🎹Best Piano VST Plugins: Keyscape, Addictive Keys, Pianoteq, Vienna Symphonic Library & More🎹

Most Comprehensive and Editable: 2:31
Best All-Around: 6:47
Best Piano for a Large Hall Sound: 9:01
Best for a Close, Intimate Sound: 12:13
Best Value: 15:52
Most Fun: 18:05
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#VST #Plugin #Piano
Hello and welcome to another piano review at the Merriam Pianos KZbin channel. In today’s video, we’ll be taking all of our impressions from our ongoing VST series and determining our favorites in a variety of categories.
There is no absolute best VST as it’s going to come down to what you’re using a VST for, and of course, your own personal musical preferences.
Please like the video below, and if it’s your first time on the channel, subscribe and hit that notification bell!
Overview:
It’s important to note right away that there’s no one, single criteria by which every VST can be judged as all of them are geared towards different applications. The more we’ve gotten familiar with various VST’s, the more we’ve been able to come up with our own internal rating system based on different factors. Here they are:
The Most Comprehensive and Editable: Winner - Pianoteq
For folks ready to go down the VST rabbit hole with deep customization of a plethora of parameters, the winner here is Pianoteq and its modeling-based VST. The standard version is middle of the road as far as pricing goes, and should suit approx 80-90% of users.
Once you dive in, you’ll find an essentially endless universe to explore. There are many different instrument packs including various Steinways, a C. Bechstein, Bluthner, Yamaha’s, etc, not to mention a whole bunch of keyboard instruments as well. Since it’s a modeling-based engine, for each instrument pack, the range of editable options is nothing short of staggering.
Why would anyone need anything else? Well, Pianoteq doesn’t have the most realistic ambiance, nor does it accurately recreate all of the imperfections we get with a real acoustic instrument. If those aspects are important to you, you may want to look elsewhere.
Best All-Around: Winner - Keyscape
If you were looking for the dynamic all-around VST, Keyscape is our winner here. The library is absolutely massive, and every single instrument has been captured beautifully - including authentic recreations of all of the imperfections
This is a one-size-fits-all that should work for just about any project, from Classical projects to, 70’s fusion, pop etc.
Best Piano for a Large Hall Sound: Winner - Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron. Honorable Mention - Cinepiano
For those times when you need a faithful recreation of a concert grand in a large concert hall, nothing tops the VSL Synchron VST. This is a stunningly beautiful room capture, and more importantly, the piano sounds marvelous in the space.
For a dry, close, intimate sound, there are other VST’s that are better. But for orchestral recordings and film music applications, the VSL engine is a triumph.
An honorable mention for this category goes to Cinepiano. It’s not as complex or expensive, but it does boast a very nice room and piano capture. It’s also less expensive, so it’s definitely a great value option.
Best for a Close, Intimate Sound: Winner - Ravenscroft 275, Honourable Mention - Garritan CFX
There are times you need a VST for highly exposed, solo piano playing. The Ravenscroft 275 is the winner here, with a nod going to the Garritan CFX. Both of these plugins are exactly the same price, but use different pianos with different approaches.
The 275 is simple to use and offers a truly stellar VST experience for solo piano. Is it the most versatile? No, but if you’re looking for a close, dry sound, this is a gorgeous engine.
The Garritan CFX pulls this off very well too, and there’s a beautiful array of presets.
Best Value: Winner - Addictive Keys
This was a really tough one to pick, but when factoring everything in, the Addictive Keys VST for a mere $130 is tough to beat. It’s a surprisingly comprehensive plugin with great editability, versatility, and an easy-to-use interface. Stunning value all around.
Most Fun: Winner - Noir
For us, this was the funnest plugin to just mess around with and have some fun. There’s something really exciting and entertaining with this plugin, and the range of presets and effects engines are a blast.
That’s it for our roundup of our favourite VST’s currently on the market. Thank you for watching!
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[@jonnybravo3697]

I’ve really enjoyed this series of VST comparisons - super useful when considering which to buy, thanks Stu.

[@nigeltdavies]

An excellent summation of the relative strengths of the Virtual Piano's you have chosen and superb playing - as always!

[@MontSutton01]

Another great great review. I loved everyone of your VST reviews. I agree for Best Close sound. My final verdict, the same as yours. That surprised me. The Garritan is such a great product, but I kept trying to get it to sound like the Ravenscroft. I still go back and forth, but for classical or jazz or anything where the notes count, the Ravenscroft ends up being my go to VST. (but barely)

[@lelouchvibrittania8478]

Great to have you back! Always a good time watching your videos man. Take care

[@thomasschatton3481]

Real nice wrap up on the category of piano VSTs which is quite helpful as a guideline in terms of "which one fits best to me" and decision which one to get. Of course one could always complain that you did not test all the relevant VSTs (like the VSL Bösendorfer, which sounds phenomenal, or the NI Grandeur - or the Hans Zimmer Piano), but there are so many great VSTs out there that it is really difficult to try them all out within such a short period of time. All in all this is probably the best piano VST comparison I have seen so far, and I have watched quite a number! So great and wonderful job! Both thumbs up! 👍👍

[@oliverzoelke4776]

Thank you very much for your considerate, comprehensive, fair and sympathic presentation. You helped me to decide for the Addictive Keys plugin. All the best.

[@leighgoldstein3119]

The amazing thing about all of these products is the super high quality sound. I am old, and I go back to pre-midi and pre plug in days. I have fond memories when a sampler had a new piano set of disks that was even barely decent.... It took quite a while until even the hardware synths had great onboard piano samples....Kurzweil was the first really, and they were worshipped for their great sounding presets...We are so spoiled now....They are all so good. Great video!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! I can certainly relate. As a youngster just getting into songwriting and music production, my parents bought me a used Korg M1EX with a whole bunch of sound library discs for Christmas one year. It was life changing to say the least. It still blows me away how far things have come in a relatively short period of time and how accessible it all is at the click of a button. In any case, those precious sound library discs still hold a special place in my heart.

