MODARTT presents PIANOTEQ 4

Welcome

Congratulations on your purchase of Pianoteq the starting point of a brand new generation of pianos, developed from mathematical research made at the Institute of Mathematics of Toulouse at INS Toulouse, !rance, and offering uni"ue possibilities to ma#e the piano behave and sound $ust the way you li#e%

!or support issues and latest news about our products, please visit our website at www%pianote"%com% If you have any "uestions or comment, let us #now% &e always listen to our customers%

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Contents
1 Introduction.................................................................................................................6
1.1 The fourth generation of pianos..........................................................................................6 1.2 What makes Pianoteq outstanding......................................................................................7 1.3 Pianoteq versions................................................................................................................8 1.4 Features in short..................................................................................................................

2 Installing and starting Pianoteq.................................................................................10

2.1 !nsta""ation for Windo#s...................................................................................................1$ 2.2 !nsta""ation for %a& '( )...................................................................................................11 2.3 *sing Pianoteq standa"one................................................................................................11 2.4 *sing +(T hosts.................................................................................................................11 2., -ard#are requirements....................................................................................................11 2.6 .dapt Pianoteq to /our hard#are.....................................................................................11 2.7 0ui&k"/ "oading f1p2 ptq and %!3! fi"es..............................................................................12 2.8 %!3! fi"e p"a/er 4standa"one version5.................................................................................12 2. !nterfa&e magnifi&ation......................................................................................................14

3 Overview....................................................................................................................15
3.1 !nstruments.......................................................................................................................16 3.2 %anaging instruments and presets...................................................................................2$ 3.3 -ints..................................................................................................................................21 3.4 6enera" &ommands............................................................................................................22

4 Tuning panel..............................................................................................................27
4.1 3iapason............................................................................................................................27 4.2 Temperament....................................................................................................................27 4.3 *nison tuning....................................................................................................................28 4.4 '&tave stret&hing...............................................................................................................2 4., 3ire&t sound duration........................................................................................................2

5 oicing panel !acoustic".............................................................................................30

,.1 -ammer hardness.............................................................................................................3$ (

,.2 (pe&trum profi"e................................................................................................................3$ ,.3 -ammer noise...................................................................................................................31 ,.4 (trike point........................................................................................................................31 ,., (oft peda"..........................................................................................................................31

6 oicing panel !electro#acoustic"..................................................................................32

6.1 Pi&kup s/mmetr/...............................................................................................................32 6.2 Pi&kup distan&e..................................................................................................................32

7 oicing panel !clavinet"..............................................................................................33 $ %esign panel !acoustic"..............................................................................................34

8.1 (ound7oard.......................................................................................................................34 8.2 (tring "ength......................................................................................................................34 8.3 (/mpatheti& resonan&e.....................................................................................................3, 8.4 3up"e1 s&a"e.......................................................................................................................3, 8., 8"ooming...........................................................................................................................3,

& %esign panel !electro#acoustic"...................................................................................36 10 elocit' panel..........................................................................................................37 11 Output panel............................................................................................................3$

11.1 . sound radiation ph/si&a" mode"....................................................................................38 11.2 (ound re&ording mode.....................................................................................................3 11.3 9ompensation..................................................................................................................4$ 11.4 (tereo #idth and sound speed........................................................................................4$ 11., :id position......................................................................................................................4$ 11.6 8inaura" mode.................................................................................................................41 11.7 .7out the mi&rophones position.....................................................................................41

12 (ro) action to e**ects...............................................................................................42

12.1 .&tion..............................................................................................................................42 12.2 %a""et 7oun&e..................................................................................................................42 12.3 ;qua"i<er..........................................................................................................................43 12.4 ;ffe&ts..............................................................................................................................43 12., =ever7eration..................................................................................................................4,

13 Practice....................................................................................................................46
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13.1 Tutoria" 1> tuning.............................................................................................................46 13.2 Tutoria" 2> voi&ing............................................................................................................47 13.3 Tutoria" 3> sound7oard design.........................................................................................48 13.4 Tutoria" 4> adapting Pianoteq to /our ke/7oard..............................................................4 13., Tutoria" ,> differen&e 7et#een spe&trum profi"e and equa"i<er.......................................,$

14 Pianoteq Pro............................................................................................................51
14.1 ?ote ;dit..........................................................................................................................,1 14.2 (pe&trum profi"e..............................................................................................................,2

15 +ppendi,- te)pera)ents construction ....................................................................56 16 .pecial ac/nowledge)ents.......................................................................................57

16.1 !nstrument providers.......................................................................................................,7 16.2 =e&ording engineers........................................................................................................,7

1 Introduction
1%1 The fourth generation of pianos
The first generation of pianos, starting in 1+,- with Cristofori.s pianoforte, came to maturity at the end of the /I/ century with the acoustic grand concert piano% It was followed in the // century by electro0acoustic pianos, and then by digital sampled pianos% Now, at the beginning of the //I century, Pianoteq is the first instrument of the fourth generation of pianos, based on a true physical modelling and offering e1traordinary playability and e1pressiveness% &ith Pianoteq, you can adapt the piano sound to your own taste% 2ni"ue parameters that model the behaviour of real pianos result in great realism, until now only to be e1perienced on real acoustic pianos% 2sing ('0bit internal computation, the calculated piano sound is free from "uanti3ation noise% True dynamic timbre results, from the faintest pianissimo to the strongest fortissimo, for all 1'4 standard MI5I velocities 6and even more with high resolution MI5I7% 8verything that characteri3es a real piano is there9 the mechanical noises 6optional7, the comple1 sound of pedals and strings in interaction, the percussive impact on staccato play 6short notes7, and of course, most importantly, the beauty of the piano sound% The second generation brought innovative sounds 6such as the !ender :hodes, &urlit3er, ;amaha C<, and others7, whereas the third generation only reproduced recorded samples% =ased on an effective physical model, Pianoteq allows you to ad$ust and stretch parameters, resulting in new sounds and performance styles% Pianoteq is both a way to emulate e1isting pianos and an innovative tool for music creation% Pianoteq is in fact the first virtual piano fa tory9 it can produce new brands as well as copies of historical instruments, from harpsichords or pianofortes to more recent electro0acoustic pianos% Other instru!ents of the idiophones fa!ily are regularly added to the Pianoteq collection% >isit our website www%pianote"%com and discover our latest creations%

1%' &hat ma#es <ianote" outstanding

It is the first of a new generation of pianos, issued from an outstanding brea#through technology based on physical modelling, which is foreseen as the technology of the future% Notes are really played 6?constructed@ in real0time, as on a real piano7, not $ust read from the dis# or the memory% This e1plains why the sound is alive" not stati # it is not a si!ple re ordin$" it is a $enuine instru!ent that responds to the pianist%s finest interpretation% It has been developed in the prestigious Institute of Mathematics of Toulouse, at the Institut National des Sciences Appliques in Toulouse, !rance% Two specialists from this laboratory have been wor#ing hard to create this beautiful instrument% Conception of the physical model is from <hilippe A2IBB 2M8, piano tuner, musician, and mathematician whose ?Arail@ is finding the e"uations for the ?piano soul%@ Implementation is from Culien <DMMI8:, engineer and mathematician, who implemented the physical model to wor# in real time% It is light9 it does not re"uire storing huge data involving a whole collection of 5>5.s, since it only needs an up0to0date C<2 for computing all sounds in real time% It loads easily into : M, and installation is instantaneous% No problem using it on a modern laptop% It can handle ultra low latencies with good audio drivers on a recent C<2% It offers a beautiful collection of stunningly alive instruments9 pianos, rare historic harpsichords and pianofortes, electro0acoustic and electric pianos, chromatic percussions and other instruments from the idiophones family%

1%( <ianote" versions

Pianoteq is available in three versions9 PIANOTEQ &TA'E 6formerly <I NDT8E <B ;7 is for musicians who want to plug it in and play without twea#ing the physical model% It includes standard features such as velocity curve, dynamics, action settings, 8E, tremolo, wah0wah, chorus, compressor and other effects% PIANOTEQ &TANDARD offers in addition powerful tools to twea# and adapt the physical model, as well as the positions of the microphones% PIANOTEQ PRO goes even further% Its Note 8dit feature allows those who re"uire complete freedom in note shaping to edit the parameters note0by0note% ll versions offer the same sound, instruments and playability but differ in the range of features and settings% The table below summari3es the main differences between the three versions% PIANOTEQ &TA'E Arand pianos 5) and F1 Dptional add0ons G1H FI>i: instruments 6free7 <reset 6f1p7 loading G'H udio effects <iano model twea#ing Microphones setting Boads e1ternal reverb impulses Note 8dit 6note0by0note editing7 G(H Internal computation up to 1,' #I3 PIANOTEQ &TANDARD PIANOTEQ PRO

G1H Dptional add0ons are sold separately and can be loaded in any Pianoteq version% G'H In PIANOTEQ &TA'E, preset loading is limited to parameters that are present in the interface% <resets built with PIANOTEQ PRO can be loaded in PIANOTEQ &TANDARD without any limitations% G(H In PIANOTEQ &TANDARD, Note0per0note edit is available for tune and volume% This manual describes the general features that can be found in Pianoteq% 5epending on your version, some of them may or may not be present%

