Montage Bosendorfer Piano

[Al_C]

I own a Yamaha Montage 88 and love the keyboard but I've never been happy with the sound of the Bosendorfer piano.  I see lots of positive reviews about it but to me it just sounds horribly artificial and strange.  What am I missing?  Is it just me or does anyone else feel this way about it?

[EscapeRocks]

When I had my MODX, the Bosendorfer was my go to piano.

 

I usually started with the "stage" (I think that's what it was called), and spent some time in the deep menus adjusting it.  In my rock band (Journey songs) it fit right ion, and cut thru when needed.

Interestingly, in Mainstage stock sounds, I dislike their take on the Bosendorfer, and usually use an edited, by me, Steinway.

[ProfD]

49 minutes ago, EscapeRocks said:

I usually started with the "stage" (I think that's what it was called), and spent some time in the deep menus adjusting it. 

 

Interestingly, in Mainstage stock sounds, I dislike their take on the Bosendorfer, and usually use an edited, by me, Steinway.

This makes perfect sense. 

 

The manufacturer provides the source material (samples) and an idea (preset) = recipe. 

 

The onboard editing features allow the dish to be modified to taste.  

 

I haven't met a KB yet that didn't require tweaking of its sounds.  😁😎

[nadroj]

I don’t like the Bosendorfer pack either. Used to like the “Mellow Grand” but now I find them all flat and uninspiring. Much prefer the CFX. I also happen to think that the Nord piano samples are the best hardware has to offer by far, but there are plenty of people online who hate them so much you’d think they were sampled by satan himself. 

 

Point being: piano sounds are very subjective. If you don’t like what others like that’s fine. If you don’t like them, don’t let them hog up memory in your instrument. 

[Jason Fry]

I used to find it slightly annoying when players would emphasize that acoustic piano preferences largely come down to taste; I was convinced that piano quality was pretty objective. My attitude changed when I got the Montage 8. I had been playing the S70/XS for ten years, and when I got the Montage, I disliked both the CFX and the Bosendorfer. Given the many choices, I preferred the Natural Grand S6... not because it was the best. It was just what my ear wanted to hear. In time I had to admit that the newer Yamaha CFX was definitely better. But then as time when by, I changed my mind again and now prefer the Bosendorfer... and not because it's necessarily better. I now think pianos are more like flavors of ice cream.