Note-off Features and Benefits?

You'll notice I didn't mention the note on/note offs. I think that's a complete red herring for the situation you are describing.

In simple terms it's either solvable with custom velocity curves and/or improved playing technique, or changing a faulty unit.

You may prefer a different graded hammer action to the one you have. I am not familiar with your Yamaha. I suspect you need to get used to it though, and a lot is achievable through custom velocity curves.

Don't throw money at a problem until you actually know what the problem is!

From that thread very negative experience of the Yamaha action:

In contrast I have failed to better the straight line on my bottom of the range Casio CDP 130. It just feels right (which might mean it just feels right for me rather than another player).
I can combine this keyboard with other keyboards that have synthesizer synth action to play the same preset.  Velocity makes such a big difference they literally sound like different presets or even different instruments for just because of the keyboards!

Sometimes I make custom velocity curbs for specific instrument presets occasionally, nothing universally applicable.

The weakness in affordable hammer action keyboards is generally discovered when trying to trill quickly. It seems even those with three sensors don't fare much better.

Also my CDP can only take a sustain pedal, therefore any other pedals have to be added with USB connectors directly to the computer.

>>Thank you for the thoughtful comments Key Fumbler.
Probably some of everything you brought up applies.  Yes, I am a relative novice piano player (about 1.5 years, self-taught, 68 years old, practice many hours per day).  Through my practicing, I have learned both classical pieces (Debussy Jimbo's Lullaby and pop pieces such as Talking in Your Sleep by The Romantics 129 BPM).  Not having played lots of pianos, I don't have much experience with various "actions."

What I have learned is that a moderately fast pop piece 129 bpm is fun and easy on my "synth" action (spring?) keyboard Eastar EP-10.  It seems "light and fast."  Then I play the same song on the Yamaha MX88 GHS graded hammer standard action it seems "heavy and slow" . . . it seems more tedious and tiring.  I've read that classical pianists seem to prefer light and fast grand piano keyboards and that they allow for more expression (if you have the skills I am sure . . .)

My current challenge is learning Prokofiev's Montagues and Capulets--the first piece where it uses f forte and ff.  Per other comments below, which I will respond too, my cheap synth action keyboard does seem to produce the "flangy" (metallic?) kind of sound from the Bluthner software.  It does seem to be "hard" in tone--but it is clear and not muddy, it seems "pure/clean" somehow to me and I like it (when it is not hitting 127 in the Pianoteq Velocity window).  When I use the Yamaha MX88--even with the custom curve recommended below, the tone is more muddy--it sounds like I need to run it through an equalizer to brighten it.

Without piano store visits (due to Covid and fear of playing for other people), I am guessing that I need a light and fast action that gives me more control.  Jimbo's Lullaby features ppp pianississimo and pp etc. passages.  It closes with a Bb0 note played staccatissimo that should be played very quietly, that I struggle to reproduce quiet enough--perhaps my technique/control (or lack of it, and I am trying not to "cheat" by adjusting this single note's volume in Pianoteq--I want to improve my technique).

So this is why I think I need to upgrade my piano.  I am in no rush to spend unnecessary money.  Hence, this is why I am trying to understand all the dials and levers offered by Pianoteq to tune a performance and its relationship to more expensive hardware if I must upgrade.  Note-off and its velocity value is one of those dials and levers and the Pianoteq manual does not seem to get into it.  When I look at the Note-off window in Pianoteq both my keyboards produce the single/fixed "64" value people are talking about in the forum (changing the Note-off horizontal line to a diagonal line seems to have zero effect)i.  When I use the Midi Monitor app on my Mac I see note-on and note-off, but I see no note-off velocity value.  Do I need this for expressivity if I shop for another piano, and why or why not?

I'm pretty sure that if you get a decent quality recent model DP it will have variable note-off. You can check if your MX88 is sending variable note-off by opening the note-off window and watching as you play a few random notes. If the line always comes up in the same place, it's sending a fixed value note-off. - (edit) ah, I just read your post above, it looks as if the MX88 is sending a fixed value note-off, so you won't notice any difference if you set the curve on a slope!

>Hi Dazric, thank you, and yes, all I get is a single fixed line on the Pianoteq Note-off window for both my low cost keyboards.  Hence, this is why I am entertaining the idea of a new keyboard upgrade.  Any idea if a higher end keyboard (e.g. Kawai MP11SE or above in cost) will offer Note-off, velocity values and will this allow me to play ppp through fff (of course assuming I have the skill to use this feature).

>>Thank you Panicking Ant . . . think I needed a sanity check like this.  I know in the end it all boils down to 1's and 0's in the computer world, but in my brief piano experience I am noticing changes in the nature of the "tone."  Its almost like the sound is running through an stereo equalizer and the different pianos have different equalizer settings.  It appears this has something to do with differences in piano action, velocity curves and note-offs, and I am just trying to get my head around all the moving parts, so that if I invest in another midi keyboard, it has all the dials and levers needed to tune the sound to what I like.  But statements like "you can use any MIDI keyboard . . ." are not helping me identify my next "perfect" keyboard.  Per your above statement " . . . guys were seriously interested in electronic matters, and they took it for granted that some MIDI keyboards are just better than others . . ."  How do you quantify this?  How do you pick the right one for Pianoteq? 

Per another post I think, I read that some piano stores have Pianoteq on a thumb drive and you can try it out on various pianos . . . is this what piano shoppers need to do?  Or are there hard specs I can read that will help me avoid this?  I am already stressed out by having to make a major investment like this . . .

The problem with the internet and the realities of the world of today is getting a hands on physical frame of reference.

Knowing how much you really have to spend on anything to achieve the performance you want is that much harder today.
When you come online you will hear people talking about big big differences in audio or video quality or midi keyboard playability. How much of this is accurate and how much actually comes down to subjective fallibility, snobbery, expectation bias, and flawed testing methodology who knows!

Of course salespeople in shops don't all want you to know the optimal bang for buck, however trying for yourself is probably the best way.

As you are prepared to spend the big bucks anyway visiting a piano dealer should be no problem.
I expect you could take a laptop and some headphones with Pianoteq on it to a dealer. Hook up some of the midi keyboards such as vpc1 and Kawai and Casio hybrid grand digital pianos and equivalents. 

Try different levels of gear. Tell them your situation. 

If you are not using a laptop when you're considering spending several thousands a low-cost laptop in the low hundreds ( one that's powerful enough to run Pianoteq well) could be written off as a relatively modest part of the cost!

For me (and I'm a pianist) note-off is like… half-pedaling with your finger for each note ;-) Of course, a similar sound can sometimes be achieved with appropriate pedaling and reverb, but not always. Also notes repetion is a little different with variable key release velocity. The same for trills and tremolo. I think it’s a must-have.

Of course, I answered the question from my point of view (which I underlined) and motivated the answer - it was not my intention to confuse anyone. What matters to me is the possibility of practicing on a digital instrument as close as possible to an acoustic one. It doesn't just depend on keyboard mechanics or instrument's sound, but many other factors, including half pedaling and release velocity. The higher the level of advancement, the more important the subject of this thread is, and subtle differences play a greater role.

When I was choosing a digital piano a few years ago, I played many in the store, but finally I chose the CS7 and difference for me was remarkable. At the time I didn't know why - but more realistic playing experience probably also depended (among many other features) on that note-off velocity. Regardless I've had the chance to play many good digital keyboards without it I believe, that since you can buy a keyboard that uses this, it's better to buy one - even for the future :-)