1%) !eatures in short

Pianoteq is e"uipped with all of the features you could dream of9 Continuous velocity from pianissimo to fortissimo, with progressive variation of the timbre9 that ma#es at least 1'4 velocitiesJ sample0based software program would re"uire hundreds of gigabytes for all these velocities Comple1 resonances that only a model can reproduce in all its richness9 o Sympathetic resonances of all strings, both without and with sustain pedal o 5uple1 scale 6the undamped string parts which come into resonance7 o 5amper position effect when #ey is released 6variable overtones damping7 o Dther specific effects li#e staccato and sound continuation when pressing down the sustain pedal a short time after #ey release 6re0pedalling7 81tended #ey range to 1K* #eys for some grand pianos 65), F1, ;C*, etc%7 Timbre modification of repeated notes, due to the hammer stri#ing strings which are already in motion instead of being still <olyphonic ftertouch 6particularly interesting for the clavichord7 !our pedals9 o <rogressive sustain pedal allowing the so0called ?partial pedals@ 1 o Sostenuto pedal, allowing you to hold some notes after release without o o pressing down the sustain pedal Iarmonic pedal, allowing you to play staccato while maintaining the sustain pedal resonance 6not available on acoustic pianos7 Una corda pedal, also called the soft pedal, modifying the sound "uality

or timbre by shifting the piano action to the right 6on grand pianos7 >ariable lid position Natural instrument noises 6sampled or modelled7 including action #ey release noise, damper noise at #ey release 6bass notes7 and sustain pedal noise9 pedal velocity dependent ?whoosh@ produced by the dampers rising together from the strings or falling down Choice of microphone position and multichannel mi1ing 6up to * mics, * channels7 Microtuning and scala format files import Feyboard, pedal and note0off velocity settings Sound control via e"uali3er and 6volume7 dynamics =uilt0in convolution reverberation, allowing you to import & > impulses Standard effects including delay, chorus, flanger, tremolo, wah0wah, amplifier and a compressor Driginal hammer bouncing feature, interesting for chromatic percussions 6marimba, 1ylophone, cimbalomL7 Instrument condition control, from freshly0tuned to completely worn0out%

If your piano supports a fine enough MI5I progression 6up to 1'4 values7 for the sustain pedal%

' Installing and starting <ianote"

Pianoteq wor#s on computers e"uipped with &indows /< or later, Mac DS / 1K%* or later 62niversal =inary7 and Binu1 61-+7% ;ou can use the standalone version or use Pianoteq as a >ST, udio 2nits or :T S instrument% &e recommend visiting www%pianote"%com, where you will find the latest information and a detailed ! E%

'%1 Installation for &indows

81ecute the installation program file pianote"Msetup%e1e% ctivation is re"uired when launching Pianoteq for the first time% Cust follow the on0screen instructions% SID drivers are necessary for obtaining a low latency% If using a soundcard that is not distributed with its own SID drivers, you can download SID drivers at www%asio)all%com% Opti!i(ation If you e1perience pops and crac#s when playing, watch the audio load and C<2 fre"uency in Options erf9

:ed bars in the graphic indicate an overload% In that case, loo# at the displayed C<2 fre"uency% If this fre"uency varies or stays below the normal fre"uency of your C<2, it comes from the <ower Management setting of your computer which should be set to ?Iigh <erformance@%

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'%' Installation for Mac DS /

Clic# on the Pianoteq pac#age and follow the instructions% ctivation is re"uired when launching Pianoteq for the first time% Cust follow the on0screen instructions%

'%( 2sing <ianote" standalone

2sing Pianoteq standalone is very simple% Baunch Pianoteq and specify your audio and MI5I !evices settings in the dialogue bo19 you are ready to play%

'%) 2sing >ST hosts

Pianoteq can be loaded by any >ST host% ;ou will need to specify, inside the >ST host, your MI5I device and the driver you are using% )arnin$ Most >ST hosts save your modifications and reload them when you restart% If you hear some strange sounds, ma#e sure that all parameters are at their default values% Chec#, for e1ample, whether the velocity and e"uali3er curves are correctly defined%

'%* Iardware re"uirements

Pianoteq can be used with any MI5I compatible #eyboard% &e recommend a touch sensitive #eyboard, such as one with full weighted #eys simulating the hammer response of a real piano% See tutorial section 1(%) for adapting Pianoteq to your #eyboard in the best way% !or partial pedalling, a progressive sustain pedal is re"uired% The re"uirements for using Pianoteq successfully are9 :ecent C<2 6dualN"uad core recommended7 *1' M= : M SID compatible sound card and drivers 6&indows users7 Internet connection 6however installation on a computer that is not connected to the internet is possible% See our ! E at http9NNwww%pianote"%comNfa"7 &indows /< or later, Mac DS v% 1K%* or later 62niversal =inary7, Binu1 61-+7%

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dapt <ianote" to your hardware

&hen you clic# on the Options button, a window containing the following sections appears9

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The !evices section 6in standalone mode only7 lets you select your #eyboard, audio device and related driver 6 udio device type7, output channels, sample rate and audio buffer si3e% In the MI!I section you can9 ssign MI5I controllers to Pianoteq parameters 6e1perienced users only O may produce une1pected sounds with MI5I files containing special instructions7 2nassign all controllers e1cept pedals and <itch =end by choosing Current MI!I Mappin"# Minimalistic 6recommended for starting7 Transpose notes by up to ( octaves% Pianoteq computes all notes dynamically 6that is, in real time7% Thus a fast C<2 is re"uired% The minimum re"uirement is a 1%* AI3 C<2% =ass notes contain more overtones and thus re"uire more computations% The erf section allows you to select from among the following features9 Multicore renderin"% ;ou should usually enable this feature% C U overload detection% 2nder certain circumstances 6a slow C<2, very fast music7, the C<2 may be overloaded by the number of re"uired computations% C U overload detection might be useful for real time processing, for e1ample when 1K seconds of sound re"uire 1' seconds of C<2 computations% Some computations are then bypassed% Internal Sample $ate affects the internal sampling rate of Pianoteq% lower fre"uency re"uires less computation% Thus the lower the capacity of your C<2, the lower you should set this sample rate% The ol&phon& is the number of individual sounds 6notes, sympathetic resonancesL7 that are played simultaneously% The lower the capacity of your C<2, the lower you should set the polyphony% lternatively, you can choose Auto ' essimistic or Optimistic( for an automatic polyphony setup%

'%4 Euic#ly loading f1p, pt" and MI5I files

;ou can drag f)p and ptq files 6and MI5I files with the standalone version7 from the file manager, email client, web browser, and drop them onto the Pianoteq interface%

'%- MI5I file player 6standalone version7

The Pianoteq standalone version is e"uipped with a MI5I player that lets you play and record MI5I files%

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'%-%1 <laybac# speed

;ou can ad$ust the playbac# speed by clic#ing on x1 (times 1)% menu will appear where you can choose another value or enter any value between K%1 and 1K% lternatively, clic# on x1 and drag the mouse to get the value you want%

'%-%' :ecord and Save your performance

Clic# on the record button to start recording your performance live%

Save your MI5I file by opening the *ile menu% There you can also e1port your recording to an audio & > file%

'%-%( =rilliant performance lostP

t any time, you can retrieve your recent performances via *ile+,$ecentl& pla&ed on the -e&board% <articularly useful when after a brilliant performance you thin# ?too bad I didn.t record this@J &ell, Pianoteq did it for you9 $ust load the latest $ecentl& pla&ed on the -e&board and saveNe1port it to a regular MI5IN& > file% It.s as simple as thatJ

'%-%) Step by step in your MI5I file

In the standalone version, for e1ploring your MI5I file step by step, forwards or bac#wards, use the computer right or left arrows to play single notes or chords% 1(

'%, Interface magnification

Since version ), the Pianoteq interface is resi3able, ma#ing it comfortable to wor# with any display si3e% Clic# on Options .eneral and select the si3e in the Interface ma"nification menu, or simply use the handy #eyboard shortcuts QN09

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( Dverview
&e come now to a brief overview of Pianoteq% Its interface is divided into two sections9 n Instru!ent se tion containing innovative features presented in three panels called Tunin"/ 0oicin"/ and !esi"n% 8ach panel opens with a single clic#% The three Instru!ent se tion panels

n Audio En$ineerin$ se tion, which offers you a uni"ue feature available through the Output menu9 microphones positioning and mi1ing% The section also offers features li#e velocity curve, volume, dynamics, action and mallet settings, e"uali3er, reverberation, chorus, flanger, compressor and other effects% The Audio En$ineerin$ se tion

d$usting any of the parameters is easy% =ut you can also simply choose your instrument from the instrument menu on the top left%

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(%1 Instruments
Pianoteq instruments are based on physical modelling which simulates the way the sound is generated and how it propagates in space coupled to a mathematical analysis of original instruments% The optional add0ons are included in demo mode in Pianoteq for your evaluation% ;ou can download free add0ons from the user area at www%pianote"%com%

