I have some other websites that I just found but don't have time this morning to read, but will get back to it either later today or tomorrow.

Luc, one other thing that I don't understand (for the virtual microphones in Pianoteq in particular) is why some microphone positions on particular VST pianos give the stereo imaging impression that the sound is coming all around me, as if I am bathing in it, as compared to others that have discreet directional qualities (for my 'Player-simulations', I prefer distinct directionality, or as much as is present from a real piano).  The Grotrian is one of those pianos that sounds great, but for which I frequently hear non-directional characteristics to its sound when I try to do 'virtual' Player-position presets, no matter how I distribute the microphones.  Do you know why this might be?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/OB5pWOIWZBpfxePm2

Gilles, maybe I should go to my nearest Cabane A Sucre for a few liters of L'eau Erable - do you think soaking the lower workings in that may help?  But then it might attract too many ants!

You may have better results with the "tire d'érable" quite sticky taffy-like stuff

https://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=htt...sQ9QEIKjAA

For my piano, the best type of sustain is the technique of "finger pedaling", as I learned on a Pianist Magazine video.

I have tried both glue and wood screws to tighten up the bittom of my piano's cabinet. But it's likely an ancient rebuild with non-original wood and mechanism (even before I replaced some deteriorating parts with new ones of red oak).

Gilles, maybe I should go to my nearest Cabane A Sucre for a few liters of L'eau Erable - do you think soaking the lower workings in that may help?  But then it might attract too many ants!

Here are uncompressed (well, compressed as MP3s but not with audio compression in Cubase), non-equalized, first analog recordings.  The first is of a nervous me playing a Beethoven-like bit mated to Coffee Shop Boogie.  First you hear the real piano (1885 Steinway F), and then Pianoteq (with a modified Steinway B Improv preset that could use more tweaking).  The second is the same set-up, this time versus the Grotrian Intimate in a Player configuration (I think that I mistakenly called it "Grotrian Improv" in my audio recording).  The third is a brief improvisation in A-minor using just the Grotrian Intimate as Player preset - and it features my old piano's really noisy sustain pedal, which I can't seem to quiet - yes, it's almost this loud in real life as well.  The audio speakers are Emotiva Stealth 8's and Airmotiv 4's, along with their Bas-X 8" subwoofer.  Also, when I say "turn off the Steinway", what I really mean is that I am engaging the rubber-and-aluminum Stop-Rail so that the hammers on the piano don't contact the strings.

http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...ort-of.mp3
http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...-Blues.mp3
http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...-minor.mp3

The microphones are both set as cardioid, to either side of me, and facing the middle of the piano, but higher than my head.  Here is a photo showing the set-up in my living room:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/HVdn0WrgJ1kqpwGq2

It's a start, and now I'm getting a flavor of how black an art recording is (I'm not referring to the piano or the gear - just the magic that I am yet to learn).  Other than the piano playing, which needs the most work, I need to play with equalization to kill some of the bass and increase the treble a bit, try different microphone positions (the microphones higher than my head hear the upwards-facing Stealth 8's differently than my ears do), and try to use presets that are as close as possible to my piano by my ears using "Player" position.  Also, what I really should do is first record a MIDI file on my acoustic piano via the QRS PNOscan MIDI bar while the Stop Rail is disengaged, and then play that MIDI file through the Pianoteq VSTs in Cubase.

Anyway, it's a start...

Well, this morning I figured out that I had an incorrect monitor and recording set up with Cubase. This morning I was able to make some recordings both with the real piano and the VST pianos, playing within Cubase. I am still not perfect on loading a MIDI file and playing it back through the VST while recording into a separate tract, but I did manage to do that once, although I was only able to play it back by clicking on the recorded "sample track" to hear it – otherwise it didn't work. So, I am getting there.

I ordered two of the 420s, and will return the 2050. The 2050 wasn't bad, but it had a bit of a plasticky, artificial sound. I will see if the 420s sound better. The beauty of ordering online with return fees only paying Amazon shipping isn't all that bad…

… Making progress!

I'm suprised by your comment on the AT2050, it's a really good mic, the P420 will probably not be better... and if I were you, I would certainly buy a second one, instead of a P420 to achieve a stereo setup. Look at the position of your mic(s): just a few inches makes a huge difference.

I think that the cable actually was my problem.  When I couldn't record with the new AT2050, I was using an XLR at the mic to 1/4" phono at the Steinberg UR22 mkII.  I swapped for an XLR to XLR cable, and I could then record.  So I went back to the Shure 58A, which now also works much better than it did (though it's not as good as the AT2050, which themselves aren't great. 

I was able to record my acoustic piano, but I have yet figured out if I can use the Steinberg both to output to monitor speakers as well as to record what Pianoteq sounds like through the monitor speakers.  I don't know whether that will work by not running the MIDI through Cubase, or perhaps through ASIO4ALL separate from the recording microphone.  I keep getting feedback as the monitor speakers are playing monitor output along with Pianoteq, when what I want is to run the monitor function to my headphones but Pianoteq to the speakers.  If I get it to work, then I can compare acoustic to Pianoteq.

Does this take two external soundcards/audio interfaces (UR22 mkIIs)?  One for production acoustic output and one for input?  Understand that I already can record Pianoteq as synthesis from MIDI, and even mix that with acoustic piano, but that's not what I'm trying to do, as I am trying to record Pianoteq as if it were an acoustic piano.

Thanks for the P420 tips.