PIANOTEQ. Has anyone tried it ?

Well, some time ago I was watching youtube videos and I found a very interesting one, where a guy demonstrates a software that he calls: "a piano simulator". It's not like any other piano sample library you've tried.

See for yourself:

Part 1:

Part 2:



And if you're interested,.. how to set up a system using pianoteq:



What do you think?
you can try it for free downloading it at their site www.pianoteq.com.

Are any other software programs like this ?

Hmm, seems like roland's v-piano? only separated into a computer, and probably way cheaper! and i'm pretty sure this has been out quite a bit longer. The only problem i could see is if you don't have a pretty good computer, it seems like there could be some lag issues, but overall pretty cool!

Yup.
I downloaded, but the only thing is... i don't have a midi/usb interface cable... so i can't connect my piano to the pc xD.
But the sounds are amazing, just download a midi file and load it into pianoteq, and listen to it play...

Yes, it's been out for a few years, and mentioned here before. Currently on V3
http://www.pianoteq.com/listen?pianoteq=85df4ea74b699d2b9f3124d026d4b683

Yes, i knew that it has been for some time now, i heard about it a long time ago, but never tested it

But now... i'm having problems with it.
I bought a USB MIDI Interface, to connect my piano to the pc, it's something like this, but generic, no brand name:


I connect it, my pc says it's ready to be used, open pianoteq, and i start playing some keys, and it's totally out of sync, it plays whatever it wants, sometimes i don't even play anything, and some notes sound anyway. oh and Always, when I play a note, and release it, Pianoteq does not stop playing the note, it's like I never released the key...


Well if anyone has a theory about this, PLEASE HELP!!!

Did you RTFM?
On a first note, it would seem the MIDI interface is faulty. Or perhaps it's your piano. Maybe a better MIDI interface? Then if the problem persists could be your piano indeed.

Try midiox: http://www.midiox.com/ to see whats happening with the MIDI messages.

Also, if you have an old pci (or isa) soundblaster or similar soundcard with a game port, it serves as a MIDI interface (usually stable and with low latency), you just need a specific cable for it.

Try some electronics store, big consumer stores charge alot and often lack specifics like these. Or google for a DIY schematic (I recall there is a built-in circuit in one end).

Good luck.

hi there just thought this might help you, you need the asio drivers here's the link http://www.asio4all.com/ after you install it, restart, open pianoteq under preferences change the audio to asio4all then you will get almost no latency like 13ms or similar depending on your computer. hope it helps

If it doesn't release the note, maybe you have to configure your keyboard. For the out of sync problem: asio4all might help, but more important is the MIDI synthesizer. The default Microsoft wavetable synthesizer is terrible regarding latency and doesn't sound very nice. Maybe the piano simulator has high latency, too?

If you have a good soundcard (e.g. a PCI Soundblaster), there should be a hardware MIDI synthesizer integrated. Maybe you could try MutiltrackStudio (there is a free lite edition on the webpage, which has already a lot of features), which might work better, if it is a software problem for your other problems, and within this program you can click on Studio->Devices->Properties and I can select "SB X-Fi Synth" as the MIDI output device, which has nearly no latency and sounds good.

BTW: Does anyone know a good free software full MIDI synthesizer?

You guys are all over the place? I didn't read any issues about latency, only MIDI issues.

AFAIK, while asio4all is good for low lateny (I use it too) it has nothing to do with MIDI, it's a general ASIO driver for low-level hardware access, thus being able to provide low latency to applications using a audio interface.

The sync problems could exist on the USB MIDI interface, perhaps faulty drivers or clock mismatch (between the keyboard MIDI out clock and the USB MIDI in clock or the USB MIDI out clock to the music software pianoteq).

MIDI is an old standard, and there could be issues with vendor mplementation). Insufficient data at the time to allow for a more precise diagnose.

goodell wrote:Hmm, seems like roland's v-piano?

It does ^_^

Anyway, I've tried it and it works perfect, and I finally figured out how to connect my digital piano to Win 7, I had to set it to generic.

xkuruma wrote:oh and Always, when I play a note, and release it, Pianoteq does not stop playing the note, it's like I never released the key...

Today I've written a small Java program (I'll post again about it in this forum when it is finished) and at least with my Yamaha P-85 it looks like the keyboard doesn't send release events. This is the recorded event list, e.g. when hitting middle c:

Code:


2961000 note On C4 velocity: 67
3230000 note On C4 velocity: 0


This is the part of my Java program for evaluating the MIDI messages:

Code:


    public static String getKeyName(int keyNumber) {
        final String[] keyNames = { "C", "C#", "D", "D#", "E", "F", "F#", "G",
                "G#", "A", "A#", "B" };
        if (keyNumber > 127) {
            return "illegal key number";
        } else {
            int note = keyNumber % 12;
            int octave = keyNumber / 12;
            return keyNames[note] + (octave - 1);
        }
    }

    public void send(MidiMessage midiMessage, long timeStamp) {
        if (midiMessage instanceof ShortMessage) {
            ShortMessage msg = (ShortMessage) midiMessage;
            switch (msg.getCommand()) {
            case 0x80:
                System.out.println(timeStamp + " note Off "
                        + getKeyName(msg.getData1()) + " velocity: "
                        + msg.getData2());
                break;

            case 0x90:
                System.out.println(timeStamp + " note On "
                        + getKeyName(msg.getData1()) + " velocity: "
                        + msg.getData2());
                break;
            }
        }
    }


As you can see, there is no "note Off" event sent by the keyboard, but instead another "note On" event with velocity 0.

