Some recommended free plug-ins I have come across listed below, all of which are properly supported. If anybody else has come across good free options I'd love to hear about them: 1. LABS (by Spitfire Audio) - in addition to piano they have a range of other instruments. If you're tempted they also have excellent low cost paid for (Originals range) as an alternative to their full-blown expensive ones. 2. NUMA PLAYER: good range of piano, electric piano, keyboard, strings etc, all of which can be blended. 3. VIENNA SYMPHONIC LIBRARY: they offer a free version of an intimate, close-mic'd piano. Very nice but it's quite a coloured sound (good for Satie and similar but not necessarily anything that needs bite). Hopefully that's useful.
Great, useful content … thank you, very much! Mostly due to your vids, I’ve just started my studying piano at 67 with my new, Roland RP102. And I’m Loving it! Thank you, again!
Stumbled across your channel yesterday by chance. Really great stuff! And your playing isn’t too shabby either ;-) (right good, actually!) Nice insightful appraisal of all of these virtual pianos (that includes your other videos) without the usual deceptive marketing trickery (fluffing up sounds with effects, etc.).
One of best videos of its kind on youtube. Just what I was looking for and with brilliant expertise and experience to boot. Thanks for the great content
im exploring vst and here is the diffulties you may have for pianist : 1- midi curve is not so easy to set up depending your keyboard & vst, sustain could also have a specific curve 2- sound amazing with headphone but very bad with speakers unless you have a very very good equipements. so can be very frustrating if you want to share it with friends or family 3- stereo or binaural as pianist you excpect to have variation between uper/low right/left and its difficult to have something well balanced (for player point of view, there is no prb for recording) I'm very happy with garritan cfx for now (classical, jazz, pop) havnt tried keyscape or vienna vsl cause too expensive
I would take Ivy Audio. Loved its rawness, gives it a character that would go well with a certain type of song. Character of paid ones is suitable for classical music, in my opinion.
I love this content. I just bought and received my Roland FP-30X largely from seeing your channel, I AM SO HAPPY with it! I use it 80% for VST home recording. I have EZKeys Studio Grand, and it sounds really amazing to my ear. That said I am still looking around for something else. I am eyeing Native Instruments offerings as well. PLEASE if possible do more like this? Perhaps an entire video on great Modeled options and a video comparing Modeled to Sampled.
@@northernswallow3157 awesome! I love the realistic feeling of the keys! Especially when triggering things like 'Soft Piano' by Spitfire Labs it really feels like I'm playing a live instrument! Totally enhances the playing and changes it....more ideas more feel ..it's truly amazing!
@@AdemVessell Hey bro. I also have a FP-30x and the keyaction is great. But I was SO disappointed when I heared the sound of the fp30x for the first time. It always sounded so different and more like a Grand Piano in professional videos (without them using VST of course). Then, I pluged my HQ headphones in, and still NO difference. It lacks so much dynamic range and depth. Wouldnt it be VERY simple for the engineers/Roland to put a VST-alike sound into the built-in audio card of those e-pianos...? The only thing they w'd need to do is record a Grand Piano with superb microphones and then implement a software, which changes the sound in amplitude according how you press the keys. Why don't they do it? It seems very illogical to me. A VST is doing it, so why can't they do it on a (more simple) basis. Ofcourse it cannot reach CFX quality, but they can do better than what they're delivering. The e-pianos sound so synthetic... So there must be a reason or a point I miss, but I can't figure it out.
@@zjaeger1800 Yea there’s certainly a disconnect for reasons I’m not aware of. You can change the sounds with the app. I still use the basic internal piano sound for practice and even writing or ideation. But I mainly use it plugged into a DAW. I really do think in the future what we all want will be available. Hopefully not at a crazy price. Some industries are still in a strange limbo between old and new thinking, and a combination. Like the Roland v-drums I have are superb with amazing articulation and sensitivity. But the built-in sounds pale in comparison to what you can actually do… similar to the piano with its wonderful keys. In both cases like I said, it’s great for practice. Possible writing possible ideation, but the real magic is the hardware (which I think Roland really nails) because we have such powerful exterior hardware and software. It’s a great marriage for now.
We pay more for a lot of things when it comes to piano vsts 1 the amount of dynamic layers 2 the actual piano (source material) 3 more acoustical possibilities (more mic positions) 4 the amount of control (for example the vsl : velocity curve (general and per note) resonance control and ext I'm a producer too and it's not always about the simple sound.. we always pay for more
That is certainly a good point. The old adage "you get what you pay for" does ring true in a lot of places when it comes to the piano industry. Piano VST plug-ins are generally no exception to that rule. :)
One more thing! If possible in a future video can you do blind tests so we can guess which is the most expensive or free or even which is modeled vs which is sampled?
