Hey, Pianoteq players!

[David Emm]

I'm ready to take the leap with the Stage model. I've had a wide range of instruments, from a powerful Baldwin baby grand to a 5-octave-or-so tack piano I retired as a den toy after I'd rolled it in and out of enough truck n' trailers. Piano is my spiritual homeboy, even in my synth approaches. So.

 

I intend to take up the YC5 ("Yamaha") model as my second favorite acoustic. I've played a few Steinways, one sweet Bluthner and a fun session with a Bosendorfer Imperial grand that left me feeling like a lower primate. I basically understand the deal.

 

With that in mind, what does a Grotrian or Steingraeber bring to the table that might sway me? I'm far from a classical player. I'm more prog-ish or barroom-minded, with a dab of 'experimental' moments and the jazzoid-ambient in which most of us engage once in a while. Give me your plus/minus takes on the offered instruments. The site demos are impressive, but other ears can pick up fine points you might miss alone.

[johnchop]

Are looking for some insight you can"t get from the time- and key-limited demo versions?

[ChiefDanG]

Hey David -

I recently bought that exact setup - the Stage package with the two Steinways & the Yammi.

In retrospect, I would have got something a little darker (?) than the Yammi - your choice, of course.

I"m happy with it, but when I get some extra $$$, gonna get me another piano.

[Fleer]

Get the Standard version. You"ll love morphing.

Anyway, I suggest you take the Steinway and Petrof packs as they include two separate grands each.

And that way you"re also getting the two newest models, Steinway D New York and Petrof Mistral.

I like the Grotrian for its grandeur and the Steingraeber for the Mozart rail.

Then there"s that meticulous Bechstein DG and a quite subdued Blüthner.

Also note that the Yamaha is not officially recognized, the others are.

[Doerfler]

Get the Standard version.

 

might not be in the budget, if not, the stage version will do nicely

 

Anyway, I suggest you take the Steinway and Petrof packs as they include two separate grands each.

And that way you"re also getting the two newest models, Steinway D New York and Petrof Mistral.

 

Agreed

 

The Yamaha has been around for many years and doesn't have the nuances of the newer models.

[miden]

Works nicely on Linux - if you ever

[David Emm]

Thanks for the useful information, all. I was indeed looking for the subtle angles people can describe beyond the demos. I'll go for the Steinway. The Petrof and Grotrian are having a brief thumb-wrestle session.

 

The query was a bit rhetorical, since each of the instruments speaks with a unique authority. Semi-common sense says "If you can't sufficiently tweak the Steinway, get a kazoo." I'll enjoy the free tubular bells, too.

 

I am a Mac acolyte, so both Linux and Amiga are right out.

 

Here's a favorite old saw:

 

"Does Satan use Windows?"

"No sir, Satan uses Linux.

Jesus uses a Mac."

~ "Shadowman"

[miden]

Grotrian for sure, fwiw.

 

I had Ravenscroft and swapped over to PT - best move!

[Dr Mike Metlay]

I adore the Steinway B myself, but being an iconoclast of sorts, I get my most mileage out of the weirder packs. If you have some cash laying around some time, add the Steelpan and Electric Piano packs... I adore them for their extreme dynamic responsiveness, even if they don't sound as blow-you-away realistic as the newer grands. Also, the freebies from the historical archive project are often excellent with a bit of tweaking.

[SamuelBLupowitz]

Your go-to musical styles sound fairly similar to mine, actually. I got the Steinway and the Yamaha, and I use both depending on the song, but the Yamaha is my first choice almost all of the time in a band setting. I suppose on its own it can sound a little thin, but I still prefer Pianoteq's modeled "thin" to many digital piano patches I've played. But I've always been a Yamaha guy, back to when I had my pick of grand piano practice rooms in my college days.

[Groove On]

One of the fun things about Pianoteq, like when you were a kid, you can 'collect 'em all'. Every few months, I"ve added another one to the stable. And when they introduce a new model, they usually offer a limited 50% off another model. I"ve collected nearly all the pianos under the Stage version. Eventually I"ll move up to the Standard version for the additional model and to try out the morphing, but I"m not a software tweaker, just give me some good presets in the Stage version and I"m happy to work with the sounds I"ve got.

