Topic: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

I've been using the 'NY Steinway Model D' preset for a while and keep coming back to it when I try others. However, I noticed a very annoying sound when playing E6. The note sounds fine, but when it fades out there is a weird 'squeak', almost as if someone was crying in the distance. I can also hear it playing D6 and F6, but not as much. C6 and G6 seem fine in comparison.
The other thing I noticed is that when I play A3 and C4 simultaneously there is an annoying 'ringing' sound in the background. I can also hear this using the 'HB Steinway Model D' preset.

Is there anyone else who noticed this and can I do anything about this?

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

What are you using for an audio interface, and how are you monitoring? Do you hear the the same effect with headphones and speakers or if you take a rendered recording to another playback system?

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

I'm running Pianoteq 8.2 on a Macbook Pro M1. I can hear the noisy sounds using the Macbook speakers and even more so when using headphones. I'll try to record the sound.

Last edited by random25 (10-05-2024 20:52)

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

Here is a video that shows the issue. Is it only me who finds this distracting, or does it not even happen for other users?

https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code...7sjRIRNqwX

The first minute shows the ringing on A3-C4, afterwards I'm playing E6.

Last edited by random25 (13-05-2024 21:15)

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

It's there indeed.. I think many would agree..

I hear it as resonances (it's near the beginning of un-damped notes). The sympathetic resonances with those higher notes possibly accentuate that res (I hear it from c6 and a few more up).

To me, it's something a real piano does - the 'Model D' default preset is kind of closest (least especially treated) to the Steinway piano which was modelled. It's pretty certain, that an amount of that resonance was present. I don't hear it as bad, probably should add.

If it's definitely unwanted and you kind of can't un-hear it, click the "Equalizer" button, then go to the tabs.. /ResEQ" (and/or the ResDuration).. you can target the 'EQ ranges' of any resonant sounds you wish to attenuate or eliminate, pretty specifically with just that.

You can see the piano roll below, so it's easy as pie to see the range to 'cut'.. maybe just lowering the 'Res Duration' for a notch around those notes could be what you'd like.

Or try turning down the slider "Sympathetic resonance" a little (maybe try first if the above seems daunting).

Or if you're playing like you would a physical piano, perhaps try the 'Player' preset.. or if recording, use ones labelled with "Recording".. as those presets will have had focus on removing things like that... but for sure, each piano has a 'most like the original' preset.. and I definitely consider those like 'world library of piano' presets (snapshot of the thing without too much adjustment for particular use-cases).

Mostly I jump on default presets - and edit how I want - mostly for particular pieces/repertoires.

Hope that helps you get things more like the way you want to use Pianoteq

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

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

Thanks Qexl that's helpful. Are the ResEQ and ResDuration available in the Stage edition? I can't seem to find them. For now I will just switch to the Player preset, I guess. I'm still a bit surprised these noises/resonances occur with the Model D preset. It might be true the real instrument does this as well, but I find this so distracting I would certainly not buy this instrument, and if I was Pianoteq definitely not choose it as the instrument to model in the first place

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

random25 wrote:

Are the ResEQ and ResDuration available in the Stage edition?

Ouch, with apologies - I'm really not 100% sure. Have only a short while before I have to zoom off.. but the docs mention 'EQ' in all 3 versions (I don't think I've loaded up a demo of the Stage edition since maybe before the Res features were implemented).

(@support/@Niclas: this is a thing which could be added within the manual.. where it says "EQ".. that may refer to EQ3, and/or Equalizer - cheers!)

Look for "Equalizer" (a large button on the front interface).. when that opens the Equalizer panel, along it's top, you may see little buttons or tabs.. "Res EQ" (short for resonances Equalization) & "Res Dur" (short for resonance duration).

If I get back online later, I'll try find out for sure - but maybe someone with Stage (recent version, with the resonance features) might drop a helpful nay or yeah.

Still my absolute go to piano - so of course I'd say it's worth updating if it's not in Stage ;0)

But about the resonances.. I actually do really like that sound - with everyone having different prefs though.. but, it's possible nobody heard it as a prob during testing etc. I don't - but I guess if I were in a room full of Steinway D pianos to select from, each would have some aspects I may prefer or avoid.. but I can't say how glad I am that Pianoteq is so editable.. I sometimes love to jump from one to another until the right one fits a piece or recording goal. Sometimes I edit some tones out, or some resonances (up/down) and a lot more.. but take your time - it can be a really long-term and absolutely satisfying learning experience, to just try out all the ways you can alter the models.

