VI Labs Ravenscroft 275 Piano Review

[@PeaceNinja007]

For anyone wondering (and hopefully I save someone money), I bought the Keyscapes from Spectrasonics. They're good and all. Im looking for the warm intimate sound which Keyscape has. But I couldn't get passed the annoying hissing sound. No matter what I did, I used the internal "de-noise", I even bought a separate plug in to reduce hissing .. which sort of worked but was starting to reduce the sound quality ... I completely forgot the fact that I purchased Ravenscroft like 2 or 3 years before on my old laptop lol I decided to try it out and managed to replicate the exact same warm intimate sound on the Ravenscroft with NO hissing! 🤠

[@JPDC624]

Now THIS is what a demo should be. All the different features, demonstrated, good quality audio and fantastic skill in your playing. Great demo. Great library too, any pianist should own this.

[@wastenottingham3958]

As threatened I purchased the Ravenscroft 275. After more than a week playing with it I have no regrets whatsoever. It is the most realistic sound and feel I've ever experienced with an electronic piano. I learned piano on a real one and played one for more than two decades. This comes closest to replacing my acoustic piano. I like playing again. I'm getting addicted again. As mentioned, I have a Kronos, which is supposed to have a pretty good piano. But it wasn't working for me. Most importantly, playing the R275 inspires me to create again.

[@hifimidi]

Waste Nottingham A great piano will inspire new music. :) Congrats on your purchase.

[@SashaLaceMusicProductions]

hifimidiIts nice to see you being active man! Any chance you'd review IvyAudio's Piano in 162 or Scott Drums. The owner's been giving away the vst's and It'd be awesome for more people to be aware of some really great free options.

[@hifimidi]

+Sasha Lace Just saw this. I'll check it out.

[@SashaLaceMusicProductions]

+hifimidi awesome! look forward to see some more demos :3

[@landschapsbeheervleutendem4344]

I also use Ivory2 and I am not satisfied. So you really convinced me with your tutorial. Many thanks!

[@kumudtsering]

That sounds so real I love it!!!!

[@KegPatcha]

Thanks to your review, now I am a happy owner of true keys pianos. I played in my fathers Steinway since I was a kid, and I hear that these pianos are the best sampled pianos out there. I have tried many others but nothing compare to this. The level of realism is astonishing.

[@esongsore]

Wow...I have Ivory II too, but something remains missing. I love the dynamics of this piano. I am about to work on a solo piano project, and I think this is the way to go.

[@hifimidi]

+Emmanuel Songster you won't regret it. I almost never use Ivory II anymore.

[@thejuggler]

Check out the settings on the Ravenscroft 2015 Namm show. They show the settings variations which are great. You probably already know this is that you can record the midi track with just the close or player setting and then render it at the higher multi mic setting. Love to hear what you get out of it. it is the BOMB.

[@jamiesea231]

Try Sampletekk's White Grand. To me it's the best! I can send you a demo if you like

[@detlefkleinert4844]

Thanks alot for your review ! You made the differences to other dig. pianos very clear - I mostly use IVORY II, but i am not really satisfied. Now I will test the Ravenscroft.

[@wastenottingham3958]

Scripted or not, your video was great. Thank you. My download of Ravenscroft just completed. I was sold on the sound I heard in other videos, especially the fortissimos which, as you state, are very good. It's what sets this one apart from all the others I listened to, imo. To also learn from you that it is very responsive is a huge, huge plus. I almost sprang for PianoTeq for that very reason after playing the demo - playability is fantastic. But the more I listened, the more artificial was the sound of the PTQ pianos. Until now I've only been playing a Korg Kronos, and did not realize the extent of the disconnect between my fingers and the piano coming out of my monitors. I thought I was chronically uninspired. But, a half hour with PTQ convinced me it wasn't just me and there were better options out there. I craved better sound, but I craved the experience of playing PTQ even more. Hopefully, with Ravenscroft I've found the perfect balance. I'll let you know what I think of Ravenscroft after I've had some time to play with it. Thanks again.

[@sarahmarie_11]

Oh my.... I could literally listen to your playing all day. Wow. You are incredibly gifted!

[@lancemgy]

For additional cinematic effects, try experimenting with the Timbre Shift especially lower values. Increase the Pedal and Sympathetic Resonance volumes to high or max values. And here you can blend in just Room mics with Close for more ambiance, or maybe more Room than Close. And if you really want to have some fun, load Half-Pedal and use your mod wheel as the sustain CC and set it right to the edge of full sustain so you get long trails of dampers barely touching strings. Add reverb of your choice and enjoy!

[@JoelEmmanuelMusic]

lancemgy Does timbre shift actually change which samples are played, or is it just a glorified tone control?

[@michebre]

Thanks so much for your awesome review. Just bought it, can't wait to start using it. Best.

