Pianoteq Pro Keygen Archives

[Pianoteq] is a proprietary software synthesizer that features real-time MIDI-control of digital physically modeled pianos and related instruments, including electric piano, harp, harpsichord, fortepiano, and various metallophones. It is usable as a stand-alone program for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux (including ARM architecture) platforms, or as a plug in for VSTi hosts and two VSTi counterpart for use with digital audio workstations.

History and technology

The original version of the program was released in August 2006. The software's physically modeled synthesis create sound from scratch using several megabytes of mathematical algorithms (Fourier construction) to generate electric piano and acoustic piano sounds that can be manipulated analogously to those produced by their material counterparts. Pianoteq's modeled sounds are supplemented with sampled pedal noise, key release, and hammer noise.

Patches for additional instruments are also available. Several of the historical instruments were created as part of the KIViR (Keyboard Instruments Virtual Restoration) project, which aims to create playable digital models of historical keyboard instruments in museums like the Händel-Haus in Halle.[1]

The stand-alone version of Pianoteq is primarily intended for use with a digital piano as its main MIDI controller, allowing enhanced realism and expressive, real-time sound and feel emulating that of an acoustic piano.

Pricing

Several Pianoteq versions are available, with "Pro" unlocking the most sound-modelling features of the software which includes note-by-note adjustment. Included/excluded instrument packs vary by customers' contractual agreements with [Modartt].

Installation

The demo version of Pianoteq is preinstalled on Zynthian SD images. If you purchase a license to a full version, you can install it directly on your Zynthian. This installation will be visible in your Modartt account as an activation.

1. Download the Linux installer from your Modartt account.
   • This will be a 7zip (.7z) archive.
   • If your browser is set to auto-extract and delete downloaded archives, disable this setting before downloading.
2. In webconf, navigate to Software > Pianoteq.
3. Using "Upload Binary/PTQ", select and upload the .7z Pianoteq archive.
4. After upload completes, provide your activation serial number as prompted.
5. Reboot your Zynthian.

After installation, you will see the Pianoteq presets list divided into two sections: instruments you have activated appear first, followed by other instruments which you can still use with the same demo restrictions as before. When Pianoteq updates are available, you can upload the new binary by following the same procedure, without needing to re-activate.

Installing Additional .PTQ Instruments

If you use the KIViR instruments, or you have other .ptq instrument files, you can upload them using the same "Upload Binary/PTQ" button used for installing the binary. After installing new instruments, reboot your Zynthian.

Installing .FXP Presets

The simplest way to install Pianoteq presets (.fxp files) is to use the Pianoteq GUI. See Opening Synth Engine Native GUIs on your Computer for connection details.

1. Copy .FXP files to your Zynthian, either on a USB drive or over the network.
2. Connect to your Zynthian using either X11 or VNC.
3. Open Pianoteq, located at .
4. Load the preset by clicking on the name of the current instrument, and selecting the "Load FXP File..." option.
5. Save the preset by clicking the save (💾) button, selecting the preset name, bank, and preset type before saving.
   • Presets will be displayed in the Pianoteq GUI prefixed by the name of the bank they're stored in.
6. After installing presets, use the Software > Pianoteq > Update Presets feature in webconf.
7. Reload any Pianoteq layers to access these presets in the Zynthian UI.

Pianoteq - Change history

Version 6

6.7.3 (2020/06/05)

• Fixed ugly noise issue when loading Pianoteq 6 VST3 in FL Studio.
• (2020/07/31) Fix font issue with Intel Clear Linux.

6.7.2 (2020/05/25)

• Fixed issue with the sostenuto pedal.
• Fixed wrong sample rate for 88200 Hz wav export in the standalone.
• (2020/06/01) Fixed sostenuto pedal again.

6.7.1 (2020/05/05)

• Fixed rounding error when exporting WAV files from MIDI in the standalone application, which could cause the rendered WAV file to be too slow or too fast by up to 0.1%.
• (2020/05/18) Fix HiDPI issue with the plugin on Linux.

6.7.0 (2020/03/18)

• Introducing the Karsten Collection.
• Resonance equalizer added in the equalizer panel (Pianoteq STD and PRO).
• Keyboard shortcut for MIDI panic added.
• Fix issue where the pedal noise was sometimes interrupted by a silent keypress.
• Fix issue with multi-channel output on Linux.

6.6.0 (2019/09/18)

• New instrument added to the Harp instrument pack: the Celtic Harp.

6.5.4 (2019/08/12)

• Extended range on some historical and chromatic percussion instruments: use +- on the left of the keyboard to switch between original and extended range.
• Volume reduction on some MKII presets.

6.5.3 (2019/07/04)

• Fixed wrong sound with the MKII when used at a very low internal sample rate.
• Fixed internal error with the Kalimba at low internal sample rate.
• Fixed issue where the default audio output is automatically selected when the current soundcard becomes unavailable.
• Fixed a few clicks at the tail of notes in some MKI presets.
• Minor update to the Model D Classical preset.

6.5.2 (2019/06/25)

• MKII update: revoicing and four new presets: MKII Spark, MKII Piano Bass Gritty, MKII Piano Bass Snappy, MKII Bass & Piano split.
• Inharmonicity model improvement, allowing for more progressive variations w.r.t. string length.
• New instrument added to the Celeste pack: the Kalimba.
• The interface of Pianoteq STD/PRO can switch to a compact interface, which looks like the STAGE interface.

