I do not know if this is the right venue for product suggestions but here goes. I suggest 2 features for the recording capability:
1) If a recording has been made prompt the user to save the file if the user quits without saving.
2) Add a loop button to the play back. This would useful to practice improvising on a background, or practicing hands separately, etc.
Pretty good suggestions as far as I can see. Welcome to the forum!
two very good ideas! thumbs up
Another feature I would find interesting: what about a batch file export instead of having to do it file by file? Exporting in wav can be rather long, and having to stay in front of your PC for the whole operation when you have lots of midi files is quite a waste of time...
fab_79: Pianoteq already has the option to load and then export wav files via a command line interface. (At least on Linux but I'm pretty sure the Windows version supports this as well.)
An example is even included with the --help command line option
ants@skinny:~/Pianoteq$ ./Pianoteq --help
Pianoteq version 3.6.6/20110117 -- http://www.pianoteq.com
Copyright (c) 2010 Modartt.
Options from command-line:
--no-prefs : start Pianoteq without using any saved preference
--no-audio-prefs : start Pianoteq with a clean audio/midi configuration
--prefs FILENAME : stores the preferences in the specified file
--fxp FILENAME : load an FXP file on startup
--preset NAME : load a preset on startup
--midi FILENAME : load a midi file
--wav FILENAME : export midi file as wav, and quit
--rate FREQ : change the sample rate for the exported wav
--mono : export the wav file as mono
--headless : do not show up the graphical interface
--list-presets : display the list of all presets
Example of use: Pianoteq --preset "M3 Close Mic" --midi foo.mid --wav foo.wavOne would obviously either need to use a batch file or write a program to program to make it export a whole bunch of midi files at once but it should be doable.
Somehow, I think this is less important to most Pianoteq users, but I wish we could do more with the pedal samples. I'd like the ability to choose different pedals for each instrument and "tweak" the sound a little. Decrease the "click-click" and increase the "swoosh-shh," so to speak. Adjusting the mics, for example, also doesn't appear to have any effect on the pedal sound. Sometimes, it seems the pedal doesn't sound the way it should in the atmosphere. And I'm sure the hardware restricts this, but if there was any way to match the sound with the speed at which you're applying/releasing the pedal, that'd be great.
As it stands now, I feel the sounds leave a little to be desired.
A Stuart & Sons model would be nice
There are less Stuart&Sons pianos than panda bear on Earth.
http://www.stuartandsons.com/index.php?...;Itemid=60
A Stuart & Sons model would be nice
A Stuart & Sons model would be awesome Modartt!!!
There are less Stuart&Sons pianos than panda bear on Earth.
http://www.stuartandsons.com/index.php?...;Itemid=60
eugene wrote:A Stuart & Sons model would be nice
Nice? NICE? What an exquisite bit of understatement!
The thing that really struck me on one of the videos is the agraffe system to make the strings vibrate in a vertical plane. The guy plays lovely chords in the low registers that would make your stomach churn and head pound on a regular piano. This seems like something that would be doable as a effect in Pianoteq. A "simple matter of programming" as the old joke goes.
Stuart & Sons have 102 key range.
And sounds really beautifull:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPRZjkUZ4TE
Listen number 7 and 10:
http://www.stuartandsons.com/index.php?...;Itemid=68
Only two models exists in Europe, one in Britain and other somewhere around Italy, Germany, France or Switzerland. This map it's not clear enough to set.
Incredible. I want one! Well, at least I can order the CD. I'm restoring an old piano and am considering ways to limit the strings vibrations to vertical only, as on the Stuart. I guess I have some more reading to do, or dust off the old physics books on my shelf.
But, yeah, pianoteq version all the way! Reproducing muddy vibrations in antiquated pianos is one thing, but why not also try and get a better-than-most-pianos sound?
I ordered their demo cd long time ago when i by coincidense found their web site, and the piano sounds incredible.
But i believe it's rather tough to get away modelling this piano, but if one exist in France.... well... :-)
"Piano music is actually deliberately written fast to cover the fact that it doesn't sing well." 
Marketing aside, a Stuart & Sons model would be nice. Or better yet, make string vibration plane an adjustable parameter for all instruments.
Nice Playing Joshua Seth...Nocturne in F# Minor. It's relaxing me here in work when everyone else is busing my balls
Nice Playing Joshua Seth...Nocturne in F# Minor. It's relaxing me here in work when everyone else is busing my balls
LOL! Glad to be of service.
(And FWIW, that's Pianoteq.)
tb303 wrote:Nice Playing Joshua Seth...Nocturne in F# Minor. It's relaxing me here in work when everyone else is busing my balls
LOL! Glad to be of service.
(And FWIW, that's Pianoteq.)
