Pianoteq 8 is now on the AppStore

ErrkaPetti · May 2023

@Dav said:
Demo sounds wonderful. The last Pianoteq version I heard was 4 or 5 on a very slow laptop and I wasn’t that impressed to be honest. But this one sounds SO MUCH better. If I could afford a license I’d get this in a New York minute. I can’t wait to hear what @LinearLineman’s golden hands can do with this, if he gets it.

Ha! Just sell one of your kidneys and have the whole shebangs from Modartt…
The sounds out of my iPad Pro 12.9” M1 is fantastic from Pianoteq 8!!

cyberheater · May 2023

I love the upright. Learnt to play on an upright and really enjoy the tone..

I’m lucky in that I’ve got one of these to drive it.

ErrkaPetti · May 2023

Still amazed how 60MB Pianoteq 8 sounds compaired to my other 10 different piano apps on my iPad…
My Colossos Piano is 7.8GB in comparison - more than 120 times bigger…
Can really recommend Pianoteq.

Danny_Mammy · May 2023

@HotStrange said:

@echoopera said:

@Gavinski said:

@Gavinski said:

@hes said:

@Gavinski said:
Regarding the question of whether you can tweak physical modeling parameters of demo presets (not only the packs you actually own) if you upgrade to the Standard license, I’m thrilled and surprised to report that you can! That makes Standard quite a compelling proposition.

Are you sure you can't access parameters in demos if you have the Stage license? On desktop I'm pretty sure the only differences between demos and actual versions were (1) after 20 minutes stops and you need to close and restart app to get another 20 minutes, and (3) disabling of certain notes.

In a previous post, it seemed you were wondering whether you were limited to 20 minutes total in the demos, then couldn't use the demo again. I assume you've discovered you can close and restart as many times as you want.

Also, I think the Pro version is going to be serious overkill, even for most serious tweakers. Even with the Stage version there is serious tweakability, way more than any other iOS piano. The Standard version adds way more, including most modeling parameters, and editing of the more important "per-note" settings. Pro version adds even more "per note" settings to change. I kind of doubt whether the "per note" settings are going to be that useful to actually tweak during a performance, and if so Standard will provide as much usable tweakability as Pro.

===========
comment about price, not responding to Gavinski here, but to people who feel Pianoteq is too expensive:

Regarding price, I feel a little sorry for the iOS-only people, because the price is steep if you only want to use on iOS. I really like Pianoteq but I don't think I'm not sure I'd pay $140 just to use on iOS.

But if you have use for an app that runs on both iOS and Mac/Win/Linux and allows you to simultaneously run on two desktop machines and as many iOS machines as you want, the price seems totally fair. Compare the price against getting iOS and desktop versions of many popular iOS synths: E.g., Bleass Megalit $125 ($99 desktop and $25 iOS), Klevgrand Tomofon $150 ($125 desktop and $25 iOS), TAL-U-NO-LX $80 ($60 desktop and $20 iOS). The list goes on.

Thnx - yes, already discovered and mentioned above that the Standard version also allows you to tweak physical modeling parameters of the demo presets - very cool!

Oh - now I read again what you said - no, the Stage license doesn’t seem to allow tweaking of parameters. You should tap on the picture to access these parameters. When on Stage, I couldn’t do this. On Standard I can. Maybe someone else currently using Stage can double check

Oops. Yeah I’ll need to get the Standard for the tweaking. Found this chart to help everyone understand what they get with which version:

So to clarify, upgrading to standard gives you access to all physical modeling parameters for all instruments?

Nope, Pro gives all the functions and only to the instruments you have bought, the rest are in demo mode. However, its not so easy to use all these parameters in an musical and effective way. Its not like a synth where all the parameters sort of make musical sense.

jwmmakerofmusic · May 2023

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

Gavinski · May 2023

@Danny_Mammy said:

@HotStrange said:

@echoopera said:

@Gavinski said:

@Gavinski said:

@hes said:

@Gavinski said:
Regarding the question of whether you can tweak physical modeling parameters of demo presets (not only the packs you actually own) if you upgrade to the Standard license, I’m thrilled and surprised to report that you can! That makes Standard quite a compelling proposition.

