DG" model in the latest version of Pianoteq Stage.
At a first look i like the sound of the Bechstein model but i have to do some direct comparisons to see if i really like it more than my current favorite models.
I have the VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 which is my favorite sample based piano.
Also got the pianos in NI Komplete 10 and additionally Alicia's Keys as a single license.
At a first look i like the sound of the Bechstein model but i have to do some direct comparisons to see if i really like it more than my current favorite models.
I have the VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 which is my favorite sample based piano.
Also got the pianos in NI Komplete 10 and additionally Alicia's Keys as a single license.
Ingo Weidner
Win 10 Home 64-bit / mobile i7-7700HQ 2.8 GHz / 16GB RAM //
Live 10 Suite / Cubase Pro 9.5 / Pro Tools Ultimate 2021 // NI Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk1
Win 10 Home 64-bit / mobile i7-7700HQ 2.8 GHz / 16GB RAM //
Live 10 Suite / Cubase Pro 9.5 / Pro Tools Ultimate 2021 // NI Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk1
- KVRAF
- 11093 posts since 16 Mar, 2003 from Porto - Portugal
Moddart has demo versions available which play almost all the notes. Why don't you download the demo and check the sound in the music you plan to use it for? If you want to modify the sound, then you will need Standard version.XComposer wrote: ↑Sat Jul 11, 2020 7:57 pm There are many things that make me feel attracted towards Pianoteq. The only perplexity I have – but it's an important one – is that I am not convinced by the audio demos I find. The bass notes of EastWest Pianos Bechstein seem more "roaring", more "rugged" and "scratchy" to me, which I happen to like much more, and Pianoteq seems to me somehow "colder" and "too polished", so to speak… I'm still pondering! Oh, and I would actually like to modify and tweak the instrument whenever possible. Many warm thanks to all of you.
" Restrictions in trial versions:
8 notes are disabled (silent): F#1, G#1, A#1, C#5, D#5, F#5, G#5 and A#5.
Must be restarted after 20 minutes."
https://www.modartt.com/try#restrictions
IMO, the low register is one of the reasons the Pianoteq wins when compared to sampled pianos, since it can give all the expression those low notes are capable of in a real acoustic piano. Usually, these notes are the ones where sampled pianos fail.
Last edited by fmr on Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
Fernando (FMR)
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- KVRian
- 1355 posts since 27 Oct, 2009
Bechstein Digital Elements is about half the price of the full Kontakt instrument. It gives you only one microphone perspective, and 10 velocity layers.
Check it out on their site: https://www.bechstein-digital.com
Check it out on their site: https://www.bechstein-digital.com