[@newguy6935]

Wow! Thank you. I've been racking my brains trying to get a good intimate sound out of VSL's Synchron Steinway and just wasn't able to do it. Finally threw in the towel on it and started searching, yet again, for another more intimate sounding piano out there. Will definitely check out the Ravenscroft 275. Don't get me wrong. The VSL Steinway is a great-sounding piano but, like you, I just didn't feel like it was up to par on the intimate setting, which was very important as I record a solo pianist.

[@anhtuanhu9]

Excellent summary, thanks Stu and Merriam Music!

[@calikokat100]

Love your playing and reviews...so informative

[@mfurman]

Without any doubts, great video in an amazing series of reviews

[@IntuitiveKeysMainStage]

Agree on Noire! Grandeur has a great modern piano sound. Noire is like post-modern piano - amazing to use live and in the studio - and so evocative.

[@MerriamPianos]

I certainly agree with that synopsis! The exciting thing about VST piano plugins is that you can have a massive library of different piano tones. It gives composers and producers out there a huge arsenal of tools! :)

[@oliverpinelli3334]

That´s what I call a great review. Thank you very much.

[@ral1020]

IMO, Pianoteq 7 is a beautiful piece of work. I’ve found that the velocity adjustment is critical to achieving good results. Note: Be subtle with the adjustments. Also as for ambiance: I have found that disabling the on board reverb (and delay) then inserting a properly tweaked Valhalla Room works very nicely. I’ve also found it sounds best at 128 samples. Of course you need a robust computer and high quality interface to assure latency is acceptable at 128 samples. I don’t work for them, I just really dig this new version… enjoy your videos and very nice playing

[@mpichora]

can i ask what interface you're using? Is the latency imperceptible? I've heard the RME Babyface Pro FS is incredible but it's also incredibly expensive and I'm not sure it's worth it.. thx

[@davesaunders7457]

Thanks Stu. That was a really comprehensive and well explained review. One thing though; I'm looking for vsti that have continuous damper pedal because I'm revisiting classical piano and trying to improve my pedal technique, as well as having the dynamic range; I know Pianoteq has that facility but do any others have it, and if not, are there midi tricks or 3rd party DSP plugins that can emulate half damper?

[@kob79jd]

Stu, Thanks so much for your comprehensive, practical reviews. I am new to this area, and have truly enjoyed and greatly benefited from many of your reviews. I purchased the Garritan CFX based on your superb analysis. And I am saving up for Keyscape and/or Noir and/or the VSL (Steinway) Concert D-274. But (newbie that I am) I have a technical question. I have been trying to use these from an Arturia KeyLab 61 Mk II, and although it is a great MIDI Controller, I learned piano I was the acoustic piano world. I have a Roland LX-705, and wonder if I might be able to hook that up through my audio interface (MOTU M4) and DAW (Ableton) to drive the Garriton VST. I think you were using a Roland (I am guessing FP-90-X?) in your videos. So maybe I could use my Roland too. However, I am a PC (not Mac) guy, and your DAW seems different than mine. I also assume that the portable Roland (designed for gigging) probably has more sound out options than my LX-705. Whatever suggestion you (or the other experts in the Merriam Posse) might be able to provide to this long-in-the-tooth but very rookie nurd in this area will be golden!! (Maybe something through the Arturia KeyLab Mk II''s robust set of inputs/outputs? As you know, the LX-705 has MIDI out via USB cable, and L/R Audio Out, transmitting what I assume to be wave file format data via 1/4-inch Jack's. However, I don' t see regular MIDI cable connections on the LX-705.)

[@mcrafford]

I'm new to this channel. When you played some jazz, it made me want to hear more of your playing. Do you have more of your playing?

[@alejandrolezcano631]

amazing sound, objective comments, bless .

[@WVMUSIC_NL]

Hi i watched many reviews of you and from others ans i finally bought the fp30x and so far i love it! It feels and sounds like a real piano!! I haven’t used the vst’s yet that i have on my computer but i am really impressed by the piano sound!

[@MerriamPianos]

For sure! The technology has come a long way and the authenticity in which they're able to render is truly impressive.

[@PianoMavs]

You need to review the Embertone Walker. One of the best libraries out there and also the Simple Sam Samples Signature Grand.

[@emilegregoire]

Could you add actual sections in the timeline so that we can locate the VST you're talking about in each section please? Thanks. Great overview by the way!

[@detomaso_6235]

A suggestion: some of us are newbies to the world of pianos, synths, etc. For those just entering the hobby, VST might as well be short for Very Strong Tequila! 😁 Could you someday create a "Dummies" video explaining VSTs and the like. Your piano reviews are interesting & thorough & I think you'd do an equally excellent job giving folks like me a 10-20 minute overview on what we can plug into our pianos to improve their sound, & why/when we should consider doing so. Thanks for considering.

[@MrKlawUK]

Would love this. It seems a good option for those of us with older keyboards to refresh the sounds without significant outlay for a new piano

[@autofocus4556]

You can’t Google VST? Okay, guy. 😂

[@detomaso_6235]

@@autofocus4556 I value his opinion. I don't give a s**t about yours.

[@onzkicg]

Awesome demo! Thanks!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! :)

[@dennismoore9011]

Hey Stu, Recently watched a instructive video that you did on the Roland Juno ds88 that was posted 8 months ago. And before you went into the details of the video you did a brief demonstration, and was wondering if you could share exactly what presets you had used to get that exact piano sound. I know we have the settings on the keyboard, but you had the sound. Was wondering if you could share some details on that. Thank you.