Are you sure you can't access parameters in demos if you have the Stage license? On desktop I'm pretty sure the only differences between demos and actual versions were (1) after 20 minutes stops and you need to close and restart app to get another 20 minutes, and (3) disabling of certain notes.

In a previous post, it seemed you were wondering whether you were limited to 20 minutes total in the demos, then couldn't use the demo again. I assume you've discovered you can close and restart as many times as you want.

Also, I think the Pro version is going to be serious overkill, even for most serious tweakers. Even with the Stage version there is serious tweakability, way more than any other iOS piano. The Standard version adds way more, including most modeling parameters, and editing of the more important "per-note" settings. Pro version adds even more "per note" settings to change. I kind of doubt whether the "per note" settings are going to be that useful to actually tweak during a performance, and if so Standard will provide as much usable tweakability as Pro.

===========
comment about price, not responding to Gavinski here, but to people who feel Pianoteq is too expensive:

Regarding price, I feel a little sorry for the iOS-only people, because the price is steep if you only want to use on iOS. I really like Pianoteq but I don't think I'm not sure I'd pay $140 just to use on iOS.

But if you have use for an app that runs on both iOS and Mac/Win/Linux and allows you to simultaneously run on two desktop machines and as many iOS machines as you want, the price seems totally fair. Compare the price against getting iOS and desktop versions of many popular iOS synths: E.g., Bleass Megalit $125 ($99 desktop and $25 iOS), Klevgrand Tomofon $150 ($125 desktop and $25 iOS), TAL-U-NO-LX $80 ($60 desktop and $20 iOS). The list goes on.

Thnx - yes, already discovered and mentioned above that the Standard version also allows you to tweak physical modeling parameters of the demo presets - very cool!

Oh - now I read again what you said - no, the Stage license doesn’t seem to allow tweaking of parameters. You should tap on the picture to access these parameters. When on Stage, I couldn’t do this. On Standard I can. Maybe someone else currently using Stage can double check

Oops. Yeah I’ll need to get the Standard for the tweaking. Found this chart to help everyone understand what they get with which version:

So to clarify, upgrading to standard gives you access to all physical modeling parameters for all instruments?

Nope, Pro gives all the functions and only to the instruments you have bought, the rest are in demo mode. However, its not so easy to use all these parameters in an musical and effective way. Its not like a synth where all the parameters sort of make musical sense.

@hes mentioned above that he thinks you can access the physical modeling parameters in the demo versions of the presets - maybe someone can confirm. If you are using the free version, just click on the 1st picture, as show below. If the 2nd image below appears after pressing on that, then yes, you can tweak things. As I also mentioned above, I suspect the AUv3 parameters for everything might be available in the demo version. Someone else will have to confirm or deny that, though, as I’m already on the Standard version.

hes · May 2023

@Gavinski said:
@hes mentioned above that he thinks you can access the physical modeling parameters in the demo versions of the presets - maybe someone can confirm. If you are using the free version, just click on the 1st picture, as show below. If the 2nd image below appears after pressing on that, then yes, you can tweak things. As I also mentioned above, I suspect the AUv3 parameters for everything might be available in the demo version. Someone else will have to confirm or deny that, though, as I’m already on the Standard version.

I can say that you will not be able to access that Tuning/Voicing/Design page from the Stage version (demo or licensed) and that you will be able to access it in Standard (demo and licensed) and Pro (demo and licensed).

I haven't checked whether in a Stage version (demo or licensed) there is access to AUv3 parameters in Standard and/or Pro version through the AUv3 host. I'm on Standard version already, not easy to demo Stage now, so can't check that.

One surprising thing I think I've found, though: I don't think any of the "per note" editing functionality is automatable by midi cc or has AUv3 parameters at all. This makes sense, I think. It also means that for automation of AUv3 parameters Standard and Pro versions are basically identical, no advantage for Pro version.

Danny_Mammy · May 2023

yeah i was referring to the 'per note' modelling which is mainly in the pro version in terms of parameters. I never use it.

