Not so long ago I could tell a digital piano from the real thing. I always thought that one day someone would get it right- but I didn't expect it to be in my lifetime. Pianoteq has done it with modeling- that was a surprise. Beautiful playing.
You play with a beautiful touch, and the Bechstein sounds wonderful. I grew up with my mothers Bechstein Grand. Fantastic sound. I got a Blütner Grand myself. Love it. I am using a Kawai VPC as my main midi controller.
@@PhilBestMusic I had great pleasure playing Ravel's Ondine + Prelude of Tombeau de Couperin, plus Bartok's opus 8b (First Elegy) and Chopin's 3rd Sonata on my Bechstein ... a pure delight !
Thanks Phil for this great video introduction of the new C. Bechstein... I have been waiting for this for a long long time and now my favorite piano of all is a reality inside Pianoteq. One day I will purchase a real one but in the main time having this virtual model is a dream... Many Blessings, Max T.
I love your playing and musical reviews. I got the Steinway D and Bechstein with the pianoteq Stage. I'm just starting out playing the piano but have a lot of musical experience on other instruments and these sound like they will stand me in good stead in my journey. On pianoworld the Steinway D is quite unpopular but to my ears it sounds the best. Your reviews helped a lot with my decision.
Do you know why the D is so unpopular? People seem to prefer the B, but to me the D sounds nicer, more melancholic, round, soft, and the B is brighter. I don’t know whether or not I just have bad ears or something ? (I’m listening with Adam t7v monitors). I’m trying to decide which packs to buy with stage or standard, I’d appreciate any insight between D, B, petrof and Bechstein ^^
Nice although I wish you'd played Ondine all the way through! I've got a Sauter Delta 185 Grand and have just added a P515 to practice 'quiet' but the default sound is dreadful in comparison. This sounds like it'll get me part of the way there at least! Is there any latency impact?
Great informative video. I recently purchased Pianoteq 6 after falling out of love with other vst’s based on samples. I really want a piano I can use through a live pa with little latency. Modarrt appears to have cracked this with Pianoteq. I agree that the Bechstein sound is excellent being my favourite. As you explain it is rich with loads of character helping it cut through my live mixes well.
@@PhilBestMusic I love it!!!!! So fancy :) and of course... a great piano player. ♡ would you mind showing us how you connect your piano to your pc? I am planning on purchasing my roland fp 30 soon so... thanks in advance :)
Bechstein ( I owned a lovely B model from 1939) is sweet and very harmonious, whilst Steinway is rather bright in comparison. Both are exceptional and glorious to play !
I must say that the new Bechsteins are incredibly colorful pianos, even more so than the american greats like Steinway, Baldwin and M&H. There's such an abundance of loud overtones that one needs to be careful with thicker chords. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I think you'll always sacrifice clarity for color. Anyway, I love the sound of both old and new Bechsteins, and I enjoy complex tones as well as clear tones. The Yamaha CF is another example of a company going from a tone (CFIIIS) with an incredible strong fundamental to a tone (CFX) with much stronger overtones.
After hearing this, I think I will give Pianoteq a 5th try. The ‘feeling’ is natural, but I can’t get a decent sound. I have excellent monitor speakers and headphones. Maybe the demo version falls short. I own a Kawai MP11SE and to me the internal sounds are wonderful. I just want Pianoteq to work, because the price of the total package is quite good.
Great sound! Can you share the fxp with all of your settings for this piano and also the settings that you use through your DAW (or other processors)? Your Pianoteq pianos always sound great... mine sound like midi pianos.
Thanks! The preset is the default one. The only thing I do is put it through Waves LL1 for simple mastering compression. But that doesn't change the sound. I play Pianoteq all the time with no adjustments and it I find it plays just like a real piano...
Fantastic playing as usual Phil. Keep up the good work. I couldn't help but notice the positioning of your studio monitors. I myself have them in a similar position. What is your opinion on monitors facing forward vs angles towards your ears in an equilateral triangle . Do u think them facing forward gives u a more realistic piano sound projection?
Thanks! I now have them more angled with me in the sweet spot - it sounds realistic there but not anywhere else. So I'm always curious about ways of getting a more 3D sound...
