Pianoteq
Encyclopedia
Pianoteq is a software, MIDI-controlled, stand alone or VST
i musical instrument, which uses virtual model
ing techniques to emulate the piano
, and also harpsichord
, electric piano
and vibraphone
. The product is by French company Modartt and has been published for Microsoft Windows
, Mac OS X
and Linux
platforms.
and acoustic piano
sounds. On top of this, there are a few optional sampled acoustic noises added (such as pedal thump, key release, and hammer thumps). These are thus not included in the model but added to ease on the CPU load and to enhance the acoustic experience. This is also consistent with how the corresponding patent describes sound generation as a mix of physical modeling and sampling.
There is some consensus that the best sample-based software pianos produce a slightly more realistic piano sound compared to pure physically modelled pianos like Pianoteq. However, playability and expressiveness is superior with a physically modelled piano like Pianoteq or for that matter, V-Piano (Roland).
Pianoteq 3.6 comes with the new K1 acoustic piano which Modartt describes as suitable for all kinds of music, from Classical to Modern.
Aside from acoustic and electric pianos, historical musical instruments are also available as free downloads, such as harpsichord
s, fortepiano
s, and even bells and carillons. These instruments were largely created as part of the KIViR (Keyboard Instruments Virtual Restoration) project, which aims to create playable digital models of historical keyboard instruments in museums like the Händel-Haus in Halle
.
Older versions of Pianoteq can be upgraded to v3 for free; also updates to the latest version are free for a year after Pianoteq activation.
Pianoteq uses product activation
over the Internet, although an Internet connection on the installation machine is not required. One Pianoteq license allows installation on up to three machines, but once a machine has been deactivated, it cannot be activated again.
Virtual Studio Technology
Steinberg's Virtual Studio Technology is an interface for integrating software audio synthesizer and effect plugins with audio editors and hard-disk recording systems. VST and similar technologies use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio hardware with software...
i musical instrument, which uses virtual model
Physical modelling synthesis
In sound synthesis, physical modelling synthesis refers to methods in which the waveform of the sound to be generated is computed by using a mathematical model, being a set of equations and algorithms to simulate a physical source of sound, usually a musical instrument...
ing techniques to emulate the piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, and also harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, electric piano
Electric piano
An electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
and vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
. The product is by French company Modartt and has been published for Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
platforms.
History and technology
The original version of Pianoteq was released in August 2006. Modartt describes Pianoteq as being a "fourth-generation" piano (first generation being acoustic pianos, second generation electric pianos, and third generation being sample-based software pianos). In a fourth-generation piano instrument, the sound is created from scratch using mathematical algorithms to generate electric pianoElectric piano
An electric piano is an electric musical instrument.Electric pianos produce sounds mechanically and the sounds are turned into electrical signals by pickups. Unlike a synthesizer, the electric piano is not an electronic instrument, but electro-mechanical. The earliest electric pianos were invented...
and acoustic piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
sounds. On top of this, there are a few optional sampled acoustic noises added (such as pedal thump, key release, and hammer thumps). These are thus not included in the model but added to ease on the CPU load and to enhance the acoustic experience. This is also consistent with how the corresponding patent describes sound generation as a mix of physical modeling and sampling.
There is some consensus that the best sample-based software pianos produce a slightly more realistic piano sound compared to pure physically modelled pianos like Pianoteq. However, playability and expressiveness is superior with a physically modelled piano like Pianoteq or for that matter, V-Piano (Roland).
Pianoteq v3
Pianoteq 3 introduced new piano models, the acoustics C3 and M3 for classical and modern pieces, respectively, and the Rhody and Wurly electric pianos. (The electric pianos come as demo versions with Pianoteq and need to be purchased separately.) Also new was the ability for users to virtually position up to five microphones around the piano. Microphone positioning can drastically affect the definition of a recorded source, and as an additional mathematically modeled process it presents the user with more ways to shape the sound the virtual instrument generates.Pianoteq 3.6 comes with the new K1 acoustic piano which Modartt describes as suitable for all kinds of music, from Classical to Modern.
Aside from acoustic and electric pianos, historical musical instruments are also available as free downloads, such as harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
s, fortepiano
Fortepiano
Fortepiano designates the early version of the piano, from its invention by the Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori around 1700 up to the early 19th century. It was the instrument for which Haydn, Mozart, and the early Beethoven wrote their piano music...
s, and even bells and carillons. These instruments were largely created as part of the KIViR (Keyboard Instruments Virtual Restoration) project, which aims to create playable digital models of historical keyboard instruments in museums like the Händel-Haus in Halle
Halle, Saxony-Anhalt
Halle is the largest city in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is also called Halle an der Saale in order to distinguish it from the town of Halle in North Rhine-Westphalia...
.
Versions, licensing, and upgrades
Three Pianoteq versions are available: Pianoteq PLAY, the entry-level version without the abilities to change physical parameters of the piano or position microphones, Pianoteq Standard, and Pianoteq PRO, in which adjustments can also be made for each piano key individually ("Note Edit").Older versions of Pianoteq can be upgraded to v3 for free; also updates to the latest version are free for a year after Pianoteq activation.
Pianoteq uses product activation
Product activation
Product activation is a license validation procedure required by some proprietary computer software programs. In one form, product activation refers to a method invented by Ric Richardson and patented by Uniloc where a software application hashes hardware serial numbers and an ID number specific...
over the Internet, although an Internet connection on the installation machine is not required. One Pianoteq license allows installation on up to three machines, but once a machine has been deactivated, it cannot be activated again.