(%1%1

coustic pianos

Pianoteq 4 brings a new virtual grand piano9 the D4% Steinway 5 from Iamburg has served as reference% Its characteristics have been used for feeding the physical model from which the 5) is issued% The secret of its sound "uality lies in the refinement of the soundboard model and its acoustic radiation computed via a structural analysis model coupled to integral e"uations% Moreover, each note has been ad$usted in its finest detail, $ust as in a real factory% This new piano has many presets with various recording perspectives that can serve any style of music% Df course, these are only a few among the infinite number of perspectives that you can create yourself by choosing your own recording settings9 microphones placement, mi1ing, etc% The grand piano *+, while #eeping in the medium range the nice and warm sound of the previous version from Pianoteq ,, has been e"uipped with new bass strings% The grand pianos C( and M(, which were included in Pianoteq ,, can be downloaded for free from the user area 6>(legacy%pt"7%

-l.thner Model + add/on In cooperation with =lRthner, Modartt has developed an accurate physical model of =lRthner Model 1 grand piano for <ianote"% uni"ue feature in =lRthner.s grand pianos is the fourth string for each #ey in the treble, called the li"uot system% Its purpose is to create a sympathetic vibrating string that enhances the tone% This feature is included in the <ianote" model% In the Standard and <ro <ianote" versions it is possible to modify this specific parameter in order to decrease or increase the effect%

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012 Ro 3 add/on The 012 Ro 3 add/on is developed to meet demands for a specific popNroc# piano% Its bright and vivid tone cuts through in popNroc# oriented mi1es% It is e"uipped with several types of presets9 Stage, Chamber and Studio%

44 4pri$ht Piano add/on The 44 4pri$ht Piano add/on offers '1 e1citing presets emphasi3ing the characteristics of upright pianos% =esides the beautiful timbre of well0built acoustic pianos, there is higher inharmonicity and increased imperfections in presets such as =lues, Ion#y Ton#, >intage, 5etuned, :uined, =ier#eller, Tac#y, &avy, &eathered, Club%%%

*eyboard ran$e e5tension Dur grand pianos 5), F1 and ;C* benefit from an unprecedented #eyboard range e1tension from -- to 1K* notes 6- octaves79

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8lectro0acoustic pianos

The ele tro/a ousti add/on offers two ama3ing electro0 acoustic pianos from the seventies% 8ach instrument 6 $hod& and Wurl&7 is provided with several variants% 2sing the rich interface features, you can customi3e them to your own taste%

(%1%(

Clavinet

The lavinet add/on is modelled after the well0#nown 5+ electric clavichord% Than#s to the powerful technology provided by physical modelling, it offers, in contrast with the original instrument, a sustain pedal, an e1tended range from CK to C+ 6original range !K to 8*7, a variable mute bar and continuous pic#0up mi1ing%

(%1%)

>ibraphones

The 6ibes add/on offers two beautiful vibraphones% 0+M is a virtual copy of a Musser vibraphone that belongs to the famous !rench vibraphonist 5any 5ori3% 0+1 is a virtual copy of a =ergerault vibraphone that belongs to the Condorcet studio in Toulouse 6!rance7% The bars are made of metal%

(%1%*

/ylophone and Marimba

The 7ylo add/on includes a 1ylophone and a marimba% The 1ylophone virtual copy is modelled after a modern (S0octave !rench brand and the marimba virtual copy is modelled after a modern five0octave !rench brand% In contrast with the vibraphone, the bars are made of wood instead of metal%

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Celesta and gloc#enspiel

The 1eleste add/on includes a celesta and a gloc#enspiel% The celesta resembles an acoustic upright piano but houses metal plates struc# by felt hammers resembling piano hammers% The virtual celesta is modelled after a modern five0octave Aerman brand% The gloc#enspiel also has metal plates but they are struc# by hard metal mallets held by the musician% The virtual gloc#enspiel, modelled after a modern !rench brand, has been slightly e1tended to cover four octaves%

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(%1%4

Steelpans

The Pianoteq physical model has been enriched to produce the characteristic timbre of steelpans, with their TbloomingT overtones that are due to the mechanical properties of thin steel sheets% Steel drums were originally built from empty oil barrels as the popular drums were forbidden by the Trinidad government% The Steelpans add0on includes ) instruments9 Steel 5rum, Spacedrum, Iand <an and Tan# 5rum% 8ach instrument is provided with one preset faithful to the original instrument modelled and several variants% The &teel Dru! add0on is a combination of the #nown types, the Tdouble secondT, the TtenorT, the Tdouble guitarT, the Ttriple celloT, and covers ) octaves% The &pa edru! is a recent variant of the 8and Pan% =oth add0ons offer presets for hand playing and mallet playing, and are e1tended to ) octaves% The blooming effect is a bit less pronounced than in the Steel 5rum% The Tan3 dru! is made of thic#er metal from a gas tan#% Several tongues are cut into the bottom of the tan# for producing the notes% 5ue to its shape and thic#ness, there is almost no blooming effect% The add0on is e1tended to (S octaves%

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<restigious historical collection

>irtual copies of historical instruments can be downloaded from our website at www%pianote"%com% &e currently offer free add/ ons of lavi hord" i!balo!" harpsi hords" pianofortes and a ousti and ele tro/a ousti pianos% Some of these instruments are presented in their current state% Their age has caused imperfections, such as some voicing irregularities, which we have #ept intact% &e regularly enrich this collection with new instruments%

(%1%, Dther add0ons

Dther add0ons, such as church bells and tubular bells, are available for download on our website at www%pianote"%com% Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest information%

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(%' Managing instruments and presets

;ou can load and save instruments from the instruments menu9

This menu lets you choose from a list of built0in instruments and presets, additional add0on instruments 6files with e1tension %pt"7 or presets 6e1tension %f1p7 that you have saved in your <ianote" folders% More details are provided in section (%)%'%

(%'%1 5ifference between ?instrument@ and ?preset@

The physical model contains a great number of parameters, but only a small proportion of them are available through the user interface% &hen only the user interface parameters are changed, then we say that it is still the sa!e instru!ent but a different preset% Hence presets are understood as variations of a given instrument% !or e1ample, !2 Spacious and !2 la&er 3a44 are the same instrument, as the difference lies in the microphone position which can be defined by the user himself% Dn the contrary, !2 Spacious and 56 Close Mic are two different instruments because it is impossible to obtain one of them by modifying the user interface parameters of the other%

(%'%' Instrument modifications

;ou can change any parameter of the current instrument or preset by moving the corresponding slider with the mouse% Moving the mouse cursor perpendicularl& to the slider will ma#e the slider move slowly%

8ach time you modify parameters in Pianoteq, a few computations are needed to update the instrument 6physical model7% Dnce you are done, the edit and save buttons to the right of the instruments menu allow you to edit and save your new preset%

lso have fun trying the $andom button, which changes all settings randomlyJ

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(%( Iints
(%(%1 Creating your own instrument
Aenerally spea#ing, you will find it more interesting to ma#e ad$ustments, large and small, in several parameters instead of ma#ing a single large ad$ustment% Moving a single slider to the left may throw the weight of the sound onto other parameters that you may want to ad$ust% Moving a slider to the far right may obscure the contribution other parameters ma#e to the sound, or ma#e their small contribution seem too strong% Moreover, the parameters that interact may be in separate panels, since each panel has controls that modify the way in which a single physical component of a piano contributes to the sound, instead of controlling the sound in general% This manual often touches on these ad$ustments% !urther e1perimentation will let you e1perience the ways in which the parameters interact% Ma#e a small ad$ustment in one parameter and a large one in another% Ma#e large and small ad$ustments everywhere% ;ou can create almost any sound that a piano can create, and more%

(%(%' =rilliance
=rilliance is an important sound "uality for achieving good realism% ;ou may want to ad$ust it whether you are staying close to the loudspea#ers, or listening at low volume levels, or using headphones% ;ou can for e1ample change the hammer hardness from the 0oicin" panel, or use the 8E from the lower panel% The #eyboard velocity itself plays a crucial role in the sense of brilliance% >isit the Pianoteq user forum http9NNwww%forum0pianote"%comN where users provide velocity curves for many types of #eyboards% See also the tutorial in section 1(%)%

(%(%( 2sing reverberation

Bistening through loudspea#ers usually re"uires significantly less reverberation than through headphones% The reason is simple9 when using loudspea#ers, the sound is naturally reverberated by the room in which they sit% &e thus recommend that you reduce the reverberation mi) when using loudspea#ers% Moreover, it is worth mentioning that bypassing reverberation in Pianoteq does not have the same effect as bypassing reverberation in a sample0based instrument% In the latter case, unless recording was made in an anechoic chamber, there is a natural reverberation present in the recorded samples which may not be perceived as reverberation because the note release cuts the reverb tail itself, whereas in Pianoteq" there is no reverberation whatsoever when you switch it off% In that case, the sound loses an important part of its natural "uality and may sound strange or synthetic, particularly with headphones, because in the real world we never hear sounds without some reverberation% Ience, we recommend bypassing reverberation only when using an e1ternal U or natural U reverberation%

