pianoproducer

Thanks for the info/insight. I watched those YouTube videos prior to purchase, and they definitely helped sell me Austrian Grand. I would love to load your tweaked preset on my system as a starting point for my edits. Do you have any place to upload your *.UVIWS file? If not, I can make a folder on my Google Drive. Happy to share it to your Google Drive. The .uviws preset file is 22.6MB. You can PM me a link to the folder for the upload.

Also meant to mention: I've found the default release setting in the ASDR controls to be way too short resulting in an unnatural truncated sound on note releases.Try a setting around 1.8 to 1.9. Also the sympathetic resonance control is set a little high by default for my taste: https://www.uvi.net/img/cms/austrian-grand/PP_AUSTRIAN_GRAND_GUI_MICS.jpg

I had similar misgivings when I got it as part of the upgraded Keysuite Acoustic bundle last year, but have changed my opinion. My advice is to spend some more time tweaking it and optimising it to your keyboard. Bumping the mid & high dials of the built in EQ helps, and the UVI engine has a limiter which can be inserted under the hood which brings up the body of the tone more. I've found the UVI pianos are a little fussy with getting the best from them compared to Kontakt based pianos. Have you checked out these demos?:

Some fantastic suggestions here, and a heap of stuff mentioned I need to check out. Here's my 3 offerings. The first is in my opinion a masterclass in melodic bass line playing which compliments and enhances the song beautifully: . . . and for something more subtle and completely different:

Great tune. Love the way Oscar lays back on the melody but still sounds cohesive. Very "languid" playing - pure class.

Thanks for the post. Kenny was a once in a generation pianist. I have fond memories of being front of stage at the Melbourne leg of the 'Dream of the Blue Turtles' tour (I was with a Photography student mate of mine who bluffed his way to the stage edge under the guise of being an official concert photographer) and being absolutely mesmerised by Kenny's keyboard playing.

The Live Performance LX system installed in our Steinway D is superb, and unnervingly accurate in capturing all the subtle details of not only performances captured/recorded on the piano, but also in playing back MIDI files sent to us which are played on keyboards & digital pianos (the best results are with MIDI files generated from a performance on a weighted keyboard). We have recorded piano tracks on the Steinway from MIDI files sent to us for numerous albums, as well as capturing piano MIDI during live studio sessions, which gives pianists the benefit of playing more freely, knowing that any errant notes or parts can be tweaked after the fact, and re-recorded in the same space after the session.

This information regarding the Live Performance LX system installed in our Steinway D states otherwise: http://www.live-performance.com/whylx.html

The studio I work at has a Live Performance LX MIDI system fitted to our Hamburg Steinway D. Here it is in action: http://www.pianoproducer.com/the-pianos/ It was custom installed at the time of re-stringing and adding a new set of hammers. The Live Performance LX system was designed by Wayne Stahnke, who was part of the development team at Yamaha for the Disklavier MIDI acoustic pianos. I've also been involved with the installation of a cheaper system called PianoDisc on a few smaller grand pianos (Steinway Model A and a smaller Ritmuller Grand) when I worked with the Australian Steinway Agents about 7 years ago. When done well, they have no negative impact on the piano's structural integrity or playability, but finding a good technician to install and calibrate them accurately is critical.

I found they they take a bit of tweaking to match your keyboard velocity response, but they have a very realistic and full tone, and a good dynamic range, and the mic positions really change up the depth & character of the pianos. I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of them Steve - would love to hear what you do with them.

I have these pianos Steve - a Yamaha C7 & C3. Very well sampled and scripted, and the Yamaha C3 in particular is a very warm & resonant sampled piano, with a really nice woody hammer attack tone. Not as 'tight' and pristine as the Ravenscroft 275 (I also owned a copy of that for a few years) but a good contrast and alternative. $49 is a steal (you do need the full version of Kontakt). Cheers, Craig

Here's a free one and it runs in the free version of Kontakt Player. Winning! http://www.soniccouture.com/en/products/p58-rmi-rocksichord/

The OP thread is about the Swedish developer SampleTEKK, not Sampletank . . . but thanks for your thoughts anyway

Careful now -- don't imply we haven't had the OP's back here! :wink: (Also, "Back Street Girl" by the Rolling Stones, and "Rocking Chair" by The Band!) Ah! My bad

