In Part 1 of this review, we’ll look at the overall software and the modern pianos implemented with it. The sound quality available is extraordinary across the board. But Pianoteq is also well equipped to make the sounds of lesser pianos (both modern and historical), plucked string instruments (harpsichords and harps), tuned percussion (xylophones, vibraphones, and more), and several kinds of electric/amplified pianos. In Pianoteq magnificent concert grands are the star of the show – and there’s not one of them for which the term “magnificent” is inappropriate. An impressive amount of brainpower has gone into making this technology a reality. In fact, it you look at the About page of the Modartt web site, you might notice that five of the seven individuals introduced have “Dr.” in front of their name. ![]() ![]() It uses mathematical computational modeling to generate realistic musical instrument sound, a subject few mortals could even begin to understand. Until last year it was Modartt’s only product. First appearing in 2006, Pianoteq is now at version 7, released several months ago. So I can’t thank Modartt enough, particularly that nice, witty, generous, kind and utterly brilliant friend you see in the video: Philippe.Pianoteq is France-based Modartt’s flagship product. (Although, sometimes it does.) Looking back over the past years, my best pieces (at least, what I think are my best pieces) have nearly all “happened” thanks to Pianoteq. And Pianoteq - the collection - is definitely one of my two go-to choices for composing at the piano (the other is the VintageD), and then the particular model doesn’t always make that much of a difference. Although I will certainly turn and return to it very often. Slight pity that I can’t record it conveniently: it doesn’ t have any regular audio outputs (but can transmit audio, if so desired, via Bluetooth.īut to answer the question: the Petrof my new “go-to”? Not quite. Not because it’s superior to everything else - although in my view it’s every bit the modelling success that Pianoteq is, be it with a completely different type of sound -, but it’s a really nice keyboard and it sounds good enough to get quite a high percentage of the piano-playing-experience from it.Īnd together with my books, the Kiyola is also the thing that saved my sanity during all those months of renovation, when my house (and studio space) looked and sounded more like an uncivil war zone than anything else. Yeah, saw Kayle's post and wrote a reply, but it ended up being more about the Roland Kiyola than about the Petrof or Pianoteq, so then I began doubting whether to post it or not.Īnyway, I started so I might as well finish: my go-to for ‘just playing piano’ is that Kiyola. (I'm pretty sure that if Modartt were to make a real grand piano - with actual wood, steel, strings and felt - some people, seeing the name Modartt on the instrument, would still say it sounded a bit artificial and soulless.) Which doesn't mean to say that I disagree with that criticism, it's just that I think that there's a lot more to hear in these instruments than just the imperfections. If that is all one wants to hear, than that is all one will hear. The discussion about the occasional traces of artificiality and synthy-ness in the timbe will of course not stop with this Petrof-release. ![]() ![]() There are still many challenges to face, hurdles to take, roughnesses to smooth, avenues to explore, calculations to initiate, sterilities to nonlinearify and problems to solve of course, but for piece of software as small and seemingly humble as Pianoteq is, to be able to generate - in real time - such a huge chunk of the incredibly-incredibly-incredibly complex phenomenon that is 'the sound of an acoustic piano in a space', and offer that to the user in the shape of sensationally playable emulations, is nothing short of mind-boggling impressive, if you ask me. (And I didn't have to do anything - production-wise - to create that illusion: that's how the Petrof sounds, all by itself.) That was actually one of the things I was most pleased with when working on that demo: that the piano immediately gave the impression of occupying a multidimensional space in the mix, instead of being just a flat layer of pseudo-piano-presence. With this Petrof, for example, they seem to have discovered a way to give 'modelled pianosound' an impact and focused energy which, to my ears, none of the previous models have.Īnd the Petrof also sounds a little bit more "3D" (for want of a better description) than several of the earlier pianos. Fascinating to observe, I find, how with ever model, Modartt annexes a little bit more of the Grand Piano Universe, that almost infinite space that comprises everything an acoustic piano (grand or upright) is capable of in the way of sound and character.
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