Topic by dikrek

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  • dikrek
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Topic: Comparison between Pianoteq and Modern D

Hi all, I made another attempt.

Here’s the Modern D recording from David Lai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZTgDvFS-uk

He gave me his MIDI file and I did this with a modified NYD Player preset plus some external reverb and saturation and EQ:

https://pianoclack.s3.us-east-1.amazona...player.mp3

I know several of the folks in that forum dislike Pianoteq but I’ve been trying to figure out the invariants of this.

So - in my version, what’s missing?

To me it sounds good. I’m using balanced Sennheiser HD560S and a high end headphone amp with a balanced connection.

I’m not claiming either sounds better. If anything, the sustains and resonance on Modern D seem a bit… restrained.

And the room tone and reverb in Modern D aren’t to my liking. So I didn’t try to replicate that.

It may be useful to focus also on the more intense parts like from 1:40-2:30, or around minute 4.

The people that dislike Pianoteq keep saying those parts sound totally artificial and not at all like a piano.

Last edited by dikrek (Yesterday 16:29)

Reply by Professor Leandro Duarte

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  • Professor Leandro Duarte
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  • Registered: 03-03-2019
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Re: Comparison between Pianoteq and Modern D

dikrek wrote:

Hi all, I made another attempt.

Here’s the Modern D recording from David Lai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZTgDvFS-uk

He gave me his MIDI file and I did this with a modified NYD Player preset plus some external reverb and saturation and EQ:

https://pianoclack.s3.us-east-1.amazona...player.mp3

I know several of the folks in that forum dislike Pianoteq but I’ve been trying to figure out the invariants of this.

So - in my version, what’s missing?

To me it sounds good. I’m using balanced Sennheiser HD560S and a high end headphone amp with a balanced connection.

I’m not claiming either sounds better. If anything, the sustains and resonance on Modern D seem a bit… restrained.

And the room tone and reverb in Modern D aren’t to my liking. So I didn’t try to replicate that.

It may be useful to focus also on the more intense parts like from 1:40-2:30, or around minute 4.

The people that dislike Pianoteq keep saying those parts sound totally artificial and not at all like a piano.


Interestingly, this section (1:40 to 2:30) was the one I found most realistic in Pianoteq.

I think it's all a matter of taste and perspective.

Respeito, Esforço e Sabedoria

Reply by Pianistically

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  • Pianistically
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  • Registered: 12-07-2023
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Re: Comparison between Pianoteq and Modern D

dikrek wrote:

Hi all, I made another attempt.

Here’s the Modern D recording from David Lai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZTgDvFS-uk

He gave me his MIDI file and I did this with a modified NYD Player preset plus some external reverb and saturation and EQ:

https://pianoclack.s3.us-east-1.amazona...player.mp3

I know several of the folks in that forum dislike Pianoteq but I’ve been trying to figure out the invariants of this.

So - in my version, what’s missing?

To me it sounds good. I’m using balanced Sennheiser HD560S and a high end headphone amp with a balanced connection.

I’m not claiming either sounds better. If anything, the sustains and resonance on Modern D seem a bit… restrained.

And the room tone and reverb in Modern D aren’t to my liking. So I didn’t try to replicate that.

It may be useful to focus also on the more intense parts like from 1:40-2:30, or around minute 4.

The people that dislike Pianoteq keep saying those parts sound totally artificial and not at all like a piano.

I find the Pianoteq version smoother with better rendition of the dynamics. I think the excess of reverb and resonance somehow ruins the performance in the Modern D version. The lower bass sounds good though.   (For the record , the pianist may not be too familiar with the piece as some dynamics are wrong. Bar 62 after the ff in bar 61 there must be a strong descrencendo in bar 62 63  to reach p on bar 64  and ppp on bar 70. The pianist here doesn't not respect it . It affects of course both renditions)