I have now, as of this morning.  1) I'm using the demo version of Pianoteq, is that okay?  2) Am I supposed to start up the Pianoteq program before I start up Mixcraft, or does that not matter?

1. I think the demo version of Pianoteq will, with the usual limitations for the demo, work.

2. No, no. The standalone version of Pianoteq is a completely different program. A vsti will only play in a host such as Mixcraft.

Are you able to see Pianoteq in the list yet? If not, be sure that you click on:

1. File\Preferences\Plugins (at the bottom of the list)
2. Edit vst/vsti folders\Add and then find and select the Pianoteq folder and click on OK and then OK again
3. Click on Rescan all VST Plugins and then on OK again

If you have done all of this, and there is no sound, there are some things to check:

1. That you add a vsti track.
2. You have set the channel with the correct midi out device. As a test, just assign the midi device to all of the tracks. See the next step.
3. You have clicked on the keyboard icon at the right of the track. If you have just bought the program, but have not registered it, a message may open saying that it must be registered. If what instead opens is the vsti Intruments dialog box, be sure the checkbox at the far left beside Pianoteq is checked. If it is, click on the Config button on the far right of that dialog box, under Outputs. In the Outputs dialog box that opens, click on All and then on Ok. You should hear sound when  you play your midi keyboard at this point.
4. You have not accidentally muted the track or soloed another track. Don't open any of the preset songs, which might have tracks muted for a few bars or other tracks soloed for a time. Start with nothing and then add the vsti track.
5. That you can, come to think of it, get sound from any vsti. Is it Pianoteq, or any vsti that does not produce a sound?

Keep posting and don't get discouraged. Everyone runs into a cul de sac at times, and rumor has it that Alice's Mad Hatter was fine until he started working with a sequencer.

Don't know why that should be since that's the standard place to put plugins; but it's not a bolted-in place (though a well-known one), so perhaps Mixcraft is catering to ANY possibility as its default path (that is, it doesn't declare any standard path, and you MUST browse for your target).

I may have to stick with my original setup.  I bought the Mixcraft 6 which is 64 bit, and downloaded the Pianoteq 64 bit version - still not working.  I was really looking forward to using the Pianoteq program, but will probably stick to recording a real piano.  Thanks for the help anyway.

Something's wrong there. Are you sure you are trying to load the 64 bit version of Pianoteq? If it doesn't load, I would post on the Mixcraft forum, too. The entire idea of using vsti's is that you can load them up into sequencer\audio program. A vsti should be a vsti.

Thanks, yes, I browsed and found the DLL under a folder called "Steinburg" in the Program Files as a VST plugin, but still not showing up in the list.  Not sure about the 32 bit and 64 bit issue.

That may well be the problem. Remember that Pianoteq is available in both 32 bit and 64 bit versions. So you have to get three things aligned: the right cpu with the right sequencer with the right dll.

Confusing and cumbersome at times because many vsti's and some hosts are not yet in 64 bit versions, but most computers now sold are 64 bit. And then Windows, if you are using Windows, puts 32 bit dll's in the C:\Program file(86)\Steinberg\vsti or vst folder and 64 bit files in the regular C:\Program files\Steinberg folder\vsti or vst folder. Once you sort it out, however, things get much more straightforward.

Everything works except Pianoteq does not show up on the list.  And, no piano sound.

I don't know Mixcraft, but the only time I've had this problem was when I had a 32 bit sequencing program and a 64 bit instrument or the reverse.

On the other hand, you may have to tell Mixcraft where to find the Pianoteq vsti. On the dialog box that lists the vsti's, there should be a Browse or similar button that lets you hunt down the dll.