[A6] [OT] piano synths

[Chris Pickett]

Michael E. Caloroso wrote:
>>What do you guys use for PCM piano sounds?  I asked on HC and people 
>>said buy a Kurzweil, but I'm not sure.  I find myself really wanting an 
>>A+ grand piano sound, without actually accomodating a piano in my 
>>apartment.  Things like the Yamaha CLP-170 aren't so good because I 
>>think you need to play through the iAFC effects to get the best sound, 
>>and I want to be able to play with headphones and also record.
> 
> 
> I have been shopping around and I will be buying the Yamaha P90.
> 
> Kurzweil is very good, my 1000PX module stays at the studio though.  The P90 is for gigging - very good piano sounds, very good weighted action, compact, low profile, and light.

James Coplin wrote to me off-list and suggested the Steinberg "The 
Grand" plugin.  I use Linux so I don't think that's going to work ... I 
might end up getting a Mac, we'll see.

FWIW, Xah Lee wrote a few USENET articles on various problems with 
digital pianos (they weren't too well received), archived as:

http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/piano_abrupt.html
http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/piano_action1.html
http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/piano_action2.html
http://xahlee.org/UnixResource_dir/writ/piano_action3.html

Smart guy, but maybe he's obsessing too much.  However, I do care about 
things like a soft pedal that actually does something to change the 
sound (on a grand it's meant to move the hammers to hit two strings 
instead of three, providing serenely altered harmonics and not just 
damping).

Here was the thread on HC ... it seems there were some replies that I 
missed (I thought I was meant to be notified of them).  People seem to 
like the Yamaha P-250 a lot as well.

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=824351

Cheers,
Chris