@@PhilBestMusic I see... I'll experiment with more angles. Actually considered getting some smaller monitors to have a 4 speaker setup but that might be overkill
This is absolutely one of the best sounding digital piano sounds I've yet heard. So sweet and wonderful and expressive playing. I'm wondering if I could use my Roland FP-30 with Pianoteq in playing it live or is there too much latency with the MIDI connection?
@@PhilBestMusic Thanks for your reply - I have since downloaded the trial of Pianoteq and it indeed works great with very little latency. It's really a nice standalone program and a cool bonus is that it automatically archives all your midi input. I love the expressive abilities with Pianoteq, but I'm not getting the same richness in sound that you achieve here or from even using sampled sounds in Korg Module App with Ivory American D on an iPad. I have just a basic soundcard for the output from Pianoteq - maybe that's the issue? Still learning but on the Quest! Thanks again - your playing is on another level my friend!
Thank you so much! Even though sampled pianos don't respond expressively like real pianos or Pianoteq, they do offer a very reliable, even flattering sound. You just have to play Pianoteq, as you do when recording a real piano in a room, with a bit more expressive umph - really let go! Soundcards can make a slight difference though, it's true. I actually just acquired the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2 which I got for the Maschine software rather than the box itself but I'm surprised how much I like its sound...
Truly excellent playing Phil. I’m a long time Pianoteq user with a fun question: now that Pianoteq offers several choices of modeled piano brands, which composers best fit each of the pianos, in your experience?
Thanks very much! I think all the makes of piano bring out different qualities that sound good in certain preces or passages of music by all composers. So.. Bechstein for sweeter colouristic sounds (we get lots of this of course in Debussy, Ravel or in a different way, Grieg), Steinways for music with a singing quality (anything really - Chopin, Beethoven), Bluethner for dark, brooding colours (Brahms maybe, Rachmaninov sometimes) and also for shimmering colours as we hear in lots of pieces by Liszt etc. I'd probably need to play the others more to have a stronger sense...
Wonderful playing. Inspiring. I’m looking at buying one of the pianoteq vst, I’m looking at the model D as it seems to be most versatile. Might you be able to recommend me which one you would pick as a stand-alone ($59) option? Thank you
i have an arturia keystation 88, and the FIRST thing i noticed was how amazingly responsive THIS model was versus the others with the particular keybed (fatar) and action. some of them are more on than off, but this new bechstein demo "just works". it's ALSO got a more "in your face" sound/feel which is very nice. great go through!!! you'd have sold me on it if i weren't already buying it, lol.
Nice sounding piano, Phil ! I´m realling interested in getting the simple roland Hp601 to match with pianoteq and others vst. These roland pianos have key touch from 1 to 100, which seems overwhelming. Do you uses a velocity curve in pianoteq with a proper key touch in roland that it´s suited for all playing styles/piano models or do you have a separated setting for each piano/playing style?
I use the standard velocity in Pianoteq and set my pianos heavier than average (55 - 60). I'd keep away from anything too divergent from the average...
I don't do anything very much to Pianoteq presets. They play so beautifully and sound great as they are. I sometimes swap the reverb or the mic positions between presets and maybe alter the balance of pedal or key release noises. If I ever do something radical, I'll say so and if people like it, I'll happily share it.
Hi Phil, do you usually play PTQ through your Roland in-built speakers, or rather on the BX8? I've got the BX5 and I think they're too bassy for PTQ, not quite happy with the sound, I also play PTQ through my Kawai speakers and gives a muddy sound, although it feels more realistic since it's coming from the instrument itself and the cabinet resonance addes a realism factor too, to the sound itself from PTQ.. Best experience so far is with headphones, I don't know what's your opinion on that, cheers 😀
I use my BX8s (or headphones). I like them but I'm still always considering other options... The BX5s I have lack bass for me, interestingly. I found the HP605 speakers a bit odd, kind of fizzy, almost distorted-sounding.
I'm amazed of your improvisation.. That needs to be turned out into a piano album! Please, if it's not too stupid, what "midi keyboard" is this..you're using? Thanks a lot!!!
Well, it was awfully good. Its cohesive and organic shapes and harmonic scheme grab the ear and mind as would a superior late romantic piece. They serve a specific, strong and subtle mood so well that it all manifests as a composition, so much so that I'd ask for the score if there was one.
Hey, I know absolutely nothing about that kind of software, so I have to ask: can I download a Pianoteq sample to my Roland piano or I must have a computer/laptop plugged on, everytime I play?