[@starbarhippo1989]

Outstanding playing with equally great software. I think when musicians can play at this level, the plugins and effects can only help but enhance their playing.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! I will be happy to pass along your kind words and compliments to Stu. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@martoneill]

Great video; thank you. On the value / Addictive Keys point, my Focusrite 2i2 audio interface included a variety of free software, including the full version of your choice of one of the Addictive Keys vsts.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome Martin! Thanks for tuning in! That's awesome. Sounds like an excellent cost-to-value offering on Focusrite's part. :)

[@isakerlandsson7259]

What piece are you playing starting at 06:00? It sounds great!

[@Robert6Beatsss]

really good video thank you

[@danwentz]

Thanks for the great video, I'm going with your first pick stage edition - which also matches your best value in price and piano types! Steinway and Hohner are my favorites. The idea of acoustic modeling is facinating and I can save gigs of space too!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it. And that is a very good point. Saving hard-drive space is also a great perk! :)

[@qwe1231]

Great video (as usual). But now I want to see you compare iOS VSTs, and let us know if they're any good compared to PC/Mac VSTs. A *lot* of people use their iPads for sheet music and would probably love to find the best way to upgrade their sound with the tablet in front of them without having to connect their pianos to a desktop/laptop. Aside from that, since you like CFX perhaps CFX Lite (US $80) might be a bang-for-the-buck solution for beginners who want a better sound than what's built into beginner DPs.

[@JoeLinux2000]

I agree that pianos running on tablets is an interesting subject to cover.

[@mrketts]

Great run down of the vsts. I liked hearing your thoughts on each and why you chose what you chose. Thanks for the info.

[@FlorianRachor1]

I got the Addictive Keys upright for free with hardware and I have to say, people don't give it enough credit. It's fantastic, I was really suprised of how much I love it. Highly recommended.

[@GUPRPEET-Singh]

Yeah focusrite 👍

[@FilFPS228]

Офигенное видео, прекрасная картинка, звук!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@jordanrazowskymusician8178]

Thanks for the info.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning in! :)

[@DidoInFlames]

Such a good video I have only Noire and it's great but I want to try Ravenscroft

[@IrminZ]

Great video. Would love a review of good reverbs for piano VSTs

[@joseenriquemonterrosas4495]

Gracias por estos videos, un abrazo desde mexico

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you so much! :)

[@PianoScoreVids]

another great video, logical and well argumented choices (and definitions of categories), will definitely help many people I believe

[@Stemma3]

Check Gamma's channel if you want amazing, beautiful piano pieces of not so famous authors.

[@IMAWriterRobJ]

beautiful playing terrific video. My selection for excellent value..the Garritan CFX Lite version. Often $69.

[@ikstephan]

I've never liked the sound of any of the Pianoteq versions. Sounds sort of annoyingly tinny in general and the attack has a real unnatural feel to my ears. Just not a fan, but maybe it's me. When I have to choose from the libraries that I own myself, I'd say: 1. Ravenscroft 275: I like the feel and the way that playing it on my controller is being translated to sound. Very direct and realistic imho), just feels good and fun to play it. Also the soundstage (mic positioning and a mix of those) I like better than most other libraries. I did make my own presets to suit it more to my taste. I also like the una corda samples that come with the Ravenscroft, they are great and have a lovely brittle quality to them. Great for jazz, pop, classical, film music and so on. 2. Garritan CFX: I Like the sound of this one very much and it has a lot of adjustability with many settings. Also feels great to play and offers a well controllable translation from playing to sound. One thing that I did not like too much in the beginning, is that a lot of sound from the room is included in the samples. For classical music or for film scoring this is not a big deal as these are being played on a larger stage in many occasions, but it did not offer any good, nice, close and intimate preset that I liked right away. When you tweak the settings you can however adjust the decay and release of the room sound which helped in getting a more desirable result. Still I love this library very much. The samples are just recorded and and programmed very well, which makes it a very decent and usable addition. 3. Keyscape: Not entirely honest to compare this product to the others. All the extra sounds it offers makes it well worth its price. The quality of all of the individual instruments this package contains is really great. One thing that it does really well is also the feel it has. When you play it, it feels like you are behind a real instrument. Much like the Ravenscroft in that respect. Lots of presets which sound great, but sound very "produced". That's not alway what I'm looking for though. Then again, everything (each effect or processor) can be deactivated or adjusted so it offers a lot of adjustability as well. The grand piano samples in this set are great and very usable. Very easy to fit the sound in a mix and it will remain its presence. It will serve you well in many different music styles.

[@chaughten]

Great overview and puns, would love to see your computer set up! thanks from mtl

[@digitaluniverse21]

I was expecting to find the massive 282gb platinum version of the Quantum Leap Eastwest pianos here as well. Please what is your opinion about that vst?

[@fpsvideogames4461]

@Merriam Music thanks for the video!What effects do you use on the pianos to make them sound so good? Do you add additional effects? Equalizations? Multiple tracks with the same piano? Thank you

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! In order to ensure that the pianos are presented as transparently as possible, we do not perform any post-production enhancement or adjustment on the piano sounds (unless specifically stated in the video). We simply take a line out or headphone output directly from the piano and plug it directly into a Focusrite Scarlett audio interface, which allows us to capture the audio from a DAW.

[@KeramidakisDimitris]

Great review mate also great playing ..as i hear you love keith Jarrett too ....all the best

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you for tuning in and for the kind words! Much appreciated! :)

[@KeramidakisDimitris]

@@MerriamPianos have you hear this library ? Is not well known ...with every respect ..kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZTZiYttlMtqY7c

[@chrisf_yt]

Where does the AIR Mini Grand VST fit into this, given it comes with a lot of interfaces and bundles nowadays?

