Best monaural (software or hardware) acoustic piano sound

[As60i0Ul4m5ps3]

Hello,

 

Which (hardware or software) acoustic piano sound works best in mono? I did some searching for this, but all the threads I found were quite old. Here's a list that I came up with based on that search:

 

GEM RP-7/RP-X

Kurzweil PC2x

OTS Rosewood Grand

Korg TR88

Yamaha MOXF Pre1 A16 Monaural Grand MW

Yamaha PF500

Native Instruments The Maverick

Native Instruments The Giant

Headroom Piano

Acoustic Samples Academic

Addictive Keys

Ivory II upright pianos, left channel only

Keyscape, panned hard left or right

Imperfect Samples upright

Pianoteq

Sampletekk TBO

Sampletekk White Grand

Yamaha CP-33

Casio PX-3

Casio PX-300

Roland RD 300GX mono sample of the Superior Piano

Alicias Keys

Casio PX-310

Casio PX-500L

Casio PX-330

Korg SV-1

Roland RD-700NX

Nord Stage EX

Nord Electro 3

Nord Piano

Yamaha S80, right output only

TS-10 Ensoniq

Gem Pro2

Gem ProMega3

Yamaha Motif ES6

Yamaha Motif X57

Roland FP3

Korg PA1-X Pro (Elite)

Komplete

 

Thanks!

[mate stubb]

You're kidding, right?

[Markay]

Nah there has to someone here who has tested them all and come to an unbiased conclusion as to which is best in mono.

 

Or we could just claim that the one we use is the best, in which case I will put the ball into play and nominate Pianoteq.

[Michael Wright]

You're kidding, right?

[The Piano Man]

I suspect the OP wants to know our opinions.

 

My personal favourite mono piano sample is the Technics P30 because I need a piano sound that is bright and cuts through live.

 

In terms of the pianos on your list, Ive played about 4 of them and my favourite is the old Roland FP3.

 

In terms of options outwith your list, I have often heard that the Yamaha CP4 has a good mono sample and it is a current model unlike my suggestions.

[The Piano Man]

I should have added though, that I far prefer playing in stereo. I have a Nord Stage 2 ex hp76 and I always hook it up in stereo.

 

And, also, the best advice is to go and try things out yourself and pick the one you like best.

[As60i0Ul4m5ps3]

No, I'm not kidding.

 

Thanks to the other posters who actually provided some suggestions.

[Six-string-man]

No, I'm not kidding.

 

Thanks to the other posters who actually provided some suggestions.

 

 

 

Oh-oh.

[benj2017]

Hi all,

 

This is my first time posting, but I've been lurking for awhile.

Obviously this topic has probably been covered ad nauseaum but here is my two cents.

 

I play a lot of Top 40 corporate/wedding gigs where I find it is easier to just set all my patches to mono. I usually collapse all the stereo effects and center all the panned elements (Yamaha...)

 

Yamaha has a mono piano sound that is ok, but I've found I like the Nord Pianos better for mono playing and for cutting through a mix. To my ear they are more even dynamically and compressed, which helps the mids compete with guitar, etc. Nord also has a mono on button which I believe uses an algorithm to deal with the phase cancellation issues.

 

Right now I'm using the large file size Silver Grand from the Nord piano library which is about 100 mb.

[Delaware Dave]

Why didn't the Nord Lead make the list?

[Mighty Motif Max]

Why didn't the Nord Lead make the list?

 

[video:youtube]

 

 

There are actually a LOT of threads on the Nord User Forum about trying to make piano sounds on the Nord Leads.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Ok, now my actual useful contributions to the list.

 

Yamaha Motif XF User 1 Bank A 001 Natural Grand S6

Korg Krome Bank A 000 Krome Grand Piano

Korg Krome Bank A 020 German Bright Grand

Korg Krome Bank A 026 German Grand Reverb

Korg Krome Bank A 030 Classic Piano (already a Mono sample to my knowledge)

Yamaha CLP-130 Grand Piano 1

[harmonizer]

I would give a different answer for exposed solo acoustic piano playing, as opposed to playing in a 6 piece covers band. Some AP sounds cut through and sit well in the mix, but sound less impressive in more exposed playing.