Not so long ago I could tell a digital piano from the real thing. I always thought that one day someone would get it right- but I didn't expect it to be in my lifetime. Pianoteq has done it with modeling- that was a surprise. Beautiful playing.
Thanks you! Yes Pianoteq is miraculous really.
You play with a beautiful touch, and the Bechstein sounds wonderful.
I grew up with my mothers Bechstein Grand. Fantastic sound.
I got a Blütner Grand myself. Love it.
I am using a Kawai VPC as my main midi controller.
Thank you! Pianos are wonderful things!
What model of Bluthner do you have The Beatles played a Bluthner Model One.
@@paulallenMacca You'd need to ask the Pianoteq guys which model they used, as I confess I'm not sure.
My god that was just so beautiful! I was sat here listening to this and it was like floating on a cloud. Simply amazing!
Oh thank you! I'm very pleased you liked it!
Wonderful!
Thanks!
How gorgeous Bechstein sound is ! Good for Impressionism music.
Yes that's true!
@@PhilBestMusic I had great pleasure playing Ravel's Ondine + Prelude of Tombeau de Couperin, plus Bartok's opus 8b (First Elegy) and Chopin's 3rd Sonata on my Bechstein ... a pure delight !
Thanks Phil for this great video introduction of the new C. Bechstein... I have been waiting for this for a long long time and now my favorite piano of all is a reality inside Pianoteq. One day I will purchase a real one but in the main time having this virtual model is a dream... Many Blessings, Max T.
Thanks Max. Bechstein pianos are fantastic...
It would be great to add the Yamaha CFX Piano.
Excellent suggestion!!
Hmm, I think Yamahas sound a bit coarse and cheap. A Bösendorfer imperial 97note is what I am hoping for.
@@jismo7 Yamaha CHEAP??? You must be joking. Good one!
I really enjoy listening to your improvisations
Thank you so much!
Sounds sweet.
What can I say - I've a sweet tooth!
I love your playing and musical reviews. I got the Steinway D and Bechstein with the pianoteq Stage. I'm just starting out playing the piano but have a lot of musical experience on other instruments and these sound like they will stand me in good stead in my journey. On pianoworld the Steinway D is quite unpopular but to my ears it sounds the best. Your reviews helped a lot with my decision.
Thank you so much! I agree, the Steinway D is wonderful. So many colours are possible...
Do you know why the D is so unpopular? People seem to prefer the B, but to me the D sounds nicer, more melancholic, round, soft, and the B is brighter. I don’t know whether or not I just have bad ears or something ? (I’m listening with Adam t7v monitors). I’m trying to decide which packs to buy with stage or standard, I’d appreciate any insight between D, B, petrof and Bechstein ^^
It's all just personal taste. They're all great pianos and the Steinway D just happens to be my personal favourite!
Trust your own ears, there are some Kawai fan boys on Pianoworld who cannot tolerate anything else
Absolutely beautiful. Gotta add it to my collection soon ;)
Nice although I wish you'd played Ondine all the way through! I've got a Sauter Delta 185 Grand and have just added a P515 to practice 'quiet' but the default sound is dreadful in comparison. This sounds like it'll get me part of the way there at least! Is there any latency impact?
Thanks. With a pro soundcard and an asio driver, the latency is minimal.
At last - a real musician demoing these things (!)
Thank you very much! I'm just an old piano player amazed and delighted by what tech can do!
You're a great artist!
Also it is amazing what technology can do these days.
Thank you - you're very kind to say so! And yes, technology is miraculous!
I must say, I have never heard anyone play as majestically as this.
That's so kind of you to say! Thank you!
wow. thanks!
:-)
Great informative video. I recently purchased Pianoteq 6 after falling out of love with other vst’s based on samples. I really want a piano I can use through a live pa with little latency. Modarrt appears to have cracked this with Pianoteq. I agree that the Bechstein sound is excellent being my favourite. As you explain it is rich with loads of character helping it cut through my live mixes well.
Thanks! Enjoy!
Hello there Sir!!!! I would like to leave an off-tangent comment: I love your English RP accent!!!!!!! So elegant =) kisses from montreal.
That's very kind. Actually I have a slight Yorkshire accent. But I thank you!
@@PhilBestMusic I love it!!!!! So fancy :) and of course... a great piano player. ♡ would you mind showing us how you connect your piano to your pc? I am planning on purchasing my roland fp 30 soon so... thanks in advance :)
Thank you! You connect them simply using a usb cable...