[@tonytooth1573]

I can't stop to keep listening the VSL part! beatiful but not washy space, nice definition, and some sparkle, it sounds like Keith Jarrett's jazz records to my ear, and you played it awesome of course. tell me please, what exact piano model of Synchron did you used at the video? I've been playing jazz performances with virtual pianos for many years, never had a keyboard with onboard sounds. I used EWQL, now it's Keyscape, but this one really interested me

[@MerriamPianos]

For sure! It is quite the impressive plugin. I would have to ask Stu as to which exact piano model he used for that segment. I am not sure off hand.

[@PiotrBarcz]

I think my favorite vsts so far and the most realistic ones have been the Synchron Pianos, the Garritan CFX and maybe even Addictive Keys. I do a lot of midi audio rendering which requires a VST that won't twang at high velocities (something Pianoteq has failed spectacularly at, the bass is also rather metallic on pretty much every preset and is impossible to correct). I don't have the Synchron VST myself but I do have the Garritan CFX which I finally bought after desperately needing an upgrade from the rather boring tones of Pianoteq. The Garritan so far has been a miracle. The bass is crystal clear and the piano could probably trick people into thinking it was the real thing! It does have some limitations however, namely a rather bad midi audio rendering system that reacts to midi control events which will screw up the panning and force you to restart the VST which takes hellishly long to load. Synchron pianos seem to be the best in terms of outright quality and realism. The pianos have been sampled with 4000 plus samples per note, a ridiculous amount of samples! I listened to a few previews and also have heard audio made by a friend of mine who has the Steinway from that set and man is it just about the best all around piano you can get!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and supporting our channel! Also, thank you for sharing your insights and experiences. I'm sure some of our VST enthusiast community members appreciate the insights. :)

[@PiotrBarcz]

@@MerriamPianos It's my pleasure hahaha, I've just had so many ups and downs with midi audio rendering that I now go ham with trying to give everyone the best advice that I can supply!

[@bartie55]

@@PiotrBarcz What would you say out of those 3 is the best VST piano for professional pop/rock productions? I love Keyscape but often have to deal with a lot of annoying, spiking frequencies and I'm tired of all the DeEss'ing and EQ'ing etc.

[@PiotrBarcz]

@@bartie55 Pop and rock piano productions? Hmm, I do mostly solo work so I can't give you a good opinion but I think Pianoteq has presets designed to be used in conjunction with other instruments. The Garritan CFX rocks in that it is crystal clear and doesn't have a lot of those ear grate tones like you'd hear from Pianoteq on occasion. Honestly, the CFX seems like a good one for just about all music. Hope this helps :)

[@bartie55]

​@@PiotrBarcz Cool, I'll definitely check out the Garritan CFX. Thank you for your reply, appreciate it!

[@chanya2249]

very nice selection, I didn't catch what is the piano used with pianoteq?

[@periodinstruments8651]

Great video and valuable comparison. My only comment would be regarding the qualification of 'best piano VST' when the end user is not categorised. Any advanced classical pianist will not even consider Keyscape or Addictive Keys for the simple reason that these VST don't support half pedalling, soft pedal or sustenato. This is not a problem for people who play pop songs but one shouldn't forget that the only way to change the tone colour on a piano is with this pedals. In my opinion softwares like pianoteq, Garritan CFX and VSL ( a part the una corda) are in a different league as they manage these pedals, pianoteq having the edge here because of the fact that you adjust the behaviour of the half pedalling and you can also add a 4th harmonic pedal which is amazing. It is funny to see the difference between pianists and electric guitarists the latest being extremely picky about the type of pedal boards they use, while many pianists don't even know what 'una corda' does and how to use it properly.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly for tuning in! We're glad you enjoyed the comparison! That is certainly a very good point. The specific context and intended use of the player will always factor in when it comes to determining the "best" fit for them. Sometimes, it is just a matter of making the title of a video relatively simple and straight forward, but I certainly agree with the sentiment. ;)

[@periodinstruments8651]

@@MerriamPianos Thks for answer! You have. One more subscriber ✔️

[@fillsharmony]

fantastic video

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@harrisfrankou2368]

Thanks a lot I'm going with the Keyscape.... do you have an entry level Keyboard to go with this as I have an M Audio and a Roland and want a better midi Keyboard rather than worry about sensitivity and velocity.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! There are a variety of entry level keyboard options that have a wonderful touch and have MIDI compatible. The Roland FP30X for instance is a wonderful all-in portable digital piano at a wonderful price! :)

[@VadimShinnik]

Thanks for Demo! The demonstrator plays very well, such a nice pianist, but in the demo, unfortunately, a lot of ballad stuff played on sustain pedal ...without disclosing other sides and aspects of these pianos and very very unfair in my opinion that Pearl Concert Grand Yamaha C7 is not in this TOP, especially when the author talked about Best for a Close, Intimate Sound. Yamaha C7 Concert Grand has richest body resonance and at the same time very clear tone with a lot of characters. All these plug-ins pianos are good, but always you can find something wrong like - weak high register, or unnatural mid register and etc. But the most widespread problem I am facing is that in many of these Piano plugins have big "tails" when you start to play short-sharp and dotted rhythms, even if you set release at the minimum. Certainly, should be not like dry Clavinet :)))) A lot of songs in my practice with a band require a very large dynamic range! Most piano samples individually sound good, but many times, I came to rehearsal, we start to play, for example, the song starts very quietly, after levels of volume of all instruments grow and I understand that my piano just isn't there. But, the CFX Garritan and Walker 1955 Concert D fits perfectly! VSL I didn't have occasion to try.

[@Banquet...]