Looks like this is a common problem, see e.g. this posting. You should send the company who creates Pianoteq a copy of this message and they should be able to fix Pianoteq for faulty keyboards like mine within some minutes.

Now this is the Correct topic to show people who are unsure about chosing a Digital or an Acoustic Piano!! After reading what is written here, they would go for the Acoustic right away!

An acoustic piano is great, if you have the money, the space and sympathetic housemates when you are doing some Hanon exercises in forte

I've been trying out Synthogy Ivory lately, and I gotta say it sounds great, the pianoteq sounds good, but there is still some work to get it sound natural, it feels synthetic. The Ivory is based on samples, but alot of them, and too expensive for me to buy right now.

An acoustic piano and a digital piano is two different instruments, and they cant really be compared, the only thing that can be compared is the keybed, black and white.

You can get a fairly cheap acoustic piano, so the main problem gotta be the practice late and space.

yes i would also love an accoustic but not practical for where i live ..but i will be investing in a digital nxt year or xmas if my wife feels generous lol ..i like the sound of thomandy,s so hopefully get one similar

IF want to hear Pianoteq 3 in action go check my site, the song called "Piano Practice", IT is B minor key,, the Piano Freestyle songs sound cheap becuase i was using a cheap unknown soundfont lol.. Pianoteq 3 is a good afordable Virtual Piano with Tunning features.. so there alot of presets can use too.. I would say Pianissmo VST is better.. i havent used it in forever.. wish i had it, it is afordable too! Oh yeeah i play on a Clavinova CLP-311.. so it feels perrty good to have weighted keys.

http://www.myspace.com/jasonscottpiano

Thomandy wrote:Now this is the Correct topic to show people who are unsure about chosing a Digital or an Acoustic Piano!! After reading what is written here, they would go for the Acoustic right away!

Synths/MIDI controllers are very simple to set up and quite reliable. You have to get a decent MIDI interface with good ASIO drivers and low latency. Almost any modern computer that can run XP is beefy enough if all you are going to do is run one keyboard. When you start getting into multiple keyboards/controllers and things like Cubase/FruityLoops/etc with multiple VSTi's (virtual instruments) then you have to start worrying about proc speed and available memory.

You can't expect to buy cheap midi gear and get good results.

I have a Steinway that costs about 17 grand, takes up a good chunk of living room space and only ever sounds like a piano. I also have a Yamaha KX8 MIDI controller with 88 graded/weighted keys. It cost me $250 at Guitar Center (it was listed at $300 but I never pay list - I always negotiate), it sits on a keyboard rack in my studio and is capable of making an infinite number of sounds (depending on what VSTi it is controlling - and there are plenty of good free VSTis out there as well as ones that cost a few hundred and then on up) and can easily be moved out of the way or even transported elsewhere if needed.

If you go with a synth/controller with 'synth keys' then you won't get the same tactile feedback as you would with a piano and I'm told some folks find it hard to go from 'synth keys' to a real piano and back but if you have space/budget constraints and want to have the ability of being incredibly creative with sound then a synth/MIDI controller is a good way to go.

Just make sure, as I already mentioned, to get good MIDI hardware. FORGET about whatever sound card came in the computer. As a rule 999.99% of the time you'll be miserable with it. I get like 650ms latency with my computers integrated sound card and 3ms latency with my M-Audio FireWire 410.

The problem listed above sounds like a latency issue. It's probably so bad that the keyboard is dropping the end note message completely. I'd have to look it up to be sure but I'm pretty certain there is a timeout on how long a message takes to complete.

A decent MIDI setup can be had for very little. If you pick up a KX8 on the current deal, or a StudioLogic, and a decent MIDI controller with ASIO good drivers you can get into a great setup for around five bills or less. Add the Korg Legacy Series (which includes an enhanced software version of the Korg M1) VSTi bundle and you'll have a ton of gorgeous sounds (including a bunch of pianos and even a grand piano) for another buck and a half - it is on sale right now I saw for 150$ instead of 200$. Even if you drop the dough for something like Steinway's Grand software with sampled sounds you will be WAY under the cost of a real piano.

I'm not knocking a real piano; like I said I have one.

Oh, another bonus to the synth/controller based solution is you never have to have the dang thing tuned.

CR

I can recommend it, try the free version. It has a 20 minute limit per program start and some notes are not playable in the demo mode, but otherwise you can test the full functionality.

Today I bought the full version, it is really worth the money, because it sounds great, nearly like a real acoustic piano. An example with one of my favorite pieces:



And this is just a standard preset, you can tweak all kinds of parameters, if you want some special sound.