6.5.1 (2019/05/23)

• Restored the scrollbar in the instrument list options panel.
• Fixed issue with the note-edit window when restoring a saved window configuration.
• Improved performance on the ARM platform -- cpu requirements of version 6.5.1 are still higher than version 6.4.1, but they are lower than 6.5.0.

6.5.0 (2019/05/15)

• Improvement of hammer noise model in all instruments, providing more edge to the attacks.
• Small improvement of the string resonances in all instruments.
• Revoicing of Steinway D and Bechstein DG grand pianos.
• Kremsegg collection default range set to full range (21:108).
• German translation of the manual.
• Keyboard shortcut added for saving/restoring window configurations.
• A warning is displayed when duplicated MIDI events are received.
• Reverb switch entry added in the freeze filter.
• Trim manually recording MIDI files in the standalone to remove any silence at the beginning.

6.4.1 (2019/01/30)

• Fixed a bug with the MIDI recorder (random crash).
• The linux executable is no more PIE as some Linux file managers do not recognize PIE files as executables.

6.4.0 (2019/01/16)

• New instrument: the C. Bechstein Digital Grand.
• Revoicing of grand pianos Steinway D, Steinway B and K2.
• The VST3 plugin is now able to take into account the "tuning" parameter of VST3 note events (useful for users of alternative tunings in Dorico).
• When navigating in the MIDI sequence, Pianoteq will restore the position of the pedals.
• SysEx messages are now kept in midi files when saving (instead of being removed).
• The metronome tic toc sound has been slightly changed.
• The tempo / time signature of the metronome is now embedded in midi files recorded with Pianoteq.
• When using external reverb impulses, Pianoteq will store (if possible) the path of the WAV file relative to the Pianoteq presets folder, or to the user home folder.

6.3.1 (2019/01/04)

• Fixed issue in the attack of some notes at low velocities.

6.3.0 (2018/09/26)

• New instrument: the ANT. PETROF grand piano.
• Fixed multi-channel MIDI mappings.
• (2018/09/27) Fixed crash when loaded as a plugin.

6.2.2 (2018/07/19)

• Workaround for the AU plugin in Studio One 4.
• Improve the detection of true-stereo impulse files.
• The VST3 can now load with 5 channels in REAPER.
• Fixed wrong positioning of labels in the presets manager.
• Small adjustment to the Blüthner Grand, making the sound a bit less wet.

6.2.1 (2018/06/18)

• Fix for the 'Buff stop' pedal and the 'Mute' slider, which were broken in v6.2.0.

6.2.0 (2018/06/13)

• New instrument: the Steingraeber E-272.
• New pedal: the Mozart rail.
• Minor revoicing of all grand pianos.
• Pianissimo behaviour improved for all grand pianos.
• The preset manager can now be resized (when detached from the main window).
• On Windows and Linux, the main menu is automatically hidden in fullscreen mode.
• (2018/06/14) Fixed an issue of the trial version that could sometimes produce a loud noise on first note played.

6.1.1 (2018/03/02)

• Documentation updated.
• The soundcard 'auto-restart' feature should be working again.
• The Perf panel of the options dialog has been updated to display the real-time cpu performance index.

6.1.0 (2018/02/28)

• New spatialisation technique which brings more air and presence to the instruments, increasing realism.
• Minor re-voicing on some instruments/presets.
• Support for the NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) extended plug-in format from Native Instruments.
• The most recently used presets (up to 5) are displayed in the presets menu.
• The loudness should be more even when the reverb amount is changed.

6.0.3 (2017/10/31)

• The issue where an unavailable soundcard would sometimes freeze the interface on startup should be fixed.
• An old issue where sometimes a parameter change would fail to apply has been solved.
• (2017/11/02) updated the STAGE version in order to fix an issue with non-global midimappings.
• (2018/01/17) Better handling of multitouch events for the graphical keyboard.
• (2018/01/17) Fix automation of pedals, and diapason.
• (2018/01/17) Fix issue where sympathetic resonnance was not working with the --multicore max option on Linux.
• (2018/01/17) Added command-line options --midi-channel and --midi-transpose to the standalone version.

6.0.2 (2017/10/11)

• The VST3 plugin should now be listed next to the old 'Pianoteq 5' vst2 plugin in Cubase, instead of being in the 'Synth' folder.
• The issue with the VST3 plugin on Dorico has been fixed (simultaneous 'All Notes Off' and 'Note On' events).
• Fixed malfunctioning random button in the spectrum profile note edit.
• Allow larger ratios to be recognized in the microtuning component.
• The command-line export of large MIDI files on macos is fixed.
• Stability improvements.
• A workaround for the AVIRA false positive malware warning has been found.

6.0.1 (2017/09/12)

• Fixed an issue where the presets saved with the STAGE version would sound different when reloaded.
• Add an option to disable the chord detector (in options / general).
• Fixed stuck tremolo issue when the depth was brought to zero.
• Partial fix to the issue where touchscreens do not work with Pianoteq 6 popup menus.
• Partial fix to the issue where the LV2 plugin window would not resize correctly.
• Fixed issue where the Pianoteq STD AudioUnit would sometimes refuse to load in Ableton Live .
• Fixed issue where the Pianoteq VST3 would produce a buzzing sound in Dorico.