Loved it since i have a large Vst Collection i have Connected my computer to the Kawai KDP120 Since it has Midi opens up new avenues, sounds great with many more options available for expansion i tried the Arturia V2 piano great sound with proper key action fantastic
Thanks for illustrating beautifully why I can't stand piano plugins without enough dynamic range samples. The two Logic pianos smothered a great deal of your beautiful technique with one-dimensionality. The Ivy piano sounds like it's worth exploring. And while I hoped my dissatisfaction with piano vsts would dissipate with better plugins, you have shown me just that- I need a higher end piano plugin. Thanks for a useful vlog!
You're very welcome Giselle! We're very happy to hear that you found the video useful! Best of luck with finding a VST that resonates with you musically! :)
Hey Giselle, can you explain to me pls, what exactly is meant by piano plugins without enough dr samples? I can hear that Ivy Audio has much more depth than the Steinway, which is awful. But the free Yamaha Grand incl. with logic and the Garritan CFX do sound exceptional with a ton of depth. Now, if I would run my FP-30X with the free Yamaha Grand, would the sound quality be restricted by the 'hardware' plugin midi cable, or have I misunderstood you?
Have tested pretty much every good piano vst except Noire and VSLs, so far, I only ever use Garritan CFX Grand, incredible piano, nothing has ever matched it yet
I'm happy to hear that you have found a sound that you connect with via the Garritan CFX Grand. Noire and the VSL instruments are fantastic as well, but offer a different musical flavour (particularly Noire). In any case, the exciting thing about VST plugins is that they don't take up any real estate, so you can have multiple VSTs at your disposal at any given time. :)
Hi Stu, I just watched all the VST evaluations as well as this one and I don't think a review could be better than what you have done. Thanks so much! Also, I am interested in how you would compare the Kawai CA99 inner engine with these VSTs. Should I consider purchasing a good VST as well as the new piano, We are purchasing the piano from you folks.
Some wonderful modern music when you got to the Garritan... very ECM Rainer Bruninghaus... just incredible piano sounds these days. I got the Nils Frahm piano library based on your review.
I feel like you got cheated out of some really decent stuff by those obnoxiously predictable listicles. It’s always the same like four or five plugins, usually Ivy Audio, Spitfire Soft Piano, DSK Grand, and Keyzone Classic. Anyone who thinks offering DSK Grand as an alaternative to Cinepiano is a good idea probably hates you. If you want something really nice, get the Dark Chateau Grand Piano sound font which can be used in Sforzando. It’s beautiful and really mellow. Perfect for emotional or romantic pieces. And if you want something more dynamic and overall just more realistic: Hammersmith Piano for the free Kontakt Player all the way. It’s my absolute favorite piano plug-in so far, so even though I’m too broke for the expensive plugins, this one keeps me going for the time being. I hope you consider looking at those in the future.
Thank you for the suggestions! We do our best to tackle as many VST options as possible and will certainly add those to the list of potential candidates for the future. Thanks again and all the best!
Thanks for this comparison video, Stu. I must say the single layer sampling in the two Pianos included in Logic is quite apparent. And they both lack a great deal of interest. I have been using virtual instruments for over ten years on both my laptop and my iPad Pro for regular live performances with my band. Generally speaking, the pianos for the PC are more detailed and offer more flexibility in the ability to tweak them to your liking. Most of the paid pianos, for both units, are typically better. However, I have an SF2 soundfont player called ‘ bs-16i ‘ for my iPad Pro. And I have found some surprisingly decent free acoustic piano soundfonts. One of the Yamaha C5 soundfonts actually has 15 sample layers.
I'm thinking the digital pianos of the future will reside on tablets that are connected to a piano keyboard and built in sound system. I'm wondering of Stu can get his hands on an optical keyboard to evaluate?
@@JoeLinux2000 actually, all the major companies allow you to connect your iPad into your home digital piano, and literally play any sounds in your iPad through the home piano’s sound system. Some home pianos actually have Bluetooth MIDI and audio, requiring no wires to connect your iPad to your piano. But, for home digital piano types(that are also a piece of furniture), manufacturers are going in the direction of placing all the controls in the position of the left hand cheek block, in order to make the electronics more inconspicuous. And, since a good part of the cost of a home digital is in the cabinet, for the sake of aesthetics I’m guessing most customers probably wouldn’t buy just a cabinet with a keyboard and sound system that has no internal sound source.
@@TheIvoryman @TheIvoryman I wanted someone to team up with Pianoteq but so far it hasn't happened, although I think Roland's modeling might actually be Pianoteq.
@@JoeLinux2000 if that does happen I hope it comes with accessibility features that can be turned on and off to make it accessible for blind pianists🎹🎶
Ivy Audio Piano in 162 has 5 velocity layers, and also 2 round robins, which might account for the notes sounding "out of tune". It'd be nice to see and update video to this topic since several new free libraries are now available, in particular Dore Mark's Fazioli 308, NY Steinway B, and Yamaha S6, and also Alexander Holm Yamaha Salamander C5.
