Happy new user :-)

Hi everyone,

I need to post this for some thanks. I have just begun to play the piano. A friend of mine lent me an digital unit that's not top of the line, but definitely good enough for someone with zero level like me.
I quickly felt like checking out what VSTs existed, and discovered this whole world, with its intricacies and dare I say clans.

Being a Linux user, the Pianoteq demo was a godsend : didn't know whether the midi cable would work at all, didn't want to invest without knowing what I'd be getting… After two days with the demo I bought it. Not long afterwards, I got used to much better sounds, and when I tried the Blüthner add-on again then, I just had to lay my hands on it.

Fast forward three months, now ; I have been owning a VPC1 for three days. That thing is just fabulous. The fact that I can have that feeling + that control + that sound with the combination of Pianoteq and the Kawai, and that this can be achieved so effortlessly on my Archlinux distro is mind boggling.

For the record, since I couldn't find many info on the VPC1 + Pianoteq on Linux, let the Internet wonderworld know that it works like a charm. No problem with the midi-over-usb thing, it was recognized instantly.

Let me mention here that I earn normal wages, and that these purchases do come with eating more pasta and less meat. But what do I care, when it means so much goodness ?
Pianoteq stage + Blüthner + VPC1 cost me all in all €1474. In itself it's a lot, but in terms of bang for the buck it's just preposterously good.
In this day and age, we want to limit consumption, and buy things that last. I have been meaning to dedicate time and money to the piano for two years. Several times I could have shelled out some cash for ok-stuff, but I knew that I'd be hungry for more at some point. I love it when I can buy something and know that no matter what they make afterwards, no matter the improvements, my rig will still fulfill me.

I live in a small place (about 20 m²), and I CAN have this fabulous instrument (VPC + PTQ Blüthner) at home.

You read everywhere that you need something good to play the piano. I agree : the action of this keyboard coupled with the response of this software just makes for such control. Control is what we need for expression and emotions.
I am a guitar player, so I sort of know that the capability of an instrument to easily respond to nuance is a big deal. I don't care if they put out a VPC2 with grand feel action and/or a fully flat top : this feels better than everything else I've tried and I simply FEEL that the man is the limit here, not the instrument ; for the record the top surface is definitely flat enough  for my laptop and my yamaha THR10C to stand safely on it. I've got everything I could wish for.

I started out stating some thanks were in order, here goes :
1/ Kawai and Pianoteq engineers, obviously. Being French, there's a tad bit of pride added to the package that I don't mind :-)
2/ The people who build the VPC1. It is made in Indonesia (that info is hard to find), and I'm not proud of the fact that I bought new yet another product made by people with worse wages and living conditions than where I live for my enjoyment. I usually try to buy stuff used or made by well-treated people, but when it comes to piano playing, short of getting a European made acoustic piano I unfortunately did not have many options. I believe our global system is sick, but in all this greyness music just means too much for me not to have given in. Apologies for how the system works, dear Indonesian workers, thank you for your work and kudos for the quality of the workmanship.
3/ Kawai James, Pianoman Chuck, and pretty much everyone on this here forum. A special mention to Sigasa and Kridlatec. Sigasa, your report of the VPC1 was important in my choice. Kridlatec, your praise of the Blüthner whilst being in the know of much pricier piano VSTs definitely weighed in in my taking the leap. I think that in the long run I still may feel the itch to try out some sampled VSTs (IS Fazioli, Vienna Imperial, Ravenscroft all sound damn good to me), but your experience helps the GAS of a newbie to subside. I know that at least when it comes to control it probably can't get any better than PTQ.

I will probably won't come to post much here, I don't think I've got much else to say. I have decent ears, but I'm a total piano noob. I'm just a very, very glad piano noob who's done his pre-purchase homework well I think, now let's just… Face the music.
I feel the same for PCs : took me a while to know enough about them so that I could pick the right machine and learn to use the right Linux distro for me, and now I can just peacefully get the job done. Same for the piano now : I can just enjoy.

Thanks everyone, enjoy playing and listening whatever music you like :-)