[@matrixate]

I want to confirm that the RC275 piano is one of the best sounding pianos as of 2017. Runner ups are the Ivory II, Pianoteq 5, and Production Grand 2. Which one is better? Can't say, because it depends on the need. The 275 sounds just like this video. He just kept it stock and that's how I played it...stock and it sounds fantastic. It sounds super expensive. The highs sound very Jazz-like, and the lows sound rich and lush. I do wonder about the small file size though. Apparently the library is delivered at 44.1kHz, so...I guess you probably don't want to do too much processing or else you'll add fuzziness and diminish the clarity, unless you're using really good plugins. I would avoid EQ except to maybe cut but not boost anything. In fact, I wouldn't use more than the hi and low-pass filters and one single cut where you need it if you're carving out space for another instrument. Other than that, I can say that it really does sound as good as everyone says. I've been working with VSTi pianos for almost 10 years and after hearing this piano, I found it very realistic. I've gotten other piano samples libraries to sound like the 275 but only after a long signal chain of 8 plugins, which ate up a lot of CPU and at a slight loss of clarity, but I got really close to the sound I wanted...which is what the 275 sounds like right out of the box.

[@jReze]

TheChosenOne what do you think about Keyscape?

[@tuneunleashed]

JREZE BEATZ overrated!!!!

[@wastenottingham3958]

Perhaps you didn't hear the phasing issues because the room and side mics' volume was very low or off?

[@Bogdan.Pantir]

hello. great review. congrats! i need an advice. for best results with ravenscroft (sound quality and low latency) do i need an external audio interface? thank you

[@JahariStampley]

Hey, is it possible to transpose to a different key on this program?

[@ericjohn2219]

+JayPianoBird Yes.

[@JahariStampley]

Thanks bro... But how do I do it?

[@hifimidi]

+vilabsaudio I stand corrected! For the life of me, I could not find that. Thank you. :)

[@ChocolateMediaFilm]

Thanks for this straight forward review and nice playing to demonstrate!

[@ChocolateMediaFilm]

really like the feel in your playing style... so natural and real!

[@stamatisklonaris]

Awesome demo that gives a really good idea of the potential of the Ravenscroft 275. At which frequency and how much buffer samples can you play it without dropouts on your system? Thanks

[@VictorEzell]

I downloaded this for my IPad Air a few days ago and I can't get over how close this sounds like a real piano..

[@user-7272hshwk]

Truly great playing . I LOVE IT.

[@ExplorewithSvetlin]

The best review of the 275

[@lasthope5885]

Excellent Review! Just a question.. to use Ravenscroft 275 i need to have an audio interface?

[@hifimidi]

Last Hope58 no, you just need a midi keyboard with USB 2 with an A to B connector plugged into your computer.

[@lasthope5885]

@@hifimidi I have a Digital Grand Piano (Yamaha DGX-650). Can i use this or its not the same?

[@professorthiagocabral]

Hi, hifimidi, thanks for review the Ravenscroft 275. I have one suggestion: tray others MIDI controllers with this virtual instrument, specially for to describe the best experience to simulate the real acoustic piano touch. The Kawai VPC1 its a good option for comparison with others similar instruments. Best regards.

[@hifimidi]

Thiago Cabral I ended up buying the vpc1. Best keys ever. And it goes so well with my 275.

[@drakedoggy103]

hay im planing on buying the VPC1 as well. Do you find that the keys are harder to play the more you play in to the keys ? therefore im between mp11se which has longer keys and further away pivot point... how is your experience with the VPC 1 ?

[@filippobonaventura8801]

Man, your playing is god-given... And the sound quality is also amazing. How did you record that exactly?

[@samscott54]

Nice job thanks enjoying it with the iSymphonic strings and Oberheim synth as well as my Prophet Rev 2 for recording

[@thisaudientlife5425]

Great video, beautiful playing, I will be purchasing. Thanks!

[@unclescott8792]

Lovely playing - and nice opinions as well. Pardon my immaturity, but I was surpassed to see you using Pro Tools! I was expecting to see Logic Pro X....matter of fact, I thought you were using on of the 3rd party color schemes for LPX. At any rate - I enjoyed your review very much. I look forward to the next one, too!

[@kinzokumusic6250]

you should review the garritan CFX Grand! It's totally worth it and definately rivals the ravenscroft!

[@KyoshoBallard]

I need this piano in my life. Anyways, I just found your channel and watched all of your review/comparison videos and find I agree with basically all of your opinions. As such, could you recommend me a realistic-sounding drum VST? In the past I've had people recommend me EZDrummer, and it's..okay. Workable, with added effects from other VSTs. But I'm wondering if you can recommend something better? I'm almost certain you probably can.

[@hifimidi]

Don't know if I have responded, but I highly recommend saving up for superior drummer 2 from toontracks. They make EZ drummer, but it is the pro level version.

[@JoeHensson]

Awesome playing with an awesome plugin.

[@ArgoBeats]

beautiful review and playing

[@OrganicGreens]

Hey man i really like the style of piano you play. Any advice for a new piano player trying to learn that style ?