Awesome video. Have you tried the Imperfect Samples Walnut Grand in your travels? I just heard it and am really tempted. Also the VI Labs Upright U sounds well sampled and pristine

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We're always looking for new VST plugins to explore, so we will definitely look into those suggestions. :)

[@mpichora]

What interface do you recommend, Stu? I am interested in a VST setup and curious to know what budget is required to achieve imperceptible latency without audio glitches. I've heard the Babyface Pro FS is the *best* but is it necessary to spend that much on an interface or is the MOTU M4 or Scarlet 2i2 good enough to achieve this? Thanks! Great content as always!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for the question! The Scarlet 2i2 is an excellent and very affordable option. We use that interface for our videos here at Merriam Music. :) With that said, latency often has a lot to do with your CPU's capabilities. High-res sample-based VST plugins are quite demanding on CPU load. On the other hand, modelled VST plugins will be much less taxing on the CPU. Thanks so much and hope this helps a bit! :)

[@mpichora]

@@MerriamPianos wow, thank you so much for the quick reply. Good to know! 😁

[@smartti1970]

Great playing and reviews... just one thing, correct me if i'm wrong, i never hear you talk about the looping point of the samples if there are any ? the modeling piano don't so for slow playing i'ts lovely to hear the harmonics drift and sing, as apposed to a looping point repeating again and again ..... Is there a looping point on Keyscape and the others ? thanks

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the question! In my experiences, most VST piano plugins that are sample-based do not have a "looping" point. One of the reasons that some VST plugins are massive is that they're super high-fidelity and long recorded samples that allow you to experience the natural decay of a note. With that said, I have come across more basic VST plug-ins that have a "looping" point like you refer to. I have not experienced this with Keyscape however.

[@smartti1970]

Thanks very much for your reply ! :-) appreciated ... have a great day ...

[@TheFerdi13]

great video! Have you heard from the steinway walnut imperfect samples? Would be nice if you could make a review on this one too !

[@MerriamPianos]

Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks so much! I have not personally checked out that VST, but I will add it to the list for our production team to review. Thank you kindly for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle it. ;)

[@hsn10]

Additive Keys is really good. I purchased all instruments on sale for about $40 bucks each and it does good work for me. I am synth / organ guy, not a piano players so I do not want to spend more money on something what I do not use much.

[@talnomix3164]

Piano and organ is nearly identical xD I play both!

[@jaigeyer9596]

Your channel is amazing and has really inspired me. How are you recording this video, because I'm stuck - please, please help. I have a digital piano (Roland HP605) connected to my Mac with a USB cable (MIDI ?), some DAWs (on trial), kontact 7 player and some paid-for piano VSTs 🥴, but no audio interface, yet. Do I need one, what's the difference 🤦🏽‍♂️? I'm missing quality 😢. How do I get the Roland to play the sound of the VST in the DAW back through the digital piano speakers, or some awesome home speakers, or just back through my headphones, in highest quality? At the moment Ive just plugged my headphones into my Mac and I'm listening to it through there (not great). Desperate for some advice and any info, including any useful details. Is it because I'm going Digital piano -> Mac, and not Digital piano -> Audio interface -> Mac? What's the correct chain, where do speakers/headphones come in? 🙏 Thanks so much for all your high quality content and beautiful playing 🙌

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you kindly! We appreciate the support of our channel immensely. :) You would like need an audio interface to accomplish what you're trying to achieve. You would have to take a line out or audio output from the interface to run into the line in port of your piano. With that said, there is the potential for some latency issues. Having higher quality studio-grade headphones or monitors plugged into your Mac would certainly help increase the fidelity and sonic experience as well. Thanks and hope this helps! :)

[@SeanMcVail]

Hi, sorry for my very basic question, but trying to try some out I got issues. So where do you plug in your headphones PC or keyboard? And what to do with the own sound of the keyboard if it has own speakers? Thanks a lot I look your channel since months and like it very much.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! No need for apologies! All questions are good questions! In this case, the headphones would be plugged into the PC. In terms of the sound of the built-in speakers, you can actually turn them off completely if you'd like by having the volume down to zero. When accessing VST plugins, you are using the MIDI output of the instrument opposed to the built-in sounds from the piano's tone engine.

[@SeanMcVail]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you, your so kind. Problem is solved! It was the tiny wrench down right in the Synchron Player for VSL, where I can choose the output to headphone. Very bad position! But - on the other hand - the basics of connections, interfaces, DAWs etc. would be an intersting theme for beginners and to refer to. Thank you and have a good time.

[@stephenarthur6477]

Do you have to get an audio interface to be able to use plugins and is plugins available to use on any paino ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Stephen! You do not necessarily require a standalone audio interface to access plugins. With that said, you may require a DAW to access certain plugins and effects. In essence, any MIDI compatible digital piano will be able to interface with DAWs and plugins. Hope this helps! :)

[@vacidized5434]

Great!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! :)

[@Dacapoelcodaa]

I‘m searching for a piano and wanted to ask if i can use VSTs for furniture digital pianos like kawai CN201 or Casio ap470. What features does the piano has to have to use VSTs with it?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Any MIDI compatible instrument can be used to control VST plugins via either Bluetooth MIDI or a USB/MIDI OUT connection. To that point, virtually all digital pianos these days will have one of those connectivity options. So, to that point, the CN201 and AP470 are both able to control VST plugins. However, if you want to play the VST plugins through the onboard speakers of the instrument, it will need to have a USB audio interface. This is a bit of a rarer feature, but many of the Roland portable digital pianos do include it. :)

[@Dacapoelcodaa]

@@MerriamPianos thanks a lot Brent! Extremely helpful:)

[@robertvermeulen1659]

Any thoughts on which one is best for 'live' use in a jazz setting?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I know a lot of people rely on the Pianoteq VST for live application. With that said, it really does come down to a matter of tonal preference as each VST offers something a little different. :)

[@flowmaka]

Great review of some top notch pianos. What do you think of the Cfx lite?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! I am not familiar with the CFX Lite personally, but, perhaps, that can be one that we explore in a future review/comparison. :)

[@flowmaka]

I’m sorry it’s the Garritan Cfx lite.