6.0.0 (2017/09/06)

• All 49 instruments available in Pianoteq have been overhauled (the pianos, EPs, percussions, etc, including KIVIR).
• Modelled sustain/damper noises in all contemporary pianos.
• VST3 plugin format support has been added (plugin formats supported in Pianoteq 6: VST2, VST3, AU, AAX (64-bit), LV2).
• A MIDI playlist is now available.
• The MIDI auto-recording and archiving is improved and more configurable.
• The MIDI Mappings feature is more configurable -- MIDI Mapping can now be either global, or preset specific.
• Audio export in MP3 or FLAC format has been added.
• New tuning tool (available in Pianoteq Std and Pro only).
• A simple chord detector has been added.
• The Linux version is now available for ARM architectures.

Version 5

5.8.1 (2016/11/25)

• Fixed issue with audio glitches when changing parameters on some presets (electric pianos in stereo mode).
• Small improvement of the ALSA output latency on Linux.

5.8.0 (2016/11/02)

• New instrument: the Grotrian Concert Royal grand piano, authorized by Grotrian.
• New effects presets, by K.P. Rausch.
• Pianoteq can now open MIDI and FXP files from the 'Open With' contextual menu of the MacOS Finder and Windows explorer.

5.7.1 (2016/06/08)

• New instrument: the electric piano "MKII", included in the "Electric" instrument pack.
• For consistency, the "R2" instrument has been renamed to "MKI".
• The dampers algorithm has been revisited (all instruments), improving their behaviour for fast successions of Note-On/Note-Off.

5.6.2 (2016/04/22)

• Fixed a sustain pedal bug in the trial version.
• Added missing parameters in the midimappings menu (harpsichords registers switches).

5.6.1 (2016/04/14)

• Fixed an activation issue for users that were upgrading from version 5.5
• Fixed pictures and some labels in the harpsichord voicing/tuning/design panels of Pianoteq STD/PRO.

5.6.0 (2016/04/13)

• New instrument: the Ruckers Harpsichord, with its 3 registers.
• The 'lute stop' pedal has been renamed as 'buff stop'. Its sound has been largely improved.
• The control nodes in the velocity / equalizer editor can now be moved with the keyboard arrows.
• The linux lv2 plugin version has been brought up-to-date (no more deprecated extensions).
• Support for multichannel keyboard mappings has been introduced in Pianoteq std/pro, allowing full keyboard range on scales with up to 128 notes per octave, with keyboards such as terpstrakeyboard.

5.5.1 (2016/02/02)

• Correction of a minor resonance bug for the piano instruments.
• KIVIR.ptq is updated as well -- due to compatibility issues, the new Kivir.ptq works only with version 5.5.1
• Clavinet and clavichord: better behaviour of the pitch variation on note attacks.

5.5.0 (2016/01/27)

• New instrument: the Model B Grand Piano.

5.4.2 (2015/10/03)

• Fixed incorrect plugin window size when the graphical keyboard was hidden.
• Fixed issue with some reverb impulses that could not be loaded.

5.4.1 (2015/10/02)

• Fixed crash with the Pianet when some combination of parameters is used.
• Fixed GUI being wrongly displaced by the random button.

5.4.0 (2015/09/29)

• New instrument added in the Hohner collection: the Pianet N.
• A fuzz effect has been added.
• In the standalone version, it is now possible to delete parts of the MIDI sequence loaded (right click on the sequence).
• Fixed issues with the attachment of a midimapping to a specific preset.

5.3.0 (2015/06/30)

• New instrument: the Concert Harp.
• New pedals: glissando and pinch harmonics.
• Diatonic mode switch for the keyboard (the small 'D' button on the left of the graphical keyboard).
• New effect: the 3-band parametric equalizer.
• Copy/paste of all notes now available in the spectrum profile editor (Pianoteq Pro only).

5.2.1 (2015/04/28)

• Fixed an issue with excessive CPU usage.
• Fixed the pickup sliders for the Hohner instruments.

5.2.0 (2015/04/21)

• The Clavinet instrument pack becomes the Hohner collection including two new instruments: the Pianet T and the Electra.
• A phaser effect has been added.
• Added an "ignore the sustain pedal" switch for the sostenuto pedal.
• The wav export settings are now recalled.
• Fixed engine issue when running at 192kHz.

5.1.4 (2015/01/23)

• D4 Grand update: una corda model revisited, slight revoicing, in particular from ppp to p.

5.1.3 (2014/11/26)

• New instrument: the Toy Piano.
• Small update to Bluethner (revoicing, mainly in the upper range).

5.1.2 (2014/11/13)

• Fixed an unexpectedly low output volume on some instruments (electric pianos) when stereo or mono output mode is selected and multicore rendering is disabled.
• Fixed a rare crash involving simultaneous notes and bad luck.

5.1.1 (2014/10/09)

• Fixed an issue with the AAX version on OSX.

5.1.0 (2014/10/08)

• KIViR collection brought up-to-date with Pianoteq 5.
• Binaural model improved for all instruments.
• D4 Grand slightly revoiced.
• Extended keyboard range switch available in the interface.
• MIDI realtime-tuning support.

