What are you using for Piano?

buzzcock · Post by **buzzcock** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:57 pm

Got inspired to practice again.

Since my apartment is too small to have a real piano, I'm looking into a sample-based solution. I'm thinking Kompakt with the Bardstown Bosendorfer library might be it. I checked out the Purgatory Creek digital piano shootout and so far I like the Bardstown samples the best. Plus, I could use Kompakt for other stuff...

Any other opinions?

Captain Screwbarb · Post by **Captain Screwbarb** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 12:46 am

I like Reason 3's piano combinator patches. Hits the spot for me.

CWoodOne · Post by **CWoodOne** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 2:26 am

Synthogy Ivory

rick · Post by **rick** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 3:21 am

Nothing comes close (so I hear). Download the samples from their site. Stunning. I mostly use the Steinway sample (for solo piano), but the Bosendorfer and Yamahas are gorgeous too. Pretty much always use the Yamaha for piano that's mixed in with other instruments.

What's so good about Ivory? For me... no loops, release samples (you can hear the strings buzz slightly as the hammer lifts off the string, models sympathetic resonance (how other strings vibrate in sympathy to the ones you just struck), configurable soundboard resonance, configurable velocity response (allows matching with your particular keyboard), configurable dynamics (high dynamics great for classical, lower dynamics better for a more compressed sound that needs to pop out of the mix), and you can decide how much hammer sound to mix into the attack portion. Close your eyes, and it sounds so close to the real thing, and of course, in recordings it sounds way better than anything I could rig up at home, even if I had a real grand piano.

It has lots of other features that I don't use so much (like soft-pedal samples).

Extremely cheap for the level of quality (I think I paid $330US). Mac-only, but PC version on its way. You need 31GB of 7200rpm disk if you want all three pianos available. 1GB of RAM if you want the highest-quality (8 separate sampled velocity levels). I think 6 levels is fine, and that runs fine in 768MB on a 1GHz 12" Powerbook. I now have 1.25GB as I couldn't resist trying the 8-level version

-Rick

spiderprod · Post by **spiderprod** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 5:22 am

i have a 1936 berry piano ,there is nothing like the sound of a real piano .
& i got it for free from a church .

Shoma · Post by **Shoma** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:36 am

Steinberg The Grand 1 (great quality when using good reverb)

also the new version 2 seems to be promising

buzzcock · Post by **buzzcock** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 6:53 pm

I checked out the mp3 comparison between Ivory and Bardstown on Purgatory Creek again. http://purgatorycreek.com/

I know comparing mp3s isn't ideal, but hey the world isn't perfect.

I just don't think Ivory sounds transparent. I really wanted to give Ivory another chance for it's versitility, but the Bardstown library just seems more "musical".

Flumoxed.

Incedentally, how well is Kompakt working in Live? Is there any inherent "sound engine" advantage to getting Kontakt 2 for basic sample playback type work?

nz · Post by nz » Sat Aug 13, 2005 9:31 pm

Ivory

New Yawkah · Post by **New Yawkah** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 10:40 pm

Roland Fantom X6. Sounds spectacularly real!

donnydonny · Post by **donnydonny** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:35 pm

"Ultimate Dance Piano" for VST hosts

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 7342868800

Martyn · Post by **Martyn** » Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:52 pm

Try this soundfont if you have a sampler that loads them, it's quite a hefty download but well worth it.

http://www.soundcreationsinc.com/tech/s ... endid.html

ekko · Post by **ekko** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:06 am

Captain Screwbarb wrote:I like Reason 3's piano combinator patches. Hits the spot for me.

Ditto. And extremely CPU friendly.

rick · Post by **rick** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 12:22 am

Buzzcock said: "I just don't think Ivory sounds transparent."

Hmmm.... I had a listen to some of those mp3s. You're right, you can't tell that much from mp3s

If you wanna play solo piano, I suggest you go to Synthogy's site and listen to their mp3s (the ones you can't tell that much from

). If you like that more aggressively EQed sound of the Bardstown library, you can get that with Ivory - the library is very configurable (and easy to do too). (I'm not saying that the Bardstown folks aggressively EQed it; it could be the mics they used, who knows) In Ivory, you can simulate different mic positionings and EQ it to get that brighter sound.

If you just want a piano sound mixed in with other instruments, Ivory might be overkill. The purgatorycreek samples don't tell you enough. For example, they had release samples turned off on the Ivory. That loses a LOT in my opinion. Without the release samples, it sounds pretty much like the other libraries, and I wouldn't have opened my wallet to buy a copy.

I know I sound a tad evangelical, but I've waited 20 years for a piano library like this (ever since my appetite was whetted by the Kurzweil 250). There are only two software packages that have got me this excited... Ivory and, of course, Ableton Live

majestic · Post by **majestic** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 2:12 am

The Steinway in Garritan Personal Orchestra, it's beautiful.

Goran@Irrupt · Post by **Goran@Irrupt** » Sun Aug 14, 2005 6:12 am

i'd suggest you forget about those expensive biggy's and try out this little thingy. i just love it

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/123.html

it's free and it's only 1.2 Mbs "big".
if you have any trouble finding it on the net (it's quite old), PM me and i'll send it to you via e-mail.

cheers,
w

What are you using for Piano?

What are you using for Piano?

Yeh... Synthogy Ivory

Ivory and "transparency"