Would you happen to have a recording of that you could share? I too liked it and wouldn't mind listening to a better quality version (compared to YouTube audio).
How about the FXP?
Here's an mp3 of it at 256kb/s...
Nocturn in F# minor, by Joshua Seth
I didn't save the preset. But it's basically C3 with slightly softer "piano" hammer hardness for a bit warmer sound when playing softly, and no limiter (for more dynamic range). In turning off the limiter, you have to lower the output volume to avoid clipping.
And in case any of you wanna crack at it, here's the sheet music.
Wow, man! Thanks so much. I actually wouldn't mind learning this, so I'll be holding onto the sheet music.
it may be a good idea if it was possible to pause the midi file player when recording... (and not necessarily from the beginning)
I would like to add to the loop button suggestion, the ability to highlight a section and be able to loop that.
Would it be possible to have a different view of the keyboard for those who reading music is sadly lacking and who rely on copying from the keyboard. It is difficult to tell which keys are depressed when viewed from above.
Can each microphone have its own mixer output for creative microphone effects.
I would also like to see optional samples packs that we could add to the modelled piano to give us the best of both worlds eg certain sections of string groups, foot pedal samples that we could add if we wanted to boost the end sound and weren't concerned about about size.
I would like to add to the loop button suggestion, the ability to highlight a section and be able to loop that.
Would it be possible to have a different view of the keyboard for those who reading music is sadly lacking and who rely on copying from the keyboard. It is difficult to tell which keys are depressed when viewed from above.
That's a good a idea, they should be highlighted longer, perhaps an option to fade them from green like the velocity indicators?
Can each microphone have its own mixer output for creative microphone effects.
This is possible with jack in the linux version, depending on what recording software you use with windows or mac it's probably also be possible there..
I do not know if this is the right venue for product suggestions but here goes. I suggest 2 features for the recording capability:
1) If a recording has been made prompt the user to save the file if the user quits without saving.
2) Add a loop button to the play back. This would useful to practice improvising on a background, or practicing hands separately, etc.
especially the 1) yes i agree:
it is really something missing a lot actually in Pianoteq... (i receive phone call,stop playing, speak,...and i shut down pianoteq and forgot to save the incredible idea i had...so lose it
the 2) could be a very good idea
I sugest to Modartt do not listen this topic until pianoteq 4 is ready !!!
If they lose time with small interfacedetails here and there, for each desire of users, pianoteq 4 will never be ready...
Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
Perhaps this is already possible on piano action keys. So far I have only used a semi-weighed keyboard.
Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
Perhaps this is already possible on piano action keys. So far I have only used a semi-weighed keyboard.
This would be a hardware issue. Personally I have never heard of any keyboard with the ability to vary the point at which a note is triggered or for thet matter, released!
I guess you could modify the keyboard to bring the velocity censors closer/further from the censor triggers, even with the ability to adjust this incrementally by varying the the distance between trigger and censor through a mechanical means such like the soft pedal mechanics on an upright piano etc..
Hope this helps,
regards,
Chris
Proteq wrote:Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
Perhaps this is already possible on piano action keys. So far I have only used a semi-weighed keyboard.
This would be a hardware issue. Personally I have never heard of any keyboard with the ability to vary the point at which a note is triggered or for thet matter, released!
Some Nord keyboards, e.g. Nord Stage family (either Hammer Action or Semi Weighted versions) allow selecting the trigger point. Excerpt of NS2 Manual:
"Organ Keyboard Trig Point
This allows you to change how the Nord Stage 2 keyboard triggers Organ sounds. When “High” is selected, you will trigger organ sounds before the key is fully depressed. This mode closely mimics the way a original tonewheel organ triggers its notes.
Range: High, Low (Default)"
Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
This would be a hardware issue.
Some Nord keyboards, e.g. Nord Stage family (either Hammer Action or Semi Weighted versions) allow selecting the trigger point. Excerpt of NS2 Manual:
"Organ Keyboard Trig Point
Guess Modartt would have to work with a manufacturer like Fatar,Yamaha,Nord..Im not sure how the piano action keys & newer digital keyboards make contact..well maybe someday..
I guess incorporating a lazer strip would mean easier adjustment options?
One thing I would find useful would be the ability to save the preset we're using and any tweaks we've made to it when we save a recorded midi file.
Many's the time I use the Pianoteq sequencer for recording, then if I like the preset I'm in, which I may have tweaked, I need to save the tweaked preset separately and also write myself notes as to which preset I used. It would be easier and more convenient if we could >optionally< save the data with the midi file.
Yes, we can do this in an external sequencer program, but then, as far as I know, we need to transfer parameters one by one to standalone Pianoteq in order to create a preset from the settings.