Bechstein ( I owned a lovely B model from 1939) is sweet and very harmonious, whilst Steinway is rather bright in comparison. Both are exceptional and glorious to play !
Indeed!
I must say that the new Bechsteins are incredibly colorful pianos, even more so than the american greats like Steinway, Baldwin and M&H. There's such an abundance of loud overtones that one needs to be careful with thicker chords. It might be an unpopular opinion, but I think you'll always sacrifice clarity for color. Anyway, I love the sound of both old and new Bechsteins, and I enjoy complex tones as well as clear tones.
The Yamaha CF is another example of a company going from a tone (CFIIIS) with an incredible strong fundamental to a tone (CFX) with much stronger overtones.
After hearing this, I think I will give Pianoteq a 5th try. The ‘feeling’ is natural, but I can’t get a decent sound. I have excellent monitor speakers and headphones. Maybe the demo version falls short. I own a Kawai MP11SE and to me the internal sounds are wonderful. I just want Pianoteq to work, because the price of the total package is quite good.
Thanks for your comment. It's hard to know what to advise... I find Pianoteq sounds and feels very close to playing a real piano.
Great sound! Can you share the fxp with all of your settings for this piano and also the settings that you use through your DAW (or other processors)? Your Pianoteq pianos always sound great... mine sound like midi pianos.
Thanks! The preset is the default one. The only thing I do is put it through Waves LL1 for simple mastering compression. But that doesn't change the sound. I play Pianoteq all the time with no adjustments and it I find it plays just like a real piano...
Very nice sound and playing! Dou you add any audio processing/ enhancements, or is it recorded directly out of Pianoteq? THanks...
Thank you! I add a little mastering compression but it's very subtle; otherwise it's straight out of Pianoteq.
Fantastic playing as usual Phil. Keep up the good work. I couldn't help but notice the positioning of your studio monitors. I myself have them in a similar position. What is your opinion on monitors facing forward vs angles towards your ears in an equilateral triangle . Do u think them facing forward gives u a more realistic piano sound projection?
Thanks! I now have them more angled with me in the sweet spot - it sounds realistic there but not anywhere else. So I'm always curious about ways of getting a more 3D sound...
@@PhilBestMusic I see... I'll experiment with more angles. Actually considered getting some smaller monitors to have a 4 speaker setup but that might be overkill
What is the piece you play to close the video, starting at 5:10? Thank you.
It's just some free improvisation.
This is absolutely one of the best sounding digital piano sounds I've yet heard. So sweet and wonderful and expressive playing. I'm wondering if I could use my Roland FP-30 with Pianoteq in playing it live or is there too much latency with the MIDI connection?
The latency is governed by the computer hardware/software running Pianoteq not the keyboard. The FP-30 will play fine with Pianoteq.
@@PhilBestMusic Thanks for your reply - I have since downloaded the trial of Pianoteq and it indeed works great with very little latency. It's really a nice standalone program and a cool bonus is that it automatically archives all your midi input. I love the expressive abilities with Pianoteq, but I'm not getting the same richness in sound that you achieve here or from even using sampled sounds in Korg Module App with Ivory American D on an iPad. I have just a basic soundcard for the output from Pianoteq - maybe that's the issue? Still learning but on the Quest! Thanks again - your playing is on another level my friend!
Thank you so much!
Even though sampled pianos don't respond expressively like real pianos or Pianoteq, they do offer a very reliable, even flattering sound. You just have to play Pianoteq, as you do when recording a real piano in a room, with a bit more expressive umph - really let go! Soundcards can make a slight difference though, it's true. I actually just acquired the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2 which I got for the Maschine software rather than the box itself but I'm surprised how much I like its sound...
Truly excellent playing Phil. I’m a long time Pianoteq user with a fun question: now that Pianoteq offers several choices of modeled piano brands, which composers best fit each of the pianos, in your experience?
Thanks very much! I think all the makes of piano bring out different qualities that sound good in certain preces or passages of music by all composers. So.. Bechstein for sweeter colouristic sounds (we get lots of this of course in Debussy, Ravel or in a different way, Grieg), Steinways for music with a singing quality (anything really - Chopin, Beethoven), Bluethner for dark, brooding colours (Brahms maybe, Rachmaninov sometimes) and also for shimmering colours as we hear in lots of pieces by Liszt etc. I'd probably need to play the others more to have a stronger sense...
