Piano app comparison and the next level for our tablet

AlexDemo

@ErrkaPetti said:

@AlexDemo said:
So after all these apps and after all the A/B comparison, I find that the piano apps are missing the character element, plus the sympathetic string resonance, pedal down samples etc. Although the size is bigger than the older days, the sound isn't phat(in moog terms)
When you hear a Schimmel, Bechstein, Bosendorfen, Steinway or Fazziolli Grand (or Upright), the character of the instruments plus the quality of the manufacturer give this great sound.And the thousands of dollars.
I don't expect to have a fazziolli that worth 70000 euros in my ipad, but good samples should be always the point for a good app or vst.

Korg Module: Ok a good effort, but sounds thin in my ears even with the Ivory samples.
Igrand: A big step when it launched, a toy right now.
CMP Grand: Same as module. Even the expanded Bechstein piano.

In matters of electric pianos, the neo soul keys app sounds as close to the real thing as no other.
Module comes next with great Rhodes Sound, but lacks a little bit on the bark side of the instrument.Wurly is a puppy.
ilectric third, ok a good try.

The next big step should be the physical modelling solution, as I have checked on physis h1 piano it sounded extremely close to the real thing.I don't know the technology they use exactly to recreate the samples but I think that ipad can handle these elements.

Please share your opinions.

Alex, any opinion an the quality of the pianos in Sampletank, both iOS and Mac/Win?

I have it both and the Mac AU-version sounds really great...

The Sampletank on ios is definitely not the same version as on computers, a lower down model for the time that was released was fine.I think it has the igrand piano samples.

ErrkaPetti

@ErrkaPetti said:

@theconnactic said:
P.P.S.: Here's a quick tutorial that worked for me with other EXS instruments (didn't try the Yamaha Grand Piano). Follow to the letter!

1. Open Logic Pro X and load Yamaha Grand Piano in EXS24
2. In EXS24, open the Edit menu (a little button to the left of the instrument browser)
3. Open the instrument drop-down menu and select Export Sample Instrument and Sample Files). SAVE TO THE DESKTOP (very important)
4. Two folders will be created in your Desktop: one called Yamaha Grand Piano and other called Sampler Instruments, which contains the .exs file. Leave them there for a while
5. Open iFunBox, then go to App File Sharing>Auria>Sampler Instruments. Create a new folder called Yamaha Grand Piano (from now one I'll call it the base folder), and inside this folder create another folder, also called Yamaha Grand Piano (from now on I'll call it the sample folder)
6. Copy the .exs file from your Desktop's Sampler Instrument folder to the base folder
7. Open the Yamaha Grand Piano folder on your desktop and copy everything to the sample folder
8. Enjoy!

Thank's!

But, before I try this, is iFunBox compatible with iPad Pro and iOS 9.31?
Is'nt that "backdoor" closed by Apple?

I'll answer myself: iFunBox lastest version is da shit! It worked like a charm...

Now I have several Logic Pro X instruments in Auria Pros Lyra sampleplayer!

But, Yamaha Grand Piano is not functional like some others...
Perhaps there were some problem with copy files... I'll coming back and tell you guys the progress of this subject...

Thank's for the help from you nice guys out there!

Rock on!

theconnactic

You're welcome!

RedSkyLullaby

The downloadable additional Salamander piano within Auria is 1.2gb and 16 velocity layers. i have not done alot with it yet but it can play pretty realistic

RedSkyLullaby

Also iGrand with Altispace on reverb is a nice combo. Example here:

theconnactic

Salamander is already as good as iGrand or Ivory. But it's nice to know we have the possibility of loading really hi-end, Desktop grade EXS stuff on iOS devices, stuff like this: http://www.imperfectsamples.com/website/Samples/fazioliconcertgrand/index.php (already reported as working with Lyra by someone on Auria forum). The downside, of course, is the need for at least a 128 GB iPad to accommodate these huge libraries.

mschenkel.it

@theconnactic said:
Salamander is already as good as iGrand or Ivory. But it's nice to know we have the possibility of loading really hi-end, Desktop grade EXS stuff on iOS devices, stuff like this: http://www.imperfectsamples.com/website/Samples/fazioliconcertgrand/index.php (already reported as working with Lyra by someone on Auria forum). The downside, of course, is the need for at least a 128 GB iPad to accommodate these huge libraries.

If only moving things into the pad was designed better then a "purge" button within a sampler, like on Kontakt, could open the doors of mobile music to huge libraries because, admitting that you will anyway need enough room to install a full sampled instrument, then you could retrieve most of it deleting all the unused samples once you know your scale, velo range and so on.

Nubus

i've used a lot of these pianos. I've tried :'Emotional, Best Service; (very good, actually), Alicia, Ivory, and some others. Oddly, I sort of like the Steinway piano in MainStage best.

Gotta hand it to Apple.:D

I use Module Ivory now mostly though (point of this post). It might not be the very best, but neither is my playing.

ErrkaPetti

@RedSkyLullaby said:
The downloadable additional Salamander piano within Auria is 1.2gb and 16 velocity layers. i have not done alot with it yet but it can play pretty realistic

Yeah, Salamander sounds great...
I compared my pianos yesterday and I must say that Salamander sounds better than Logics Steinberg Grand (that I took from my Mac and installed in Auria Pro)...

Nubus

Logics Steinberg Grand (that I took from my Mac and installed in Auria Pro)...

WTF? How the heck did you do that? (geesh i'm either out of touch, or something is amiss here

Note: a bit difficult to take a piano called 'Salamander' seriously ......kidding

ErrkaPetti

@Nubus said:

Logics Steinberg Grand (that I took from my Mac and installed in Auria Pro)...

