Topic: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Hi everyone. I want to buy another pack for Pianoteq 8, to use the coupon I won on the contest. I have the Steinway D, Steinway B, Ant.Petrof, Petrof Mistral, Steingraeber, and the K2. In addition to Pianoteq 8 I have a virtual Ravenscroft 275 piano, a virtual CFX and C7. I usually make rock, pop and latin music. I'm between buying the Bechstein or the Bluthner but I can't decide, both are great but I have no idea which one is more suited to the genres I do. Please help me!

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Well... either would be great. If it's any help, here are quotes from Modartt's instrument descriptions:

"We have surely all enjoyed the Blüthner piano in « Let It Be » by The Beatles."

"Bechstein pianos are also featured in legendary recordings by The Beatles, Queen, Bob Dylan, and Elton John."

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Ha ha, well I like how the Grotrian cuts through mixes with synth so I would probably go for that instead. Maybe that doesn't help!

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

I have the Blüthner and Steinways.

I suggest using the software in demo mode for a long time, over a month, and then deciding (the demo is very generous anyway).

Try it on different speakers and headphones and types of music. Different presets.

I use Blüthner most of the time. Sometimes I try the rest in demo mode and feel Petrof may be a bit better for some stuff, on some headphones but not others, then Bechstein better on some things but not others...

But I feel I get the most consistently good tone from Blüthner.

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Well I vote Bechstein!  Such a lovely sound.  Check out my FXP called “sweet blue note” and you will like it too.  I use it for playing jazz with a small group….rhythm section and three horns.  It always gets comments from others about how “ real” my piano sounds.

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Thank you very much everyone for your replies

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

In my opinion the Bluthner's sound is more different from the others than Bechstein is, I'd go for the Bluthner.

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Good advice all - I too would say take time with demoing among them.

For the choice between the 2 you mention, for me it would be the Bechstein DG - love the way it sounds with double octaves that tiny bit more than with the Bluthner. Both good - but I just intuit the Bechy might be more on point esp. with some cool latin music sounds. But indeed also love the Bluthner! Hard to say what you would eventually prefer.

Yours was a really sweet competition entry, much enjoyed BTW - cheers!

Pianoteq Studio Bundle (Pro plus all instruments)  - Kawai MP11 digital piano - Yamaha HS8 monitors

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Bechstein too. But it depends on you.

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Bechstein. As an example please listen to my upload  in Recordings, C. Bechstein DG Cinematic Ptq 8 Pro. But the choice is yours of course. Good luck

Best wishes,

Stig

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

What about the YC5 ?  Might suit your preferred styles.

StephenG

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Qexl wrote:

Good advice all - I too would say take time with demoing among them.

For the choice between the 2 you mention, for me it would be the Bechstein DG - love the way it sounds with double octaves that tiny bit more than with the Bluthner. Both good - but I just intuit the Bechy might be more on point esp. with some cool latin music sounds. But indeed also love the Bluthner! Hard to say what you would eventually prefer.

Yours was a really sweet competition entry, much enjoyed BTW - cheers!

Thank you very much!

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

sjgcit wrote:

What about the YC5 ?  Might suit your preferred styles.

Thanks, I don’t like the sound of YC5. I prefer the sound of the CFX or C7 but Pianoteq doesn’t have these pianos

Last edited by Ro Bamonde music (22-02-2023 03:20)

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Thanks everyone for your replies

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

I liked the Bechstein best of the various models when I bought PianoTeq and I’m still loving it.

Last edited by DougBrock (10-03-2023 01:23)

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

I was particularly enjoying the Bechstein sound again this week.

My favourite changes from time to time. Maybe it depends on how I feel which changes how I play, which in turn makes for completely different sounding pianos?

Playing with different velocity levels changes tonality .
Even different pressure levels in the ears, small amounts of ear wax, head colds change perception of sound.

We know how important velocity curves are to the tonal qualities of any given model. I know from different controllers our assessment of any given model is going to be heavily biased by the controller.
However it's also heavily influenced by playback levels,  the listening room, headphones or loudspeakers.

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

Key Fumbler wrote:

I was particularly enjoying the Bechstein sound again this week.

My favourite changes from time to time. Maybe it depends on how I feel which changes how I play, which in turn makes for completely different sounding pianos?

Playing with different velocity levels changes tonality .
Even different pressure levels in the ears, small amounts of ear wax, head colds change perception of sound.

We know how important velocity curves are to the tonal qualities of any given model. I know from different controllers our assessment of any given model is going to be heavily biased by the controller.
However it's also heavily influenced by playback levels,  the listening room, headphones or loudspeakers.


I love the Bechstein. At the moment, I've totally fallen in love with the K2. I also recently fell in love with the Steinnway B, far more than the D!

Re: Bechstein of Bluthner? Help me to decide please

DougBrock wrote:

I liked the Bechstein best of the various models when I bought PianoTeq and I’m still loving it.

It's very versatile and has a sweet clarity nothing else can match.  The top note of any chord easily makes itself heard.  Far superior to Steinway (I just can't get to like that sound.  It's me, I know  I know!)
But the Bluthner has that rustic appeal somehow!

Get 'em both!

I'm playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order