Michael
Please give us an indication of hardware requirements for version 4. I have searched and mostly found people wanting to know when it will be out, but that's not my issue.
I am about to buy Pianoteq, but also need to buy a laptop for it. There are a few people at my Church who would also be interested, and some would be in the same boat.
It would be great to buy a laptop only once, and not again when version 4 comes out.
~8-)
John
welcome to the forum b3ta
My best advice to you would be to get the best processor you can afford (intel recommended). As PianoTeq is a processor based software, it is 'processor reliant', in other words, 'processor hungry'. My suggestion would be i5 upwards. If you can afford i7 or even i7Ultimate, go for it. It will be PianoTeq futureproof.
Another small piece of advice would be to buy a good soundcard. I personally use a saffire firewire model (Focusrite). I use this with a firewire express card as I am able to get better performance this way on my intel Core 2 Duo laptop than on my faster intel i5 laptop using it's built in firewire interface.
NOTE: Make absolutely sure your particular choice of laptop has the connectivity necessary to support your soundcard of choice.
I suggest you do some thorough research on the internet before you make your purchases.
Many on this forum will be willing to offer further advice should you need it.
Hope this helps,
regards,
Chris
Thanks, Chris.
I understand your reasoning, and already have an out-board card (a Phonic USB). As the card also accepts a mic and other inputs, I plan to use it for in-ear monitoring when leading worship at Church.
The idea is to buy a laptop which is "good enough" for Pianoteq, because that is all it will be used for: I won't put on any anti-virus, firewalls, or anything like that, because it will never go on-line.
My preferred platform is Linux: using an RT kernel and tweaking what's running will make a huge difference to the required hardware: Windows just loads too much useless stuff. Unfortunately the sound card is not supported, so I might sell that, then get one which is supported. Last night I tried with an XP installation in VirtualBox under Linux, but the sound card remained an issue :-(
As I am keen to get going (though I love its action, I can't stand the piano sounds on my Korg TR-88), I'll buy Pianoteq and use my work laptop until I can get a dedicated one. Hopefully by the version 4 is out, and the hardware specs published.
Thanks for the reply.
~8-)
John
As long as you avoid single-core cpus and Atom cpus, everything else should work just fine (intel core i3 , or any modern dual core amd cpu). Atom may be ok also, but it is too soon to say how "well" they will work. But of course, as sigasa wrote, with a core i7 you will be future proof !
Could anchor points be added to the spectrum profile note edit panel?
Also the ability to save settings as pre-sets?
Improvements for pianoteq 4 (or earlier)
Standalone player
Global Volume settings for metronome, and perhaps a volume increase on first beat.
As it is now sure I can lower volume for a specific preset sound but as soon as I switch preset the volume goes back up unless I change all presets. So an independent metronome volume would be nice.
Higher internal sample rate for high end machines?
Got an i5 2500k cpu and in standalone version it doesn't sweat at all.
Tried to overload pianoteq with 256 notes polyphony @ 192khz but not a single click or pop that I could notice.
Changing the samplerate to 192 khz doesn't seem to change the quality as I know some softsynths do. Seems that pianoteq max internal sample rate is 48khz. Running on esi wamiterminal 192l win7 x64. So unless I missed something, an option to let pianoteq render at higher sample rates would be nice. Especially real time.
Otherwise I think it's a great product so far and can't wait for pianoteq 4.
I know I've metioned this elsewhere, but I want to mention it again on this thread.
Repetitions on a single note - suggesting a slider enabling user to adjust repetition response in order to compensate for slower keyboards
For example, on my NUMA Nero, I can get every note even on a very uneven moderately fast repetition to sound using the PianoTeq harpsichord models. However, if I play the same midi file back through one of the piano models (in this case, C3), notes drop.
As I said before, I understand that on a real piano, the hammer must throw and comeback. But on a well regulated grand, I should be able to get as good a result as with a harpsichord. On a well regulated grand piano, even a badly played repetition (with reason of course) should not drop out most notes, but that is what has been happening when I've tried to play repetitions on the pianos.
Note: if it were my irregular playing or the NUMA Nero that was causing the notes to drop out, it would also reflect this with the harpsichords would it not?
Here are the relevant demos
http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...di_A-B.mp3
http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...ichord.mp3
http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...son_C3.mp3
Modartt, please may we have the ability via a slider to adjust repetition response. I understand damper duration can be varied, but that didn't 'fix' the issue for me. This will make it easier for those with slower responding keys.
Thank you Modartt
Sigasa, the difference between harpsichord and piano (in the real world as well as in pianoteq) is that the harpsichord has no dynamics (take a look at the dynamics slider). Thus all notes, whether velocity was 10 or 100, are played the same way and you have no drops. I see no solution to your problem, as you would like to have a different dynamics when repeating notes, which of course would have as many drawbacks as advantages, if not more.
