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I long ago stumbled onto Pianoteq Up until that time I was very happy with Coyote Forte for Piano. Still am for quick GM use. But Pianoteq blew me away. Night and day difference. So Piano in my DAW - is Pianoteq. Then came a great sale on SampleTank 3 and the promise of an even better piano. Well that piano was no match for Pianoteq. More important, it was a cautionary note to not spend a lot of money on synth sounds as the improvement does not always meet the cost. Now I got the bug again. I have been using EZKeys and really like the interface and midi flexibility. It integrates well with my workflow of BIAB and Reaper. But the sale I picked up came only with the Electric Pianos and I am jonesin (is that a word?) for the EZkeys Grand. Anyone got any experience with Piano VSTi to help me make a decision? Do you have EZKeys Grand that we could exchange a side by side between it and Pianoteq?
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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Hi, Dan!
I recently got the Classic Electrics from Sweetwater (What a great company! CS as good as PG!) - and because of issues with the original order (long story) I ended up getting the Grand and the Studio Grand, too....
(I got the Funk midi for $9, too! - no-brainer)...
I don't have time at the moment (honey-do list) but later today, I'll put up some examples of the Studio Grand (better than the Grand, I think) as well as other pianos that I have... I've been thinking of doing this anyway... have a new "piano shootout" here on the forum...
I'll also put up a midi file for anyone to download to show off what pianos they have - so they all play the same thing (again, later today)...
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hehe  - you the man FJ. Great minds think alike.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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Have you listened to the IVORY piano collection? http://synthogy.com/index.php/demos/grand-pianos#AA piano player I was working with many years ago picked up one of the "lesser" Ivory piano packages and wow....what a difference in the sound quality of her tracks. It's not cheap.... http://www.musiciansfriend.com/virtual-piano-software/synthogy-ivory-ii-grand-pianos .... but in this case, yes, it is worth the price of admission.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 12/19/15 03:50 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Have you listened to the IVORY piano collection? Giving it a listen now - thanks for the referral. Ouch...
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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I would love, love, love to have Ivory,,,,, I might even spend more time playing the piano..... but... cost is a concern. I settled on the Steinburg piano collection from Cakewalk. It's a sampled collection of 10 pianos designed to work with the Cakewalk Sound Center. It sells for $20 last time I looked. You need to run it with Cakewalk Sound Center, which is a synth included with MC7 which also sells for $20 last time I looked. $40 and you get a top notch DAW in the deal. Not quite as good as the Ivory collection but for a guitar player who occasionally plays a piano part..... it works. Any time you hear ME playing a piano track in my songs, it is the Steinburg Concert Grand #1. I used it at 3:23 to the end in this song Fools Errand It's fairly easy to hear it since the music is essentially stopped and the piano part is soloed briefly.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 12/19/15 04:11 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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Here is a page that we can use to test different pianos. I have provided a snippet of MIDI that you should be able to download. It is the opening of one of my songs. (It was played by Garland Craft who toured with The Oak Ridge Boys for years). http://floydjane.com/Songs/Piano.htmI have used it to provide the sound of one of the 4Front TruePianos. If others will use the MIDI file to show other pianos, I will put them up as well.... Send me your piano example. Below is my email address (put it back together) floyd @ floydjane.com
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At this point, you should see 4 choices... http://floydjane.com/Songs/Piano.htmTruePiano Pianoteq (thanks, Dan!) Studio One (the grand that comes with Studio One Professional) EZKeys Studio Grand.. Anyone else?
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This is a great side by side comparison. Just what I needed to make a decision. I could rank them after only a few minutes of listening. Specially appreciated the ability to balance volumes for a better comparison.
My biggest question was how would EZKeys Studio Grand rank - and I can tell you it was one of my tops! Combine this with the midi content provided in the EZKeys package and it makes my decision easier.
Thanks for playing along FJ. Lets see what else we get.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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Oh boy. What a question. Go here and read about this subject for days: http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/2708316/1This is just one thread on Keyboard Corner. After some time on this forum I began to realize a lot of the posters there are true heavyweights. I'll see a little something mentioned about somebody and go, "Holy crap, he was on THAT album?" Or, "He just toured with WHO?" Even among guys like these, there's no consensus. A lot of it depends on the specific material they're playing at one particular time. It will change for other stuff. Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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Oh, by the way for those interested: Here is what I have so far! #1, 2 AND 3 and 4 (in no order, would have to listen longer to separate) TruePiano Pianoteq EZKeys Studio Grand ST3 # 5 Studio One Grand #6 Dimension Pro
Last edited by jazzmandan; 12/19/15 12:14 PM.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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I came to the conclusion many years ago that no one piano sample is the end all to be all. In the same way that one guitar and one amp will never fit every situation. Variety is the spice of life.
One song might need a specific tone that doesn't come close to working for the next song. While I like a sweet concert grand.... there are times when you need the sound of an upright.
Even with the 10 in the Steinburg package I have referenced, the 10 piano's all sound different and fit different usages.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 12/19/15 09:04 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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So there's no reason to test one against another because you have to buy them all.
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I came to the conclusion many years ago that no one piano sample is the end all to be all. In the same way that one guitar and one amp will never fit every situation. Variety is the spice of life.
One song might need a specific tone that doesn't come close to working for the next song. While I like a sweet concert grand.... there are times when you need the sound of an upright.
Even with the 10 in the Steinburg package I have referenced, the 10 piano's all sound different and fit different usages. That don't really apply to me cause all the music I make sounds the same.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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I passed ST3 on to FJ. I tried to use BIAB to play the midi with Coyote Forte but it would not work? Strange?
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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Hey that is nice. I am surprised. 
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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I would ask if you wouldn't mind taking this thread on a short side excursion, though it is related.
I have a little Akai MIDI keyboard on my desk. I only need it to hear an occasional pitch.
It works fine in BIAB, or in a DAW, but unless those are loaded, it makes no sound. Do any of these Virtual Pianos you are discussing work standalone? I want to load one in Windows, and have my Akai keyboard make a sound anytime, no matter what else is running. The ideal program would take very little in computer resources. Sound quality is not important, and all I need is a piano sound. I have searched but not found such a thing.
Thanks!
matt
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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I also like "Alicia's Keys", available from Native Instruments (as a Kontakt instrument).
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 2x2TB, 1x4TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 2x1.5TB, 2x2TB, 1x4TB SATA BB2025/UMC404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/MixBus/Notion/Finale/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com
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I can play my Midiman 49 Keystation as an input directly into both ST3 and EZKeys which both have standalone versions. And I can also play through both as well as the Pianoteq via my DAW. Is that what you are asking? They all sound wonderful with a velocity sensitive keyboard.
Sorry Matt, a little change, but even better news - All three I mentioned have Standalone apps. So I can play my keyboard threw each without loading Reaper or BIAB or RB.
BIAB – 2025, Reaper (current), i7-12700F Processor, 32GB DDR4-3200MHz RAM, 1TB WD Black NVMe SSD, 2TB WDC Blue SSD, 1TB WD Blue, 2 TB SK NVMe, 6 TB External, Motu Audio Express 6x6
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
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Video: Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®: VST3 Plugin Support
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