Topic by Steven Brown

  • Avatar
  • Steven Brown
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31-05-2012
  • Posts: 33

Topic: Piano-e-competition performances

To render the Pianoteq recordings listed under the Listen tab of the Pianoteq website, were the MIDI velocity values recorded by the Yamaha Disklavier system used as is, or were they edited or modified by use of a velocity curve other than the default linear (straight line from lower left to upper right of graph) velocity curve? I understand that velocity curves in Pianoteq apply only to MIDI input, but it is possible to use a velocity curve to modify velocity values from a MIDI file played on an external MIDI player connected to Pianoteq via a MIDI port.

Reply by Amen Ptah Ra

  • Avatar
  • Amen Ptah Ra
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Los Angeles, California
  • Registered: 12-05-2017
  • Posts: 1,817

Re: Piano-e-competition performances

Man, am I determined to help you!

The Pianoteq presets whether listed per instrument or genre by Modartt are mostly identical to presets you get when you download a Pianoteq Standard demo.  Unless you see the word customized appearing in parenthesis () next to a preset name shown on the Pianoteq website, you may assume the preset includes an unmodified linear velocity and confirm that it does once you select it and restore it to its default if needed in your copy of Pianoteq.

The primary function of a velocity map is keyboard calibration  —but definitely no MIDI editor calibration!

To my knowledge, Yamaha Disklavier has neither a preset calibrated to it nor a Yamaha XP MIDI file format intended for Pianoteq useage, exclusively.  So, out of all the Yamaha Disklavier performances available on the e-piano competition website, none has been earmarked for Modartt Pianoteq, specifically.

Last edited by Amen Ptah Ra (24-04-2019 04:44)
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 Steven Brown

  • Avatar
  • Steven Brown
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31-05-2012
  • Posts: 33

Re: Piano-e-competition performances

Amen Ptah Ra wrote:

The primary function of a velocity map is keyboard calibration  —and definitely no MIDI editor calibration!

It is not my aim to calibrate a MIDI editor. The Disklavier functions as a MIDI keyboard in the creation of a MIDI file, so the velocities in that file are numerical values resulting from the translation of velocities into numbers by the Disklavier system. Various MIDI keyboards differ in their translations of velocities into numbers, which is why Pianoteq has the option to change the velocity response curve, to make Pianoteq respond by generating the sound the pianist intends when playing the keyboard or intended when the recording was made using the internal sound generator of the keyboard, or in the case of the Disklavier, the sound made by the acoustic piano. Of course, the Disklavier will accurately reproduce the dynamics in a MIDI file recorded on the Disklavier, because it can be assumed the translation of velocity to numerical value is complementary to the translation of numerical value back to velocity. However, I don't think it can be assumed that Pianoteq will translate the numerical values back to the same velocities in terms of the sound (loudness and timbre) generated by the Disklavier. The two systems would have to be compared to see if they agree or differ. If they differ, the velocity values in the MIDI file would have to be modified, either by editing the numbers or by implementation of a velocity curve in Pianoteq, to ensure that velocity value x generates a note at mezzo-forte, the loudness at which the note way played, and not mezzo-piano, forte, or some other dynamic level.

My question is simply this: were the velocity values in the MIDI files from the piano e-competition modified in any way before rendered in Pianoteq to make the demo recordings, either by editing the MIDI file or by implementation of a custom velocity curve in Pianoteq running in standalone mode with MIDI input from an external MIDI player?

Reply by Steven Brown

  • Avatar
  • Steven Brown
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 31-05-2012
  • Posts: 33

Re: Piano-e-competition performances

"The two systems would have to be compared to see if they agree or differ. If they differ, the velocity values in the MIDI file would have to be modified, either by editing the numbers or by implementation of a velocity curve in Pianoteq, to ensure that velocity value x generates a note at mezzo-forte, the loudness at which the note way played, and not mezzo-piano, forte, or some other dynamic level."

I should clarify what I meant by the above. Of course, Pianoteq cannot modify a MIDI file. A custom velocity curve only modifies how it is rendered by the tone generator. To modify the MIDI file, it would be necessary to edit it, note-by-note, to implement the transfer function of the velocity curve.

Reply by Amen Ptah Ra

  • Avatar
  • Amen Ptah Ra
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Los Angeles, California
  • Registered: 12-05-2017
  • Posts: 1,817

Re: Piano-e-competition performances

One thing is for sure, it’s a long and arduous process.

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 Amen Ptah Ra

  • Avatar
  • Amen Ptah Ra
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: Los Angeles, California
  • Registered: 12-05-2017
  • Posts: 1,817

Re: Piano-e-competition performances

Steven Brown wrote:

I should clarify what I meant by the above. Of course, Pianoteq cannot modify a MIDI file. A custom velocity curve only modifies how it is rendered by the tone generator. To modify the MIDI file, it would be necessary to edit it, note-by-note, to implement the transfer function of the velocity curve.

I have to say, Steven, Pianoteq does modify a MIDI file!

You may edit the MIDI file within the container next to Pianoteq MIDI transport controls as you locate the MIDI event locator within the software and via a control-click to it, remove events that occur before or after it, if you choose subsequently to save the changes or just completely ignore them.  You may edit the MIDI file also when you delete MIDI channels from it in Pianoteq.

Factually, Pianoteq does modify any MIDI file you overwrite from the software Save MIDI file command!

Although Pianoteq modifies it after you edit the MIDI file inside Pianoteq itself, you've no way to loop playback in Pianoteq’s sequencer if you like to make required parameter adjustments along a looped selection and hear it repeated even as you make those important adjustments.

You know from a personal note, Steven, if you just practice some containment and keep your more than one topic post you create that pertain really to a single, within that one, others easily may follow it, in some logical step-by-step manner, or observe it as it develops or concludes  —without their needlessly having been made to hop sporadically from one to the other, you post.

Generally, people come to this forum because they seek the advice of others.  Please, try to consider others, sincerely, who want only to help.

Last edited by Amen Ptah Ra (24-04-2019 05:37)
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.