Topic: Wooden piano

I like keyboard sound in this video (from 2:10):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1wgaFJ0750

Is it piano? If yes, why it has so soft, "wooden" sound? Is it possible to implement it using Pianoteq?

Last edited by Ross (13-02-2015 21:02)
Combine velocity curves: http://output.jsbin.com/cukeme/9

Re: Wooden piano

To me, it looks & sounds like a standard upright una corda pedal, which drops a layer of felt in front of the hammers.

They may have doctored it a bit more, but the percussive sound layer could have been added on top from another source.

EDIT: I bothered to watch the beginning, and it's obvious now that they're live sequencing, so the percussive clicking I was hearing was recorded from the viola in the beginning.

EDIT 2: That does raise the question - Does the Pianoteq U4 model the una corda this way? Or is an extra layer of felt similar enough to the offset hammers in a grand piano's una corda that it doesn't matter?

Last edited by JerryKnight (13-02-2015 22:15)

Re: Wooden piano

I think it is a ´prepared piano´, perhaps with something placed on hammers.

Re: Wooden piano

It's not prepared piano. It seems to be layered with another sound... or there was a mic very close to the hammers or mechanics, it's picking up a lot of mechanics noise.

Hard work and guts!

Re: Wooden piano

The extra mechanical noise is coming from the recording of the viola being plucked and/or the bouncing bow. The loop was recorded in the beginning of the video.

That's my best guess anyways.

Re: Wooden piano

JerryKnight wrote:

To me, it looks & sounds like a standard upright una corda pedal, which drops a layer of felt in front of the hammers.

I think you are right on the sound with just a single remark: you are describing the celeste pedal of an upright. The una corda in the upright usually shifts the action closer to the strings.

JerryKnight wrote:

EDIT 2: That does raise the question - Does the Pianoteq U4 model the una corda this way? Or is an extra layer of felt similar enough to the offset hammers in a grand piano's una corda that it doesn't matter?

Yes, among the different pedals you can choose there is a celeste pedal, which is crucial for an upright sound. I was able to set up mines just like they appear on my U3: una corda, central celeste (which also has a switch to fix his position) and damper pedal.

Last edited by Chopin87 (14-02-2015 01:32)
"And live to be the show and gaze o' the time."  (William Shakespeare)

Re: Wooden piano

what is the mystery? There the pratice pedal (mute pedal) to down and she gently plays, that's all.

Re: Wooden piano

Thanks to all. I simply didn't know about existence of such pedal. With the pedal, increased hammer noise, decreased hammers hardness, increased 1st overtone I have something like piano on the video!

demo

I tried to search "celesta pedal", "practice pedal" and "mute pedal" and found nothing about how it realized, not found even pictures... Maybe I unlearned to use google?

UPD. At 2:44 I see yellow layer between all strings and hammers. He seems prepared the piano, not just pedal use.

UPD. I just noticed, that celesta pedal was not recorded in the demo above... I pressed it by mouse in the user interface. Why pianoteq ignores pedal that pressed in such way when recording?

Last edited by Ross (14-02-2015 13:41)
Combine velocity curves: http://output.jsbin.com/cukeme/9

Re: Wooden piano

Ross wrote:

I tried to search "celesta pedal", "practice pedal" and "mute pedal" and found nothing about how it realized, not found even pictures... Maybe I unlearned to use google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_pedals#Other_pedals

Or simply page 39 of pianoteq manual.

Ross wrote:

UPD. At 2:44 I see yellow layer between all strings and hammers. He seems prepared the piano, not just pedal use.


http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...DoQMygWMBY

That's the only decent image I could find of a celeste felt bar in a quick search. Probably on YouTube there are videos showing it better.

Ross wrote:

UPD. I just noticed, that celesta pedal was not recorded in the demo above... I pressed it by mouse in the user interface. Why pianoteq ignores pedal that pressed in such way when recording?

Use midi CC instead.

"And live to be the show and gaze o' the time."  (William Shakespeare)

Re: Wooden piano

Lylo wrote:

what is the mystery? There the pratice pedal (mute pedal) to down and she gently plays, that's all.


You are exactly correct:  The practice pedal's (referring to middle pedal in many newer upright pianos) layer of felt has been engaged.  It is clearly visible on the piano, some 50 seconds into the video.

Cheers,

Joe

Re: Wooden piano

jcfelice88keys wrote:

It is clearly visible on the piano, some 50 seconds into the video.

Yes! I see it! Thanks.

Chopin87 wrote:

Use midi CC instead.

I have single pedal on my digital piano and it's assigned to sustain and I don't want lose it. When I press key by mouse on the virtual keyboard -- it recorded! But pedals does not...

Last edited by Ross (14-02-2015 17:42)
Combine velocity curves: http://output.jsbin.com/cukeme/9

Re: Wooden piano

At 2:45 on the video, it looks like there's some material placed between the hammers and the strings of the piano.

Re: Wooden piano

There is a scent of a future request in the air...

Option to place variable materials between hammers and strings.


DonSmith wrote:

At 2:45 on the video, it looks like there's some material placed between the hammers and the strings of the piano.