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(%) Aeneral commands

(%)%1 <laying with the parameters
In Pianoteq you can modify and create your own presets, save them and share them with other users% The following commands are located at the top of the interface%

The edit 6pen7 and save buttons allow you to edit and save your new preset% The free(e chec#bo1 allows you to select the parameters that you want to #eep unchanged when changing instrument or preset% This is a very convenient feature for ?transporting@ settings from one instrument to another% The rando! command allows you to randomly change tunin", voicin"/ and desi"n parameters% <arameters located in the udio 8ngineering section are not affected by the random command% 2sing the undo9redo commands, you can at any time undo and redo the changes you have made9 up to 1KK undos are possible% right clic# on the button shows you the last modification% The A- button allows you to switch between two presets and =, one being in the foreground while the other is in the bac#ground% The led beside them is lit as soon as and = are different% Clic#ing on the led copies the foreground preset into the bac#ground preset% right clic# on the = button lists the differences between and =% and = presets have their own undoNredo stac#%

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(%)%' Managing and sorting presets

&hen you clic# on the edit button, the following presets manager appears9

It lets you manage the instruments and presets from the instruments menu% ;ou can sort them, filter them 6see some part of them7, rename them, etc% &ortin$ The way presets are sorted can be chosen by clic#ing in the appropriate column9 reset name, Instrument or 1an-%

ban- is a set of presets that are located in a given folder, e1cept the factor& ban# which contains built0in instruments and add0ons provided as pt" files located in the Addons folder%

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:ilterin$ ;ou can select the instruments and presets that are visible in the instruments menu through three different ?filters@ located on the right side of managing window9 search, All instruments, All ban-s% ;ou can also clic# on individual instruments or ban#s%

Rena!in$ presets double clic# on a user preset name allows you to rename it% ;ou can also open the conte1tual menu by clic#ing on the small arrows in the MI!I column%

The Pianoteq folders The easiest way to find the Pianoteq folders is to clic# on the little folder images to the right of All instruments and All ban-s% The Pianoteq folder contains two sub0folders9 Addons9 this is where to store the add0ons provided as pt" files, <resets9 this is where to store the user defined ban#s% 8ach ban# is itself a folder that contains presets with f1p file format% I!portin$ f5p files There are two ways of importing f1p files9 5rag and drop the file into the interface, Copy the file into the appropriate folder% &avin$ presets fter you have created your new preset, you can save it by simply clic#ing on the save buttonV a popup window will as# you for a preset name and a ban# name 6default ban# is M& resets7% 8ach time you clic# again on the save button, you will save the new values with the same preset name% ;ou can access bac#up copies with a right clic# on the preset name 6if there are some7%

(%)%(

ssigning a parameter to a MI5I controller

;ou can assign Pianoteq parameters to MI5I controllers such as those that may be on your #eyboard% Select the parameter slider that you want to assign 6right clic# on the slider and clic# on MI!I+,Assi"n MI!I Control7 and move the #nob of the MI5I controller that you have chosen for this parameter% <ianote" will automatically assign the ')

parameter to the controller% More sophisticated possibilities are provided in the Options7MI!I section% ny MI5I control may be assigned e1cept the following ones9 MI5I controls +, (-, ,+01K1 which are used for :<N and N:<N MI5I parametersV controls 1'K to 1'4 are reserved for various reset operations 6Tall notes offT etc%7V controls (' to +( are reserved for 1)0bit precision controllers%

(%)%) Instrument controls

The following table summari3es Pianoteq main controls that are associated with instrument features and will be discussed in the ne1t sections% Feature Pitch Tuning Controls 5iapason Temperament 2nison width Dctave stretching Sound length 5irect sound duration Soundboard mechanical impedance Spectrum profile Iammer noise Stri#e point Soundboard cut0off fre"uency Soundboard E factor String length Brilliance Resonance Iammer hardness Sympathetic resonance 5uple1 scale resonance Action Changes 6above middle C7 fre"uency Chooses among standard temperaments !re"uency variation within each unison 6group of three strings7 Stretches octaves Modifies the direct sound duration Modifies the global sound duration9 raising impedance yields longer sounds Modifies individual intensity of the first eight overtones Modifies the hammer noise level Changes the overtones level :aising cut0off fre"uency enriches high fre"uencies of each tone :aising E factor shortens high fre"uencies duration Controls sound ?acidity@ 6inharmonicity7 8nriches the high fre"uencies9 the harder the hammer, the brighter the sound Controls the amount of sympathetic resonances of all strings 6the harp7 Controls the amount of 5uple1 scale resonances 6undamped string parts7

Timbre

)arnin$9 when ad$usting the parameters to e1treme values, one may create instruments having unusual or even unrealistic properties% Ience one can create sounds that do not correspond to #nown instruments%

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!inally, the Condition slider lets you modify the state of the instrument, from freshly0 tuned to completely worn0out% :ight0clic#ing on this slider and changing the $andom seed parameter allows you to en$oy thousands of bro#en instrument variations%

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) Tuning panel
Pianoteq allows you to perform all of the tuning operations usually made by a piano tuner% The Tunin" panel contains the following controls9

)%1 5iapason
The standard diapason 6 above middle C7 fre"uency' is ))K I3, but you can change it to other values by clic#ing on diapason%

)%' Temperament
The temperament defines the way the scale is tuned% =y clic#ing on temperament, you can choose from among the following temperaments 6see appendi179 8qual9 the standard tuning 9arlino 6circa 1**-79 sometimes called the ?physicians scale@, based on harmonic thirds 6ratio *N)7 and fifths 6ratio (N'7 &tha"ore 6>Ith %C%79 based on harmonic 6pure7 fifths e1cept for one 6the so0 called ?diabolus in musica@7% Can you hear which one it isP Mesotonic/ Well+tempered and Werc-meister III 6/>IIth79 une"ual temperaments used in baro"ue music *lat9 octaves ratio is strictly ', for use in certain circumstances, for e1ample with synthesi3ers% uni"ue feature of Pianoteq is that tuning does not follow a pre0computed fre"uency table 6e1cept for the flat temperament7, but ta-es into account the inharmonicit& of

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!re"uency is the number of oscillations per second%

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the strin"s/ in the same :a& a piano tuner does :ith acoustic pianos % Ience, the consonance of the notes is improved and the chords have a fuller and richer sound%

!or other temperaments, you can enter the microtuning panel by clic#ing on the ;mu< button and there import your own scala= files or #eyboard mappings via the scale and -e&map menus9

)%( 2nison tuning

s very few people #now, the three strings of each piano unison 6the strings hit by each hammer7 are not tuned at e1actly the same fre"uency% To change the timbre or colour of the sound, a s#illed piano tuner introduces small tuning differences between these three strings% 81periment yourself by gently changing The unison :idth, that is, the difference between the lowest and the highest fre"uency produced by the three strings of a single note, The unison balance, which allows you to ad$ust the intermediate fre"uency of a ( strings choir from the lowest 6balance W 017 to the upper fre"uency 6balance W Q17 of the choir, balance W K being the factory setting value%

!or more information, see http9NNwww%huygens0fo##er%orgNscalaN

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)%) Dctave stretching

It is "uite usual to stretch octaves) in a piano, but how much should they be stretchedP &ellL this might be a matter of tasteJ d$ust it to your own taste by modifying The octave stretchin" parameter% The main effect will be observed in the treble notes% &hen the octave stretchin" parameter is set to 1, the stretching follows the natural inharmonicity of the strings 6depending on the string length7, so there still is a slight stretching% If you want no stretching at all, then use the flat temperament%

)%* 5irect sound duration

Dne conse"uence of modifying unison fre"uencies is that you change the direct sound duration% The same thing happens when reshaping hammers% If you prefer, you can act directly on this duration by changing9 The direct sound duration%

Time representation of a piano sound deca&/ natural scale 'left( and lo" scale 'ri"ht(% *ast deca& at the be"innin" 'direct sound(/ slo: deca& after 'remanent sound(%

The musical interval between the two closest notes with the same name 6e%g%

( and

)7 is

called an octave% The theoretical fre"uency ratio between two such notes is ', but in practice it is slightly stretched because of the inharmonicity of the strings and the property of the human ear 6cf% also 5esign <anel7%

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* >oicing panel 6acoustic7

The strings of a piano are struc# by the hammers, small wooden pieces covered with hard felt% !or a piano tuner, voicin" consists in ?shaping@ the sound according to the pianist.s taste% This is made by wor#ing on the hammer felt, giving it the desired shape, hardness and elasticity% Pianoteq allows you to perform this same voicing operation% The voicing panel offers you the following controls9

*%1 Iammer hardness

Iere you can choose the hammer hardness at three different velocities9 iano/ corresponding to MI5I velocity (' Me44o forte/ corresponding to MI5I velocity +) *orte, corresponding to MI5I velocity ,+% The harder the felt, the more brilliant the sound becomes% Df course, the louder you play, the harder the felt should be, unless you wish to try some original playing effectsJ

