Not really, since it's all up to preference in timbre anyways, unless you're concerned with things like velocity curves (which you couldn't figure out from a video anyway). He does play quite well, though.
He is good, really good. I think he is a gem, a diamond on RUclips. Very authentic, unbiased reviews especially of all things piano in the sampled and digital variety, from someone who is a working piano man. I love the ability and the knowledge he gives out so profusely and authentically. A huge learning source. A bonus to RUclips. An his videos are very high quality both visually and audio wise. I just revised my listening with a new pair of headphones, and am amazed at the sonics of the Merriam youtube channel recordings. Awesome. A bonus to all piano lovers.
So knowledgeable. Learn so much from your presentations. You make any piano or plug-in sound good. In my opinion this Alicia’s Keys piano vst has its own distinct and charming character and is quite different from the others.
I really enjoy these reviews. Your perspective and background knowledge is interesting here, coming from real pianos rather than electronic music (which what I see most VST reviews coming from). I also appreciate your straightforward approach and amazing piano playing!
I always liked the C3 piano when I would see them in stores. I can see why it would be used in a sample library because the C3 is good example of the size piano that most people have. It sounds great, and not dry at all in your first demo. Of course your playing is always spectacular and that gives us a chance to hear an instrument as played by a true pro. I wonder when some manufacturer is going to produce a light weight keyboard that has the computer and and audio system built in that can use these "plug ins" integrally. I love the way this instrument sounds.
Dear Stu, first of all, all my respect and compliments for the work you do and did for us, i really, really appreciate that.You are such a lovely and honest person and i always love watching your videos. Stu i have got a question. I am looking for a stage piano only for home purpose with a very, very good action. Mainly i am using Piano -VST´s. I need your advice, please. I consider to buy the Roland Rd 2000, the Kawai es 920 or the Kawai VPC 1.I´ve never tried them with VST´S, so i am not able to say much about the connection of the sound to the keys.Maybe you can help me a bit, would be very nice. By the way which VST is your favorite ? In terms of playability and character ? For solo-playing only. Thank you very much Stu !!! And all the best for you and your family !!! Oliver
@Konstantin Ridaya Welcome to Canada eh! Actually, I was surprised because Stu is very, very, well spoken but he might be suffering from extra weight on his head from excess hair due to COVID restrictions preventing hair cuts. If you are a fan of the piano and music I can't recommend this channel enough, it should win an award for most underrated channel. The backlog of material is many wonderful hours of amazingness
Thank you! Very informative! I am very much looking forward to the next Piano VST review! I really like this series and appreciate you are making these videos! Greetings freom Berlin, Germany.
The A5 (3rd from the highest) is sampled really loud . My controller is a Studio Logic SL88 Grand, so I was able to scale that down via software. That was my only complaint. I tried it with y friend's Kawai VCP and yeah it is still loud but maybe that's the character of the sampling and they intended it to be that way. I am glad it has sostenuto support. You can EQ by editing the instrument, but that hollow bass notes is what makes this unique. I used it all the time and keep the noise samples high as well. It sounds good in a band mix. Thanks for the review. Great playing
You're very welcome! I have quite a bit of personal experience with the Alicia's Keys VST and have never noticed the A5 volume. This should be simple enough to edit in post, even simply by going back and adjusting the MIDI velocity for any instance of A5 by the appropriate amount. I also agree that when the piano "noises" are increased, it creates an impressive sense of realism. It is a very easy piano sound to fit into a mix within the context of pop and rock music as well. :)
I personally find these two VSTs to be quite different sonically. The NOIRE is definitely a more dramatic sounding piano, whereas the Alicia's Keys VST is a bit more a neutral sound. With that said, with the right customizations to the adjustable parameters, I have found the Alicia's Keys VST to be fantastic for sitting in pop and rock mixes. :)
You’re playing is just superb. Nice job! and honest review. I wonder if this can be used stand alone plugin like in Garageband that I don’t need to buy any sort of loader or player from NI.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for tuning in! Garageband is a DAW. I am not entirely sure if Alicia's Keys can be used as a standalone separate from use with a DAW. I have only used in conjunction with a DAW (ProTools) personally.