[@grif5332]

I was looking at getting a solid piano vst, but some of them are huuuuge in terms of hard drive space. I was also concerned about load on the cpu. How does Pianoteq rate in that regard?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi and thanks for the question! Pianoteq has tiny hard-drive requirements and data bandwidth needs compared to the other sample based VST's... it all comes down to what part of the comp is doing the work - with Pianoteq it's the main processor that's going to be taxed more, since it's a real-time synthesis (as you likely know). With the other VST's, super fast (SSD preferred) hard drives are probably needed for the top options due to the 100's of MB of data it's accessing every second, and a good amount of RAM. It seems to me that any modern processor with quad core, (such as an i5 or i7 from last few years) and a very modest storage requirement should be sufficient for Pianoteq to operate well. In that regard, it's an excellent value in that most people won't need to do any hardware upgrades to operate it. Cheers! Stu

[@winterheat]

Stu, when you play VST, do you find it better to use it with MainStage or Logic Pro on the Mac?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I will certainly not speak on behalf of Stu, but I have personally found that the performance of a VST has more to do with the hardware you are using rather than the software-based DAW you are running it in conjunction with.

[@winterheat]

@@MerriamPianos hardware... you don't mean the computer? Or I suppose if it is VSL which take 25GB per mic position, it could need a PC with 16GB RAM or 32GB RAM, and best with a 1TB or 2TB SSD hard drive... is that what you mean? Also, the hardware may mean if you hook up the computer's headphone output using a Mogami Gold cable TSR to two TR, and plug that into a Yamaha HS8, HS5, or KRK RP5 Rokit G4?

[@antoniospatarelu1972]

Are these vsts a good replacement for a bad in-built piano sound? Or should I still be spending more on a digital piano with better samples/modeling?

[@JoeLinux2000]

If the action is good on what you have, it's probably better to go with one of the virtual pianos on a tablet or computer. As I posted above, Pianoteq combined with the DGX piano voices is better than either one standing alone. It depends on the latency. The two have to be able to sound together. With my Casio PX-150 I used the Pianoteq voice exclusively.

[@antoniospatarelu1972]

@@JoeLinux2000 I am planning on getting a new digital piano, my old one has too much latency and only two sensors in the action. I just need to figure out if I need to pay more for a better sound built-in, like is it worth going for Kawai's hi-xl and not the phi.

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@antoniospatarelu1972 I can't answer that. My new DGX only has two sensors and I haven't noticed a problem controlling Pianoteq Pro with it. The two in tandem have no latency with one another, and sound better than each one alone. In fact the sound rivals the very best virtual pianos that Stu is demonstrating. My beef is that the DGX doesn't support sustaining the string voices with the foot pedal. I find that unbelievable. It supports sustain on a nylon guitar voice, but not a string ensemble. It's completely nuts. What was Yamaha thinking? To your specific question, I think there is little question that all of the virtual pianos Stu is demonstrating sound better than almost any digital piano he has ever demonstrated other than the top end Rolands. Some of the digital stage models are said to sound very nice, but they don't have built-in amplifiers and speakers. When in comes to bang for the buck you can't beat the various virtual pianos. However there is a lot of associated electronic device clutter. I'm a content Pianoteq Pro user, but some say it's pale in comparison to other reside on a computer voices. Each person's mileage varies it seems.

[@gerardlouisschmitzdumoulin3617]

Stu, what do you think of the Bechstein STV? Ted.

[@spankedbywife1018]

my god legend has it he is still talking about it.

[@amptiness2365]

VSL have a sale now until the end of June. Bosendorfer for 215$ and Steinway for 210$. Is it better at those prices?

[@blindwatchmaker7877]

Listening to the demo, the full mic sounds richer... but, $420..

[@Antara755]

Great video, I discovered sample libraries recently and it helped me improve my production quality. My content proves you don't have to know music theory to make fairly good covers, technology can do wonders sometimes,lol Peace, from a Pink Floyd fan

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

Looks like an RD-2000 in front of you. (I have one, too). I haven't bothered much with piano VST's because of the great piano sounds already "on tap".

[@theclaverman]

I didn’t like the pianosounds in the RD-2000 at all. It just sounded extremely artificial compared to my Nord Stage and most VST’s. I bougth the Roland and sold it after 14 days.

[@CraigRodmellMusic]

@@theclaverman fair enough. I was the opposite: it was Love at First Play.

[@tonezou3918]

Would you put the Hans Zimmer Piano on top of your ranking list and for which applications?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I am personally a big fan of the Hans Zimmer VST plugins. The piano VST is quite excellent for dramatic/cinematic sounds. There is also a Hans Zimmer percussion VST, which features some very unique and interesting impacts and percussive sounds. I highly recommend checking out and experimenting with both! :)

[@noahheyl3571]

Hi :) i have a question. Does aynone know a way to assign specific pitches to piano Keys. I dont talk about a physical tuning but about a VST, software or virtual Piano. Say I want A to be 432 and Asharp to be 468 B to be 504 etc. Etc. Any idea to do this with electroc pianos or Software. I cant find it out :(

[@MerriamPianos]

I am not familiar with a VST that has that function. However, some digital pianos, namely Roland instruments, allow for key by key microtonal tuning adjustment. :)

[@noahheyl3571]

Wow. Do you know a model. Thanks for the answer ur the first of many i asked that knows

[@simbaking6338]

Its Keyscape & Pianoteq for me.