*%' Spectrum profile

Iere you will find small sliders that allow you to ad$ust the individual intensity of the first eight overtones 6cf% section -%'7% 81periment with it by increasing the weights of all fundamentals 6the first overtone is called the fundamental7 by raising the first bar% 5epending on the piano brand, the seventh, eighth or ninth overtone is usually wea#er than the other overtones 9 the strength of the overtones is related to the hammer stri#e point defined by the piano manufacturer%

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Time/ frequenc& and time+frequenc& representation of a note/ before and after voicin"% >ere/ amon" other thin"s/ the first overtone intensit& has been increased%

*%( Iammer noise

;ou can ad$ust the hammer noise, that is, the weight of the hammer percussion sound% &ith a loud hammer noise, you will feel as though you are standing close to the piano%

*%) Stri#e point

The stri-e point slider allows you to choose the position where the string U or the bar for percussion instruments U is struc# by the hammer or the mallet% special humani4ation feature allows the stri#e point to vary as if it was played by a human musician% This feature is particularly suitable for the chromatic percussion instruments% :ight clic# on the stri-e point slider and select humani4e% ;ou can ad$ust the range of the random variation on both sides of the mean stri#e point%

*%* Soft pedal

Iere you can control the smoothing degree of the una corda pedal, also called the soft pedal% 5espite its name, the una corda pedal usually lets the hammer stri#e the three strings, but with a softer part of the hammer felt%

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+ >oicing panel 6electro0 acoustic7

The tone sources 6reed, tine, bar7 of an electro0acoustic piano are struc# by hammers or mallets whose hardness can vary, depending on the material that is used% Iere again, as for acoustic pianos, Pianoteq provides a voicing panel that offers the following parameters9

>ammer hardness, spectrum profile and hammer noise wor# in the same way as with acoustic instruments%

+%1 <ic#up symmetry

In an electro0acoustic piano, the pic#up is not e1actly in front of the tone source at rest% &hen it is e1actly in front, due to the symmetry of the device, the note $umps one octave higher than the normal tone% Moving the <ic#up symmetry slider from left to right ma#es the pic#up move from an unsymmetrical position to a symmetric position, providing thus a wide range of timbres%

+%' <ic#up distance

The pic#up distance slider sets the distance between the tone source and the pic#up% &hen the pic#up is moved closer to the tone source, the sound becomes more distorted and the timbre variation between soft and loud sounds increases% ('

4 >oicing panel 6clavinet7

The clavinet wor#s much li#e a clavichord% &hen a #ey is depressed, a small rubber tip stri#es the string and presses it on to an anvil% It contains two sets of pic#ups, positioned above and below the strings, and is usually electronically amplified% The voicing panel of the clavinet lets you choose among the four standard pic#ups settings9 0C9 ;ower pic#up =0C9 4pper pic#up 059 both pic#ups =059 both pic#ups but out of phase% 8ven more, it lets you ma#e any continuous change between these four settings by using the 4pper pic#up and ;ower pic#up sliders%

>ammer hardness, spectrum profile and hammer noise wor# in the same way as they do with acoustic instruments%

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- 5esign panel 6acoustic7

This panel offers controls over piano design parameters such as string length or soundboard characteristics 6the soundboard is the wooden plate which transmits the string vibrations to the air%7

-%1 Soundboard
Dn a real piano, you cannot change the soundboard mechanical impedance *% &ith Pianoteq, it becomes very easy9 it is $ust one of the design parameters% ;ou can control9 The soundboard mechanical impedance9 the greater the impedance, the longer the sound becomes% The soundboard cut+off frequenc&9 the higher you set this fre"uency, the more high overtones will be present% The soundboard ? factor9 the greater this factor, the faster the high overtones will decrease%

-%' String length

8ach piano note produces a comple1 sound, mainly composed of overtones with appro1imate fre"uencies f/ @f/ =fA where f denotes the fundamental fre"uency% parameter which greatly affects the timbre 6and the tuning7 is the so0called inharmonicit&9 the more inharmonic the strings, the more the overtone fre"uencies of each string are driven away from their theoretical values f/ @f/ =fA and the more the piano sound will resemble a bell% Inharmonicity decreases very rapidly with string length% 81periment by changing the Strin" len"th% The difference will be most evident in the bass range% ;ou can choose up
*

That is, how the soundboard resists the string vibrations, and thus amplifies the sound%

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to a 1K meter long pianoJ t such a si3e, there is almost no inharmonicity% <eople say that piano manufacturers dreamed of producing pianos without inharmonicityL

-%( Sympathetic resonance

The S&mpathetic resonance parameter controls the weight of the strings. sympathetic resonances% It is used, for e1ample, in the famous piece microcosmos by =Xla =artY#% The sympathetic resonances depend on the position of each individual damper, and conse"uently on the position of the sustain pedal9 it is longer when the sustain pedal is down, for dampers do not then touch the strings% 81periment by pressing down a few #eys very slowly so that they do not produce any sound, and then, without pressing down the sustain pedal, play a few notes staccato% ;ou will hear the resonance introduced into the first depressed notes% If you release these notes, the sound will stop% ;ou can also do the ?opposite@ e1periment% <lay a note loudly and hold it, press silently another note, and release the first note9 it continues resonating in the second note%

-%) 5uple1 scale

The !uple) scale parameter controls the weight of the duple1 scale resonance, issued from the undamped string parts located between tuning pins and frame 6front scale7 and between bridge and frame 6rear scale7% This invention was patented by Steinway 6who consulted with the physicist Iermann von Ielmholt37 in 1-4' and enriches the harmonic content of the notes%

-%* =looming
The 1loomin" parameters, first designed for steel drums, can also be used for the other instruments, allowing to create new sounds% The ?blooming@ effect that characteri3es the timbre of the steel drums arises from the non linearity of the mechanical response of thin steel sheets% 5uring the attac#, some energy is transferred from lower to the higher overtones, producing a ?boiinng@ sound% Two parameters control this effect9 The bloomin" ener"& parameter controls the amount of mechanical energy which is transferred from lower to higher overtones, The bloomin" inertia parameter controls how fast this energy is transferred9 the higher the inertia, the longer it ta#es to be transferred%

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, 5esign panel 6electro0 acoustic7

The tines that serve as resonator in certain electro0acoustic pianos produce a typical noise when hit by the hammer during the attac#, or by the damper during the release% In the Pianoteq instrument :hody, these two noises can be controlled separately by the Tine noise hammer and the Tine noise damper parameters%

Impedance and s&mpathetic resonance wor# in the same way as with acoustic instruments%

Iere again, the 1loomin" parameters, first designed for steel drums, can be used for the electro0acoustic instruments, allowing to create new sounds% See in particular the ?:hody :' =looming Arit@ preset%

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1K >elocity panel
Dn the left side of the udio 8ngineering section, you can find a velocit& control curve, allowing you to ad$ust Pianoteq to your #eyboard% ;ou can add or remove control points 6double clic# to remove7 and modify the curve by moving them with the mouse% The upper menu lets you separately ad$ust 0elocit&, Note+off, edal and Aftertouch velocities% right clic# on the velocity graphic opens a menu where you can select and manage velocity presets%

The calibration button opens the 5e&board calibration assistant which will help you ad$ust Pianoteq to your #eyboard and pedal and to your own playing style% &e strongly recommend that you follow that procedure at least once% See also tutorial 1(%)% The reset button resets the displayed velocity curve to the default curve% If your digital #eyboard is not e"uipped with ftertouch, you still can test Pianoteq<s ftertouch by clic#ing with the mouse on its graphical #eyboard and dragging the cursor vertically above the #eys%

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11 Dutput panel
In the middle of the udio 8ngineering section you will find9 menu that allows you to choose from among four modes9 stereophonic, monophonic, sound recordin" and binaural% The sound recordin" mode lets you set !i rophone positions for acoustic instruments% The binaural mode includes a head !odel and is mostly intended for use with headphones% The stereophonic and monophonic modes are used with electro0acoustic instruments and also allow compatibility with previous <ianote" versions% Clic# on save as for saving your mic settings% volume >2 meter, e"uipped with a limiter than can be turned onNoff by a simple clic#% =y reducing high amplitudes, the limiter is intended to avoid crac#s that may appear when the amplitude is too high 6in such a case, the clipping led to the right of the vu0meter shows up7% The sound volume% ;ou can ad$ust it note by note via a double clic# on the slider% The sound d&namics, which controls the loudness level between pianissimo and fortissimo% Since it is applied to each note, it can be seen as the ideal o!pressor for it allows you to ad$ust the dynamics without any distortion% In particular, the attac# and decay of individual notes are not modified% !our pedals, from left to right9 o Una corda pedal, also called soft pedal% It moves the piano action to the right, so that the hammers stri#e the strings differently, changing the timbre of the notes >armonic pedal, allows you to play staccato while maintaining the sustain pedal resonance effect Sostenuto pedal, allows you to hold some notes after release without pressing down the sustain pedal% 5epress some #eys, depress the sostenuto pedal, release the #eys, and the sound of the notes will continue as long as the sostenuto pedal is down <rogressive sustain pedal, allows the so0called ?partial pedals@ +%

o o

11%1

sound radiation physical model

The Pianoteq instruments are based on a physical model of the soundboard and its radiation% It simulates the sound field generated by the instrument, and thus allows you to place !i rophones anywhere around the piano, or $ust above the soundboard, or even below the piano if you want% The sound pressure is measured at the place where you place the microphone, simulating a perfect omnidirectional microphone% Iowever, for distant microphones, as the reverb process is decoupled from the sound radiation of
+

