First feedback from a beginner piano player and beginner Pianoteq Standard user:
1. When using Stage I was always confused regarding microphones location. I was constantly afraid that I am somehow ruining the experience by selecting "Binaural" when default for that particular instrument was "Stereophonic". Since I didn't hear that 3D sound very well I was simply confused as to what is happening. All confusion is gone with Standard - I can just click on "microphone" button and just learn what is happening.
So... I believe that Stage should also get "microphone" button, but simply *without* the ability to move mics around. Even if I was the only confused person in the world about that I think that it would still be useful as a great demo of the feature - people would be eager to try and relocate those mics.
2. I know I said in the title that I'm not going to be a "tweaker", but I just became one What encouraged me to tweak settings were three things:
* Introduction to Pianoteq 5 video (I wish I have seen it before... somehow Pianoteq software seems very simple, so I didn't feel like I needed to check out any documentation or tutorials - I wish someone told me that I will benefit it that much!)
* I love Blanchet harpsichord. I started playing Bach pieces that I learn with it and it just made me appreciate alternative sounds.
* I was checking mics location on different instruments and I was puzzled when I found that D4 Binaural has that dummy head located on top of the piano, even beyond keybed. I thought that it should be located where the player's head is. So I just moved it to where I thought it should be and that was my first step. From there next steps are much easier. I started to tweak everything
Although I don't save my settings yet, I only experiment. It's probably silly but I am afraid that if I play with my mods it will somehow change my perception of what is a good piano sound
3. I only discovered calibration after I started with Standard. Whenever I calibrate it gives me less control, sound is too loud and less pleasant (sound is slightly different when you hit keys hard and that's what I hear all the time). I know it's not Pianoteq's fault - probably just me being beginner pianist and not having much control over my fingers (how light or hard I press the keys, what is appropriate amount of "half pedal"). Somehow as a beginner I'm getting worse experience when calibrating than without it. Or maybe it's just me being used to flat curves (after 2-3 weeks of playing with Pianoteq)...
And thank you OrganoPleno for the idea - I always wanted to try those and just didn't realize it's now possible!