WTF? How the heck did you do that? (geesh i'm either out of touch, or something is amiss here

Note: a bit difficult to take a piano called 'Salamander' seriously ......kidding

Some guys here on the Audiobus Forum telled me yesterday how you move EXS24-instruments from Logic Pro X to Auria Pro...

The lastest version of iFunBox for Mac is the key to success...

Look in this thread for more...

Nubus

Thanks! i'm going to upgrade to the Pro version just to experiment.

Fortunately, if there's issues i'm happy enough with Module Ivory, which is pretty good.

It's interesting to note that on the Auria forum, there are people who apparently have tried just about everything (very expensive stuff, BTW). Trail blazers, gotta love em

AlexDemo

The Sampletank on ios is definitely not the same version as on computers, a lower down model for the time that was released was fine.I think it has the igrand piano samples.

AlexDemo

As I am playing the Pianoteq demo, more and more I become fan of Physical Modeling.
I will buy the full version anytime soon.

Bring it now to ipad.

We will pay for the quality/stability/less hungry CPU.

It may even run on ipad 1 !!!

40 mb app vs the multi gb samples of kontakt, ivory etc...? YES it is better in terms of musicality.

You play the real thing on your fake keyboard.

theconnactic

I'd love to know if Lyra can run the EXS version of the fantastic Seven Seas Grand (7CG) piano from Sampletekk. It's on sale now, 50% off, but I'm really weary of buying this to use with Auria just to find out it won't work. http://www.sampletekk.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=194

theconnactic

I'd love to know if Lyra can run the EXS version of the fantastic Seven Seas Grand (7CG) piano from Sampletekk. It's on sale now, 50% off, but I'm really weary of buying this to use with Auria just to find out it won't work. http://www.sampletekk.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=194

Reuben

If you have a soundfont player like BS-16i for iphone/ipad there are some nice Piano, Rhodes, Organs, Pads and Strings available for free from here:
https://sites.google.com/site/soundfonts4u/
The Nice-Keys-Plus-JNv1.6 is recommended.

Telefunky

@u0421793 said:
Also note, the Korg 01W (allegedly called that because marketing read the intended name upside down - the M10) had its PCM samples at only 32KHz (which helped them all fit in).

those samples had an outstanding recording quality and were really well tuned
most from their DSS1 Sampler - that piano fit on a floppy disk
http://www.synthmania.com/Korg DSS-1 Sound Library/KSDU-022 Pianos/A01 GR.PIANO.mp3

http://www.synthmania.com/Korg DSS-1 Sound Library/KSDU-008 Pianos II/A01 16'Piano.mp3

check snippets from the library at synthmania if you're interested - very musical stuff - some cheezy 80s too...
http://www.synthmania.com/DSS-1 Sound Library.htm

the samples above included a highly specific programming to the playback engine of the respective sampler
the Korg DSS1 had an analog filter in it's signal path which was individually programmed for each note/velocity
same applies to the original EMU samplers and this keeps a lot of folks still using the old boxes
while the same waveforms are used in their software samplers, it just doesn't sound identical
(due to specific fx sections and analog parts not present in a PC)

this may apply to soundfonts as well:
some are tweaked as hell in a specific environment which may not be present on another machine
or a software imports only the waveforms and skips dynamic/filter tweaks (quite a common feature afaik)

as far as 'modern' high quality piano is concerned, I'd second Pianoteq's modelling instead of monster samples
after all it's the sympathetic resonance anyway that makes the difference
this sound is generated by the individual performance on a real piano, you can't fake it by samples
(it would end in a ridiculous amount of data)

of course this doesn't matter much in a contemporary mix, but it's quite a difference for the player
(at least for those who played a real grand or upright)

cheers, Tom

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

bsantoro

@tja said:

@bsantoro said:
Here is another Pianoteq demo. After acquiring Pianoteq4 software for my Mac, I wanted to quickly lay something down to test whether it sounded like a real piano.

I might record another Pianoteq improvisation, then take the same MIDI file and apply it to iOS iGrand Piano and Module Natural Grand.

Did you ever get around doing this?
I would love to check different IOS Pianos with a decent MIDI file that contains short and long notes with different velocities.

I did do a comparison between Pianoteq4, iGrand - Grand Piano I, and Korg Module - Natural Grand. I started by improvising a few minutes on my Mac, using Pianoteq4. Then exporting the MIDI file to my iPad in Cubasis to playback iGrand and Korg Module.

Pianoteq was the best sounding performance; most realistic piano. I was surprised that iGrand sounded so good. Korg Module was dropping out real soft-velocity MIDI notes; but sounded real good too.

I am reluctant to publish the results, because I am not satisfied with my improvisation. It was quickly done; not one of my best performances. Sorry about that. I should probably spend some time redoing it; if I can find the time.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

rhaley

My preference is pianoteq 6 for mac, And The amazing Ravenscroft app for ios - the best by far

Earsinn

I would also vote for the Ravenscroft. It's sound feels very natural to me, the filesize is slightly bellow 900 mb and it's an AU plugin.

@rhaley said:
My preference is pianoteq 6 for mac, And The amazing Ravenscroft app for ios - the best by far

HokieKev

I am pretty happy with the sound of the Ivory Solo Piano in Korg Module. However, I've noticed that on my 6th gen iPod touch it only provides 12 note polyphony. On an iPad mini 4th generation it provides about 18 note polyphony. Changing the settings for number of voices doesn't appear to do anything as far as I can tell. Worse, if you hold a note down with the left hand and play a repeating chord with the right hand while holding sustain. It will steal the note from the left hand. It would be better if it stole the oldest note that experienced a "note off" event.

Anyone else notice this with Korg Module?

18 note polyphony is very close to being good enough for what I'm playing. If I could get to 24 or so I could probably live with it.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.