Thanks so much for tuning in and for the suggestion! I definitely think it is worth tackling an updated video on VST plugins. We will do our best to tackle that as soon as possible! :)
I have the Garritan GPO from Finale and find it's sufficient for my amateur song making hobby. Mostly because I'm still intimidated by all the fine controls.
I appreciate your thoughtfully produced videos -- lots o' helpful info. QUESTION: Do you feel round-robins are essential for capturing a more realistic sound from a sampled piano? Do any of these have RR or just velocity layers?
Fantastic Playing. As an acoustic piano player what would you say was the most dynamic paid plugin? I find for myself if it doesn't feel right off the bat, where I don't have to think about playing it wouldn't be for me regardless of tone. Having said that I did like the Garriton tone myself the best. hoping you found it to play the most natural?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I will certainly leave that question for Stu to tackle and share his perspective on the matter. With that said, I have personally used Pianoteq and Alicia's Keys quite extensively with success. With that said, it also depends on the genre and style of playing. For instance, with the right tweaks and a little bit of work on post-processing, I felt that Alicia's Keys worked quite well for pop production work.
@@MerriamPianos thanks so much. i'm sure there are strengths with all plugins. just taking the time to tweak. hopefully they all have demos before pulling the trigger.
Stu, Thanks for doing this comparison. I have the Garritan CFX, TheGrand3, and the free Logic samples. I also have Spectrasonics Keyscape (Yamaha C7). Of the sample-based I like the Garritan. Keyscape is interesting but it is at least partially synthesized. By the way, have you ever mixed two samplers at the same time (two tracks with the exact same region)? Keyscape I found has a deeper and warmer sound so I allocated it to the below middle C while allocating the middle C and above to Garritan CFX which is brighter. The regions were slightly manipulated by diminishing (not deleting) the unemphasized portion by about 15 points. Thus there is an overlay of the samples.
for me, from what I hear by professional videos, the Keyscape is by far the most realistic and superb sound. But it's very expensive and has too much tools I wouldnt need. The Kawai EX Pro costs around 109€. Would you recommend it?
@@zjaeger1800 I was unfamiliar with Kawai EX Pro so I found the website. Very nice sounds. Yes, I would buy it if I were considering other piano samples.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! ProTools is an industry standard if you are looking for an excellent DAW to record/produce music with and run VST plugins. :)
I love your channel and the piano videos! great playing. The only thing is that the samples for Logic aren't actually free, since you have to purchase Logic first. Other than that, great video, thanks!
If the Kawai es-920 sounded like the Garratin CFX, I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Which electronic piano manufacturer with come out with a piano that is a self-contained plug-in player? I have to say after watching this video and then playing my DGX / Pianoteq hybrid, which I have bragged about, I am devastated. The Garratin, and VSL have a warmth and presence that mine does not. I do enjoy the sound of my set-up, and consider it to be an excellent piano but the top end virtual piano plugins take it to another level. I'm wondering what the effect would be if one of the competitors in the International Chopin competition played one rather than the top end grands they are moving around like dominoes.
Thank you kindly for the tip Bill! I know many of our community members here are always looking for new free VST piano plugin suggestions. Thanks for sharing and happy playing! :)
@@MerriamPianos that would be great if you could, because im not sure if buying the standard package will give the sounds/microphone positions that you showcased in the video uses. Also I'd love a video where you choose your favourite and best piano VST overall (no matter the price). This video seems like that yes, the Vienna CFX is the best one, but maybe a better one has come out in recent years.
The first one, the tone alone is pretty nice actually. And surprisingly, the last one is my least favourite cuz it sounds muddy as hell. Probably good for soloing but not in a band and mixing context.
Hey! - thank you so much. I have been struggling madly with using the Logic Yamaha piano on a little home album I was producing...trying to get away with the free piano sound. And I have been searching for hours for another free option...which may be the Ivy Grand. I agreed with you on the Steinway...it was too flat and lacking dynamics, but the Yamaha seemed usable INITIALLY. My problem, however, came when I got into the mixing and mastering: there were strange overtones and high frequencies in the Yamaha that became loud, distracting, and unmanageable. I had added a subtle bass track with a real bass guitar to fill in the bottom and add some reality to the recording. Perhaps this problem with overtones and whistling frequencies only emerges when you start to EQ and compress, etc...and thus, it was FREE. -? Any thoughts on this? I actually loved the contrast and realness of the Ivy Grand...even with the slight out-of-tune situation, not a problem. I will give it a try! Great video - would love to hear any feedback (pun) on my problems with the yamaha overtones!!