HotStrange · May 2023

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

Thanks for confirming! Trying to parse through all these comments to see exactly what you get for each tier is not easy lol

HotStrange · May 2023

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

jwmmakerofmusic · May 2023

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

HotStrange · May 2023

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

😂 That’s definitely true. I like physically modeled stuff because the parameters usually allow you to bring a piano sound into the otherworldly uncanny valley realm, but you can also do that with using outboard effects with Module, PSP, etc.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand, for as much as I’ll use them, PSP and Module should be enough. But Pianoteq just sounds so damn good lol. The guitar and other instruments like Steel Pan are the main draws for me right now. But the demo version+everything else I have will suffice for now. Also I think there are more packs in Module in Beathawk that interest more. Like the Triton sounds or the Toys pack in BH.

jwmmakerofmusic · May 2023

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

😂 That’s definitely true. I like physically modeled stuff because the parameters usually allow you to bring a piano sound into the otherworldly uncanny valley realm, but you can also do that with using outboard effects with Module, PSP, etc.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand, for as much as I’ll use them, PSP and Module should be enough. But Pianoteq just sounds so damn good lol. The guitar and other instruments like Steel Pan are the main draws for me right now. But the demo version+everything else I have will suffice for now. Also I think there are more packs in Module in Beathawk that interest more. Like the Triton sounds or the Toys pack in BH.

Dude, Triton and Toys are must haves! 😎

HotStrange · May 2023

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

😂 That’s definitely true. I like physically modeled stuff because the parameters usually allow you to bring a piano sound into the otherworldly uncanny valley realm, but you can also do that with using outboard effects with Module, PSP, etc.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand, for as much as I’ll use them, PSP and Module should be enough. But Pianoteq just sounds so damn good lol. The guitar and other instruments like Steel Pan are the main draws for me right now. But the demo version+everything else I have will suffice for now. Also I think there are more packs in Module in Beathawk that interest more. Like the Triton sounds or the Toys pack in BH.

Dude, Triton and Toys are must haves! 😎

They’re both high on my list. I love the sound of the Triton and the Toys pack just sounds like loads of fun. Reminds a bit of Slammer and Ting.

The Gypsy pack on Beathawk is another I have my eye on.

MrSpiral · May 2023

I've been using it for a while now – I've been coordinating and editing reviews of Pianoteq since about rev 3 for RECORDING Magazine. I got tipped off to the "silent" release of the iOS version by a colleague at Modartt; they're hoping people will catch and report any obvious bugs before the official rollout in a couple of weeks.

To address a couple of questions from the last page of this thread (I skipped a lot of the early fog of war stuff, sue me):

Every pack gives you access to model parameters that make sense for the instrument being modeled. You can't edit every note on the handpan, but you can control mallet bounce, for example.
I haven't dived into the Pro features yet, but you can do pretty much everything Pianoteq 8 Standard can do on the iOS version. Setting up microphones is easy and fun on a multitouch screen!
Pro is not worth the money for anyone other than academic purists. That level of control is beyond obsessive-compulsive and the majority of people won't hear the difference. If you're playing George Crumb, MAYBE you'd want the ability to fine tune the characteristics of every single key, but most musicians won't be able to do more than give your piano a skunk note (a nice touch of realism, to be fair )
In fact, I would argue that for the vast majority of players, Stage would be enough; the presets sound brilliant, and not many people would find themselves bereft if they never got to use the Standard-level editing features.
I believe that when you buy a license, the free packs you get can be any of them you like. I have known buyers to get the steel pans and the electric pianos and be perfectly happy without a single grand model.
One of the things that nobody EVER talks about is that there is a whole collection of historically accurate pianos, harpsichords, etc., that were developed early on by the Modartt folks in conjunction with some pretty heavy names in the collection and restoration of older instruments. And they are all FREE. If you read the fine print after you buy a desktop license, you're not starting with two sets of models, it's more like 16 of them... and they are GOOD models, sometimes preferable to the spendy ones.

CAVEAT: they don't load automatically from your desktop license because they're free and therefore not registered in your user account. I am still trying to figure out how to install them, as the instructions on the app aren't clear, at least not to me. You're looking for the files KiViR.ptq and Bells.ptq.

Personally I think this model is great. The one thing I am sorry about is that the iOS app is going to get slammed by people who think it should be $9.99 with 99-cent packs...

HotStrange · May 2023

@MrSpiral said:
I've been using it for a while now – I've been coordinating and editing reviews of Pianoteq since about rev 3 for RECORDING Magazine. I got tipped off to the "silent" release of the iOS version by a colleague at Modartt; they're hoping people will catch and report any obvious bugs before the official rollout in a couple of weeks.