Wonderful playing. Inspiring.
I’m looking at buying one of the pianoteq vst, I’m looking at the model D as it seems to be most versatile. Might you be able to recommend me which one you would pick as a stand-alone ($59) option? Thank you
Thank you! My personal preference would definitely be the Steinway D but many people would choose differently. You must pick your favourite!
i have an arturia keystation 88, and the FIRST thing i noticed was how amazingly responsive THIS model was versus the others with the particular keybed (fatar) and action. some of them are more on than off, but this new bechstein demo "just works". it's ALSO got a more "in your face" sound/feel which is very nice.
great go through!!! you'd have sold me on it if i weren't already buying it, lol.
Thanks! Interesting re the Fatar action on the Arturia. I will try to look into that!
Whats the name of that first tune you played sounds great.
Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. It was just a bit of unplanned improv.
Nice sounding piano, Phil !
I´m realling interested in getting the simple roland Hp601 to match with pianoteq and others vst.
These roland pianos have key touch from 1 to 100, which seems overwhelming.
Do you uses a velocity curve in pianoteq with a proper key touch in roland that it´s suited for all playing styles/piano models or do you have a separated setting for each piano/playing style?
I use the standard velocity in Pianoteq and set my pianos heavier than average (55 - 60). I'd keep away from anything too divergent from the average...
Hi Phil. Do you use personal fxp settings or the standard ones? Can you eventually share them? :-)
I don't do anything very much to Pianoteq presets. They play so beautifully and sound great as they are. I sometimes swap the reverb or the mic positions between presets and maybe alter the balance of pedal or key release noises. If I ever do something radical, I'll say so and if people like it, I'll happily share it.
@@PhilBestMusic Thanks Phil
Hi Phil, do you usually play PTQ through your Roland in-built speakers, or rather on the BX8? I've got the BX5 and I think they're too bassy for PTQ, not quite happy with the sound, I also play PTQ through my Kawai speakers and gives a muddy sound, although it feels more realistic since it's coming from the instrument itself and the cabinet resonance addes a realism factor too, to the sound itself from PTQ.. Best experience so far is with headphones, I don't know what's your opinion on that, cheers 😀
I use my BX8s (or headphones). I like them but I'm still always considering other options... The BX5s I have lack bass for me, interestingly. I found the HP605 speakers a bit odd, kind of fizzy, almost distorted-sounding.
@@PhilBestMusic thank you Phil, what other options are you considering?
I keep wondering what high-end 360 single speakers that companies like Bose and B&O make might sound like...
I'm amazed of your improvisation.. That needs to be turned out into a piano album! Please, if it's not too stupid, what "midi keyboard" is this..you're using? Thanks a lot!!!
Thank you! I've released a couple of improvised albums (on Spoity, Apple Music etc.). My piano is the Roland HP605.
Phil Best thank you, Phil!
❤
Can I use pianoteq woth casio ap710
I'm not familiar with a casio ap710 but if it has usb to host or a midi out put, then yes!
Where do i bye this piano?. I fonte ser in stores.
From the Modartt website...
mine doesn't sound like this at all. what's the trick?
There's no trick!
What piano (the physical) do you play on?
In this video, I'm playing a Roland HP605.
What is the piece you close with, at 5:10? Thank you!
It's free improvisation.
Well, it was awfully good. Its cohesive and organic shapes and harmonic scheme grab the ear and mind as would a superior late romantic piece. They serve a specific, strong and subtle mood so well that it all manifests as a composition, so much so that I'd ask for the score if there was one.
That's very nice of you to say, thank you! Improvising is my passion so your compliments are appreciated.
Hey, I know absolutely nothing about that kind of software, so I have to ask: can I download a Pianoteq sample to my Roland piano or I must have a computer/laptop plugged on, everytime I play?
It needs a computer.
Great videos. May I ask, the little section around 3:05, is this a particular piece or improvised? You mention Bartok and Prokoviev?
Thanks! I was just improvising.
What controller are you using?
It's a Roland HP605.
Do these pianos have Adsr functions?
No - it's not a sampler.
Thanks... Do you think this are the most Realistic sounding pianos to buy?
Yes!
Your sound would be great as well if you play the toy piano though.
You're very kind to say so! Thanks!