Do you have any out board gear such as a mic pre, compressor or at least mid tier DI box? If so try running the track out through that gear to pick up some of the transformers and harmonics and print the track. Even a good DI may correct some of the flaws in the signal but the analog will colour the sound a bit. Group those two channels together but pushing the dry track back and the printed track more upfront. This may help or mask the problem frequencies in the open air.
probably wavelet compression artifacts that add up. don't know if apple ever rerecorded that piano that they originally shipped with. back then disk space and memory were an issue.
If you are looking for hardware interfaces, Focusrite makes a lot of excellent, affordable products. If you are looking software interfaces, Ableton, Protools, GarageBand, etc. are all examples of DAWs that you could explore.
@@MerriamPianos Sir,It is for playing my favorite Gospel song.After a day i purchase Garritan CFX lite and I have Kawai CN39.Thank u Sir,God Bless you.
You can use the N1X to control VST plugins, but it is not possible to add the VST plugin or sample libraries onboard the piano. There are some sampling pianos that you could technical do that with (such as some of the Nord models for instance).
Apple's Steinway is definitely the weakest despite being higher quality than the Yamaha one originally shipped with the first release of Garage Band. (the Steinway was only available in the $100 orchestra pack back then). The dynamics are unsalvageable with the given compression options.
Everything is awesome :) Stu, consider opening your audio materials as royalty free music for youtubers / internauts ? In exchange for link to your page.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! This is a good idea for a future article. Perhaps, we will tackle that in the near future; a complete and thorough list of the top FREE VST piano plug-ins. In the mean time, Google may have to suffice. Thank you for tuning in and for the idea! :)
This is how you should do comparisons, play the same piece on all items to be compared. Otherwise I cannot help comparing the music instead of the sound. Also the music is not jazz. I can't stand jazz. Jazz is a series of semi dissonant notes in random order. I loved the FP-90X vs ES920 video where you played "Every breath you take" on both instruments. I like your videos but I fast forward over the jazz and cover my ears.
Musical preference is a very subjective matter. Not everyone is a fan of classical or rock music for instance. But, with that said, I think it would be interesting to have a format where each instrument is demonstrated with the same excerpts from a few major styles. Thanks for the feedback and for tuning into our channel! We appreciate it. I'll happily pass it along to our production team. :)
free plugins for entry level musicians who do not want to throw a lot of money, there's no point in being a pro, having a million dollar piano, and downloading free piano plugins.. 😀 everything has a target group, the free stuff for the non-pros, the paid stuff for the pros😀
It is awesome that companies are releasing some very impressive free software for beginner or hobby players to be able to experiment with the world of piano VST plugins. With that said, you certainly don't need to be a pro to enjoy and have fun with the paid VST plugs in either. :)
I am an educated pianobuilder - klavierbaumeister here in EU - and I have to say your videos are absolutely top notch, thank you!
Some recommended free plug-ins I have come across listed below, all of which are properly supported. If anybody else has come across good free options I'd love to hear about them: 1. LABS (by Spitfire Audio) - in addition to piano they have a range of other instruments. If you're tempted they also have excellent low cost paid for (Originals range) as an alternative to their full-blown expensive ones. 2. NUMA PLAYER: good range of piano, electric piano, keyboard, strings etc, all of which can be blended. 3. VIENNA SYMPHONIC LIBRARY: they offer a free version of an intimate, close-mic'd piano. Very nice but it's quite a coloured sound (good for Satie and similar but not necessarily anything that needs bite). Hopefully that's useful.
Thanks so much for sharing! I'm sure many of our community members here will appreciate the list and suggestions immensely! :)
@@MerriamPianos Yup. Copying them to my notes right now. Thanks @martoneill!
LABS is not usable for live playing, it has no dynamic range.
Great, useful content … thank you, very much! Mostly due to your vids, I’ve just started my studying piano at 67 with my new, Roland RP102. And I’m Loving it! Thank you, again!
Stumbled across your channel yesterday by chance. Really great stuff! And your playing isn’t too shabby either ;-) (right good, actually!) Nice insightful appraisal of all of these virtual pianos (that includes your other videos) without the usual deceptive marketing trickery (fluffing up sounds with effects, etc.).
Man, you're such a talented pianist. Very informative and in-depth overview as well.
18:00 this little piece you played here was incredible holy hell
I love the ivy audio. Sounds great.
One of best videos of its kind on youtube. Just what I was looking for and with brilliant expertise and experience to boot. Thanks for the great content
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning in and for your very kind words! They are much appreciated. :)
im exploring vst and here is the diffulties you may have for pianist :
1- midi curve is not so easy to set up depending your keyboard & vst, sustain could also have a specific curve
2- sound amazing with headphone but very bad with speakers unless you have a very very good equipements. so can be very frustrating if you want to share it with friends or family
3- stereo or binaural as pianist you excpect to have variation between uper/low right/left and its difficult to have something well balanced (for player point of view, there is no prb for recording)
I'm very happy with garritan cfx for now (classical, jazz, pop) havnt tried keyscape or vienna vsl cause too expensive
I would take Ivy Audio. Loved its rawness, gives it a character that would go well with a certain type of song. Character of paid ones is suitable for classical music, in my opinion.
love your playing Stu... You definitely know how to make a "lively" sound...