 

My personal favorites are the newest but less known brands: Steingraeber, Bechstein and Ant. Petrofs (including the new Mistral). They"ve done an excellent job with these, very woody and warm sounding. I find myself round-robin playing these 3 models the most.

 

I also agree with Dr. Mike about checking out the antique models (free and paid). I think you"ll be pleasantly surprised by the sound of those 19th and 20th century models, easy to play and get lost in - also very woody and warm.

 

After that, I like all of the Steinways and Bluethner for their character, the K2 for it"s 'perfect but clinical' sound and the Electric Pianos / Organs for pure fun.

 

I don"t get around to the YC5 (Yamaha), Grotrian or Upright as much. One thing about the Grotrian, I find it almost too powerful, too grand - it"s great for some aggressive Beethoven or more regal pieces, but I look elsewhere when I want to finesse the details of the piece more (Steinways and Bluethner are nice for that).

[miden]

..........................One thing about the Grotrian, I find it almost too powerful, too grand - it"s great for some aggressive Beethoven or more regal pieces, but I look elsewhere when I want to finesse the details of the piece more (Steinways and Bluethner are nice for that).

what else is there apart from LVB

[Fleer]

Do go Standard for morphing. You"ll blend your own 'Bechstein-Blüthner' or 'Steinway-Rhodes'.

[miden]

Do go Standard for morphing. You"ll blend your own 'Bechstein-Blüthner' or 'Steinway-Rhodes'.

 

It's such a large jump in price though

[Fleer]

True, but you get another instrument pack in the process.

[miden]

True, but you get another instrument pack in the process.

Yeah I guess..

[TomKittel]

True, but you get another instrument pack in the process.

Yeah I guess..

 

I used to work with the Stage version until I played the Standard version somewhere. The latter offers many more tweaking options which to me made a huge difference in sound and playability. It's not just the morphing. I ordered the upgrade and never looked back.

[Groove On]

... until I played the Standard version somewhere. The latter offers many more tweaking options which to me made a huge difference in sound and playability. It's not just the morphing. I ordered the upgrade and never looked back.

That's a good point about upgrading to Standard. My main reasons would be:

 

1. 1x additional model

2. Mic Placement

3. Morphing and Layering

 

But for those of us who are trying to avoid the time-sink of tweaking settings, the last two reasons are also a turn-off.

[Barryjam]

If I"m recording @96K in DAW, will the Pianoteq standard @48K play correctly?

[obxa]

Been using PT since version 1 In the studio and live. Some models work better than others based on application.

 

For live, I think trying the demos out through your live amplification system is really the best way to see what works for you. Like most Virtual stuff, you never really know until you use in actual combat. . Studio use is another animal: I love the Petrof, U4 upright, and Bechstein for recording- but not so much for band stuff. Though the grands are the headliners, the U4 is a real gem. It often sits better when a Grand takes up too much sonic space in a song. With the mute/felt pedal it does the Nils Frahm thing perfectly. BTW I've posted some muted presets on PT's user forum- or happy to send if anyone wants.

 

Ironically, I thought that Yamaha model would be the ideal live piano; but the Grotian prelude and Steinbgraeber bright., (or Steinbrenner as I call it) work better for me in band situations. I also like and own PT's excellent Wurly and Clav- and have recently been using those within Mainstage or Gig performer to replace Neo Soul and other plugs I was previously using. I use other plugins for effects, the Modartt ones are pretty good - albeit just a little wonky to edit.

 

I highly recommend patching in a simple low pass filter to easily control the piano's timbre both live and recording, and a little light compression really helps. That Steingraber bright cuts well, but sometimes it's a tad too bright, hence using a LPF. Unless it's a solo thing, I routinely slightly roll off (or high pass) the lows on all the PT pianos to make them sit better. Oh, and turn down (or off) the sustain pedal noise on presets - it's comically loud out of the box.

 

Edit: Wanted to share this FREE & GREAT LP/HP filter- I put this just about every channel strip live and recording. Simple and sounds great. https://mialaboratories.com/product/border/