Recognizable PIANO parts from the 60s . . . and we get organs, electric pianos, clavinets . . . anybody care to name an accordion riff? It also has black & white keys. Here's a piano part from 1967: The Doors 'People are Strange'

If you get a chance to see the pianist Tony Tixier do it. Superb musician. Saw him at an unannounced gig in Paris near Montmarte in 2016 at a small club called "Babilo": http://babilo.lautre.net/htm/babilo.html

As an owner of both a large upright (142cm) and small grand piano (155cm), I'd prefer the grand as a recording piano, even though my Upright has a richer bass (the bass strings are about 6 inches longer than on my grand). 2 reasons: more flexibility in mic positioning with a grand piano, and a small grand is not going to dominate a 20x20 room - space or sound-wise. Both my pianos are made by Richard Lipp & Sohns (Stuttgart) and date from 1924 for the grand and 1928 for the upright. Fantastic pianos, and very high build quality & materials (the grand has the original Renner action). Apart from regular tunings, I've had voicing & damper felt work done on the upright, and hammer reshaping, pin block repairs and pin replacements on the grand, which was well worth the investment. If you're thinking an upright is more suitable, I'd suggest one of 125-130cm or more in height and no smaller (unless you're going for a particular 'character' sound). There are many high quality old uprights which can be bought privately for next to nothing. Many people don't want them anymore, but knowing a trust worthy piano technician to inspect it before buying is money well spent. Expect to spend some $$$ on an original condition piano of this age afterwards though. There are many fully reconditioned older high quality German & American uprights (1920's-1950's) in piano workshops in my city which I'd buy any day over a new Yamaha U1 or U3 or equivalent Kawai etc. and for roughly half the cost.

Yes, I'm a piano obsessive, so a 10 hour return trip shouldn't be a problem! I've been fortunate to have played and performed on some of the world's best pianos, including Hamburg Steinway D's & B's, a Fazioli F212, all models of Bosendorfer (including the intimidating model 290 Imperial Grand) in the Showroom in Vienna (the staff there were very welcoming), Steingraeber grands (amazing pianos), a pretty special Shigeru Kawai SK5, a few restored C.Bechsteins & Bluthners, and recently a really interesting restored 7ft August Forster grand from the early 1920's . . . but, never laid my hands on a Stuart & Sons Grand Piano.

Fascinating videos Nathaniel - thanks for sharing them. I've heard from a few sources that the Stuart & Sons pianos really challenge a pianist's technique, and ultimately encourage you to become a better pianist. My piano tuner is a friend of Wayne Stuart, and has visited the factory a number of times. I might have to make the trip to NSW myself (about 5 hours drive) and see if I can experience these pianos first hand.

Hi Steve, I bought it last year and have used it a few times, although not live. Well worth the $25 in my opinion. Really bright, 'wiry' tone but works perfectly when you need something to cut through with a not-so-perfect upright piano vibe. Not a tight, dry sampling - there's a fair amount of 'Room' in the samples (ie. early reflections). FYI, before I bought it I already owned Addictive Keys Modern Upright Yamaha U3, Fluffy Audio's My Piano (Petrof upright), Chocolate Audio's Italian Steinbach Upright, Imperfect Samples Braunschweig Upright, Simple Sam Samples Vintage Upright, and Sampletekk's Rain Piano Upright Mk2, and it was still different enough for me to warrant buying it. Cheers, Craig EDIT: Just read your above post that you've bought it already, so carry on!

Hmm. A key modulation to my ears. Theory wise I'm not sure. Nice progression I hear similar progressions in some early Elton John tracks, such as this: Also reminds me of some early Rickie Lee Jones piano stuff. Very 'wistful' sounding chordal colours.

Wonderful clip - that last tune in particular was superb. Thanks Mac

Great stuff Josh - really solid & soulful playing.

All is not lost! Check out the piano work on the song 'Dear Life' from Beck's album 'Colours' (released early last year I think). VERY tasty piano playing: Someone's been listening to The Beatles

Oh yes! Kenny Kirkland's AMAZING solo on "When the World is Running Down (You Make the Best of What's Still Around)" off the "Bring on the Night" live album kills me, every time. THIS! Saw Sting & The Dream of the Blue Turtles band live, sitting in the front row with a Photographer friend of mine, mesmerised by Kenny's skill & seemingly limitless inventiveness.