I love this content. I just bought and received my Roland FP-30X largely from seeing your channel, I AM SO HAPPY with it! I use it 80% for VST home recording. I have EZKeys Studio Grand, and it sounds really amazing to my ear. That said I am still looking around for something else. I am eyeing Native Instruments offerings as well. PLEASE if possible do more like this? Perhaps an entire video on great Modeled options and a video comparing Modeled to Sampled.
Bro, I bought the fp30x and I'm gonna use it with VST plugins as well
@@northernswallow3157 awesome! I love the realistic feeling of the keys! Especially when triggering things like 'Soft Piano' by Spitfire Labs it really feels like I'm playing a live instrument! Totally enhances the playing and changes it....more ideas more feel ..it's truly amazing!
@@AdemVessell Hey bro. I also have a FP-30x and the keyaction is great. But I was SO disappointed when I heared the sound of the fp30x for the first time. It always sounded so different and more like a Grand Piano in professional videos (without them using VST of course). Then, I pluged my HQ headphones in, and still NO difference. It lacks so much dynamic range and depth. Wouldnt it be VERY simple for the engineers/Roland to put a VST-alike sound into the built-in audio card of those e-pianos...? The only thing they w'd need to do is record a Grand Piano with superb microphones and then implement a software, which changes the sound in amplitude according how you press the keys.
Why don't they do it? It seems very illogical to me. A VST is doing it, so why can't they do it on a (more simple) basis. Ofcourse it cannot reach CFX quality, but they can do better than what they're delivering. The e-pianos sound so synthetic... So there must be a reason or a point I miss, but I can't figure it out.
@@zjaeger1800 Yea there’s certainly a disconnect for reasons I’m not aware of. You can change the sounds with the app. I still use the basic internal piano sound for practice and even writing or ideation. But I mainly use it plugged into a DAW. I really do think in the future what we all want will be available. Hopefully not at a crazy price. Some industries are still in a strange limbo between old and new thinking, and a combination. Like the Roland v-drums I have are superb with amazing articulation and sensitivity.
But the built-in sounds pale in comparison to what you can actually do… similar to the piano with its wonderful keys. In both cases like I said, it’s great for practice. Possible writing possible ideation, but the real magic is the hardware (which I think Roland really nails) because we have such powerful exterior hardware and software. It’s a great marriage for now.
Garritan...wow !
We pay more for a lot of things when it comes to piano vsts
1 the amount of dynamic layers
2 the actual piano (source material)
3 more acoustical possibilities (more mic positions)
4 the amount of control (for example the vsl : velocity curve (general and per note) resonance control and ext
I'm a producer too and it's not always about the simple sound.. we always pay for more
That is certainly a good point. The old adage "you get what you pay for" does ring true in a lot of places when it comes to the piano industry. Piano VST plug-ins are generally no exception to that rule. :)
I'm loving the sound of that garriton piano, im definitely going to be looking into that soon.
One more thing! If possible in a future video can you do blind tests so we can guess which is the most expensive or free or even which is modeled vs which is sampled?
Loved it since i have a large Vst Collection i have Connected my computer to the Kawai KDP120 Since it has Midi opens up new avenues, sounds great with many more options available for expansion i tried the Arturia V2 piano great sound with proper key action fantastic
You provide the best content, answering questions I didn't even know I had. Your playing is also superb such a pleasure to listen to
Fantastic video, just as expected. Never get bored of these.
Thanks for illustrating beautifully why I can't stand piano plugins without enough dynamic range samples. The two Logic pianos smothered a great deal of your beautiful technique with one-dimensionality. The Ivy piano sounds like it's worth exploring. And while I hoped my dissatisfaction with piano vsts would dissipate with better plugins, you have shown me just that- I need a higher end piano plugin. Thanks for a useful vlog!
You're very welcome Giselle! We're very happy to hear that you found the video useful! Best of luck with finding a VST that resonates with you musically! :)
Hey Giselle,
can you explain to me pls, what exactly is meant by piano plugins without enough dr samples? I can hear that Ivy Audio has much more depth than the Steinway, which is awful. But the free Yamaha Grand incl. with logic and the Garritan CFX do sound exceptional with a ton of depth.
Now, if I would run my FP-30X with the free Yamaha Grand, would the sound quality be restricted by the 'hardware' plugin midi cable, or have I misunderstood you?