To address a couple of questions from the last page of this thread (I skipped a lot of the early fog of war stuff, sue me):

Every pack gives you access to model parameters that make sense for the instrument being modeled. You can't edit every note on the handpan, but you can control mallet bounce, for example.

I haven't dived into the Pro features yet, but you can do pretty much everything Pianoteq 8 Standard can do on the iOS version. Setting up microphones is easy and fun on a multitouch screen!

Pro is not worth the money for anyone other than academic purists. That level of control is beyond obsessive-compulsive and the majority of people won't hear the difference. If you're playing George Crumb, MAYBE you'd want the ability to fine tune the characteristics of every single key, but most musicians won't be able to do more than give your piano a skunk note (a nice touch of realism, to be fair )

In fact, I would argue that for the vast majority of players, Stage would be enough; the presets sound brilliant, and not many people would find themselves bereft if they never got to use the Standard-level editing features.

I believe that when you buy a license, the free packs you get can be any of them you like. I have known buyers to get the steel pans and the electric pianos and be perfectly happy without a single grand model.

One of the things that nobody EVER talks about is that there is a whole collection of historically accurate pianos, harpsichords, etc., that were developed early on by the Modartt folks in conjunction with some pretty heavy names in the collection and restoration of older instruments. And they are all FREE. If you read the fine print after you buy a desktop license, you're not starting with two sets of models, it's more like 16 of them... and they are GOOD models, sometimes preferable to the spendy ones.

CAVEAT: they don't load automatically from your desktop license because they're free and therefore not registered in your user account. I am still trying to figure out how to install them, as the instructions on the app aren't clear, at least not to me. You're looking for the files KiViR.ptq and Bells.ptq.

Personally I think this model is great. The one thing I am sorry about is that the iOS app is going to get slammed by people who think it should be $9.99 with 99-cent packs...

Thanks for this. Agree with your last point. I CS t afford it all but I’m happy it’s here and it kinda sucks to see all the complaining.

So if I understand correctly, if you buy stage you get access to all demos and 2 full packs of your choosing + the “free” instruments. And from there the rest of the sounds are essentially IAPs? Then upgrading to standard gets you access to all the physical modeling parameters?

FriedTapeworm · May 2023

So I’ve been playing a lot with the demos, and just curious; is there anyone else that feels the higher notes sound a bit brittle with high velocity on many of the models? The K2 suffers the least from this to my ears.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very impressed with these models, and I do find them much more expressive to play than the sampled pianos I have been able to afford. I’m sure I will be buying at least stage, but if tweaking the models a bit can remedy the brittle highs, I may go for standard.

jwmmakerofmusic · May 2023

@MrSpiral said:
I've been using it for a while now – I've been coordinating and editing reviews of Pianoteq since about rev 3 for RECORDING Magazine. I got tipped off to the "silent" release of the iOS version by a colleague at Modartt; they're hoping people will catch and report any obvious bugs before the official rollout in a couple of weeks.

To address a couple of questions from the last page of this thread (I skipped a lot of the early fog of war stuff, sue me):

Every pack gives you access to model parameters that make sense for the instrument being modeled. You can't edit every note on the handpan, but you can control mallet bounce, for example.

I haven't dived into the Pro features yet, but you can do pretty much everything Pianoteq 8 Standard can do on the iOS version. Setting up microphones is easy and fun on a multitouch screen!

Pro is not worth the money for anyone other than academic purists. That level of control is beyond obsessive-compulsive and the majority of people won't hear the difference. If you're playing George Crumb, MAYBE you'd want the ability to fine tune the characteristics of every single key, but most musicians won't be able to do more than give your piano a skunk note (a nice touch of realism, to be fair )

In fact, I would argue that for the vast majority of players, Stage would be enough; the presets sound brilliant, and not many people would find themselves bereft if they never got to use the Standard-level editing features.

I believe that when you buy a license, the free packs you get can be any of them you like. I have known buyers to get the steel pans and the electric pianos and be perfectly happy without a single grand model.

One of the things that nobody EVER talks about is that there is a whole collection of historically accurate pianos, harpsichords, etc., that were developed early on by the Modartt folks in conjunction with some pretty heavy names in the collection and restoration of older instruments. And they are all FREE. If you read the fine print after you buy a desktop license, you're not starting with two sets of models, it's more like 16 of them... and they are GOOD models, sometimes preferable to the spendy ones.

