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New 88 key piano needed - advice sought.


The Piano Man

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MorayM - do you have the Epic Grand in your PC3K8? Any pros and cons you can share about the sound?

Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...!  🙄

main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live

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MorayM - do you have the Epic Grand in your PC3K8? Any pros and cons you can share about the sound?

 

I don't have it. I considered getting it when it was released, but the first MIDI demos on the Ksounds website didn't show it off very well (little dynamics and no articulation) and the factory pianos are good enough for me at the moment. It's been getting some good feedback on Mastering VAST though, so I may well pick it up when I'm not quite so skint.

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Now when I come to think of it... I actually bought the Ksounds Signature Grand Piano (link here) for my Korg M3-88, and I wasn't too impressed with that one - neither its playability or realism... the demos sounds really nice, but playing the piano samples in person was less satisfying. Playing the Nord pianos from the M3 keybed is much more pleasing.

I guess I will play around a bit more with the Signature Grand, before ordering another Ksound product. Hopefully they've done a better job with the Epic Grand and the Kurzweil...

 

It's a shame you can't try samples before buying, like you can on a Korg Kronos (there are demo versions of a few downloadable pianos for the Kronos).

Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...!  🙄

main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live

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It's a shame you can't try samples before buying, like you can on a Korg Kronos (there are demo versions of a few downloadable pianos for the Kronos).

 

It really depends on how the sample library is put together. It would be really hard to "demo cripple" a sample library while still making it usable. If you're working with the original wavs, what's to stop people changing the loop points to get rid of your audio watermarks and pitch stretching/transposing them to get around any range limitations.

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Yes, I'm well aware it would be challenging to accomplish, but wouldn't it be great if you could try before buy?

Too much stuff, too little time, too few gigs, should spend more time practicing...!  🙄

main instruments: Nord Stage 3 compact, Yamaha CP88, Kurzweil PC4, Viscount KeyB Legend Live

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It would be really hard to "demo cripple" a sample library while still making it usable. If you're working with the original wavs, what's to stop people changing the loop points to get rid of your audio watermarks and pitch stretching/transposing them to get around any range limitations.

I think what would stop people is (a) it's an awful lot of work, and (b) those kinds of manipulations are beyond many (probably most) users' skill sets, and © after all that effort, you would still end up something that doesn't sound as good as the actual product.

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Given my preference for a bright piano that cuts through...

 

Do you think I'd better with

 

PC3A8 and its Artis piano (a Steinway)

 

or

 

PC3K8 and its Ksounds Epic Grand (a Yamaha)?

 

I used to own a Nord Stage 2 and preferred the Yamaha S4 over the Steinway D models. However, this does not necessarily mean that the Epic Grand would be better for me than the Artis piano sound.

 

What do you think?

Kurzweil PC3x

Technics SX-P50

Korg X3

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Given my preference for a bright piano that cuts through...

 

Do you think I'd better with

 

PC3A8 and its Artis piano (a Steinway)

 

or

 

PC3K8 and its Ksounds Epic Grand (a Yamaha)?

 

I used to own a Nord Stage 2 and preferred the Yamaha S4 over the Steinway D models. However, this does not necessarily mean that the Epic Grand would be better for me than the Artis piano sound.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

I think it's not something that anyone else can decide for you. You have to get out there, and try them both for yourself. Even if it means planning a road trip.

 

 

SSM

Occasionally, do something nice for a total stranger. They'll wonder what the hell is going on!
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Given my preference for a bright piano that cuts through...

 

Do you think I'd better with

 

PC3A8 and its Artis piano (a Steinway)

 

or

 

PC3K8 and its Ksounds Epic Grand (a Yamaha)?

 

I used to own a Nord Stage 2 and preferred the Yamaha S4 over the Steinway D models. However, this does not necessarily mean that the Epic Grand would be better for me than the Artis piano sound.

 

What do you think?

 

 

 

I think it's not something that anyone else can decide for you. You have to get out there, and try them both for yourself. Even if it means planning a road trip.

 

 

SSM

 

About 10 hours to the nearest stockist I think. Kurzweil stuff is non existent in Scotland. Think I'll take a chance on the K8 unless anyone advises otherwise

 

Either way, I'll end up with a great keyboard

Kurzweil PC3x

Technics SX-P50

Korg X3

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SSM

 

About 10 hours to the nearest stockist I think. Kurzweil stuff is non existent in Scotland. Think I'll take a chance on the K8 unless anyone advises otherwise

 

Either way, I'll end up with a great keyboard

 

 

I know, it's a PITA. I remember having to drive to Guitar Guitar in Glasgow to look at an MOXF8, but that was only four hours each way. I also went to Morecambe to buy a Hammond Sk1, that was three hours each way.

 

I would be interested to know where your stockist is?

 

 

SSM

Occasionally, do something nice for a total stranger. They'll wonder what the hell is going on!
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Well there's Bonners Music which is about 10 hours from Aberdeen, so 20 hours total... not gonna happen!

 

Guitar Guitar in Glasgow is great, just 3 hours each way for me (about my limit of acceptable distance) and it has a very good selection but just Yamaha, Korg and Roland really... Kurzweils don't show up much and when they do, it's the lower end stuff.

 

We used to have Bruce Millers in Aberdeen which was a great place to go for a browse but an unsustainable business model, a big premise and massively overstocked and overstaffed. Sadly it went out of business about three years ago now.

 

Where are you based SSM?

Kurzweil PC3x

Technics SX-P50

Korg X3

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Bonners in Eastbourne? Yeah, that's on my "to visit" list, but I very rarely get that far south.

 

I love the way Guitar Guitar in Glasgow is set up, the three different shops in a row, doing electric guitars, acoustic guitars and keys. When I went for my Moxf

I parked in the private alley between the shops, you have to wait for someone inside to press the button to open the electric gate!

 

I have been to all the GG outlets, apart from Edinburgh, the staff in Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham are all fantastic, they can't do enough for you, the ones in Epsom, not so much.

 

I live on the north east coast of England, between Middlesbrough and Stockton.

 

 

SSM

Occasionally, do something nice for a total stranger. They'll wonder what the hell is going on!
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Epsom do keys in a smallish way. Glasgow are the main keys branch. Newcastle Birmingham and Edinburgh are like, "It's called Guitar Guitar for a REASON!

 

Their mail order section is excellent, I've always had less-than-24-hour service from them.

 

SSM

Occasionally, do something nice for a total stranger. They'll wonder what the hell is going on!
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It's a shame you can't try samples before buying, like you can on a Korg Kronos (there are demo versions of a few downloadable pianos for the Kronos).

Thank you all for considering Epic Grand! A free, playable demo version of Epic Grand for the PC3K is available. It's the full 121Mb bank except with limited key ranges (middle two octaves, plus all "C" notes). Anyone who wants to try it, please send me a message through the K-Sounds Contact Page. Thanks!

Keven Spargo, Sound Designer

www.ksounds.com

Quality sounds for Yamaha, Korg, Kurzweil and Kontakt formats

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