[mate stubb]

No, I'm not kidding.

 

Thanks to the other posters who actually provided some suggestions.

 

I thought you wanted THE BEST. As in singular. As in objective. You give no context - is this bright rock piano live? Jazz in the studio? Your question as posed cannot be answered.

[HSS]

I would give a different answer for exposed solo acoustic piano playing, as opposed to playing in a 6 piece covers band. Some AP sounds cut through and sit well in the mix, but sound less impressive in more exposed playing.

Spot on... My old Kurz SP76 I used to play in mono about 15 years ago sat really good in band mixes on stage, about as good as most boards I've played in recent years, but IMO it blew chunks solo.

 

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall that the Kurz SP76 had the old Micropiano's AP samples.

[dreamer65]

Royal Grand seems to work OK mono on my E5D. But mono? Seriously?

[HSS]

There has been a lot of "vigorous" discussion through the years at KC about the merits of mono vs. stereo AP's for live use.

 

One of the better known KC forumites know as "Kanker" wrote this a few years in Keyboard Magazine:

 

"While you lose a bit of realism using a mono piano sound, it offers definite benefits over stereo. First and foremost, you can comfortably expect that what you hear on the stage is exactly whats coming through the P.A. If there isnt a P.A. and youre just running into your stage monitor or keyboard combo amp, youve limited the variables that stereo can introduce by eliminating the stereo sweet spot and by providing a distinctly audible single point from which your sound originates. The net effect is that the audience is going to hear what you hear. In my opinion, these are good enough reasons to run my piano sounds in mono at all times."

 

Source: https://www.keyboardmag.com/lessons/solving-stereo-stage-piano-problems

 

Suffice it to say that I play in mono because I adhere to the KISS principle and I'm also lazy . Each to their own.

[Mighty Motif Max]

 

 

Royal Grand seems to work OK mono on my E5D. But mono? Seriously?

 

There has been a lot of "vigorous" discussion through the years at KC about the merits of mono vs. stereo AP's for live use.

 

One of the better known KC forumites know as "Kanker" wrote this a few years in Keyboard Magazine:

 

"While you lose a bit of realism using a mono piano sound, it offers definite benefits over stereo. First and foremost, you can comfortably expect that what you hear on the stage is exactly whats coming through the P.A. If there isnt a P.A. and youre just running into your stage monitor or keyboard combo amp, youve limited the variables that stereo can introduce by eliminating the stereo sweet spot and by providing a distinctly audible single point from which your sound originates. The net effect is that the audience is going to hear what you hear. In my opinion, these are good enough reasons to run my piano sounds in mono at all times."

 

Source: https://www.keyboardmag.com/lessons/solving-stereo-stage-piano-problems

 

Suffice it to say that I play in mono because I adhere to the KISS principle and I'm also lazy . Each to their own.

 

I play in mono most of the time now because the venues are not set up for stereo, and actually cannot do it. Not because I want to or choose to. I just use the right output because, as others have said here, it sounds better than the summer L/Mono output. When I perform solo, for now I run mono since I only have one speaker, but I will eventually switch to stereo once I get a decent set of speakers. Stereo ALWAYS sounds better, BUT only to those who are in the stereo field. The others hear it in mono. But those people who do hear it love it.

[I-missRichardTee]

It's been about 5 years since my ailing Kurz PC88 was in use.. But that was my favorite piano , and I believe it sounded excellent through one amp for live.

But that sound set may not be present in newer Kurz. Weiser, is wiser head on this topic. I guess pun intended

[I-missRichardTee]

Am I out of touch, or have manufacturers backed off the Mono piano wagon train?

[Tom Williams]

Well, since the criteria included hardware, I would go with a 9' Baldwin grand with a Neumann omnidirectional microphone about 12 feet (3.5 meters) from the fully-raised lid, about 2 meters off the ground of a wooden floor.