If your piano supports a fine enough MI5I progression when using the sustain pedal%

(-

the piano, turning the reverb off is e"uivalent to having a perfect directional microphone oriented towards the piano%

head !odel is also provided9 here, an additional treatment is applied to the sound pressure registered by the ears of the listener% It can provide an increased realism when listening with headphones%

11%' Sound recording mode

If you have chosen the recording mode, you can drag a mic to any location around the instrument% ;ou can detach the mic window by hovering the mouse cursor above the mic area and dragging it with the mouse% The mi1 table allows you to mi1 the microphones into the different output channels% !or each active microphone and each active channel, you can ad$ust the volume and the delay that you want to be applied by clic#ing in the corresponding cell% &hich channels are active depend on your audio configuration%

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11%( Compensation
&hen switched on, Bevel compensation and !ela& compensation compensate respectively for the level and delay on each line connecting a microphone to a channel% &hen switched off, the raw sound from the microphones is heard9 the volume decreases with the distance from the piano while the delay increases% In both cases, level and delay that you ad$ust in the mi1 table are relative to the chosen configuration%

11%) Stereo width and sound speed

Two other parameters can be ad$usted in the sound recording mode9 The stereo :idth% This parameter allows you to narrow or broaden the stereo image of the instrument, The sound speed% Since this parameter was present while we developed the model, we chose to ma#e it available for you% Its effect is e"uivalent to changing the time unit% It modifies the travel time of the sound waves in the air%

11%* Bid position

The lid can be raised or lowered% Iover the mouse over the top edge of the lid and drag the lid to raise or lower it% This feature appears in the same panel as the microphone position because it is part of the acoustic radiation model and thus directly influences the sound waves captured by the microphones%

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11%+ =inaural mode

If you have selected the binaural mode, you can choose the position of the listener around the piano% ;ou can rotate the head in any direction, and you can even increase its si3e 6for big headed people only7%

11%4

bout the microphones position

s is well0#nown among sound engineers, the microphone position has a dramatic effect on the resulting sound of the piano9 for some positions, the sound is nicely balanced from low to high fre"uencies while other positions lead to a strongly coloured sound% There might be places where some fre"uencies are almost completely missing 6wave nodes7, and even the best position is far from rendering a purely flat response9 recording always brings some additional colour, which ma#es sound recording a real art% The ne1t graphic gives an idea of how ?flatness@ can vary with the position9 the lower a point of the surface, the flatter the response becomes%

)1

1' !rom action to effects

The lower right panel gives access to the Action/ Mallet 1ounce/ 8quali4er and 8ffects settings% The buttons below it provide a shortcut for enablingNdisabling the selected effects and the reverb%

1'%1

ction

Iere you can ad$ust several parts of the piano action9 !amper position9 when a note is released, the damper falls bac# on the strings and each overtone decays more or less rapidly depending on the damper position% It is particularly noticeable in the bass notes when using partial pedals 6and also with #eyboards sending variable #ey release velocity7, !ampin" duration 6efficiency of the dampers7, Bast damper9 all #eys with MI5I note number greater than this value have no damper, Mute9 ma#es the dampers more or less press onto the strings, 5e& release noise/ Sustain pedal noise9 ?whoosh@ when all dampers rise together, as well as when they fall%

1'%' Mallet bounce

This feature is particularly interesting for the chromatic percussion instruments, including the cimbalom%

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;ou can ad$ust the way the mallet bounces on the bar 6or on the cimbalom strings79 Initial dela&9 ad$ust the delay for the initial bounce 0elocit& sensitivit&9 the higher the sensitivity, the longer the first bounces at high velocity 6the ?drop height@ has increased7 !ela& loss9 ad$ust the amount of delay loss from one bounce to the ne1t one 0elocit& loss9 ad$ust the amount of velocity loss from one bounce to the ne1t one >umani4ation9 ad$ust the random variation of all these parameters%

1'%( 8"uali3er
The equali4er wor#s in pre0processing 6modifying the model before computing sound7% The fact that it wor#s in pre0processing allows automatic volume compensation9 for e1ample, when increasing the medium spectrum, it will increase the medium fre"uencies in each note while #eeping the natural balance across the #eyboard% In other words, the middle notes will not get suddenly louder than the other ones% nother advantage of pre0processing is that it allows very fine variation in the 8E curve, unli#e on a standard ( band 8E% ;ou can add 6clic#7 or remove 6double clic#7 control points and modify the curve by dragging them with the mouse%

1'%) 8ffects
The effects panel lets you chain three effects that can be switched if wanted%

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The effect menus allow you to select among the following effects9 Tremolo/ Wah/ Chorus/ *lan"er/ !ela&/ Amp/ Comp% The following controllers are shared by several effects9 !ela&9 the length of the delay line in milliseconds !epth9 the loudness variation in d= in the effect *eedbac-9 the percentage of signal feedbac# in the effect delay line Mi)9 the ratio of the effect and the unprocessed sound Mono switch9 changes the effect from mono to stereo $ate9 fre"uency of the oscillator that modulates the effect Stereo9 phase offset between the stereo oscillators S&nc switch9 its menu allows synchroni3ing the effect to the tempo Tone9 simple tone control for the delayed signal%

In the Wah effect, the Wah slider itself is the direct controller of the :ah+:ah effect 6right clic# on it and clic# on MI!I to assign it to a MI5I controller7% In Auto+Wah mode, the Wah is modulated by the amplitude of the sound% Specific Wah controllers9 Sensitivit&9 Auto+Wah is disabled when the slider is at the e1treme left% The more you push it to the right, the lower the amplitude which starts triggering the Wah effect !epth9 controls the upper limit of the fre"uency shift for the :ah+:ah filter%

The Amp effect simulates an amplifier e"uipped with the following controllers9 !rive9 amount of distortion introduced in the signal 1ass9 amplifier low fre"uencies boost Midran"e9 amplifier mid0range boost Treble9 amplifier high fre"uencies boost%

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The Comp effect is a standard compressor with the following controllers9 $atio# gain ratio inputNoutput above the threshold Attac-# the time it ta#es for the compressor to reduce the gain once the signal reaches the assigned threshold level $elease# the time it ta#es for the gain reduction to end once the signal drops below the assigned threshold level Threshold# the level at which the compressor gain reduction starts .ain# the gain in the overall level after the compression%

1'%* :everberation
new convolution reverberation unit simulates acoustic surroundings ranging from Studio up to very long reverbs li#e Cathedral or Ta$ Mahal% It includes other types of reverbs such as <late, Spring, Spea#ers, =roceliande%%% In PIANOTEQ &TANDARD or PIANOTEQ PRO, you can even load your own reverb impulses via Boad WA0 impulse in the reverb menu% The reverberation is controlled by the following parameters9 Mi)9 the relative level in d= between reverberant sound and direct sound !uration9 the length of the reverberant sound $oom si4e9 from * to *Km re+dela&9 the time between the direct sound and the reverberant sound Tone9 a tilt e"uali3er that only affects the reflected sound, dar#er to the left, brighter to the right Tail 7 8arl& reflections9 the relative level in d= between early reflections and reverberation tail%

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1( <ractice
nd now, a few tutorials to help you understand how Pianoteq wor#s% &e will learn how parameters influence the sound% It is important to notice that Pianoteq also lets you produce new sounds which could never be obtained from a real instrument%

1(%1 Tutorial 19 tuning

&hat is the difference between a ?normal@ piano and a ?hon#y ton#@ pianoP Most of the difference can be found in the unisons tuning% 8ach note has three strings, e1cept in the bass range% The hon#y ton# sound comes from the fact that these three strings are not in tune9 they do not produce the same fre"uencies% ;ou can obtain this effect by moving the unison :idth slider to the right in the Tunin" panel9

Normal tunin"

>on-& ton- tunin"

Iowever, having the three strings perfectly in tune is not necessarily best% If you push the slider completely to the left, the three fre"uencies of each unison will match almost perfectly, but you will find that the sound becomes uninteresting% It sounds too ?clean@V it lac#s life% So, how should it be tunedP There is no universal truth in such an aesthetic matter% That is why Pianoteq, for the first time in a digital piano, lets you ad$ust the unison tuning to your own tasteJ &hen changing unison :idth, you may also find it interesting to change the direct sound duration, reducing it if you have reduced unison :idth and vice versa% Dbserve that the closer the strings are to being in e1act unison, the faster the direct sound will decay and the slower the remanent sound will decay% 2nison tuning is not the only feature that affects tuning9 another "uestion is how intervals, that is, the fre"uency ratio between two different notes, are tuned% The tuning of all the intervals within an octave is called a temperament% Dver the years, many different temperaments have evolved% The most commonly used today is the e"ual temperament, in which all semitones are e"ual% Iowever, a few hundred years ago, people used many other temperaments, some of which you can choose in the temperament menu% Try playing them% ;ou may find the difference not so evident when playing single notes, but much more prominent when playing chords, some of them having a nice consonant sound, whereas others having a "uite harsh sound%