CAVEAT: they don't load automatically from your desktop license because they're free and therefore not registered in your user account. I am still trying to figure out how to install them, as the instructions on the app aren't clear, at least not to me. You're looking for the files KiViR.ptq and Bells.ptq.

Personally I think this model is great. The one thing I am sorry about is that the iOS app is going to get slammed by people who think it should be $9.99 with 99-cent packs...

Now me I'm not one of those who thinks iOS production apps should be sold at Angry Bird prices, lol.

My issue is...I've invested so much money (at least a couple grand) into other "expensive" iOS apps like Korg Module Pro and its IAPs (and the entirety of the Korg Gadget iOS ecosystem and those IAPs and the external apps and those IAPs lol), PSP2 and its IAPs, and Beathawk and its IAPs that it'd have to take a miracle to convince me to invest in Pianoteq. You make plenty of valid points that are excellent. I'm simply out of GAS at the moment. 😂

Fingolfinzz · May 2023

I was shell shocked for a second seeing the price and then after playing the demo that went away and it’s completely fair. The playability is worth the price alone. I’ve been doing metalesque runs on my launchpad keyboard and it just doesn’t miss a note and nothing hangs even hitting malmsteen speeds

hes · May 2023

@HotStrange said:
So if I understand correctly, if you buy stage you get access to all demos and 2 full packs of your choosing + the “free” instruments. And from there the rest of the sounds are essentially IAPs? Then upgrading to standard gets you access to all the physical modeling parameters?

This is mostly correct. Except:

(1) you don't need to buy Stage version to get access to demos of any of the versions. The free download starts out in Demo mode for Stage version, but you can go to (O)ptions, (I)instruments page and choose to convert it to a demo of the Standard or Pro versions, and

(2) Upgrading to Standard gets you (a) one additional piano pack, plus (b) access to almost all of the physicalmodeling parameters (missing some "per note" stuff) plus (c,d, etc.) some other good stuff like incredibly detailed microphone position and instrument morphing and layering. See comparison chart at bottom of this page: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq

(3) and to clarify just in case: You don't need to buy Stage version to upgrade to Standard, can buy Standard version directly from ground zero. But I think Modarrt has priced things so you end up paying the same amount whether you buy the higher versions directly or upgrade to them from a lower version. So there's no downside to starting out with a lower version and upgrading later, potentially upside because you can wait for (I think) annual sale. . . .

[Deleted User] · May 2023

I comeback with a more positive view about Pianoteq 8. I will try the demo. I got LogicPro so if I understand for the price I can add it as a VST to Logic Pro ? I never add a VST on a Daw.

My concern is my keyboard, I got only a tiny one : Arturia micro Lab 25 keys. I think that you enjoy it more on at least a 49 keys keyboard. An other way was to connect m’y Yamaha PsRx600 (61 keys keyboard ) with a cable host to midi but is it working with PianoTeq8 ?

cyberheater · May 2023

@MrSpiral said:
4. In fact, I would argue that for the vast majority of players, Stage would be enough; the presets sound brilliant, and not many people would find themselves bereft if they never got to use the Standard-level editing features.

Yes. That’s the way I feel about it. Bought Stage a few years ago and more then happy.

ik2000 · May 2023

@MrSpiral said:

Personally I think this model is great. The one thing I am sorry about is that the iOS app is going to get slammed by people who think it should be $9.99 with 99-cent packs...

Great post @MrSpiral … totally agree on the last point. Many people are living with the mindset that ipad is not a professional music production environment and yet want professional apps… we need to start paying professional prices then.

For me, I’ve been playing with the demo and I’m blown away. Not purchased yet as I’ve just blown a few pounds on the old Spitfire sale, but once funds grow again, I will definitely be getting this.

Paulo164 · May 2023

@FriedTapeworm said:
So I’ve been playing a lot with the demos, and just curious; is there anyone else that feels the higher notes sound a bit brittle with high velocity on many of the models? The K2 suffers the least from this to my ears.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very impressed with these models, and I do find them much more expressive to play than the sampled pianos I have been able to afford. I’m sure I will be buying at least stage, but if tweaking the models a bit can remedy the brittle highs, I may go for standard.