[@MerriamPianos]

Both are fantastic plugins, which are very complimentary of each other if you are looking to have a collection of different tools for different jobs. :)

[@kayro7831]

On 05:58 is improvisation? Very beautiful.. if its composition please say me tittle ! :)

[@MerriamPianos]

I would have to touch base with Stu regarding that, but it is very likely that it is an improvisation as Stu is an incredible improviser. :)

[@photographerjonathan]

After watching this I still have no idea of which VST I would want to get. because you didn't play to many examples of them, do you have a new opinion of the best VST in 2023 ? and If you own a keyboard like the top of the line Kawai 920 or Roland FP 90X or Yamaha 515. would you still get more realistic beautiful piano sounds from a plug in, is there a plug in piano sound that you like more than your favorite sound on the Kawai 920 ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! This video is more of an overview of some of the most popular VST pianos on the market right now. We have many individual reviews and comparison videos on VST pianos that go into far more detail. You may find those helpful! :)

[@abdielrec9148]

Noire Piano 🔥💪🎹

[@MerriamPianos]

The Noire Piano is a very excellent piano VST! :)

[@dd.oliver]

Which app do you use to install all these plugins? I am trying to find a good app that I can use them.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! I believe Stu is using Ableton to run these VST plugins. With that said, there are a variety of DAWs and programs that would work in conjunction with these VSTs. :)

[@theaudioman4446]

anything for Ipad you'd recommend?

[@chowhar]

Ravenscroft

[@gerardvila4685]

7:55 Wind keyboards? Isn't that what an organ is?

[@Zoco101]

This is wonderful. My only disappointment is not knowing which piano was sampled/emulated in each of the demos here. Some are mentioned or are obvious from earlier videos, but others have left me wondering. Additictive keys does seem good value. It also offers the Steinway Model D in a one piano pack for about €81

[@PaulieDC]

VSL and Garritan fan here, but the best value without a doubt is Native Instruments Noire when it goes on sale for 50% off... 75 bucks, how do you beat that?

[@MerriamPianos]

That is definitely a fantastic deal for an excellent piano VST! :)

[@lancelotmura5056]

A pianoteq vs Keyscape video you posted 1 week ago (or something) almost made me regret buying Keyscape! And I thought "well I'll have both Pianoteq and Keyscape, not a problem"... BUT I tried the last version of Pianoteq [with the trial (7.3.O)] and I can assure you that Pianoteq has very BAD low frequencies compared to Keyscape. And I have a good headphone (ATH-M50x), but when I listen to you videos, I feel that Pianoteq way better... (How come?!)

[@JoeLinux2000]

My own view is that each person's personal experience with these things varies greatly with the equipment they have. Even DAC's can be quite different. The sound chip within various computers can be different and finally the speaker cone is the final arbitrator. Some people have been highly critical of various virtual pianos, yet to my ear, most sound very good. It's just a matter of personal choice and maybe the level of software. Stu says you don't need Pianoteq Pro, I say, that it is the only version I recommend purchasing. Maybe with his RD200 he doesn't need the Pro version, but with my Casio PX-150, I do. It's hard to know. He doesn't have the Pro software, and I don't have an RD2000.

[@lancelotmura5056]

@@JoeLinux2000 Thanks answering ! How come Pianoteq Pro is that important for you ? What can you do that improves the quality of you piano ?

[@eagleflies8681]

Lancelot, there's a simple solution for that problem: Use an equalizer. I know it sounds obvious, but it's what you do when instruments lack bass content. You boost the bass content. That's it. What makes Pianoteq sound like the real thing is not the color of the sound, but the way each note interact with each other and the dynamics, etc.

[@Rhaeide]

Congratulations, this is great content! I'm starting to invest in music production, and I have a question. Which piano VST would you recommend for epic music? I've heard about the Hans Zimmer one (Spitfire Studio), but I would like to hear your opinion first. Thank you very much!

[@lusi3851]

Idk about piano vsts but an effect that's good and free for massive instruments is Valhalla supermassive. It basically turns anything into massive lush soundscapes

[@Dave-lz3rm]

I've heard so many mixed things about the Hans Zimmer one, and some very bad. I'd look at other ones (VSL Synchron, Garritan CFX, Embertone Walker, Bechstein Digital, etc. given your system can handle those).

[@theclaverman]

For some weeks ago I recorded a Fazioli 278F with my Schoeps microphones. Sorry, but I have yet to hear software which is even close to that sound. Software is muc more convinient though…

[@MerriamPianos]

For sure! The real thing is...well...the real thing. It is difficult to capture that level of authenticity and nuance through software and pre-recorded samples, but it does offer a convenient and accessible means for players to access some great piano sounds. :)

[@theclaverman]

@@MerriamPianos I totally agree:-)

[@thierry.philippe.ecuvillon]

i have buy today CinePiano and i have made my new setting: Galaxy Vintage D + CinePiano (on, kontakt) hère is my files, it's my pleasure: Vintage D default preset, player setting and Cinepiano classic with rev OFF : it is my classical new preset second preset : same setting for Vintage D . -for CINePIANO: perspective On (the right corner of the fader at same level of the right red vertical line) Full off, Close off, room ans surround ON, EQ and REV OFF Exept one note all the two piano are really well working in same time together, the proximity with Vintage D and the room with Cinepiano

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much for sharing your preset! I am sure there are CinePiano users within our KZbin community that will appreciate it and enjoy experimenting with it. All the best! :)

[@Marian1st.]

