Topic by dcbrow

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  • dcbrow
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Topic: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

Hi, all,

Overall, I quite like the Steinway Model B, but sometimes I find it to be a little muffled and to have less clarity and brightness in the sound that I would like. I especially find the bass notes from say C2 to C3 (or maybe a little wider) to be quite muffled and dark sounding and not very piano like. This may be my speakers, but I hear it both in headphones and speakers. What bothers me most is that it just sounds quite different from the notes above middle C and sometimes I find it jarring when I play shells in the left hand around e2 or f2.

I have tried many changes, from equalizer to hammer hardness to spectrum profile changes and while I feel it is improved, I'm not sure it sounds as good as it could.

So I thought I would just ask, if you agree that the bass on the Model B is not idea, what changes would you try and why? It would help me understand better how to tweak the sounds in Pianoteq.

FWIW, I have Pianoteq Pro (version 9). Also, I play almost exclusively jazz. I would also point out that I have very little experience on a real piano and none on an actual model B. Maybe that's just how they sound?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Reply by kawai_user3535

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

I don't have the fix, but I can add my voice that I agree, something's off with the bass on Steinway B. I think version 9 improved it a lot relative to 8. But there's still something like a big blanket is covering that part of the soundboard. To me it seems the muffled quality goes up to the 3rd E-flat from the bottom.

Reply by Amen Ptah Ra

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

Do either of you have an FXP, MP3, and MIDI to upload and to post at this thread and allow others to hear what you describe?

Pianoteq 8 Studio Bundle, Pearl malletSTATION EM1, Roland (DRUM SOUND MODULE TD-30, HandSonic 10, AX-1), Akai EWI USB, Yamaha DIGITAL PIANO P-95, M-Audio STUDIOPHILE BX5, Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP.

Reply by kawai_user3535

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

I hear it in all Steinway B presets. I guess it's most noticeable in Player preset, less so in Wide.

Reply by Amen Ptah Ra

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

Suggested is maybe you upload an example that can allow another to rule out any possible flawed signal chain from your end.

Honestly, I'm hearing nothing even faintly resembling the sound of a big blanket, blue, green, red or other.  (Smile.)

Perhaps you're just engaging in Christmas spirit.  (You know about the Linus character from A Charlie Brown Christmas.)

Seriously if you mostly dislike Steinway B Player but like Steinway B Wide more than you do the others of the Grand Steinway B, it's probably because Steinway B Player Stereo Width is set only to .30 when actually you expect to hear the details from a broader stereo image.

Whenever you increase Stereo Width a piano appears close having more recognizable detail. 

Maybe try too positive adjustments to Unison Balance after you increase Unison Width also.  All of which might raise the perceivable brightness of an instrument.

Personally, I like to stress one thing here:  Have a wonderful and a Merry Christmas!

Pianoteq 8 Studio Bundle, Pearl malletSTATION EM1, Roland (DRUM SOUND MODULE TD-30, HandSonic 10, AX-1), Akai EWI USB, Yamaha DIGITAL PIANO P-95, M-Audio STUDIOPHILE BX5, Focusrite Saffire PRO 24 DSP.

Reply by daniel_r328

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

Heya, it's quite hard to pinpoint what the cause is (e.g. in my setup the Steinway B doesn't sound muffled compared to other models). To narrow it down could you try:

1. Cycling through pianoteq's equaliser presets (both in the Equaliser panel and the Equaliser snap-in in the Effects panel) and see if any of those make it better
2. modifying hammer hardness and observing if any changes improve a given register
3. modifying strike point and observing if any changes improve a given register
4. same with direct sound duration and maybe hammer noise

Those insights should help get to the bottom of it

Reply by dcbrow

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Re: How to improve bass notes in Steinway Model B

Thanks, all. I appreciate these ideas. I will play with it as time permits. When I have time I will try to post an fxp file with my modifications of the default Model B.