With the Standard license, you have a setting called « hammer hardness » that you can set for low/medium/high values of velocity. If you lower the hardness for high velocity, I think this could solve the excess of brightness you experience.
You could also apply a velocity curve different for treble notes if a midi FX app allows this. Would be cheaper than paying 129€ the upgrade.

Gavinski · May 2023

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

😂 That’s definitely true. I like physically modeled stuff because the parameters usually allow you to bring a piano sound into the otherworldly uncanny valley realm, but you can also do that with using outboard effects with Module, PSP, etc.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand, for as much as I’ll use them, PSP and Module should be enough. But Pianoteq just sounds so damn good lol. The guitar and other instruments like Steel Pan are the main draws for me right now. But the demo version+everything else I have will suffice for now. Also I think there are more packs in Module in Beathawk that interest more. Like the Triton sounds or the Toys pack in BH.

Dude, Triton and Toys are must haves! 😎

Urghh, I'm so tired of module and it's whole iap purchase thing for what are essentially just synth presets with a tiny amount of tweakability. Just open it up as a proper synth and charge appropriately. Absolutely hate the pricing model.

HotStrange · May 2023

@hes said:

@HotStrange said:
So if I understand correctly, if you buy stage you get access to all demos and 2 full packs of your choosing + the “free” instruments. And from there the rest of the sounds are essentially IAPs? Then upgrading to standard gets you access to all the physical modeling parameters?

This is mostly correct. Except:

(1) you don't need to buy Stage version to get access to demos of any of the versions. The free download starts out in Demo mode for Stage version, but you can go to (O)ptions, (I)instruments page and choose to convert it to a demo of the Standard or Pro versions, and

(2) Upgrading to Standard gets you (a) one additional piano pack, plus (b) access to almost all of the physicalmodeling parameters (missing some "per note" stuff) plus (c,d, etc.) some other good stuff like incredibly detailed microphone position and instrument morphing and layering. See comparison chart at bottom of this page: https://www.modartt.com/pianoteq

(3) and to clarify just in case: You don't need to buy Stage version to upgrade to Standard, can buy Standard version directly from ground zero. But I think Modarrt has priced things so you end up paying the same amount whether you buy the higher versions directly or upgrade to them from a lower version. So there's no downside to starting out with a lower version and upgrading later, potentially upside because you can wait for (I think) annual sale. . . .

Thanks! This is pretty much exactly what I was wondering. Considering what you get, I’m inclined to say it’s really worth it. I can see myself saving for this vs buying anymore IAPs for Module, Beathawk, etc. going to standard and having access to all those parameters and mic adjustments is actually fantastic.

ik2000 · May 2023

@Gavinski said:

Urghh, I'm so tired of module and it's whole iap purchase thing for what are essentially just synth presets with a tiny amount of tweakability. Just open it up as a proper synth and charge appropriately. Absolutely hate the pricing model.

Couldn't agree more - bought a few and don't use any as there is so little to tweak to your own taste. Wish Korg would jump on the AUv3 ride as they have so money good other plugins.

HotStrange · May 2023

@Gavinski said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@HotStrange said:

@jwmmakerofmusic said:

@ExAsperis99 said:
Holy smoke that seems expensive. Unclear to me whether there's a baseline for a functional app, but I defer to those who need this.

Yeah...I already invested hundreds into Module Pro, Pure Synth Platinum 2, and Beathawk. I'll just stick with my sampled sounds instead. 😅

I have invested some into PSP2 but not much into Module or Beathawk yet. I’m really liking the demo version so far and surprisingly can see myself saving up for this. It sounds undeniably great. But also $800 for the whole thing is more than I can spend unless it’s over the course of a year. It’s still to early to say for me.

Hehe, me being a completionist, of course I keep my Module Pro IAPs up to date, Beathawk IAPs up to date, and PSP2 IAPs up to date. About the only things that I've been interested in investing in. But then Buttersynth was released and I purchased the preorder right away. Hilda arrives tomorrow and I'm going to purchase that. And with Noises on the horizon, I have about $100 saved up for this month's app expenses. More than what I'll probably end up spending, but you never know when the next Module/PSP2/Beathawk IAP will drop.

