Topic by Professor Leandro Duarte

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Topic: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

I recently purchased the "Pianos Eletric" package. So, playing it more effectively, I didn't understand why there is a Soft Pedal (a string) in an instrument that has metallic blades instead of multiple strings.

Perhaps this is why this soft pedal makes almost no difference in sound. I even thought of replacing it with Celeste Pedal in the "Global Midi Mapping", because it works better and has more likelihood with the reality of the physical model.

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Reply by Qexl

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Re: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

That pedal does seem disconnected (although when we press the pedal, the animation still plays pedal up and down), replacing una corda with Cleste or Mozart rail in simple testing I didn't discern a difference.

Noticing the tools 'pickup distance' replaces 'soft pedal' slider seen in pianos for example, but the left pedal is not hooked up to that in MKII in the way that pedal altering is possible in the pianos for example.

Seems in keeping with a purist ideal though I suppose. Maybe in future, it could get a standard amount of soft pedal effect if enough people like to play using it? (a bit like it's not realistic to have 88 notes on a Broadwood - but it's nice to have).

Maybe as technology progresses though, we'll one day be able to look down and see our physical una corda pedal disappear before our eyes when we load the MKII hehe (dad-level geek-joke sorry)

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Reply by LTECpiano

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Re: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

At least the keyboard does not shift to the right when depressing the Soft Pedal as so noted in the "yellow/square/info balloon.  Perhaps pressing the pedal would simply make the overall keyboard just a little lower in output volume and the info window could be reworded accordingly.

Lanny

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Reply by Professor Leandro Duarte

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Re: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

Really, your opinions are very good!

I believe a volume pedal or wah wah is most useful on this instrument. However, using the assignable features to change midi parameters, I don't like the information that the presset has been modified.
It would be great if this pedal feature were reviewed by Modartt in the next updates.

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Reply by NathanShirley

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Re: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

Perhaps the heart of this discussion is what is the ultimate goal of Pianoteq. Is it to recreate existing instruments as accurately as possible? Or, is it to open up new sonic possibilities, impractical or impossible in the physical world? Based on the range of what Pianoteq offers, I assume their goal is both.

There are quite a few "illogical" aspects of instrument parameters within Pianoteq, but for the most part I actually like them because they open up new sonic possibilities. The soft pedal does change the tone slightly on electric pianos, but it's subtle. Perhaps the argument could be made that the soft pedal shouldn't be assigned to the left pedal by default... but then again, how many electric pianos have a left pedal at all? You can of course save your own modified preset as you like, then you won't see the "modified" message.

I do miss not being able to adjust the soft pedal level in the electric pianos. I would actually prefer all parameters of all instruments be available in all instruments, even when completely illogical (pickups on acoustic instruments could be confusing... but interesting). We can always use our imaginations... say a harpsichord whose quills dynamically change stiffness as they pluck at various velocities, using a completely redesigned action. And why not allow the tines of a Rhodes piano to be 30m long?

Last edited by NathanShirley (26-05-2020 02:32)
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Reply by Professor Leandro Duarte

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Re: Is there no reason to have a Soft Pedal in Mark II?

NathanShirley wrote:

Perhaps the heart of this discussion is what is the ultimate goal of Pianoteq. Is it to recreate existing instruments as accurately as possible? Or, is it to open up new sonic possibilities, impractical or impossible in the physical world? Based on the range of what Pianoteq offers, I assume their goal is both.

There are quite a few "illogical" aspects of instrument parameters within Pianoteq, but for the most part I actually like them because they open up new sonic possibilities. The soft pedal does change the tone slightly on electric pianos, but it's subtle. Perhaps the argument could be made that the soft pedal shouldn't be assigned to the left pedal by default... but then again, how many electric pianos have a left pedal at all? You can of course save your own modified preset as you like, then you won't see the "modified" message.

I do miss not being able to adjust the soft pedal level in the electric pianos. I would actually prefer all parameters of all instruments be available in all instruments, even when completely illogical (pickups on acoustic instruments could be confusing... but interesting). We can always use our imaginations... say a harpsichord whose quills dynamically change stiffness as they pluck at various velocities, using a completely redesigned action. And why not allow the tines of a Rhodes piano to be 30m long?


In fact, today, using headphones and paying more attention, I could see a subtle influence of the soft pedal.

You are very intelligent, Nathan Shirley when considering the real purpose of Pianoteq.

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