Have tested pretty much every good piano vst except Noire and VSLs, so far, I only ever use Garritan CFX Grand, incredible piano, nothing has ever matched it yet
I'm happy to hear that you have found a sound that you connect with via the Garritan CFX Grand. Noire and the VSL instruments are fantastic as well, but offer a different musical flavour (particularly Noire). In any case, the exciting thing about VST plugins is that they don't take up any real estate, so you can have multiple VSTs at your disposal at any given time. :)
Hi Stu, I just watched all the VST evaluations as well as this one and I don't think a review could be better than what you have done. Thanks so much! Also, I am interested in how you would compare the Kawai CA99 inner engine with these VSTs. Should I consider purchasing a good VST as well as the new piano, We are purchasing the piano from you folks.
This video shows that I'm the reason my VSTs don't sound so good lol. It was me all along.
Great video! A great sounding piano is also Embertone, one of the best I heard. I use the light version and it cost almost nothing!
Some wonderful modern music when you got to the Garritan... very ECM Rainer Bruninghaus... just incredible piano sounds these days. I got the Nils Frahm piano library based on your review.
I love your review/concert videos. I think I memorized the last piece. Beautiful!
I've known people who can do that. (Hear a piece and play it back perfectly later).
Great video. What you think about key scape for product work? And if you could do a comparison video key scape vs sample 4 piano.
Probably his original, and probably improvised for the most part in the initial writing stage.
I feel like you got cheated out of some really decent stuff by those obnoxiously predictable listicles. It’s always the same like four or five plugins, usually Ivy Audio, Spitfire Soft Piano, DSK Grand, and Keyzone Classic. Anyone who thinks offering DSK Grand as an alaternative to Cinepiano is a good idea probably hates you. If you want something really nice, get the Dark Chateau Grand Piano sound font which can be used in Sforzando. It’s beautiful and really mellow. Perfect for emotional or romantic pieces. And if you want something more dynamic and overall just more realistic: Hammersmith Piano for the free Kontakt Player all the way. It’s my absolute favorite piano plug-in so far, so even though I’m too broke for the expensive plugins, this one keeps me going for the time being. I hope you consider looking at those in the future.
Thank you for the suggestions! We do our best to tackle as many VST options as possible and will certainly add those to the list of potential candidates for the future. Thanks again and all the best!
You beautiful man! The instrument or, vst in this case, is only as good as the hand that plays it
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I will pass the kind words onto Stu for you! :)
Brilliant and very interesting comparison Stu👍
Thanks for this comparison video, Stu. I must say the single layer sampling in the two Pianos included in Logic is quite apparent. And they both lack a great deal of interest. I have been using virtual instruments for over ten years on both my laptop and my iPad Pro for regular live performances with my band. Generally speaking, the pianos for the PC are more detailed and offer more flexibility in the ability to tweak them to your liking. Most of the paid pianos, for both units, are typically better. However, I have an SF2 soundfont player called ‘ bs-16i ‘ for my iPad Pro. And I have found some surprisingly decent free acoustic piano soundfonts. One of the Yamaha C5 soundfonts actually has 15 sample layers.
I'm thinking the digital pianos of the future will reside on tablets that are connected to a piano keyboard and built in sound system. I'm wondering of Stu can get his hands on an optical keyboard to evaluate?
@@JoeLinux2000 actually, all the major companies allow you to connect your iPad into your home digital piano, and literally play any sounds in your iPad through the home piano’s sound system. Some home pianos actually have Bluetooth MIDI and audio, requiring no wires to connect your iPad to your piano. But, for home digital piano types(that are also a piece of furniture), manufacturers are going in the direction of placing all the controls in the position of the left hand cheek block, in order to make the electronics more inconspicuous. And, since a good part of the cost of a home digital is in the cabinet, for the sake of aesthetics I’m guessing most customers probably wouldn’t buy just a cabinet with a keyboard and sound system that has no internal sound source.
@@TheIvoryman @TheIvoryman I wanted someone to team up with Pianoteq but so far it hasn't happened, although I think Roland's modeling might actually be Pianoteq.
@@TheIvoryman It would be sold as a package but have the advantage of being able to use any other "plug-in."
@@JoeLinux2000 if that does happen I hope it comes with accessibility features that can be turned on and off to make it accessible for blind pianists🎹🎶
Great chops man!
Fantastic content. Thx. Really helpful.
What an incredibly helpful channel.
Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoy our channel! :)
Ivy Audio Piano in 162 has 5 velocity layers, and also 2 round robins, which might account for the notes sounding "out of tune". It'd be nice to see and update video to this topic since several new free libraries are now available, in particular Dore Mark's Fazioli 308, NY Steinway B, and Yamaha S6, and also Alexander Holm Yamaha Salamander C5.
Thanks so much for tuning in and for the suggestion! I definitely think it is worth tackling an updated video on VST plugins. We will do our best to tackle that as soon as possible! :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks for the reply. This channel is on a class of its own.
