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Bosendorfer Piano... should I?
Hello one and all... I currently own Appassionata Strings, Special Edition, Elements and Mallets (Horizon) and I'm really looking for a nice piano (or pianos). Obviously being a VSL user, I'm keen to stick with what I know but... The Bosendorfer that appears on Special Edition is not selling it to me. I know this is a cut down version, but I can't help but think that VSL have made a mistake with this because its really put me off the product. I firmly believe that the Bosendorfer on SE sounds absolutely awful and I wouldn't use it even for demos. Seriously I've got old keyboards that sound better than this... I also have Garritan which is surprisingly much better! Could someone please tell me that the full version of the Bosendorfer is A LOT better and worth the money?! I would like to hear from someone who has experience of the SE version to know what I'm talking about. Obviously I've listened to the demos and they sound good, but how many times have we heard demos only to get the product and it not be what we were led to believe?! Obviously its a lot of money and I want to make the right decision. I've heard Ivory is very good... Anyway, I'd really appreciate peoples views on this. Thanks in advance!
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Why not downloading the midifile of the Szymanowski Etude and performing this midifile with your Special Edition Bosendorfer.
http://vsl.co.at/Player2.aspx?Lang=1&DemoID=4984
The difference you hear between your version and Jay's mp3 file is more or less the difference you can expect with the full version.
best
Herb
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I should point out I am no pro pianist! But IMHO ...
The SE and full version are very different and playing with both loaded up and switching between the two as you play is .. how can I describe it ? ...'unsettling' .... in that the change in sound (cut in samples (and reediting?)) is enough to actually make the experience feel different - 'under the fingers' (and in a big way!). In other words the experience is a little more drastic than just percieving a loss with the ears/brain. Does that make sense?! So I would agree that the SE version does the full version no favours at all and a piano VI designed from the start of the recording process to be 'budget' will no doubt produce a better 'budget piano VI' than the SE Bosendorfer. However in the context of SE I have no real problem with it at all.
So the point is I dont think you need worry about the full version disappointing 'as a product' - I don't think it will! It is superb
But will it disappoint 'as a piano'? Well, that, of course depends on what piano(s) you're after. If piano's are horses then this one is a thoroughbred. It's big but lean, very pure, and seems very 'keen' - very percussive, yet silky smooth! I don't know - listento the demos! LOL!
Some other piano VI's have a range of pianos and various other tweaks and options so you could argue that the VSL Bosendorfer is less flexible in that sense. But multi piano VI's have their trade offs too. But it is certainly a beautifully well recorded, high quality VI ... and like everything else VSL release, the rest is up to you.
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Thanks very much for the info... it's very helpful. I'm sure it's a good product, but the SE version is very off-putting! I also can't help but wonder if VSL are releasing another piano at some point. Or a more flexible option. Knowing my luck I'll get this then they'll release something even better!
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Hi Ryan, here's my two cents worth: piano is one of the hardes instruments to sample because its timbre varies so much with different dynamics and because the subtle effect of the sustain pedal is hard to pin down (all those overtones blending together . . . ) To get anywhere close to the real thing you have to have LOTS of dynamic layers and I would guess that's one of the sacrifices made in the cut-down version in SE.
The other problem is that real pianos sound different from each other and there is no standard way of recording the instrument. It comes down to the individual's touch, taste and experience. I don't enjoy playing sampled pianos, but if I was mocking up a piece I'd be happy to use the Bosendorfer in an orchestral setting. It has a BIG and (to my ears) somewhat percussive sound which suits ensemble work, but I'd be less comfortable trying to play it solo in an intimate or improvisational way.
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