 

Snide aside, I do concur with the folks who say "I prefer stereo, but the front-of-house will almost always be mono." Both my Kurz and my Casio have mono pianos just for the purpose, if I remember right.

[harmonizer]

Count me as another mono sound user for keyboard sounds. Some bars we play in have irregular shapes, and at any given time there are many in the audience who are hearing mostly just from one of our FOH speakers.

 

Also, we record everything on a multitrack recorder and have 6 different people who sing, so we are out of lines. I already hook up my wireless sax mic via my keyboard amp to save one line. And if someone gave me one more line, I would put a condensor on the hi hat first. If I were a better keyboard player playing more complex parts I might feel differently, but the keys parts I play are about filling in the needed noises for the band.

[harmonizer]

... My old Kurz SP76 I used to play in mono about 15 years ago sat really good in band mixes on stage, about as good as most boards I've played in recent years, but IMO it blew chunks solo....

 

Sounds like a good description for the AP sound that comes in the base kit (not the SRX-11 card) of my old Roland XV.

[Reezekeys]

Sigh.... you guys are so selfless, willing to sacrifice hearing yourself with the quality you're able to, because the audience won't, or can't. I will seek out my sensei and try to become enlightened to the point where I can deliberately and happily degrade my sound for others' sake.

 

I know I'm getting a litle sarcastic here, sorry! Really though, so what if the venue PA is mono? Why should that stop you from monitoring yourself the way that's best for your own sound? This I will never understand.

 

By all means continue to debate, then spend thousands on killer speakers, the best sampled pianos or software instruments, then shlep this great stuff to a gig, etc., then... what? Make it mono because it's "better for the audience." Really?

 

Now if you prefer mono, that's a different story have at it! My thoughts on this will never change: when it comes to your sound, make sure you're happy first worry about the audience next. It's not hard at all to use a stereo piano, monitor it yourself in stereo, and send a summed feed (or one of the two channels) to a mono PA system. Yes, if I was playing a lot of gigs in venues with mono PAs I would probably search for a stereo piano that collapsed to mono well but any compromise would favor me, not the audience. Maybe I'm lucky; I almost never play places with a mono PA.

[Sven Golly]

Sigh.... you guys are so selfless, willing to sacrifice hearing yourself with the quality you're able to, because the audience won't, or can't. I will seek out my sensei and try to become enlightened to the point where I can deliberately and happily degrade my sound for others' sake.

 

I know I'm getting a litle sarcastic here, sorry! Really though, so what if the venue PA is mono? Why should that stop you from monitoring yourself the way that's best for your own sound? This I will never understand.

 

By all means continue to debate, then spend thousands on killer speakers, the best sampled pianos or software instruments, then shlep this great stuff to a gig, etc., then... what? Make it mono because it's "better for the audience." Really?

 

Now if you prefer mono, that's a different story have at it! My thoughts on this will never change: when it comes to your sound, make sure you're happy first worry about the audience next. It's not hard at all to use a stereo piano, monitor it yourself in stereo, and send a summed feed (or one of the two channels) to a mono PA system. Yes, if I was playing a lot of gigs in venues with mono PAs I would probably search for a stereo piano that collapsed to mono well but any compromise would favor me, not the audience. Maybe I'm lucky; I almost never play places with a mono PA.

 

The point is that if it sounds like shit when collapsed to mono, then you sound like shit, but you have no idea. If you ensure that you sound good in mono, then you pretty much ensure you sound good out front.

 

It's all about taking control of what you're going to sound like out front, assuming you're in the mix at all.

 

[Reezekeys]

The point is that if it sounds like shit when collapsed to mono, then you sound like shit, but you have no idea.

I have heard my piano collapsed to mono so I know it sounds like shit! I also know that Joe & Jane Q Public dont have the slightest clue that its shit because they are not tuned into the issues were discussing here. So, even though I'm aware that my piano doesnt sound as good as it can out front, I dont worry about it. Its kind of a moot point with me anyway since I have played exactly one venue with a mono PA in my last five years of touring (that would be Catalinas, in L.A.). As I said in my last post, if I was playing a healthy percentage of gigs in places with mono PAs, I would be motivated to find a stereo piano that collapsed well to mono. I don't.