I have the Garritan GPO from Finale and find it's sufficient for my amateur song making hobby. Mostly because I'm still intimidated by all the fine controls.
can someone please tell me the music being played as a test for the various VST's? Such a beautiful piece, stunning!
I appreciate your thoughtfully produced videos -- lots o' helpful info. QUESTION: Do you feel round-robins are essential for capturing a more realistic sound from a sampled piano? Do any of these have RR or just velocity layers?
Yes! RR helps to make that lively & real.
🙂🙏
Yes! RR helps to make that lively & real.
🙂🙏
Yes! RR helps to make that lively & real.
🙂🙏
Very helpful thank you!
You're very welcome! Glad you found the video helpful! :)
Fantastic Playing. As an acoustic piano player what would you say was the most dynamic paid plugin? I find for myself if it doesn't feel right off the bat, where I don't have to think about playing it wouldn't be for me regardless of tone. Having said that I did like the Garriton tone myself the best. hoping you found it to play the most natural?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I will certainly leave that question for Stu to tackle and share his perspective on the matter. With that said, I have personally used Pianoteq and Alicia's Keys quite extensively with success. With that said, it also depends on the genre and style of playing. For instance, with the right tweaks and a little bit of work on post-processing, I felt that Alicia's Keys worked quite well for pop production work.
@@MerriamPianos thanks so much. i'm sure there are strengths with all plugins. just taking the time to tweak. hopefully they all have demos before pulling the trigger.
I'd wish that you include Soniccouture's Hammersmith free piano VST in your review.
Stu, Thanks for doing this comparison. I have the Garritan CFX, TheGrand3, and the free Logic samples. I also have Spectrasonics Keyscape (Yamaha C7). Of the sample-based I like the Garritan. Keyscape is interesting but it is at least partially synthesized. By the way, have you ever mixed two samplers at the same time (two tracks with the exact same region)? Keyscape I found has a deeper and warmer sound so I allocated it to the below middle C while allocating the middle C and above to Garritan CFX which is brighter. The regions were slightly manipulated by diminishing (not deleting) the unemphasized portion by about 15 points. Thus there is an overlay of the samples.
for me, from what I hear by professional videos, the Keyscape is by far the most realistic and superb sound. But it's very expensive and has too much tools I wouldnt need. The Kawai EX Pro costs around 109€. Would you recommend it?
@@zjaeger1800 I was unfamiliar with Kawai EX Pro so I found the website. Very nice sounds. Yes, I would buy it if I were considering other piano samples.
Thank you stu!
Very interesting!! Can you please give a good (or the best) alternative for Logic Pro which runs on Mac only ? Thanks!
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! ProTools is an industry standard if you are looking for an excellent DAW to record/produce music with and run VST plugins. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thanks Brent! Very helpful!
I love your channel and the piano videos! great playing. The only thing is that the samples for Logic aren't actually free, since you have to purchase Logic first. Other than that, great video, thanks!
Thank you so much! And that is a very good point! Thank you kindly for sharing! :)
VSL Bosendorfer 280VC ???
If the Kawai es-920 sounded like the Garratin CFX, I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Which electronic piano manufacturer with come out with a piano that is a self-contained plug-in player? I have to say after watching this video and then playing my DGX / Pianoteq hybrid, which I have bragged about, I am devastated. The Garratin, and VSL have a warmth and presence that mine does not. I do enjoy the sound of my set-up, and consider it to be an excellent piano but the top end virtual piano plugins take it to another level. I'm wondering what the effect would be if one of the competitors in the International Chopin competition played one rather than the top end grands they are moving around like dominoes.
"Keyzone Classic" by Bitsonic, and set it to Yamaha Grand Piano. It's 100% free & sounds amazing! I've been using it for a few years.
Thank you kindly for the tip Bill! I know many of our community members here are always looking for new free VST piano plugin suggestions. Thanks for sharing and happy playing! :)
धन्यवाद!
🙂🙏💛
:)
are you showcasing the full or only the standard package of the synchron piano in this video?
Hi there! I would have to verify that with Stu to be honest.
@@MerriamPianos that would be great if you could, because im not sure if buying the standard package will give the sounds/microphone positions that you showcased in the video uses. Also I'd love a video where you choose your favourite and best piano VST overall (no matter the price). This video seems like that yes, the Vienna CFX is the best one, but maybe a better one has come out in recent years.
The first one, the tone alone is pretty nice actually.
And surprisingly, the last one is my least favourite cuz it sounds muddy as hell.