5.0.1 (2014/05/26)

• Small updates to D4, K2 (lowered a few longitudinal modes) and Bluethner (voicing).
• Fixed issue with the AU plugin that was not recognized by a few hosts (STAGE version only).
• Metronome fixes (1/1 time signature begin silent, accent on first not being recalled).
• Velocity curve fixed to allow silent notes.
• Supersostenu was missing from the list of midi-assignable parameters.

5.0.0 (2014/05/21)

• All instruments brought up-to-date with latest model improvements, D4 and YC5 re-built from scratch.
• Nine new instruments: Grand K2 and the Kremsegg Collection.
• The free KIVIR instruments are still those of version 4, but we are working on them and a very improved version will be available soon. Stay tuned.
• Directional microphones support, which can be rotated in all directions.
• Many microphone models, with various directivity patterns, are available.
• Microphones can be linked together, and then moved or rotated together.
• The polarity of a microphone can be reversed (for M/S recording situations, typically).
• The four pedals of the interface can be re-assigned to a few parameters such as Rattle, Lute Stop, Celeste, Super Sostenuto.
• Improved key noises, with an optional humanization of the parameters.
• Pianoteq presets (FXP files) can now embed a short MIDI excerpt.
• Dithering added to the audio export in Pianoteq Standalone.
• Small metronome improvements.

Version 4

4.5.5 (2014/04/11)

• Fix the incorrect aftertouch velocity curve for the W1 electric piano presets.
• Fixed crash with Tracktion 5 on mac.
• (2014/04/17) Fix for the documentation that would not open in the 'help' menu.

4.5.4 (2013/11/18)

• Workaround for an issue with Maschine 2.0 (crash when loading the VST plugin).
• Fixed bug of STAGE version where a wrong mic configuration could be sometimes selected after loading a reverb preset.
• Fixed sostenuto pedal behaviour when the sustain pedal is engaged.
• Handling of scala KBM files with more than one occurence of the same note is fixed.
• (2013/11/21) Fix for interface freezes and keyboard issues of the VST plugin with Ableton Live (on Windows).
• (2014/01/15) The electric pianos have been renamed as "Vintage Tines R2" and "Vintage Reeds W1".

4.5.3 (2013/10/28)

• Fixed an issue with CoreAudio on MacOS X 10.9 (Mavericks), where Pianoteq would sometimes freeze on startup.
• Fixed a crash that happened on some specific conditions (typically Pro Tools with a buffer size set to 1024, for some presets).

4.5.2 (2013/09/16)

• Pianoteq is now available as an AAX plugin for Pro Tools 11.
• French translation of tooltips available.
• The condition slider is correctly saved and restored in Pianoteq STAGE.
• (2013/10/07) Fixed a crash occuring on some instruments when the damping duration was set to a very high value.

4.5.1 (2013/04/12)

• Fixed a crash in the delay effect.
• Fixed issue where the ASIO sample rate was not correctly restored on startup.
• Bluethner picture is back in the preset window.
• Linux archive permissions fixed.
• (2013/04/16) fixed crash with midi automation of some sliders.
• (2013/04/16) fixed U4 wall being dragged out of reach.

4.5.0 (2013/04/11)

• New add-on instrument: the upright piano U4.
• The others grand pianos benefit from model improvements: D4, K1, YC5 and Bluethner have been updated and improved.
• New 'Condition' parameter: turn a perfect instrument into a worn out, detuned and broken instrument, with a single click.
• New 'Unison Balance' parameter (available in Note-Edit with Pro version, and via right-click on the unison slider in Pianoteq Standard).
• Fullscreen mode.
• Linux version is now also available as a LV2 plugin.

4.2.1 (2012/12/12)

• New instrument in the KIViR collection: the Neupert clavichord.
• Pianoteq now has a velocity curve for the aftertouch (polyphonic AT and channel pressure).
• The graphical keyboard of the interface can also trigger aftertouch messages by clicking a key and dragging the cursor up and down.

4.2.0 (2012/09/19)

• New optional add-on instrument: The Bluethner Model 1.

4.1.0 (2012/07/04)

• The electric piano R1 has been replaced by its successor, the R2.
• The old R1 presets have been moved in a legacy add-on.
• New parameter for R1: tines sound.
• Improved the Chorus effect.
• (2012/07/13) Fixed crash with some VST hosts.
• (2012/07/13) Fixed behaviour of the delay polarity switch when controlled by MIDI messages.
• (2012/08/23) Fixed regression in the pedal noises.

4.0.4 (2012/06/13)

• New steeldrums/steelpans/tank drum instruments.
• Performance issue with effects fixed.
• Fixed a bug where custom effect presets were not being enabled when loaded.
• Fixed automation issues of the STAGE version with some parameters.
• The windows version now releases the audio/midi device when the computer is being suspended.
• The windows version correctly shuts down when the computer is being turned off.
• Slow WAV export in the standalone version fixed.
• The panic button also resets the midi connections when clicked.
• The 'no audio device' dialog has been improved.
• Better behaviour with low velocity repeated notes when the sustain pedal is used.
• Added 'clear menu' entries in the recent MIDI files menu.
• Added a '--midimapping' command-line option.
• (2012/06/18) Fixed random crash on startup.