But while I get the appeal of SWAM instruments and now Pianoteq, I'm just not interested in physically modelled instruments, even if my M1 can handle it. Us musicians can tell the difference between sampled instruments vs physically modelled instruments, but your average listener will probably not care about how many Hz you scooped out of the low end of the piano so that the bassline has more room to breathe. 🤣

😂 That’s definitely true. I like physically modeled stuff because the parameters usually allow you to bring a piano sound into the otherworldly uncanny valley realm, but you can also do that with using outboard effects with Module, PSP, etc.

I’m kind of torn. On one hand, for as much as I’ll use them, PSP and Module should be enough. But Pianoteq just sounds so damn good lol. The guitar and other instruments like Steel Pan are the main draws for me right now. But the demo version+everything else I have will suffice for now. Also I think there are more packs in Module in Beathawk that interest more. Like the Triton sounds or the Toys pack in BH.

Dude, Triton and Toys are must haves! 😎

Urghh, I'm so tired of module and it's whole iap purchase thing for what are essentially just synth presets with a tiny amount of tweakability. Just open it up as a proper synth and charge appropriately. Absolutely hate the pricing model.

I like module for what it is but also kind of agree. I think if it was $150 for everything initially I would’ve spent that as I do use it. But there are so many IAPs and some of them overlap a bit.

Gavinski · May 2023

@FriedTapeworm said:
So I’ve been playing a lot with the demos, and just curious; is there anyone else that feels the higher notes sound a bit brittle with high velocity on many of the models? The K2 suffers the least from this to my ears.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very impressed with these models, and I do find them much more expressive to play than the sampled pianos I have been able to afford. I’m sure I will be buying at least stage, but if tweaking the models a bit can remedy the brittle highs, I may go for standard.

You'll find some videos on YT about 'how to make pianoteq sound more like a real piano, and you're probably going to want to go with standard version, yes.

Gavinski · May 2023

@MrSpiral said:
I've been using it for a while now – I've been coordinating and editing reviews of Pianoteq since about rev 3 for RECORDING Magazine. I got tipped off to the "silent" release of the iOS version by a colleague at Modartt; they're hoping people will catch and report any obvious bugs before the official rollout in a couple of weeks.

To address a couple of questions from the last page of this thread (I skipped a lot of the early fog of war stuff, sue me):

Every pack gives you access to model parameters that make sense for the instrument being modeled. You can't edit every note on the handpan, but you can control mallet bounce, for example.

I haven't dived into the Pro features yet, but you can do pretty much everything Pianoteq 8 Standard can do on the iOS version. Setting up microphones is easy and fun on a multitouch screen!

Pro is not worth the money for anyone other than academic purists. That level of control is beyond obsessive-compulsive and the majority of people won't hear the difference. If you're playing George Crumb, MAYBE you'd want the ability to fine tune the characteristics of every single key, but most musicians won't be able to do more than give your piano a skunk note (a nice touch of realism, to be fair )

In fact, I would argue that for the vast majority of players, Stage would be enough; the presets sound brilliant, and not many people would find themselves bereft if they never got to use the Standard-level editing features.

I believe that when you buy a license, the free packs you get can be any of them you like. I have known buyers to get the steel pans and the electric pianos and be perfectly happy without a single grand model.

One of the things that nobody EVER talks about is that there is a whole collection of historically accurate pianos, harpsichords, etc., that were developed early on by the Modartt folks in conjunction with some pretty heavy names in the collection and restoration of older instruments. And they are all FREE. If you read the fine print after you buy a desktop license, you're not starting with two sets of models, it's more like 16 of them... and they are GOOD models, sometimes preferable to the spendy ones.

CAVEAT: they don't load automatically from your desktop license because they're free and therefore not registered in your user account. I am still trying to figure out how to install them, as the instructions on the app aren't clear, at least not to me. You're looking for the files KiViR.ptq and Bells.ptq.

Personally I think this model is great. The one thing I am sorry about is that the iOS app is going to get slammed by people who think it should be $9.99 with 99-cent packs...

For those ptq files, just download them onto your ipad from modartt's site. Then use the Share function of iOS to share them - Pianoteq app will appear as a destination. Choose it and they'll be added.

Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.

Pianoteq 8 is now on the AppStore

Comments