I recently bought and has been installed on my vertical acoustic piano (Burger-Jacobi) a silent system PianoDisc QuietTime Magic Star, it has also the MIDI IN-OUT-THRU connections and so I connected it to my iMac where I've a demo version of Pianoteq 4.2.0 version.

The result (sound output) via my external speakers (but it's the same with headphones!) BOSE Companion 2 Series II is very poor, the sound is flat and very low in contrast to what I can hear when using the mouse over the virtual keyboard on Pianoteq interface, this last one is very outstanding!

I'm reading a lot about Pianoteq and it seems that I need to adjust it to obtain a good sound (velocity curve, etc.), as I'm very new to this world (MIDI, VST, etc.) and interested on buying Pianoteq please could you help me on various settings and tell me some best practies to start with ?

The MIDI Implementation Chart of my system (an extract and only the Transmitted features) is as follows:
M I D I C h a n n e l s 1 - 1 6
M o d e X
N o t e N u m b e r 2 1 - 1 0 8
V e l o c i t y
N o t e O n 9 n , V = 1 2 7 9 n
N o t e O f f 9 n , V = 0 8 n
K e y A f t e r t o u c h X
C h a n n e l A f t e r t o u c h X
P i t c h b e n d X
C o n t r o l C h a n g e
0 , 3 2 X Blank Select
1 X Modulation
6 , 3 8 X Data entry
7 X M a i n V o l u m e
1 0 X P a n
1 1 X E x p r e s s i o n
6 4 O D a m p e r p e d a l
6 7 O S o f t p e d a l
9 1 X R e v e r b D e p t h
9 3 X C h o r u s D e p t h
9 8 X N R P N L S B
9 9 X N R P N M S B
1 0 0 X R P N L S B
1 0 1 X R P N M S B
1 2 0 X A l l S o u n d O f f
1 2 1 X R e s e t A l l C o n t r o l l e r s
1 2 3 X A l l N o t e O f f
P r o g r a m m C h a n g e X O
Note: 1. Default Pitch Bend = 1 Semitone
2. Mode 1 : OMNI ON, POLY
3. Mode 2 : OMNI OFF, POLY

Looking at Pianoteq interface while pressing the keys on my piano it seems that the MIDI information transimtted (velocity ?) is almost the same in value terms, it ranges from 40 to 70-75 also if I press very soflty and very hardly on the keys, the velocity shouldn't be in a range from 0 to 127 ?

Thanks a lot, regards.

Roberto.

I take this;
"The result (sound output) via my external speakers (but it's the same with headphones!) BOSE Companion 2 Series II is very poor, the sound is flat and very low in contrast to what I can hear when using the mouse over the virtual keyboard on Pianoteq interface, this last one is very outstanding!"
as being the critical issue.

The quality of the audio path from pianoteq via your speakers (or headphones) seems to be the issue.
It isn't clear from your post that you are using the same "instrument" for your testing as is used in the demo, or that you are using the same audio path.

Velocity curves and PianoDisc set up may become important, but I think sorting out any audio issues FIRST is more important.

The word "sensitivity" can be tricky. The sensors may already be set to be too sensitive--thus they register soft strikes as hard strikes. On the other hand, if the term "sensitivity" refers to being sensitive to the actual velocity value, then the sensors may not be sensitive enough. But there's no need to get tangled up in the term. Just set the system so that you can very low lower velocities and very high higher velocities.

When I play with headphones with my QuietTime it sounds good (naturally in its limits of sampled sound!).

Someone could tell me if I raise up the sensitivity value what should I obtain from ?

Other question: this is a working process...I hear a better sound whan I play through software and with speakers than when I play with piano and headphones, maybe the headphones are of poor quality ? What kind of speakers and headphones do you use ? What should I look for about the technical specifications on buying those products ?

Regards, Roberto.

The manual says that calibration is required and may be required for individual keys. I would use the hardware's velocity calibration before making adjustments to the Pianoteq velocity curve. Or work with both at the same time.

Let us know how it works out. I would like to hear recordings, if you make a few.

Question:  playing on velocity curve and other parameters on pianoteq could help me to produce a piano and forte on my keys more simpler ?

The result (sound output) via my external speakers (but it's the same with headphones!) BOSE Companion 2 Series II is very poor, the sound is flat and very low in contrast to what I can hear when using the mouse over the virtual keyboard on Pianoteq interface, this last one is very outstanding!

I'm reading a lot about Pianoteq and it seems that I need to adjust it to obtain a good sound (velocity curve, etc.), as I'm very new to this world (MIDI, VST, etc.) and interested on buying Pianoteq please could you help me on various settings and tell me some best practies to start with ?

The MIDI Implementation Chart of my system (an extract and only the Transmitted features) is as follows:
M I D I C h a n n e l s 1 - 1 6
M o d e X
N o t e N u m b e r 2 1 - 1 0 8
V e l o c i t y
N o t e O n 9 n , V = 1 2 7 9 n
N o t e O f f 9 n , V = 0 8 n
K e y A f t e r t o u c h X
C h a n n e l A f t e r t o u c h X
P i t c h b e n d X
C o n t r o l C h a n g e
0 , 3 2 X Blank Select
1 X Modulation
6 , 3 8 X Data entry
7 X M a i n V o l u m e
1 0 X P a n
1 1 X E x p r e s s i o n
6 4 O D a m p e r p e d a l
6 7 O S o f t p e d a l
9 1 X R e v e r b D e p t h
9 3 X C h o r u s D e p t h
9 8 X N R P N L S B
9 9 X N R P N M S B
1 0 0 X R P N L S B
1 0 1 X R P N M S B
1 2 0 X A l l S o u n d O f f
1 2 1 X R e s e t A l l C o n t r o l l e r s
1 2 3 X A l l N o t e O f f
P r o g r a m m C h a n g e X O
Note: 1. Default Pitch Bend = 1 Semitone
2. Mode 1 : OMNI ON, POLY
3. Mode 2 : OMNI OFF, POLY

Looking at Pianoteq interface while pressing the keys on my piano it seems that the MIDI information transimtted (velocity ?) is almost the same in value terms, it ranges from 40 to 70-75 also if I press very soflty and very hardly on the keys, the velocity shouldn't be in a range from 0 to 127 ?

Thanks a lot, regards.

Roberto.