Probably good for soloing but not in a band and mixing context.
cinepiano and garritan take my vote
There's no doubt that there's a lot of impressive options out there! Thanks for tuning in! :)
Hey! - thank you so much. I have been struggling madly with using the Logic Yamaha piano on a little home album I was producing...trying to get away with the free piano sound. And I have been searching for hours for another free option...which may be the Ivy Grand. I agreed with you on the Steinway...it was too flat and lacking dynamics, but the Yamaha seemed usable INITIALLY. My problem, however, came when I got into the mixing and mastering: there were strange overtones and high frequencies in the Yamaha that became loud, distracting, and unmanageable. I had added a subtle bass track with a real bass guitar to fill in the bottom and add some reality to the recording. Perhaps this problem with overtones and whistling frequencies only emerges when you start to EQ and compress, etc...and thus, it was FREE. -? Any thoughts on this? I actually loved the contrast and realness of the Ivy Grand...even with the slight out-of-tune situation, not a problem. I will give it a try! Great video - would love to hear any feedback (pun) on my problems with the yamaha overtones!!
Do you have any out board gear such as a mic pre, compressor or at least mid tier DI box? If so try running the track out through that gear to pick up some of the transformers and harmonics and print the track. Even a good DI may correct some of the flaws in the signal but the analog will colour the sound a bit. Group those two channels together but pushing the dry track back and the printed track more upfront. This may help or mask the problem frequencies in the open air.
probably wavelet compression artifacts that add up. don't know if apple ever rerecorded that piano that they originally shipped with. back then disk space and memory were an issue.
Lol i m just listening and enjoying your playing
It is easy to get lost in Stu's amazing playing! ;)
which is the best for low budget interface for VST's,tell me please.I am beginner.
If you are looking for hardware interfaces, Focusrite makes a lot of excellent, affordable products. If you are looking software interfaces, Ableton, Protools, GarageBand, etc. are all examples of DAWs that you could explore.
@@MerriamPianos Sir,It is for playing my favorite Gospel song.After a day i purchase Garritan CFX lite and I have Kawai CN39.Thank u Sir,God Bless you.
Addictive keys
I mainly listen to these videos because of the great piano playing, less because of the plugins.
Stu is a monster talent and we are very lucky to have him! :)
is it possible to add paid VST plugin to Yamaha hybrid N1X
You can use the N1X to control VST plugins, but it is not possible to add the VST plugin or sample libraries onboard the piano. There are some sampling pianos that you could technical do that with (such as some of the Nord models for instance).
Apple's Steinway is definitely the weakest despite being higher quality than the Yamaha one originally shipped with the first release of Garage Band. (the Steinway was only available in the $100 orchestra pack back then).
The dynamics are unsalvageable with the given compression options.
Everything is awesome :)
Stu, consider opening your audio materials as royalty free music for youtubers / internauts ?
In exchange for link to your page.
I always suspected it, but now i know for sure...You're influenced by Barry Harris!
Thanks. Which is the name of the song you're playing at 22:48?
He just improvised. He is a great player with huge skills, which give him do everything he want in real time
@@alexcazares4868 Thanks. It sounds lovely.
@@franciscocalvo1980 Yes, he is an amazing improviser with good taste and feeling, everything he plays is very beautiful.
22:28 The Flash mode
Can u give me please your free Piano VSTs DL link.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! This is a good idea for a future article. Perhaps, we will tackle that in the near future; a complete and thorough list of the top FREE VST piano plug-ins. In the mean time, Google may have to suffice. Thank you for tuning in and for the idea! :)
I don't know how to get the Ivy Audio!
There are download links directly from Ivy Audio's website. :)
@@MerriamPianos I mean the interface so i can play
@@TheSideProject Use DAW software.
@@shalompanna yes i do!
This is how you should do comparisons, play the same piece on all items to be compared. Otherwise I cannot help comparing the music instead of the sound. Also the music is not jazz. I can't stand jazz. Jazz is a series of semi dissonant notes in random order. I loved the FP-90X vs ES920 video where you played "Every breath you take" on both instruments. I like your videos but I fast forward over the jazz and cover my ears.
Musical preference is a very subjective matter. Not everyone is a fan of classical or rock music for instance. But, with that said, I think it would be interesting to have a format where each instrument is demonstrated with the same excerpts from a few major styles. Thanks for the feedback and for tuning into our channel! We appreciate it. I'll happily pass it along to our production team. :)
40:31
The last one is unanimous MVP, but the other are'n bad (except for the logic's Steinway)
What good is a Piano VST if the keyboard you use lacks the proper hammer action of a piano.
The piano that is not in tune is the most realistic.
Haha I see what you did there🎹🎶
I was thinking the same haha!
Mac is not an ideal platform for free stuff.
Fair enough! With that said, there are still some free resources available for Mac users. :)
free plugins for entry level musicians who do not want to throw a lot of money, there's no point in being a pro, having a million dollar piano, and downloading free piano plugins.. 😀 everything has a target group, the free stuff for the non-pros, the paid stuff for the pros😀
It is awesome that companies are releasing some very impressive free software for beginner or hobby players to be able to experiment with the world of piano VST plugins. With that said, you certainly don't need to be a pro to enjoy and have fun with the paid VST plugs in either. :)