PS. Note that the more you reduce the dynamics in a piano instrument, the less drops you will have in repetitions.
Philippe,
Am I mistaken then in thinking that in the piano models the hammer travel time delay is similated, and that this is completely seperate from dynamics? Or is it that the dynamics slider as well as effecting volume also has the ability in itself by very nature to similate hammer travel time?
thank you Philippe,
Warm regards,
Chris
Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
Normal keyboards using switches wont be able to change this, but when using optical sensors like PNOSCAN II or pianodisk it would be possible to adjust the trigger point. I have started to develop such a sensor bar myself and I have integrated an option for that. Its really interesting to play with that parameter: It has a lot of influence to the repetition capability and the ability to play soft pianissimo(especially if you are not well trained in that).
If you're curious about my project you can visit http://sebion.wordpress.com/
Proteq wrote:Would it be possible to control the point at which the sound as triggered as you press a key?
Normal keyboards using switches wont be able to change this, but when using optical sensors like PNOSCAN II or pianodisk it would be possible to adjust the trigger point. I have started to develop such a sensor bar myself and I have integrated an option for that. Its really interesting to play with that parameter: It has a lot of influence to the repetition capability and the ability to play soft pianissimo(especially if you are not well trained in that).
If you're curious about my project you can visit http://sebion.wordpress.com/
Sebion
I have seen your videos of your single key optical sensor and also your 88 key vesrsion. I myself had thought of investing in an optical strip for better velocity control but had no idea that this would also be useful for repetition. This maked perfect sense to me as the optical strip is so sensetive and accurate using the speed of light. I will check out your link now,
thank you Sebion,
Chris
Philippe,
Am I mistaken then in thinking that in the piano models the hammer travel time delay is similated, and that this is completely seperate from dynamics? Or is it that the dynamics slider as well as effecting volume also has the ability in itself by very nature to similate hammer travel time?
thank you Philippe,
Warm regards,
Chris
Chris, simulating the hammer travel time delay would just add an unnecessary delay that you wouldn't like to have. You must take into account that you already have several sources of delay in the digital chain, starting with the keyboard itself, depending on the type and location of the sensors, and ending up with the selected buffer size.
BTW, apart from modifying the dynamics, which alters the volume variation but not the timbre variation, you have also the more brutal option consisting in modifying the velocity curve, making it flatter, altering both volume and timbre.
PS. Congratulations for your recent fxp's!
Thank you Philippe
Could the virtual keyboard be detectable and resizeable like 'Note Edit' panels.
Then you could add the little window midi section at the top to it which would act like a piano scroll, falling over the keys. And maybe allow the keys to act a bit like MIDIKeyz : http://midikeyz.com/
Who knows?, maybe it would then act as a virtual keyboard on touch screen tablet devices.
Not essential to Pianoteq, nor a priority, but could be nice
sigasa wrote:Philippe,
Am I mistaken then in thinking that in the piano models the hammer travel time delay is similated, and that this is completely seperate from dynamics? Or is it that the dynamics slider as well as effecting volume also has the ability in itself by very nature to similate hammer travel time?
thank you Philippe,
Warm regards,
Chris
Chris, simulating the hammer travel time delay would just add an unnecessary delay that you wouldn't like to have. You must take into account that you already have several sources of delay in the digital chain, starting with the keyboard itself, depending on the type and location of the sensors, and ending up with the selected buffer size.
BTW, apart from modifying the dynamics, which alters the volume variation but not the timbre variation, you have also the more brutal option consisting in modifying the velocity curve, making it flatter, altering both volume and timbre.
PS. Congratulations for your recent fxp's!
For some odd reason I had thought that velocity curves had some of this built in, or there was something in the pianoteq model that simulated hammer flight time as a delay that varies based on key velocity.
This is WAY beyond my playing ability to appreciate, but it is my understanding that when playing a physical piano 'forte' the key reaches the key bed before the hammer strikes the strings, when playing 'piano' the hammer gets to the strings before the key reaches the key bed.
The race being about even at mezzo.
Some difference in the slower key travel, some in the slower hammer flight, I'm not (yet) convinced that this would be very complex.
SOME players may feel/hear/sense this.
That it exists and is probably simple to implement may be grounds enough to make the model a little more "complete" ?
Sebion (above), whom you may have been tracking with interest on your topic, seems to himself have been reading from the '5 piano acoustics lectures' link on the following page - at least it would be surprising if he had not : http://www.rollingball.com/pianolinks.htm. The other links may be useful too, depending.
How about adding a feature to have PT loop through the entire midi directory and play every midi song under the directory?
I really enjoy listening to PT; using my preferred piano settings in the background while I program.
Maybe this functionality already exists?