 

It's all about taking control of what you're going to sound like out front, assuming you're in the mix at all.

Even with a stereo FOH I'm aware that many in the audience won't be in that coveted "sweet spot." I just believe that there are so many other elements that have to come together for a good live show, that a poorly summed stereo piano is pretty low on the list of what a typical audience might be critical of. The one thing I know I can do for myself on every gig is to have my piano sound good to me so why not do that, at least?

[Markay]

As this thread is about the "best" mono AP is there any point rehashing the mono v stereo debate?

[I-missRichardTee]

The point is that if it sounds like shit when collapsed to mono, then you sound like shit, but you have no idea.

I have heard my piano collapsed to mono so I know it sounds like shit! I also know that Joe & Jane Q Public dont have the slightest clue that its shit because they are not tuned into the issues were discussing here. So, even though I'm aware that my piano doesnt sound as good as it can out front, I dont worry about it. Its kind of a moot point with me anyway since I have played exactly one venue with a mono PA in my last five years of touring (that would be Catalinas, in L.A.). As I said in my last post, if I was playing a healthy percentage of gigs in places with mono PAs, I would be motivated to find a stereo piano that collapsed well to mono. I don't.

 

It's all about taking control of what you're going to sound like out front, assuming you're in the mix at all.

Even with a stereo FOH I'm aware that many in the audience won't be in that coveted "sweet spot." I just believe that there are so many other elements that have to come together for a good live show, that a poorly summed stereo piano is pretty low on the list of what a typical audience might be critical of. The one thing I know I can do for myself on every gig is to have my piano sound good to me so why not do that, at least?

 

I have attempted to make similar points... but I added, My comfort is number one, not the audiences. To that I can add, the bands aural needs are also above the audiences'.

 

If there are any difficult compromises, they are between what I hear, and what the band members hear. the audience is third in consideration.

 

This may be extreme but in a trio.. there are 10 points of view.

 

What I hear, breaks down to my sound, the drums, the bass, or whomever the third musician is

so that is three things to adjust.

 

Multiply this with the other two members , makes 9. THEN add audience.

 

I do not like to rely on FOH monitors for those 9 points of view.

Also this, I prefer we are physically close to one another - and this often runs against the latest ideas, of sound men, and perhaps visually conscious band leaders.

 

But I am all about the sound being optimized for the band to have the greatest chances of making great cohesive music.

A lot of air between our bodies... for me, makes me nervous. Of course it can work..

but I am distrustful, based on various experiences with so called sound men.

 

If the band members hearing me in mono works out as easiest, so be it...

As I mentioned earlier , mono pianos seem to be featured less and less.

I asked if this perception was wrong?

But I am sure the band hearing one another ( 3x3 =9 ) is a hard enough task to fulfill before I am concerned with John and Jane in audience. They came for hot performance not perfect sound.

If they want that, go home and put headphones on with favorite recordings.

 

[Al Quinn]

When played through a mono FOH the CP4 AP sounds excellent.

[Reezekeys]

As this thread is about the "best" mono AP is there any point rehashing the mono v stereo debate?

Is there any point in trying to determine the "best" mono piano? How many answers to that question have we come up with so far?

 

Mono vs stereo... I admit I get triggered when I hear musicians say they prefer stereo but will compromise for the audience's sake. Guilty as charged.

 

I don't like mono pianos in general... even if we could come up with a consensus as to the best mono piano, I would prefer mine, and probably a lot of other stereo pianos. A realistic piano sound is a binaural sound. In my opinion of course. If you can't do it for the audience, at least do it for yourself.

 

Of course there's nothing wrong with debating which piano sounds "best" in mono although the chances of arriving at a definitive conclusion are most likely nil. We'll all list our favs and the OP will then get to winnow his list of 39 pianos to... 15? 20?