Thanks for these videos! I have the Ravenscroft and Noire. Both are amazing, both I love! However, I’m looking to purchase another one. Which Native Instrument piano would you recommend that will compliment the two I already have? I mainly play jazz, salsa, and contemporary. Thank you.
I agree about the possible benefit of practising on a piano whose class is not far out of your reach as a performing musician. But I think there's another consideration. Certain styles of music might sound better on a more boxy-sounding piano. We know that some musicians prefer an upright for playing boogie woogie or stride, so maybe there's a perfect marriage for the C3 too. But we're talking about differences you probably don't notice while giging unless you're a full-time concert pianist. I've played two C3s occasionally, and have really enjoyed myself. One got upgraded to a C7, so that's even more fun. But I still believe that the quality of sampling is much more important than exactly which piano is the original source of the sound.
Excellent ! Liking your thoughts an pointers with these VST samples. Would You consider VI Labs True Keys Italian? I bought that and the American. I'm still trying to get everything to work correctly. Been playing for 40 plus years but very new to the World of VST and Only at home. Truly Appreciate your videos and You Knowledge. Thank You Sooo Much.
Hi Stu - great video as always. I have the NI Kontakt pack but never bought this plug in. I did buy the Noire plug in which has incredible character and worth a look. Also worth a look is Spitfire Audio’s Olafur Arnold composer pack which I think uses a C Bechstein upright.
Maybe an imperfect sound is actually quite what some people look for, particularly when playing pop, rock and jazz, given that Yamaha is the go-to stage instument in many clubs.
I definitely agree with the sentiment that there is something to retaining some degree of sonic "imperfection". There is something sterile and not compelling about extreme sonic perfection.
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts Alex! I am a big fan of the Alicia's Keys VST as well. However, I do find that its default presets take some tweaking to really get the most out of it. :)
I will be sure to pass on your kind words and compliments to Stu! And I like that idea! Stu is a fantastic presenter and could certainly do an excellent job! :)
Maybe it's the 9-foot factor, but I quite dislike the tone of the lows on AK. It's my primary virtual piano, and I'm really growing tired of the resonance on those low notes. Just sounds...wrong. Out of tune? I don't know. It's a whole class above the in-built pianos in Logic & GarageBand, but those notes when he's going down chromatically at 11:52 is gross to me. Warts and all, indeed. Between C3 and C2 (assuming C4 as middle C) gives me the heebs.
Hi Stu. I’ve watched your digital piano reviews and really love them. You don’t know how much they are appreciated. I was surprised to see you now reviewing VSTs. That’s awesome! Glad we can now get an evaluation before we buy them. I personally own the Alicia’s Keys & Addictive keys. Personally I prefer the Alicia’s Keys. I like it for what’s it for - small and intimate playing. Thanks!!!!!
Stu makes it so hard to evaluate the pianos and VST's he reviews since his playing makes them ALL sound so good!
Not really, since it's all up to preference in timbre anyways, unless you're concerned with things like velocity curves (which you couldn't figure out from a video anyway). He does play quite well, though.
He is good, really good. I think he is a gem, a diamond on RUclips. Very authentic, unbiased reviews especially of all things piano in the sampled and digital variety, from someone who is a working piano man. I love the ability and the knowledge he gives out so profusely and authentically. A huge learning source. A bonus to RUclips. An his videos are very high quality both visually and audio wise.
I just revised my listening with a new pair of headphones, and am amazed at the sonics of the Merriam youtube channel recordings. Awesome. A bonus to all piano lovers.
So knowledgeable. Learn so much from your presentations. You make any piano or plug-in sound good. In my opinion this Alicia’s Keys piano vst has its own distinct and charming character and is quite different from the others.
I really enjoy these reviews. Your perspective and background knowledge is interesting here, coming from real pianos rather than electronic music (which what I see most VST reviews coming from). I also appreciate your straightforward approach and amazing piano playing!
