I can't seem to get the same realistic sound from the Vienna imperial that I hear in many of the demos. It's clearly not my sound system that's creating the problem because the demos sound terrific. Does anyone have a good combination of settings of the piano itself and MIR that would emulate the sound of the best demos on the VI website? Any setting suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Mike
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Getting the same sound from Vienna imperial as the demos
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Paul, I think the Albeniz "Leyenda" and Brahms Ab major Waltz sound quite good. However, no matter what settings I try I cannot get as good a sound. Is it possible for you to post exactly what settings and venue in MIR were used? When I play the Vienna imperial, the middle range always sounds very dead and expressionless. The mid range seems to be the weakest, the low and high registers are quite good, but the middle range always sounds very artificial to me. By the way, I am a pianist and I'm using a Kawai VPC1 as my controller, but I've even tried different keyboards and nothing seems to take care of that artificial sound in the middle register. Thank you, Mike
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I like the Imperial very much. It is so good and autentic to play! And I like to compress its sound.
It is a matter of taste what sound you like ... and every Piano sounds different. A Boesendorfer always sounds very "raw" while the Steinway sounds more "silky" and somehow "brighter". It is always good tho check the differences on Youtube as there are enough examples and comparisions before you start a purchase.
It is not so easy to play a "butter soft sound" with the Imperial. But this is not a recording issue, it is just the way a Boesendorfer sounds. That's why I purchased Keyscape from Spectrasonics as second alternative Piano. The Yamaha in this Package is a dream for soft Hollywood-Sound-like pieces.
VSL also has a Yamaha with remote-possibilities standing in the Synchron Stage :) Hopefully they will record it in the big ISO-room.
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Paul,
When I play the Vienna imperial, the middle range always sounds very dead and expressionless. The mid range seems to be the weakest, the low and high registers are quite good, but the middle range always sounds very artificial to me. By the way, I am a pianist and I'm using a Kawai VPC1 as my controller, but I've even tried different keyboards and nothing seems to take care of that artificial sound in the middle register.
Thank you,
MikeIt's tough to say exactly what's causing your dilemma. What do you mean by "Dead and expressionless?" You're not hearing the velocity layers? Maybe post an example of what your talking about? You have Sonar Platinum listed in your sig line so I presume that's the sequencer you're using and you say you're a pianist so my guess is that you play the parts in?
As LAJ mentioned you might be hearing a compressed sound in the demos or some other sweetening. Although I don't have the Imperial I have the smaller Bosendorfer library and I like to put the Vienna Suite Exciter on my piano parts which can work all kinds of magic into the sound depending on settings. Also, I always use the multiband.
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Fabio, I always play in the parts to try to get the maximum expression. I just find the mid range of the Bösendorfer to be very flat and thumpy. It sounds like dead hammers hitting the strings. I play a Steinway Hamburg B at home, so it may be just a difference in the sound of the pianos. I wish VSL would consider sampling a Steinway. However, the demos do sound very good so people must be adding some sort of processing to it. Mike
Hi Mike,
May I ask you if you play the piano parts or if you program it, maybe writing with a notation software? Believe me, even the best sounding library can sound fake when playing a flat midi file. But maybe you already play all the notes and the problem is elsewhere!
Cheers,
Fabio
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Jasensmith,
No, I can hear all velocity layers, it's just that the mid range sounds very artificial and thumpy, like if you have ever heard over-voiced hammers on a piano. It's the attack in that range that sounds odd. Unless I am using that range with slow or sustained chords, I find it to not be a very realistic piano sound. With fast moving notes it sounds very artificial. However, on some of the demos, "Leyenda" and the Brahms "Ab Major Waltz" in particular, it sounds auite good. I would really like to know what extra processing is being used on those.
Any processing suggestions are very welcome.
Thanks,
Mike
It's tough to say exactly what's causing your dilemma. What do you mean by "Dead and expressionless?" You're not hearing the velocity layers? Maybe post an example of what your talking about? You have Sonar Platinum listed in your sig line so I presume that's the sequencer you're using and you say you're a pianist so my guess is that you play the parts in?
As LAJ mentioned you might be hearing a compressed sound in the demos or some other sweetening. Although I don't have the Imperial I have the smaller Bosendorfer library and I like to put the Vienna Suite Exciter on my piano parts which can work all kinds of magic into the sound depending on settings. Also, I always use the multiband.
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If anyone has processing suggestions that would be great. I know I can use MIRacle, but are there other "effects" that I would have access to when using the Vienna Imperial?
Thanks,
Mike
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There shouldn't be any processing necessary. I wonder if there's something wrong with your velocity settings in Vienna Imperial. I use a Kawai MP-10 as a controller, and I get the same sound as the demos. The built in reverb should be all you need.
Dry samples of an Imperial are going to sound harsh unless played very softly, as it was recorded in an unnatural environment for a concert grand. The built-in reverb takes care of that. MIR is even better, as there are so many choices.
I'm a pianist too, and I play a C.Bechstein, which is closer to an Imperial than a Steinway or Yamaha. I find Vienna Imperial is the only VSTi that plays anything like my real grand. Maybe you could change the velocity curve so that the middle isn't so "hyperactive"?
