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There’s a level of authenticity and finesse to the sounds that’s hard to square with the resource-light nature of the app, but it’s a fact nonetheless. Although these add slightly to the install size we’re only talking tens of megabytes, so it’s still a very lightweight app.Įach model of piano comes with its own presets and these sound excellent, as we have always found with Pianoteq. They’re not all just pianos either, and as well as some very old models of harpsichord, glockenspiel and celesta you can also choose vibes, xylophones, steel drums, electric pianos, clavinets and more.
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We reviewed the full Pro version, but a detailed feature comparison can be found on the website and you can use this to decide which version is right for you.Īll three versions include two instrument packs of your choice and the bonus Historical Instruments pack, and there’s the ability to add more instrument packs to Pianoteq via online purchases. It’s worth noting that there are three versions available at different prices and with different feature sets. After unlocking the software online you’re up and running quickly, and it works as a standalone application or as an AU, VST, RTAS or AAX plug-in for Mac and PC, plus there’s a Linux version. The algorithms behind this are surely fiendishly complicated, but you needn’t worry about them because it’s very much a musician’s tool with an emphasis on playing and sound tweaking rather than the mechanics of sound generation. Pianoteq works by modelling the sound of a piano and all the complex interactions of the resonances of the strings and the body in real time. Weighing in at just 40MB its footprint is tiny compared to most other piano instruments and, in an age where many people produce music on laptops, this space saving can be very appealing. Pianoteq came along and changed all that, defining a ‘fourth era’ of piano instruments, as the developers put it, with the physically-modelled piano. Details Price Pianoteq Stage, €99 Pianoteq Standard, €249 Pianoteq Pro, €399 Upgrade from previous version, €29 Contact Via website Web Pianos were among the first instruments to be accurately reproduced in digital format, though this was almost always achieved by using large, multi-gigabyte sample libraries to recreate the nuances and playability of a real piano.
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