4.0.3 (2012/05/16)

• Renamed Pianoteq PLAY to Pianoteq STAGE.
• Fixed issue with some realtime MIDI messages (MIDI clock etc) on Macos.
• Undo/redo behaviour when a slider is being dragged should now be really fixed..
• Fixed magnification issue with the spectrum profile note-edit.

4.0.2 (2012/04/27)

• Disabled multicore rendering for Pro Tools in order to avoid freezes.
• Grand K1: correction for an unwanted difference with the K1 of Pianoteq 3.
• Standalone version: single-step through midi files using the left/right arrows of the keyboard.
• Allow drag&drop of impulse response WAV files for the reverb.
• Improve diagnostic message when an external impulse response is not available.
• Fix issue with some midimappings not working on startup.
• Better undo/redo behaviour when a slider is being dragged.
• Do not truncate exported WAV files when the sound tail is long.
• Linux version: handle SIGUSR1 nicely.
• Linux version: solve incompatibility issues with realtime kernel variants.

4.0.1 (2012/04/20)

• Fixed a random crash happening in VST hosts when switching effects.
• Fixed a few issues on Linux (wrong MIDI port name, crash when detaching windows with xmonad).

4.0.0 (2012/04/18)

• New Grand D4 instrument, with an improved soundboard and sound radiation model.
• New set of effects, including a convolution reverb.
• Resizable GUI.
• New feature in the standalone version : Recently played on the keyboard
• and many more...

Version 3

3.6.8 (2012/01/16)

• Fixed a bounce issue with Logic 9.1.6.
• The pianoteq VST dll is now autonomous, it does not depend anymore on the pianoteq standalone executable.

3.6.7 (2011/06/14)

• Native VST for the Linux version.
• Fixed an issue with the trial versions.

3.6.6 (2011/01/17)

• Add a "MIDI Dialect" option for high resolution MIDI messages: The "Disklavier XP" mode enables the recognition of "extended precision" midi files recorded on high-end Disklavier pianos, such as the ones available on the international e-piano competition website. The "Hi-res CC#88" mode enables recognition of the MIDI high resolution velocity prefix for note-on and note-off messages, such as the ones sent by the VAX77 MIDI keyboard.

3.6.5 (2010/10/20)

• Key range of K1 and C3 grand piano extended to 105 keys.
• Keyboard transposition can be controlled with the computer keyboard, or custom MIDI mappings.
• Pianoteq Standalone now recalls both A and B presets on startup.
• (2010/10/25) fixed issue with Gamelan.fxp.
• (2010/10/25) fixed activation issue on windows.

3.6.4 (2010/09/15)

• New Xylo add-on, featuring Xylophone & Bass Marimba.
• Added drag and drop for microtonal Scala files on the Pianoteq interface.

3.6.3 (2010/07/05)

• Fixed an occasional crash of repeated notes with some velocity curves.

3.6.2 (2010/06/30)

• Introducing the Celesta and Glockenspiel instruments.
• Added a humanize option to the Strike Position slider (right click on the slider).

3.6.1 (2010/05/20)

• The Mac version now includes a 64-bit version of the standalone application and the Audio-Unit plugin.
• The preset menu was reorganized.
• Fixed issue with multi-channel pitch-bend messages when used for microtuning purposes (with devices such as http://www.h-pi.com/ ).
• (2010/06/10) Fixed issue with the Pianoteq PLAY version not recalling a few settings (reverb switch etc)

3.6.0 (2010/03/24)

• New K1 Grand Piano instrument.
• User selectable folder for user presets and add-ons.
• The default MIDI file for the standalone version can now be changed.
• Jack MIDI support for the Linux version.
• Increased the filter sweep speed for the wah-wah effect.
• Minor bugfixes and features.

3.5.3 (2010/02/17)

• Updated engine and interface for the new Clavinet add-on.
• New "Mute" parameter in the actions panel.
• Added a Wah-Wah effect section.
• 29400Hz is now available as an internal sample rate in the options/perf panel (provides excellent sound quality with lower cpu usage).
• Improved the audio load curve, and added a warning in the options/perf panel for suboptimal buffer sizes.
• Various optimizations for netbooks, Pianoteq 3.5.3 runs smoothly on an atom N280 netbook when using an internal sample rate of 29400Hz.
• Minor bugfixes and features.

3.5.2 (2009/12/15)

• Updated engine for the new Cimbalom add-on.
• Minor bug-fixes.
• (2009/12/16) Fixed a crash of the RTAS version.

3.5.1 (2009/11/05)

• Fixed VST-specific bug when loading old projects or FXB files in the VST plugin.
• Fixed crash when loading some custom keyboard mappings.
• Slightly improved performance of multicore-rendering on windows.
• Minor adjustement of the damper model. KIViR.ptq also updated.

3.5.0 (2009/10/28)

• Engine upgrade, with improved resonances, for all instruments.
• C3 and M3 pianos have been revoiced, and their soundboard replaced.
• Small improvements on the electric pianos, a new preset R1 Bark has been introduced.
• The KIViR historical instruments have been updated (small improvements).
• Note Edit for DETUNE and VOLUME in Pianoteq Standard.
• Note Edit for other parameters in PRO version.
• Note Edit, Sound Recording, and Preset Manager window can be detached from the main interface.
• Added a note-off velocity curve, and a sustain pedal position curve.
• New parameters available for most instruments: (hammer) Strike Point, and Damper Position.
• Adjustable playback speed for the standalone midi player, adjustable volume for the metronome.
• The compare button has been replaced by an A/B button, for switching between two presets.
• Pitch bend range extended to +- 2400 cents.
• Direct Sound behaviour improved with respect to Unison Width and Soundboard Impedance.

