Yamaha P-225 Custom Velocity Curve for Pianoteq 9

Hello everyone,

I would like to share a custom velocity curve that I have been testing with my Yamaha P-225 (GHC action) and Pianoteq 9 Standard. I hope it serves as a useful starting point for other P-225 owners.

I started with a velocity curve originally shared by another user for the Yamaha P-525:

Velocity = [0, 33, 82, 104; 0, 34, 97, 127]

However, I found that I needed to adjust the input values to obtain a response that felt more natural on the P-225’s action.

After testing and making manual adjustments, I settled on the following points (Input -> Output):

* 0 -> 0
* 33 -> 34
* 90 -> 97 (changed from 82)
* 120 -> 127 (changed from 104)

Pianoteq velocity string format:

Velocity = [0, 33, 90, 120; 0, 34, 97, 127]

Testing with different piano instruments and presets

I tested this curve across five piano models from three Pianoteq instrument packs, using the following presets:

* Steinway Model D: New York Steinway Model D (Classical) and Hamburg Steinway Model D (Classical).
* PETROF Grand Pianos: ANT. PETROF 275 (Warm) and PETROF 284 Mistral (Warm).
* Bösendorfer: Concert Grand 280VC (Warm).

I wanted to ensure the dynamic response felt comfortable and musical across different acoustic profiles rather than tailoring it to a single instrument.

My experience with this curve

So far, I am very pleased with the results. The response feels slightly more expressive than the default linear curve while maintaining detailed control over low dynamics:

* Very quiet pianissimo notes are easy to play and control.
* Dynamic transitions feel smooth across the mid-range.
* Reaching forte feels natural without having to strike the keys excessively hard.

I used the onboard CFX sound of the P-225 as my reference to achieve a Pianoteq response that felt familiar under my fingers.

A note about accessibility

I am blind and use a screen reader. I found that Pianoteq’s built-in velocity calibration assistant has some accessibility limitations, making it difficult to complete calibration reliably using screen-reading software alone.

For this reason, I used an existing curve for a similar Yamaha keyboard as a baseline and adjusted the input values manually through listening and playing tests.

Background

I am a hobbyist learning piano technique and exploring sound design, not an advanced pianist. My setup is a Yamaha P-225 (GHC action) running Pianoteq 9 Standard.

Velocity response is naturally subjective and depends on individual technique and preferences. I am sharing this as a practical starting point based on my own testing with the P-225, rather than as an official Yamaha calibration.

If other P-225 owners decide to try it, I would love to hear your feedback!

Thank you!

Update:

After some further testing, I found another velocity curve that I currently prefer over the one I originally posted.

I came across this curve in another Pianoteq forum discussion about the Yamaha CLP-895GP:

Velocity = [0, 18, 109, 127; 0, 0, 127, 127]

I decided to try it with my Yamaha P-225, and so far I like the response even more. It feels more natural and expressive to me, especially when controlling the dynamics from very soft playing to forte.

The original curve I posted was experimental, and I am still experimenting with different settings. I will probably continue testing and may eventually modify this curve or try other curves I come across. For now, this is the one I prefer on my P-225, but I would still be interested in hearing other users’ experiences and suggestions.