I always liked the C3 piano when I would see them in stores. I can see why it would be used in a sample library because the C3 is good example of the size piano that most people have. It sounds great, and not dry at all in your first demo. Of course your playing is always spectacular and that gives us a chance to hear an instrument as played by a true pro. I wonder when some manufacturer is going to produce a light weight keyboard that has the computer and and audio system built in that can use these "plug ins" integrally. I love the way this instrument sounds.
Thank you for sharing! Still one of my favorites pianos, even in 2021
Stu your videos are so well done and informative. I’ve learned so much and the comparison videos are most helpful. Thank you!!!!😁👍🏻
I think I might pick this one up. I also seem to be compelled to practice after listening to Stu play lol. Thank you Sir!!!
Thanks! I love your reviews.
Thank you so much! We're glad you have been enjoying the reviews. :)
Dear Stu,
first of all, all my respect and compliments for the work you do and did for us, i really, really
appreciate that.You are such a lovely and honest person and i always love watching your videos.
Stu i have got a question.
I am looking for a stage piano only for home purpose with a very, very good action.
Mainly i am using Piano -VST´s.
I need your advice, please. I consider to buy the Roland Rd 2000, the Kawai es 920 or the Kawai
VPC 1.I´ve never tried them with VST´S, so i am not able to say much about the connection
of the sound to the keys.Maybe you can help me a bit, would be very nice.
By the way which VST is your favorite ? In terms of playability and character ?
For solo-playing only.
Thank you very much Stu !!! And all the best for you and your family !!!
Oliver
Awesome! I was actually going to request a review of this VST, thanks!
5:55 - "Nothing to _scoff_ at." yw
"Nothing to sneeze at" yvw
@Konstantin Ridaya Welcome to Canada eh! Actually, I was surprised because Stu is very, very, well spoken but he might be suffering from extra weight on his head from excess hair due to COVID restrictions preventing hair cuts. If you are a fan of the piano and music I can't recommend this channel enough, it should win an award for most underrated channel. The backlog of material is many wonderful hours of amazingness
An honest and thorough review... thank you!
Thank you! Very informative! I am very much looking forward to the next Piano VST review! I really like this series and appreciate you are making these videos! Greetings freom Berlin, Germany.
The review I was looking for. Another great video. Thanks Stu!
Thanks so much for tuning in! We really appreciate the support. :)
Very informative video with a nice delivery. Thank you Stu!
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! :)
The A5 (3rd from the highest) is sampled really loud . My controller is a Studio Logic SL88 Grand, so I was able to scale that down via software. That was my only complaint. I tried it with y friend's Kawai VCP and yeah it is still loud but maybe that's the character of the sampling and they intended it to be that way. I am glad it has sostenuto support. You can EQ by editing the instrument, but that hollow bass notes is what makes this unique. I used it all the time and keep the noise samples high as well. It sounds good in a band mix.
Thanks for the review. Great playing
You're very welcome! I have quite a bit of personal experience with the Alicia's Keys VST and have never noticed the A5 volume. This should be simple enough to edit in post, even simply by going back and adjusting the MIDI velocity for any instance of A5 by the appropriate amount. I also agree that when the piano "noises" are increased, it creates an impressive sense of realism. It is a very easy piano sound to fit into a mix within the context of pop and rock music as well. :)
It's sounds great to me. Your playing is really quite soothing.
I just listen in to hear Stu playing now, as I'm just learning to play!
I have NOIRE, is Alicia's Keys a waste for me?
It's on sale right now.
I personally find these two VSTs to be quite different sonically. The NOIRE is definitely a more dramatic sounding piano, whereas the Alicia's Keys VST is a bit more a neutral sound. With that said, with the right customizations to the adjustable parameters, I have found the Alicia's Keys VST to be fantastic for sitting in pop and rock mixes. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you for the quick response, I truly respect your opinion.
Thank you!
Noire is great but I have only used it on one song
Beautiful playing.
I will be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! :)
You’re playing is just superb. Nice job! and honest review.
I wonder if this can be used stand alone plugin like in Garageband that I don’t need to buy any sort of loader or player from NI.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for tuning in! Garageband is a DAW. I am not entirely sure if Alicia's Keys can be used as a standalone separate from use with a DAW. I have only used in conjunction with a DAW (ProTools) personally.