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1(%' Tutorial '9 voicing

The main ob$ective of piano voicing is setting the brightness of the sound by ad$usting the hammer hardness% 5ifferent music may re"uire different voicing% The 0oicin" panel contains three hammer hardness sliders% Try first moving the me44o slider, which acts on the hammer hardness around MI5I velocity +)% Moving it to the left, you will obtain a softer sound, whereas moving it to the right yields a brighter sound9

Normal settin"

1ri"ht settin"

Dnce you are familiar with these sound changes, you can try the other two sliders acting at piano level and forte level respectively% ;ou may also want to e1periment with using the hammer noise parameter in con$unction with this hammer hardness setting% ;ou can, for e1ample, set the hammer hardness to very soft, but increase the volume of the hammer hitting the string using the hammer noise settin"% In other words, reducing the hardness of the hammer doesn.t mean that you have to lose the percussive sound of the hammer as you reduce the brightness of the sound% Dn the other hand, you may want to have hard hammers to ma#e the timbre bright, but at the same time reduce the volume of the percussive #noc# of the hammer hitting the strings% nother feature is timbre ad$ustment through the intensity of the individual overtones, which can be partially performed on a real piano by shaping or needling the hammers% Try moving the overtone sliders one by one in the spectrum profile, starting with the first overtone, also called the fundamental% 81periment by increasing the eighth overtone by 1* d=% funny sound, isn.t itP Ne1t, try some more global shaping, raising or lowering, for e1ample, the first three overtones9

>oicing is not independent from tuning, for shaping the sound during tuning can be considered as voicing% 5o you want to obtain longer decayP Then you can9 ct directly on tuning by reducing the unison width in the Tunin" panel, ct indirectly on tuning by increasing the direct sound duration, ct on design parameter by increasing the soundboard mechanical impedance in the !esi"n panel%

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1(%( Tutorial (9 soundboard design

Soundboard impedance plays a crucial role in piano design% &hat is the soundboard mechanical impedanceP &hen a periodic force is applied to the soundboard, the wood oscillates with a certain velocity at the same fre"uency as the applied force% The soundboard impedes 6resists7 with its inertia, elasticity and resistance9 this is the mechanical impedance, which has a ratio of force 7 velocit&% Typically, a high impedance results in a long sound because the energy is only slowly transmitted from the strings to the soundboard, and vice versa% Iigh impedance yields long but wea# sounds whereas low impedance yields strong but short sounds% Ience piano manufacturers have to find a compromise between sound level and sound duration% &ith Pianoteq%s solution, you are free to amplify the sound as much as you want% There is no more compromise% ;ou can set the impedance, adapting it to the sound duration that you want9

The first slider, impedance, acts globally on the impedance at all fre"uencies% Moving it to the right will result in longer sounds and vice versa%

The mechanical impedance depends on the fre"uency% The impedance is usually "uite high below a certain fre"uency called the cut+off frequenc&, above which it drops down with a slope called the ? factor9 the rate at which impedance is reduced and thus the rate at which the sound decreases in length% Iigher fre"uencies decay more rapidly than lower fre"uencies% Ience9 Moving the second slider, cutoff, to the right will increase the cut0off fre"uency, and thus increase the number of high overtones that are long% Moving the third slider, ? factor, to the right will increase the impedance slope, and thus decrease the duration of the overtones above the cut0off fre"uency% Moving it to the left will instead allow these overtones to decay more slowly, prolonging the initial bright sound $ust after the attac#% 81ample9 if you li#e emphasi3ing the sound of the strings, you can reduce the ? factor% lternatively, you can increase the impedance or the cutoff%

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1(%) Tutorial )9 adapting <ianote" to your #eyboard

!or demanding pianists, it is of utmost importance to adapt Pianoteq to the #eyboard in the best possible way% &tep += If your #eyboard has its own velocity settings, choose the one you li#e the best in general% &tep >= 2se the Feyboard calibration assistant by clic#ing on the calibration button below the velocity window and follow the instructions step by step%

&tep ,= If necessary, ma#e further ad$ustments of the velocity curve by moving the control nodes of the curve or adding new ones%

:urther ad?ust!ents Some further ad$ustments can be made that depend on the instrument you are playing9 &tep 4= Select the dyna!i s that you want to use, typically between 'K d= and +K d=% Measurements made on acoustic pianos show a dynamic range of appro1imately *K d=% In piano recordings, due to compression, the dynamic range is often much narrower% In Pianoteq, when changing dynamics, the forte volume remains constant while the lower amplitudes are raised or lowered%

&tep 2= Choose the appropriate ti!bre when playing piano, me44o forte and forte by moving the corresponding sliders in the >oicing panel%

;ou are now ready to play% Note that steps ( to * can also be used to adapt Pianoteq to a given MI5I file in the best possible way% ),

1(%* Tutorial *9 difference between spectrum profile and e"uali3er

&hat is the difference between the spectrum profile 6see tutorial '7 and the e"uali3erP Bet.s loo# at an e1ample% Dpen the 0oicin" panel and set the first two spectrum bars respectively to Q+ d= and Q( d=9

&hat happens to the soundP All notes are modified9 for each note, the fundamental has been increased by + d= and the second overtone by ( d=% The piano sound has become globally softer because the higher overtones now have a lower amplitude relative to the fundamental and the second overtone% 2sing several undoCs, put the spectrum bars bac# to their original values, and now ad$ust the e"uali3er curve, increasing it from K d= to 1K d= when going down from 'KK I3 to +' I39

&hat happens to the sound nowP !or all notes with a fundamental above 'KK I3, that is, above A' 6the A $ust below middle C7, nothin$ happens, because their overtones are all above 'KK I3, where the e"uali3er is a straight hori3ontal line% !or notes belo@ A', the first overtones are modified according to the e"uali3er curve% !or e1ample, A1 whose fundamental is ,- I3 will have its fundamental fre"uency increased by + d=, whereas the other overtones remain almost unchanged 6because they are above 1,+ I37% The resulting piano sound will have more bass, with an unchanged middle register and treble notes%

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1) <ianote" <ro
Pianoteq Pro is the advanced version of Pianoteq% It includes the following additional features9 Note per note ad$ustment for physical parameters9 tuning, unison width, hammer hardness, stri#e point, string length, spectrum profile, soundboard impedance, damper position%%% This note per note ad$ustment is available in the Standard version only for tuning and volume% Sample rates available up to 1,' #I3 6limited to )- #I3 in the Standard version7% =e aware that a high sample rate will generate a massive increase of C<2 load%

1)%1 Note 8dit

The Note 8dit 6note per note ad$ustment7 of parameters is a very powerful tool that lets you ad$ust the chosen parameter for each note%

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;ou access the Note 8dit window by clic#ing on the Note 8dit button or by double clic#ing on an ?editable@ slider% ;ou can drag the Note 8dit window anywhere on your screen and open several new windows, allowing you to wor# on several parameters at the same time as you can see in the picture above, where Unison :idth and !irect sound duration are being ad$usted% Dbserve the handles that let you perform some more global changes on the curve% These handles are located on specific control notes that you can selectNunselect by a double clic# on the control rail below the graphic% These control notes are shared by all parameters e1cept the special case of the spectrum profile which is described in the ne1t section% !or fine tuning, press the Shift #ey while moving a point of the curve%

Clic#ing outside a control note lets you modify any other note individually%

Convenient tools are provided that allow you to modify a given shape9 random/ smooth and rescale% Clic# and drag the mouse around the button to vary the degree of the effect 6see also the tips that are provided on the interface7% The reset button resets all parameters to the saved settings of the preset 6contained in the f1p file on the hard drive7%

1)%' Spectrum profile

The Note 8dit of the Spectrum rofile wor#s a bit differently from the other parameters, for you can ad$ust ea h overtone for ea h noteJ ;ou can access it by a double clic# on any of the spectrum profile sliders% Dvertones can be modified individually, but also in different combinations called harmonic/ comb/ maDor/ octave%%% >arious draw modes named simple dra:, haircut and fill onl& are also provided% ll these features are grouped in the same menu on the right, labeled simple dra: at first access%

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The spectrum profile has its own set of control notes that you can selectNunselect by a double clic# on the control rail below the graphic% They are independent of the control notes used by the other parameters%

Dutside the control notes, the spectrum profile is linearly interpolated, and you can observe the intermediate values by clic#ing on the corresponding note on the control rail%

1)%'%1 81ample 1
If you set a single control note and increase its third overtone by + d=, all of the notes will have their third overtone increased by + d=9

&ith a single control note%%%

%%% all other notes are modified in the same way%

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1)%'%' 81ample '

Iere U starting with a reset to clear everything U since we wanted only the middle C to be modified, we added ' control notes on each side to prevent the interpolation from ?propagating@ to the other notes9

&ith three consecutive control notes%%%

%%% you can alter only the middle note if you want to prevent your edit from spreading to the notes above or below it%