3.0.5 (2009/07/16)

• Added 'Rock Piano' optional add-on.
• Added a few command-line options for the Linux version
• (2009/07/21) Fixed redrawing issues on Linux
• (2009/07/27) Fixed a small performance regression
• (2009/08/05) Updated the windows version in order to fix an "always on top" issue of the standalone application

3.0.4 (2009/06/04)

• Fixed a crash when using pitch bend as a VST parameter.
• Reduced the default tremolo rate for Electric R1.
• (2009/06/18) fixed cpu count detection on Linux
• (2009/06/18) fixed plugin reset at the beginning of tracks on Logic

3.0.3 (2009/05/15)

• Native Linux (x86) version now available, with Jack and ALSA backends.
• Added vibraphone model.
• Auxiliary output buses available for the AudioUnit version.
• (2009/05/18) A few fixes for the Linux version.

3.0.2 (2009/04/10)

• Minor modifications to the C3 instrument sound: more punch in fortissimo, slightly longer notes and slightly longer harp resonance.
• Auxiliary channels available for Pro Tools.

3.0.1 (2009/03/07)

• Performance improvements for G5 cpus.
• Fixed bug with midi mapping presets (saving / loading / etc)
• Various small bugfixes.
• (2009/03/20) Fixed some random "lag" issues with Logic / Garageband 5 / Pro Tools on Mac.

known issue: there is a 'mouse offset' bug with Pro Tools on Mac. When this bug occurs, a workaround is to move the mouse cursor over the bottom of Pianoteq interface.

3.0.0 (2009/02/19)

• New acoustic model
• Mic position - up to 5 mics
• Multi channel - up to 5 channels
• New grand pianos C3 and M3
• Supports electro-acoustic pianos R1 and W1
• Unlimited perspectives
• Advanced preset and parameter managers
• (2009/02/20) Fixed bug preventing from loading FXP presets saved with pianoteq 2

Version 2

2.3.0 (2008/06/18)

• Improved reverb
• Various small bugfixes

2.2.2 (2007/12/29)

• Fixed an initialization bug occuring in some VST hosts when the audio device is not running at 44100 Hz
• Improved linux compatibility (not supported) (2008/01/12)
• Improved multi-users installation (2008/01/26)
• Fixed an automation bug with Live (2008/03/06)

2.2.1 (2007/12/20)

• Model update for the CP-80 add-on
• Added flat temperament
• Fixed bug concerning export of VST parameters

2.2 (2007/10/01)

• New preset, C2 chamber, with a closer, intimate, ambiance and clarity
• Added resonances for 'dry' notes (without sustain pedal), particularly noticeable when playing staccato chords (C2 chamber and C2 concert)
• Improvement of space location for harp and sympathetic resonances
• Slightly re-voiced C2 concert for better transparency
• Some convenient keyboard shortcuts were added to the standalone version
• (2007/10/09) fixed the vst and rtas plugins of the windows trial version

2.1 (2007/07/17)

• New preset, C2 concert, with an improvement of the piano model at fortissimo and increased dynamics
• Improvement of the string resonance
• Improvement of the harp resonance with partial pedalling
• RTAS version (Mac and PC) for Pro Tools 7.3 or better
• Pitch bend support (bug fixed on 2007/07/27)
• Drag and drop for midi (stand-alone only) and fxp files
• Instantiation as a mono AU or RTAS plugin (2007/08/03)
• Fixed a crash which could happen with the gui closed (2007/08/03)

2.0.1 (2007/05/05)

• Multicore rendering (for dual-core CPUs and hyperthreaded Pentium 4, can be enabled in the 'options' menu)
• Receptor compatibility (distributed as a single dll in a zip file)
• Fixed parameter automation
• Small modification in the sympathetic resonance model (some resonances were too loud) (2007/05/15)
• Stand-alone: added 'clear menu' entry in the various recent files menus
• Stand-alone: output channel selection for ASIO sound cards
• Stand-alone: metronome volume now adjustable
• Stand-alone: fixed wav export bug

2.0.0 (2007/04/04)

• New soundboard model for all presets
• New piano preset, C2
• Stand-alone player
• Microtuning with Scala support
• Key release velocity
• Stereo width slider
• Lid position, open/half-open/closed
• Smooth adjustment of parameters during play

Version 1

1.0.4

• Many small bugfixes
• Midi controllers pre-assigned to the various sliders of the interface
• Handle program-change midi messages (VST only)

1.0.3

• Small adjustments of the default settings for the C1 presets

1.0.2

• The Universal Binary version of Pianoteq is now available
• Minor performance enhancements were achieved for Athlon and Core CPUs
• Fixed a bug in the fxp load/save under MacOS
• Fixed the installer so that Pianoteq now works with MacOS 10.3.9 (Panther)

1.0.1

• Added "Load FXP" and "Save FXP" entries in the options menu, allowing AudioUnit and VST users to exchange Pianoteq presets easily
• Fixed a bug preventing Pianoteq from loading in Logic

Pianoteq tackles the virtual piano problem in megabytes rather than gigabytes, and offers flexibility that its multisampling competitors can't match.