Thanks for these videos! I have the Ravenscroft and Noire. Both are amazing, both I love! However, I’m looking to purchase another one. Which Native Instrument piano would you recommend that will compliment the two I already have? I mainly play jazz, salsa, and contemporary. Thank you.
Well....?
man you play sooo well , where do you play??? is it the last version of alicia keys?
I agree about the possible benefit of practising on a piano whose class is not far out of your reach as a performing musician. But I think there's another consideration. Certain styles of music might sound better on a more boxy-sounding piano. We know that some musicians prefer an upright for playing boogie woogie or stride, so maybe there's a perfect marriage for the C3 too.
But we're talking about differences you probably don't notice while giging unless you're a full-time concert pianist. I've played two C3s occasionally, and have really enjoyed myself. One got upgraded to a C7, so that's even more fun. But I still believe that the quality of sampling is much more important than exactly which piano is the original source of the sound.
Stu - you rock.
Thanks for tuning in! I'll pass along your compliments to Stu! :)
Excellent ! Liking your thoughts an pointers with these VST samples.
Would You consider VI Labs True Keys Italian?
I bought that and the American. I'm still trying to get everything to work correctly. Been playing for 40 plus years but very new to the World of VST and Only at home.
Truly Appreciate your videos and You Knowledge.
Thank You Sooo Much.
Hey nice playing! It sounds amazing. Does someone know what song is he playing at 7:05 ?
Hi Stu - great video as always. I have the NI Kontakt pack but never bought this plug in. I did buy the Noire plug in which has incredible character and worth a look. Also worth a look is Spitfire Audio’s Olafur Arnold composer pack which I think uses a C Bechstein upright.
The best review
Thank you! We appreciate it. :)
Maybe an imperfect sound is actually quite what some people look for, particularly when playing pop, rock and jazz, given that Yamaha is the go-to stage instument in many clubs.
I definitely agree with the sentiment that there is something to retaining some degree of sonic "imperfection". There is something sterile and not compelling about extreme sonic perfection.
Digital piano + laptop + DAW + VST can make home studio without keyboard?
Please also review Bechstein Digital - C. Bechstein Digital Grand (KONTAKT)
I like the tone of this piano (great pedal sustain resonance) but the decay is too short or too fast for slower playing (IMO, of course).
Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts Alex! I am a big fan of the Alicia's Keys VST as well. However, I do find that its default presets take some tweaking to really get the most out of it. :)
Great
Thank you! :)
The trouble with this kind of review is that you can make ANYTHING sound great:)
I tried it but didn't gives me the epicness like Galaxy Vintage D
The Alicia's Keys VST is an excellent plugin, but, personally, I find that it takes some tweaking of the parameters to really bring things to life. :)
Great sounding player and VST! NI should hire you for the plugin videos! Wayyy better than their examples, and the "hip hop" example was a joke 🤣
I will be sure to pass on your kind words and compliments to Stu! And I like that idea! Stu is a fantastic presenter and could certainly do an excellent job! :)
Currentlly $13 USD thanks for the video and review.
That is a very good price for an excellent VST! Thanks for sharing! :)
Maybe it's the 9-foot factor, but I quite dislike the tone of the lows on AK. It's my primary virtual piano, and I'm really growing tired of the resonance on those low notes. Just sounds...wrong. Out of tune? I don't know. It's a whole class above the in-built pianos in Logic & GarageBand, but those notes when he's going down chromatically at 11:52 is gross to me. Warts and all, indeed. Between C3 and C2 (assuming C4 as middle C) gives me the heebs.
Hi Stu. I’ve watched your digital piano reviews and really love them. You don’t know how much they are appreciated. I was surprised to see you now reviewing VSTs. That’s awesome! Glad we can now get an evaluation before we buy them. I personally own the Alicia’s Keys & Addictive keys. Personally I prefer the Alicia’s Keys. I like it for what’s it for - small and intimate playing. Thanks!!!!!
cmon when you gonna review garritan :D
The clipping takes away from the experience a little