For some reason, I find this library to sound kind of far away from the player's position, no matter which demo I choose from the official site or videos on KZfaq that feature this piano. Yes, it does sound rich, clear and beautiful. But not exactly as if I were sitting in front of a real piano, but somehow further away from it. One reason could be the room reverb, which seems to be pronounced. Reverb can be used artificially to alter our perception of distance from the sound source, making it sound as more distant. If you record a sound dry with a close microphone and then artificially add reverb, it is perceived as if it was recorded further away. The Blüthner that Stu is playing here sounds a lot closer than Fazioli by Imperfect Samples. I would not use that library for a live sound since it is kind of weird to play an instrument that sounds several feet away from you. I remember a number of years ago I sat in front of Roland HP piano and it sounded like a distant recording... it was just weird to be sitting in front of a digital piano and hearing the piano sound not in your face.

@@Instrumental-Covers Oh yeah, I think I know what the issue is and it may well be the demo version. On the full version it gives you multiple mic positions close and far that you can raise and lower each one and blend them together or just have one up. This for me was essential in getting several different sounds from a close sound to an audience prospective, room mic recording etc. It's a dark and moody piano even dry but the close mic for the sound you're wanting I would turn up, then turn the other mics down and add my own reverb. Not sure if maybe the didn't include that feature in the demo. That said for me, it's not a live take on a gig kind of piano library, it's dark and moody but always makes me feel like I'm playing something wooden, that resonates, and it feels alive and not too sterile. But adjusting the mic positions to taste is essential but it is so naturally moody and dark

@@SessionsWithMike You say this piano is naturally moody and dark... but Fazioli pianos are typically considered bright and clear, which would be the opposite. I would say they are voiced more in the style of Yamaha pianos. My understanding is that Paolo Fazioli requires an emphasis in the purity of tone, which is an aspect of the Yamaha piano as well. I have heard people requesting to voice their Fazioli pianos more mellower than the standard showroom Fazioli. Maybe this one was custom-voiced to be dark. Regarding the microphone positions: I wonder if the sound engineers succeeded in creating a really close sound. I say that because I have the full version of Garritan CFX, and it doesn't sound close enough even after turning off the other microphones and leaving only the close mic on. If just doesn't sound as close as the CFX built-in on my digital piano. The purpose of vst instruments seems to be mainly for studio recordings rather than live playing. If you use a vst piano for a gig, then you need to use a laptop, an audio interface, a midi controller... it is not as friendly and portable as a digital piano, which has been already designed to be used live. So, my guess is that this Fazioli may have been designed with an emphasis for recording purposes, in which case a super close sound is not a priority. I think the purpose of a digital piano is to produce a sound that seems to really emanate from the speakers, and that requires a very close clean sample, at the expense of some room reverb or perspective. The purpose of a vst piano is to give you a piano sound perspective, even if the microphones are close. That is kind of my general impression.

@@Instrumental-Covers I completely agree and great breakdown on Faziolis natural tone! You know when I left that comment I didn't consider that some people may be looking for a Fazioli in it's purest tone for certain styles or live playing so that was great to point out. That said when we talk about the recorded piano, one of the hardest but most rewarding instruments to record where the recording has such an impact, that subjectivity widens even more especially with how a person intends to use it. I use it simply as a my favourite to sit down, studio monitors turned up, and enjoy playing and hearing the sound of name aside. That's the beauty of recordings and having specialty libraries with imperfections meant to just evoke emotion and feeling in a way even beyond just being able to voice a piano differently. Kontakt is a library of recorded piano samples and just as much as really physically voicing a piano, so much of an instruments tone can be decided in how it's recorded, from microphone selection tube, fet, etc, mic placements, mic pattern, room type, mic distance, lid up or down, preamp, console, etc. All these are decisions the engineer makes that can subtly or dramatically change a voice or instruments sound. Even more so which velocities each sample or key strike is recorded at, which of those velocity recordings are included and with kontakt mapping which velocity curve triggers each sample. Then from there, a persons midi controller can actually trigger the lower velocities and playing style decides also how those lower and higher velocities are played back. There is no doubt in my mind when they recorded this they purposely were looking to get a darker, warm, moody sound out of the Fazioli typically achieved by softer playing but even in higher velocities and they really play that up. But that's what I love about it. It is Imperfect, it's alive, it moves, it's moody, it sounds like it's resonating inside wood, it is Imperfect and I love that, but when you dig in velocity wise you can get something else among the mentioned mic positions. I think in the digital and vst world of clinical and the cleanest samples, that's what I love the most of their Fazioli recordings. I get for some styles and a general use it can not be peoples favourite. But it for sure is mine to just sit and play! Cheers and great discussion!

thanks gotta check that one out

Thanks! Absolutely! It is a gorgeous sounding VST plugin. :)

That is a very good point! It certainly is an an input versus output situation. Composers/players will react differently to different instruments of course. Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your insights! :)

Napilopez I have been tempted to try out a vsl for some time but have no idea how to work it through my keyboard. However I notice you have the same make and model as me which I have only been using for about 6 months. Would you be kind enough to give me some instructions on how to link up and use this or other vsl's. Thanks Phil.

@@phil24wood You just plug a MIDI cable from your keyboard MIDI out into your computer's USB port. As far as I know you then have to have a separate audio system for the computer's voice. I tried piping it back into my Yamaha's DGX audio input, but the end result wasn't good.

@@JoeLinux2000 Thank you Napilopez. I am now going to try it out.

He did a review of Pianoteq 7 but only focused only on the NY Steinway Model D. But I'm with you on the Blüthner being amazing, and it is one of my favorites (the other being the 1889 C. Bechstein and the freebie Pleyel).

Thanks so much for the sub! We really appreciate it. :)

That would be nice to hear him do. It's supposedly great, the only negative thing I consistently hear is the Bechstein Digital can be pretty CPU taxing on a computer.

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! That really comes down to the subjectivity of the player. Every pianist will gravitate towards a different sound at the end of the day. :)

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I believe Stu is using a Roland RD2000 in this video. :)

Absolutely! Bluthner has a longstanding history of quality and appreciation from top pianists and composers.

I just stumbled across these wonderful quotes: "There are only two important things which I took with me on my way to America. It's been my wife Nataja and my precious Blüthner." Sergei Rachmaninoff "The tone he extracted from the Blüthner was the loveliest, the most elusive and ethereal I have ever heard." M. Dumesnil on Debussy's playing "This Blüthner had the most beautiful singing tone I have ever found. The piano inspired me. I don't think I ever played better in my life." Arthur Rubinstein