How do these piano VST compare to Colossus piano for iOS ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Marian! We have not yet tackled Colossus in a review/comparison video yet, but we were certainly add that to the list! Thank you kindly for the suggestion! :)

[@Marian1st.]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much. Looking forward for future videos. 😀

[@asiangreg8209]

12:04 was so beautiful

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you! We're glad that you enjoyed it! :)

[@asiangreg8209]

@@MerriamPianos is that improvised or an actual song? if it's improvised you should make a full version it's so good

[@agamazofficial]

Pianoteq is by faaaaaaaaar the greatest

[@MerriamPianos]

There is no doubt that it is an impressive VST! :)

[@obriantomlinson2776]

For classical music VS Ravenscroth?

[@JoeLinux2000]

I have Pianoteq Pro 7 and have no regrets about spending the extra money for it. It gives you 100% control over every adjustment on every single note. I agree with you that the warmth of the ambience of pianos like Keyscape is better. FWIW, when I combine Pianoteq with a DGX voice the end result is superior to either of the two. If I was trying to save money with Pianoteq, I would cut back on the various piano models. I have several but only use a few. A big disappointment with the Yamaha DGX-670 is that the string voices don't sustain with the sustain pedal. which is absolutely nuts. Shame on Yamaha. It's completely ridiculous. One thing about Pianoteq is that it runs natively on Linux which is a real plus for me. I notice the internal software of the Yamaha seems to be based on BSD.

[@eagleflies8681]

You can get no realistic than Pianoteq, period. The warmth essentially comes down to equalization and sound design, which you have mentioned about Pianoteq. Whoever thinks there's a more realistic sample based piano sound than Pianoteq is simply highly biased by the superficial attributes of the sound, ignoring the underlying factors that make Pianoteq mathematically identical to the real acoustics of a real piano, which sample libraries cannot achieve in a million years due to the inherent nature of sampling.

[@truthmanifestingtruth]

@@eagleflies8681 They are highly biased, but not you because you appeal to the 1s & 0s….got it.

[@eagleflies8681]

@@truthmanifestingtruth The 1s & 0s determine the fidelity when it comes to emulating physics in a digital environment. In this case, Pianoteq is loyal to the acoustics of a real piano because it is essentially a 1:1 digital recreation of all the components of a piano, and puts them inside one single environment where everythig is interacting with everything else, just like what would happen in real life physics. I'm not debating whether or not people should like Pianoteq over everything else because of this, because I'm well aware of the subjective preferences. My point is that people that think samples sound more realistic than a 1:1 digitally modelled piano is simply wrong. You can't sample a piano, and have an infinite amount of velocity points across the MIDI range of 0-127. Pianoteq can. You can't play two notes of a sampled piano and make them sound like the real sampled piano, because you are not just playing two notes, you are stacking the room reflections and resonances of each individual sample on top of another, which is something that couldn't happen in a real physical environment. Pianoteq does not have this problem, because again, it acts as a real instrument. A real piano. If anyone prefers sampled pianos, that's perfectly fine. But the facts are the facts. Have a nice day/night.

[@obriantomlinson2776]

Pianoteq vs Ravenscroth?

[@PNigro-pf4ve]

What is the name of the song around 6:07 ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I would have to ask Stu, but is quite a beautiful piece!

[@JoergPelzer]

I use Keyscape, but If I want intimacy... Cinesamples : Piano in Blue

[@KEYRENITY]

I find it so hard to master solo piano recordings. idk how to get the lows, mids, highs and compression to sound good.

[@9YouthfulAdvisor]

Learn surgical EQing

[@TuhinTulsyan]

What about latency Stu?

[@kenmiller5583]

How do I use vst plugins on windows 11

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi Ken! Many VST plugins will be available for both Mac and PC users. You can often use them in conjunction with a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) or as standalone software.

[@jamiemclaughlin9534]

Piano aside, your voice really reminds me of Ed Norton.

[@rolexmarcelo3218]

Bull's eye!

[@Mr.Zen_73]

After buying and customizing the VSL Yamaha CFX I no longer play any of the other VSTs I have, which include the Garritan, Ravenscroft and Synthogy Ivory II Steinway D. And all the other ones you have reviewed sound like very cheap imitations that would not satisfy me at all, regardless of what I was using it for. I own a beautiful Yamaha C3 grand piano and the only VST that comes close to the enjoyment I get playing a real piano is the VSL.

[@JoeLinux2000]

Too bad the VSL doesn't work with Linux.

[@Zoco101]

I like both of these Yamaha pianos, but I don't see how a CFX VST experience can be like a C3 experience - not in any technical sense. They must behave very differently. I guess you refer to the general satisfaction you get in playing either one. On my DP I have a CF sample, and this sample must seem superficial to you VST buffs, but with the right amplification, I'm in heaven. I think that the action and amplification I have are well matched to the sample - this is so importants, and of course, sound quality is always partly subjective anyway.

[@JoeLinux2000]

@@Zoco101 The quality of the personal musical experience is what counts the most. They used to say on the Saxophone forum, "It's the Indian, not the arrows." Actually Stu makes every instrument he plays sound good. It's just a matter of personal taste.

[@Mr.Zen_73]

@@Zoco101 A VST piano will never be the same, or even really come close to the feel, sound and experience of playing a real grand piano but the VSL Yamaha CFX (Full library version) comes the closest to any other VST piano i've ever played. It's actually a real joy to play and you can forget you're not playing a real 9ft grand. It's expensive but if you want the best it's THE one in my opinion

[@aquaticborealis4877]

But you should be playing the grand piano in a suitable room. Can’t simulate rooms with a real piano

[@kenmiller5583]

I have a Yamaha p71 piano

[@MerriamPianos]

Very nice! :)

[@Pa_929]

Schimmel C189 ist the best Piano Plugin :)

[@MerriamPianos]

I didn't know there was a C189 plug-in, but I can attest to how gorgeous the C189 model is! :)

[@Pa_929]

@@MerriamPianos That doesn't exist either, but I have it for ableton, in detail :)