Pianoteq's dark, cool-looking window puts all the essential controls in one place.

What do you do when you want to create a super-accurate software recreation of an acoustic piano? Conventional wisdom says 'sample the hell out of it', and that's exactly the approach used by the likes of Steinberg, VSL, Native Instruments, Synthogy, EastWest and others, in sample libraries running to 30, 40, even 50 gigabytes, and capturing every dynamic gradation of a particular piano, pedal up and down, and often from multiple mic positions.

The current crop of sampled pianos can give great results — but at a cost. First, streaming those tens of gigs of samples is a fairly tall order for a high-end Mac or PC, even with stacks of RAM, dedicated hard drives and high-bandwidth architecture. On a laptop, though, while playing back multitrack audio and other samples? Best of luck! Then there's the question of flexibility. Even the most lavish sample libraries only offer a handful of pianos, and if the sound you're after isn't one of them, you're pretty much stuck. Any real 'sound design' is off-limits — almost none allow it, and aside from offering a few tone tweaks, they're essentially replay engines only.

In the past few years, though, an alternative to sampling has emerged, in the form of modelling — think Logic's Sculpture plug-in, or Applied Acoustics' GS1 guitar instruments. Acoustic modellers like these generate sound on the fly according to mathematical representations of actual physical systems, such as columns of air in a tube, or strings stretched over a bridge and soundboard. Not being based on samples, modelling instruments generally have a much smaller installation footprint, and can offer a remarkable level of freedom in tweaking the mechanical/acoustic systems they represent — even to the point of emulating instruments that don't or couldn't exist.

Does a modelled piano sound and feel as good as a sampled one, though? That's the million dollar question, and one I'll be considering carefully later on in this review.

Music Teq

For dedicated savers and traders of Pianoteq's .FXP preset format, the preset manager overlay allows quick grouping and searching of sounds.

Pianoteq was the first commercially available piano modelling software, released in 2006, and it's still pretty much unique — other than Roland's big-money hardware V-Piano, there's very little to compare with it. Dave Stewart's review from the January 2007 issue of SOS sums up its first incarnation very nicely, and gives a bit of background about Modartt and the people behind the maths. The software has moved on a bit since then, though, so here's a quick rundown of the facts.

First off, Pianoteq runs as a stand-alone application or a plug-in, in VST, Audio Units or RTAS formats. OS requirements are Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS 10.4 or later (Intel or PPC), or Linux (x86) with Jack and ALSA back ends. Only 256MB RAM is required, and a mere 20MB of hard disk space — I've saved Word documents bigger than that — but you'll need a dual- or multi-core processor for best performance: this modelling is a CPU‑intensive business. Having said that, various settings let you restrict sample rate or polyphony, allowing Pianoteq to work perfectly well on more modest machines. Installation is quick and straightforward, and authorisation/activation is handled automatically on-line (though a manual activation system is available too). A single licence allows for installation on up to three computers.

Next, and as of the most recent round of updates, there are actually two different Pianoteqs available. Pianoteq 3.5 Pro goes for 399 Euros and offers 'per note' tweaking of many parameters, for the ultimate in virtual piano design. It also supports high sample rates, up to 192kHz. However, Pianoteq 3.5 Standard, at 249 Euros, is more like the previous versions of the program, and it's this I'll get stuck into first, to see what's the same, what's new and what's different.

Get Hammered

The virtual miking overlay betrays Pianoteq's multi-channel, surround-ready design.

Pianoteq's plug-in and stand-alone graphic interfaces are almost identical — the stand‑alone just has an additional metronome and MIDI file player/recorder section at the very top of its window. The easiest way to choose between the piano presets is with the large pop-up menu at the top left, which also displays the currently selected preset. Click the pop-up and (amongst other things) you discover presets for the two main pianos, referred to as C3 and M3. You can get at these (and Pianoteq's other instruments) in a different way, though: clicking an icon towards the top right overlays a Preset Management window, which can sort the preset list by various criteria, provides a text search field, and gives a little more information about each preset. You can also assign MIDI commands here that will switch to the preset remotely.

The rest of the interface — which, on the whole, is simple and intuitive in use — is split into sections. In the top half are Tuning, Voicing and Design sections, whose tasteful 'piano internals' photographs slide back to reveal a fair number of parameters. Below are some more general parameters: a graph display where you can tweak velocity response and EQ, an Output section that includes master volume and virtual miking options, and a series of 'Effects' toggles, which allow action noise, tremolo, reverb and an output limiter to be turned on and off and small configuration panels for each to be displayed. For quite a compact window, there's a lot going on, and it'd be impossible to go into detail about every parameter without this review turning into War & Peace, so here are some of the highlights.

The tuning section offers the normal 'master tune' function, setting concert 'A' to an accuracy of 1/100th of one Hertz. A handful of built-in historical temperaments is supplemented by support for the Scala tuning format. Other historical, ethnic and experimental tuning systems can be loaded via a Scala .kbm file, and there are thousands available for free on the Internet. Varying the Unison Width (the small variations in pitch a piano tuner introduces across the two or three strings that make up one note) introduces movement and richness into the sound, and at an extreme it creates a honky‑tonk or 'pub piano' effect.