Also worth adding maybe, check out things like the "Condition" slider.. maybe up a little to something like 4 or 20, to give some more 'swimming' to the elements.. little random loosenings of various piano features might also alter some things to do with resonances.. or raising 'Unison' a little might stop some resonances from staying kind of in a straight line (if that makes sense).

Happy Pianoteq-ing for now

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

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

On listening to the recording, I'm wondering if the noise you hear on the E6 is just the key release noise which I tend to turn down  - or completely off - as it seems like an artifact that real piano manufacturers would eliminate if they could, and I find it somehow more noticeable in Pianoteq than on my real Yamaha G5. I originally thought you were talking about something you hear in a longer sustain decay before the release.

And regarding the "resonance" when playing 3rds, it seems likely you are just hearing the beat frequency which is particulary noticeable with 3rds and I believe is exacerbated by Pianoteq's always-perfect everywhere, equal-tempered tuning:

https://www.historicaltuning.com/BeatsOfHarmonics.html

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

I usually set the key release noise to zero and only left it as the default value for the demonstration, because I wanted to show the effect for the default preset without any modifications. The E6 noise is there also without the key release noise and rather more than less noticeable. It is more like the decaying sound is really odd. Did you try to reproduce the noise I am talking about yourself? I'd be very interested to hear if I am the only one who noticed this. In my perception both the E6 decay noise and the A3-C4 resonance seem very unexpected and not appropriate compared to the sounds of the neighboring notes.

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

random25 wrote:

Did you try to reproduce the noise I am talking about yourself? I'd be very interested to hear if I am the only one who noticed this. In my perception both the E6 decay noise and the A3-C4 resonance seem very unexpected and not appropriate compared to the sounds of the neighboring notes.

Yes I did, and I think I have pretty well-trained ears after all these years though I've undoubtedly lost some frequency response with age, but I was not hearing anything unusual. Are you saying the A3-C4 sounds different from the other nearby minor 3rds? And you're calling middle C C3?

EDIT:  On importing your .mov file to the DAW in my studio, I do hear the resonance you're talking about on E6. Sounds like a mode in the sympathtic resonance of the harp which a lot of real pianos have at various points as well. I've never been clear on how much of a given Pianoteq pack is modeled purely from first principles of piano desgin and how much is based on some sort of harmonic model of a specific piano. This seems like the kind of thing you might get from using a harmonic analisis of samples from a particular piano. This would also explain why Pianoteq's model requires note-by-note volume adjustments, which I wouldn't expect from a 'pure' model.

Last edited by brundlefly (16-05-2024 19:07)

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

>  Are you saying the A3-C4 sounds different from the other nearby minor 3rds?

Yes, well no, the actual piano sounds are fine, but I hear some kind of ringing in the background when the piano sound starts to fade out, like a cheap phone ringing in the background. It is maybe also there (but less distracting) for some of the thirds directly next to it, but definitely not when playing an octave higher or lower.

> And you're calling middle C C3?

I am talking about middle C and A below it. In my counting middle C would be C4. You can see the keys I am playing in the video (red keys highlighted on the keyboard).

I made another recording with the key release noise turned off:

https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code...pEVQnJ81HX

It shows the ringing for the A3-C4 and the weird squeak (also after the piano sound) on E6, but maybe it's just me ;)

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

random25 wrote:

I am talking about middle C and A below it. In my counting middle C would be C4. You can see the keys I am playing in the video (red keys highlighted on the keyboard).

Just checking because Pianoteq calls middle C C3 in their documentation, and my DAW calls it C5; there's no fixed convention for MIDI aside from note numbers (middle C is note number 60).

Anyway, I still don't think I'm hearing what you describe with A3-C4, and when you play F6 at time 1:03.8 in the new recording, I hear the same harp resonance as at E6, so apparently that's not the concern...? I'd really be inclined to think it's something about your Macbook unless you're hearing it on other systems.

Re: Strange noise using 'NY Steinway Model D' preset on A3-C4 and E6

Ok good to know there is no fixed convention for the note numbers! An you are right for F6 at 1:03.8 there is as similar 'squeak' (similarly distracting but maybe I wasn't playing that note so often yet). It's certainly not about the Macbook speakers because I can hear these effects as well (and rather more pronounced) with my headphones. But it might be Macbook's software (?). I'll check on a windows machine.