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1)%'%( 81ample (
In this last e1ample, we modified the middle C and the C below, and we observe how the intermediate notes are interpolated9

<rofiling the middle C%%%

%%% and the C below %%%

%%% results in interpolated values for the ! between%

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1*

ppendi19 temperaments construction

MATLAB programs for some <ianote" built0in temperaments 4% Inputs are e"ual tempered fre"uencies f 6which may be stretched7 and corresponding MIDI numbers%
%------------------------------------------------------------------function f = pythagore(f,MIDI) %------------------------------------------------------------------delta = 3 ! !"(# $!)% ratio = delta&"'-3 -( -$ -) $ -* 3 -! -# + -, !-% f = f&.ratio(re/(MIDI,$!)0$)% %------------------------------------------------------------------function f = 1arlino(f,MIDI) %------------------------------------------------------------------ratio!2 = '$ !, !* 3 ( 3! !# , * * 3 *, 3! 3 ! !, $) , 3 $) 3 $, (-% ratio = ratio!2& !&"((+4$$) $!)% ratio = ratio ratio($+)% % lea5ing A unchanged f = f&.ratio(re/(MIDI,$!)0$)% %------------------------------------------------------------------function f = /e6otonic(f,MIDI) %------------------------------------------------------------------7 = ,"($ *)% ratio!2 = '$ ,.7"3 $) 7"! ! *.7 , , * ! 7 ,.7"! ( 7 &&& !, $) 7"3 ! *.7"! , ,.7 *-% ratio = ratio!2& !&"((+4$$) $!)% ratio = ratio ratio($+)% % lea5ing A unchanged f = f&.ratio(re/(MIDI,$!)0$)% %------------------------------------------------------------------function f = 8ellte/pered(f,MIDI) %------------------------------------------------------------------7 = /a9(real(root6('$ + + ! -(-)))% a = ($!( 7",)"($ #)% ratio!2 = '$ a"!.7", $) 7"! ! a"*.7", 3! 7"* * ! a a.7", ( 7 &&& a"3.7", $) 7"3 ! * a"! a.7"* *-% ratio = ratio!2& !&"((+4$$) $!)% ratio = ratio ratio($+)% % lea5ing A unchanged f = f&.ratio(re/(MIDI,$!)0$)% %------------------------------------------------------------------function f = 8erc:(f,MIDI) %------------------------------------------------------------------ratio!2 = '$ !,) !*3 $&$$#* 3! !# $&!,!( * 3 $+!* #!3 $&*3*3 &&& $!( ($ $&)#+* $) 3 $&(#3!-% ratio = ratio!2& !&"((+4$$) $!)% ratio = ratio ratio($+)% % lea5ing A unchanged f = f&.ratio(re/(MIDI,$!)0$)%

Some of these temperament definitions derive from ?5er <iano und !lRgelbau, Ierbert

Cunghanns, >erlag 5as Musi#instrument !ran#furtNMain, 1,4,@

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1+ Special ac#nowledgements
1+%1 Instrument providers
Michel rmengot, !rance 6electric piano C<0-K7 <aul =adura0S#oda, ustria 6pianoforte &alter7 :obin =igwood, 2F 6harsichords Arimaldi, =lanchet7 Dlivier Cussac, !rance 6:hodes MF1, &urlit3er 'KK , Clavinet Iohner 5+7 <ascal Aaillard 6Steel 5rum7 Buigi Aaggero, Italy 6Cimbalom =alZ3s FovZcs7 Marc Auilliou 6Spacedrum, Iand <and, Tan# 5rum7 Iaendelhaus, Aermany 6pianoforte Schmidt7 Moni"ue Niebisch, !rance 6grand piano 8rard7 Drchestre du Capitole de Toulouse, !rance 6celesta, gloc#enspiel, marimba, 1ylophone7 Ailbert D[Sullivan, 2F 6grand piano =echstein7 5aniel <arisot, !rance 6grand pianos !a3ioli, Steinway7 Iein3 <reiss, Fremsegg Schloss Museum, ustria 6clavichord9 Neupert% <ianofortes9 Sch\ffstoss, Schant3, Araf7

1+%' :ecording engineers

Buc !ilaretos 6Studio le Araal, !rance7 Baurent Minh 6Ain#go, !rance7 Ierwig <reiss 6 ustria7

&arm than#s to our beta testers, who helped us greatly in improving our instruments% &ithout their intensive participation, their constructive criticism and enlightening advice, Pianoteq wouldn.t have become the en$oyable instrument which you are playing% Many than#s also to our customers and distributors for their support and all others who supply us with valuable opinions and ideas%

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1o!pany MD5 :TT is a company that develops and provides software, hardware and consulting services for artistic and technological applications% MD5 :TT also supports the FI>i: pro$ect 6Feyboard Instruments >irtual :estoration7, offering digital restoration of historical #eyboard music instruments in museums% <lease visit our website www%pianote"%com for further details%

Authors <ianote"9 <hilippe A2IBB 2M8 and Culien <DMMI8: rtwor#9 :ichard = : C8TTI 2ser Interface9 Auillaume CDB; Manual9 Niclas !DA& BB and <hilippe A2IBB 2M8 8diting and proofreading9 Aregg CDINSDN

Intelle tual property

] <ianote" is a trademar# of MD5 :TT S% %S%, 1K, avenue de l.8urope, (1*'K :amonville Saint gne, !rance % <atent9 2S 4,,1*,*1* =', 8urope K4%-'('-)%KN'K)4)**% ] Cubase, SID, and >ST are trademar# of Steinberg Media Technologies AmbI ] The udio 2nits logo is a trademar# of pple Computer, Inc% ] !!T< CF v)% Copyright 6c7 'KK) the 2niversity Corporation for tmospheric :esearch 6T2C :T7% ll rights reserved% 5eveloped by NC :[s Computational and Information Systems Baboratory, 2C :, www%cisl%ucar%edu% :edistribution and use of the Software in source and binary forms, with or without modification, is permitted provided that the following conditions are met9 0 Neither the names of NC :[s Computational and Information Systems Baboratory, the 2niversity Corporation for tmospheric :esearch, nor the names of its sponsors or contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this Software without specific prior written permission% 0 :edistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notices, this list of conditions, and the disclaimer below% 0 :edistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions, and the disclaimer below in the documentation andNor other materials provided with the distribution% TIIS SD!T& :8 IS <:D>I585 T S IST, &ITID2T & :: NT; D! N; FIN5, 8/<:8SS D: IM<BI85, INCB25INA, =2T NDT BIMIT85 TD TI8 & :: NTI8S D! M8:CI NT =IBIT;, !ITN8SS !D: < :TIC2B : <2:<DS8 N5 NDNIN!:INA8M8NT% IN ND 8>8NT SI BB TI8 CDNT:I=2TD:S D: CD<;:IAIT IDB58:S =8 BI =B8 !D: N; CB IM, IN5I:8CT, INCI58NT B, S<8CI B, 8/8M<B :;, D: CDNS8E28NTI B 5 M A8S D: DTI8: BI =IBIT;, &I8TI8: IN N CTIDN D! CDNT: CT, TD:T D: DTI8:&IS8, :ISINA !:DM, D2T D! D: IN CDNN8CTIDN &ITI TI8 SD!T& :8 D: TI8 2S8 D: DTI8: 58 BINAS &ITI TI8 SD!T& :8% ] &8=<% Copyright 6c7 'K1K, Aoogle Inc% ll rights reserved% :edistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met9

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:edistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer% :edistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation andNor other materials provided with the distribution% Neither the name of Aoogle nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission% TIIS SD!T& :8 IS <:D>I585 =; TI8 CD<;:IAIT IDB58:S N5 CDNT:I=2TD:S T S IST N5 N; 8/<:8SS D: IM<BI85 & :: NTI8S, INCB25INA, =2T NDT BIMIT85 TD, TI8 IM<BI85 & :: NTI8S D! M8:CI NT =IBIT; N5 !ITN8SS !D: < :TIC2B : <2:<DS8 :8 5ISCB IM85% IN ND 8>8NT SI BB TI8 CD<;:IAIT IDB58: D: CDNT:I=2TD:S =8 BI =B8 !D: N; 5I:8CT, IN5I:8CT, INCI58NT B, S<8CI B, 8/8M<B :;, D: CDNS8E28NTI B 5 M A8S 6INCB25INA, =2T NDT BIMIT85 TD, <:DC2:8M8NT D! S2=STIT2T8 ADD5S D: S8:>IC8SV BDSS D! 2S8, 5 T , D: <:D!ITSV D: =2SIN8SS INT8::2<TIDN7 ID&8>8: C 2S85 N5 DN N; TI8D:; D! BI =IBIT;, &I8TI8: IN CDNT: CT, ST:ICT BI =IBIT;, D: TD:T 6INCB25INA N8ABIA8NC8 D: DTI8:&IS87 :ISINA IN N; & ; D2T D! TI8 2S8 D! TIIS SD!T& :8, 8>8N I! 5>IS85 D! TI8 <DSSI=IBIT; D! S2CI 5 M A8% ] BI=C<8A% This software is based in part on the wor# of the Independent C<8A Aroup%

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