In the voicing section, hammer hardness makes a tremendous difference, conjuring up anything from an almost muted 'practice piano' effect to a sparkling, metallic tone that sounds like you've pushed drawing pins into the hammers. Because it's independently adjustable for varying dynamic levels, and Pianoteq smoothly fades between them, subtle and sometimes remarkable effects can be produced with this parameter alone. The Strike Point fader changes the harmonic content of the sound, as if the string had been struck nearer to or further away from the bridge.

Some of the design section options are really interesting, too. Impedance, Cutoff and Q factor all adjust the response of the virtual soundboard, varying it from (apparently) a thick, inert plank to something weirdly resonant and energetic; somewhere in between those extremes is what most pianos are really like.

One of the key additions to the Pro version of Pianoteq, the Note Edit overlay allows subtle or drastic adjustment of tonal qualities on an individual note basis.Microphone pickup modelling was introduced early in 2009 in Pianoteq version 3, and it's quite flexible. Up to five virtual mics can feed any combination of five output channels, with individual level and delay settings. They're placed with reference to a plan and side view of a piano (whose lid you can open and close), and their position is adjustable in three dimensions. You're not bound to use this modelling, but it does add a sense of realism. The virtual acoustic, though, is not configurable, nor is the type or model of mic.

Rounding off this little tour, there are plenty of options for action noise: key releases, dampers (that nice 'swoosh' you get on some close‑miked recordings of real pianos) and sustain pedal. The reverb is a useful addition, but its type isn't specified. It appears to have just one quite flexible algorithm, thankfully quite well suited to piano and not too ringing or rough.

Pianoteq Pro

The more expensive Pianoteq Pro offers all the same sound-shaping parameters as the Standard version, but additionally allows you to tweak them on an individual note basis. Clicking the Note Edit button brings up a sort of graph display in the lower half of the Pianoteq window, on which you can set parameter values according to note pitch. If you're just after solid, playable pianos, this feature isn't going to offer you much. But if you regard the piano sound as a starting point for something much more creative and individual, it comes into its own. You might choose to recreate your favourite jazz recordings by detuning the odd note (think Nina Simone...), or create a more complex prepared 'arrangement' in the manner of John Cage. There are limits, of course — you don't get virtual nuts, bolts and bits of rubber to wedge between the strings — but combinations of the modelling parameters go a tremendous way. I found it interesting, for example, to play riffs and ostinatos on pianos with very uneven tone qualities — you get inspiring and engaging results that would hardly be achievable any other way.

The Playing Experience

Now we get to the heart of the matter. What's this latest Pianoteq actually like to play and listen to, and how does it compare to its sample-based competitors?

Taking Pianoteq on its own terms, there's no doubt that version 3.5, in both Standard and Pro editions, is the best yet. All the 'wow' stuff is still there — carefully press down a silent C-major chord in the treble (to raise the virtual dampers), whack a short C-octave in the bass, and that higher chord starts ringing in response, just like on a real piano. Interactions like that are taking place constantly, helping to create a coherent musical result, and often creating an uncannily authentic and rewarding playing experience. For me, no other virtual piano matches the naturalness of Pianoteq's dynamic response, and it's one of the very, very few virtual instruments that you can feel truly involved with, and 'coax', in the same way as a real instrument. The v3.5 model is more subtle than ever, too, and includes (among other things) sympathetic resonance of the strings on the 'dead' side of the nut and soundboard bridge (the so‑called duplex scale), and even more realistic partial damping of strings when very quick or shallow pedalling is used. The breadth of application of the pianos supplied as standard is impressive, and together with the miking, voicing and design options, they cover masses of stylistic ground, from the distant past to cutting-edge experimentalism. The Pro version's Note Edit options won't be for everyone, but they could prove revelatory to established and new Pianoteq addicts.

There's always a 'but', though. Much as I enjoy playing Pianoteq, my personal feeling is that its main pianos don't quite match the level of realism in the raw sound of the multi-gigabyte libraries. It's jolly close, but I'm sometimes aware of a certain 'artificial' edge, very difficult to describe. It's not anything that could be fixed with EQ or dynamic treatments, but more like a slight lack of weight, a stiffness, a sort of absence of beauty. We're getting into poetic realms, but maybe that's inevitable when you get to this level of emulation accuracy. I don't want to overstate this, though — it's a marginal and very subjective thing, and I'd advise prospective purchasers to try out the demo version to see what they make of it.

In terms of CPU usage, it proved more than acceptable on my Apple MacBook. Running stand-alone or as a plug-in in Digital Performer 7 and Logic 9, at 128- or 256-sample buffer settings, even full piano parts with lots of polyphony and plentiful use of the sustain pedal rarely used more than about 25 percent of the processor, and most often about 15 percent. It's not a processor hog, by any stretch of the imagination.

Coda

As an alternative to the huge sampled pianos, Pianoteq is, without doubt, a force to be reckoned with, and for me any minor concerns about the sound are mostly outweighed by the playability factor. Add in great flexibility, and an installation and usage impact that suits laptop users and many other 'real world' computer setups, and Pianoteq looks stronger than ever. And if creative virtual piano design is your thing, look no further — you won't find anything better.