Topic: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Hello Fellow Pianoteqqies,

I have uploaded George Gershwin's two-piano arrangement of his own I've Got Rhythm Variations, where Yours Truly plays both parts via second piano overdub.  Here is the URL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTgsBEkSHL8

The pianos are panned left and right, exclusively, by careful positioning of the Binaural Head-shaped Microphones.  No third party processing, EQ, reverb, panning, compression, etc., were used in this performance.  All effects and settings you hear in this video are available out-of-the box.

Your opinions and comments are welcomed regarding the performance, piano settings, overall sound and anything else that strikes your fancy.

Enjoy,

Joe

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Only one thing to say : 's Wonderful !

Musical virtuosity at its best...as always from you!

Great demo of a new possibility and proof that ptq can have that crisp sound jazz requires.

One minor complaint : I feel when closing my eyes and listening through headphones, that the pianos are too far apart, and although it helps in separating both parts, real players must be closer together I suppose, and that destroys a bit the sense that this is a real piano duo.

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Far too much reverb, I think. It almost sounds as if this was recorded in one of those huge halls where they normally put aeroplanes to bed. Apart from the fact that this 'spacial hugeness' sounds a bit strange around just two pianos (to my ears anyway) and that it prevents the instruments from ever connecting with one another, it also has a rather negative influence on the musical texture and dynamics because plenty of detail seems to dissolve in the reverb-drenched sound before it is able to reach the listener.
And I agree with Gilles: there seems to be an awful lot of space between the two instruments as well.

I think the whole thing might work a lot better if the scale of this production is drastically reduced: a medium size room or chamber, the two instrument side-by-side and the listener(s) just a few meters in front of them.

But the playing is certainly most entertaining. Well done.

_

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Performance - faultless!

You'll have to change your name to jcfelice176keys!

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Gilles wrote:

One minor complaint : I feel when closing my eyes and listening through headphones, that the pianos are too far apart, and although it helps in separating both parts, real players must be closer together I suppose, and that destroys a bit the sense that this is a real piano duo.


Piet wrote:

Far too much reverb, I think. It almost sounds as if this was recorded in one of those huge halls where they normally put aeroplanes to bed. Apart from the fact that this 'spacial hugeness' sounds a bit strange around just two pianos (to my ears anyway) and that it prevents the instruments from ever connecting with one another, it also has a rather negative influence on the musical texture and dynamics because plenty of detail seems to dissolve in the reverb-drenched sound before it is able to reach the listener.
And I agree with Gilles: there seems to be an awful lot of space between the two instruments as well.

Hello Gentlemen,

Your above observations are quite true in my mind as well:  Especially when listening through headphones, the pianos sound way too far apart and they are bathed in too much liquid reverb.

Although I did use the Binaural settings, this was done on purpose to make an impact on YouTube viewers who simply watch and listen through conventional computer speakers.  When listened through a conventional computer monitor setup, one hears each piano panned to left / right, and the reverb is not as nearly excessive as the performance sounds through good headphones.

In my opening statement, I specifically stated that no third party hardware (EQ, Reverb, Compression, etc) was used in this presentation.  Personally my intended overuse of panning and reverb (especially when listening through headphones) points out the versatility of Pianoteq's reverb and microphone settings!  It IS possible to pan things way too far left and way too far right, and to bathe the sound in far too much reverb -- especially when listened in headphones.  I believe there was another thread where one correspondent was concerned he could not pan the piano quite as far to the left and right as he would have preferred.

However, when presenting to a worldwide audience via YouTube and conventional computer monitor speakers, the sound is more palpable.


If there is interest in hearing a different sonic perspective, just say so, and I shall prepare a version that brings the pianos' sounds much closer together and in a more intimate surrounding.

Thank you very much for your responses so far.  Additional thoughts and comments from other members are sincerely encouraged and welcomed.  What a great forum this is that we are free to speak our hearts and minds.

Cheers,

Joe

Last edited by jcfelice88keys (18-12-2009 05:16)

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Joe,

Yes, I would very much like to hear a much more intimate setting. Thanks in advance!
(By the way, I didn't listen to this on headphones but on my studio monitors. I only mention it to say that the excessive amount of reverb isn't an exclusive headphone feature.)

_

Re: YouTube Pianoteq Performance -- Two Pianos

Very Good, I liked.  Good Job.

Here a interisting piano duet that would also sound interesting in a pianoteq duet.

Part 1-      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5p4eyJ5VSI
Part 2-      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFM_T13o...re=related

It's a Fazioli and a Bosendorfer.
We also hear a lot of reverb, but even so the performance it's still nice.