[@hifimidi]

Phillip Morrison Thanks! Hmmm... I've had a pretty unique musical history, but the way I learned to play was first by ear. Learning chords and scales, then learning to play along with songs from different genres. When I became familiar with musical ideas, I learned to read notes. It has worked for me, but everyone is different. Good luck. Piano is the best instrument. ;)

[@cjklz]

Can you help me to activate the muted strings feature. You changed the controller numbers. I don't realy understand this.

[@synchronizerman]

I have yet to find a demo of this piano in a pop or rock band context (drums, bass, guitar, maybe another electric keyboard, etc.). Does it hold-up / would anyone have such a demo? How are the lowest velocities? The other Truekeys pianos lacked a good selection of "lightest" velocities (i. e. sounded like mezzo forte).

[@European-ye7ne]

Hi...i'd like to ask you a few questions about this software if possible. Here you have them:1) is this app avaiable for windows/pc alone cause i dont have any ipad and im not planning to purchase one? 2) once installed where does the sound come from? from the piano's speakers or the pc's speakers? 3) if i want to record a piano piece in MIDI file, how in the world can i transform it in an acoustic piano sound from this software? 4) ive read that theres is an almost a 50% discount on some day of the year. Whic day is that ?thanks in advance

[@hifimidi]

1. This is available for PC and Mac. It uses the UVI software to hold your libraries. 2. The sound is generated from the piano samples. They will play through your computer. If you have studio speakers or headphones, it will play through those. It will not play through your piano speakers. 3. Not sure what you mean. When you use this software, you are using midi data to trigger audio samples found within the plugin. This is a piano library, so when you input midi notes within your daw, or by using an external controller such as a digital piano, you will hear piano sounds played back. 4. I don’t know. Usually major works holidays. Good luck!

[@drumbangerproduction]

I like the sounds on this, however I'm hearing notes cut off in the middle section closer to the octave below middle C but could be because of the some of the settings you were using, however this is the most tweakable I've seen so far. I'll hold on to piano in blue for a little while

[@hifimidi]

+Donovan Capron I occasionally encounter issues with certain notes. I think they're just bugs.

[@ikstephan]

+Donovan Capron I don't ever get cut off notes with my setup. All very responsive, acurate, direct and natural. In fact it has the best response to my keyboard action of any sampled piano I tried.

[@lewisalexander]

I'd personally recommend VI Labs instruments. I have the full setup and it's just so nice to have that sonic flexibility from a sampled instrument. The ravenscroft has a rather unique quality to it and WELL worth playing, Modern U has a rather vintage but warm sound that speaks in a different way, yet is heaven to play, The True Keys series again is so worth while owning, I'd recommend the lot. If you visit the website www.vilabsaudio.com/truekeyspianos then you'll be in for a nice surprise, a sale on the entire set of libraries including TrueKeys, Ravenscroft and Modern U. If you're looking for creative instruments, these will really excite you. I use these in UVI Falcon with a Studiologic SL88 Studio and it's just a joy to play.

[@pocoapoco2]

For anyone who has a triple sensor keyboard like the Kawai VPC1 that I have, I would not recommend this library. It has a bad programming glitch that I don't think is fixable since the script for this library is password protected. The problem occurs when you are playing repeated notes. When you are taking advantage of the triple sensor setup, if you don't release a key fully and restrike the key another midi note on message is sent but not a note off message. When that happens it will cut the original note and play the new note. If the original note is much louder than the new note that cut will be very unnatural and painfully obvious. I love the sample set on this library, so I'm actually considering moving the sample set over into Kontakt and writing a program. That will be a lot of work, but might be worth it.

[@dreamchasers9197]

i have a pop hit in my daw and i cant finish it cus i feel like this piano is necessary for the style of the song. Too bad im broke :/

[@klkdc]

thank you for this what do you recommend for rhodes sounds ? and keyboard?

[@hifimidi]

Lounge lizard ep4

[@ikstephan]

+klkdc I like Neo Soul keys a lot better than Lounge Lizzard EP4. Try both.

[@thatsforrealmusic6884]

Did you have to purchase an expensive sound card ($3000), in order for the Ravenscroft 275 to sound properly?

[@hifimidi]

No. I'm using a MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM. The system requirements are on their website.

[@XenoeJin]

A moderately good Audio Interface will do good, what's important is the monitors you use and your room acoustics :D

[@matrixate]

Don't forget the sub...that REALLY makes a dramatic impact. Besides, if you're not mixing with a sub, then you just guessing about your lows which implies you're not serious about mixing in the box. Most people are just hobbyists.

[@bobmusikk]

You talked about good and cheap keyboards, which one do you use ?

[@hifimidi]

I'm always buying and selling my gear. Right now I'm using an Akai MPK88, which I bought for $400. Before, I bought a Yamaha CP 33, which I use in this video. You can get those for $500-600.

[@Boomtiger47]

I have it installed and it doesn’t sound nearly as good as yours. The keys sound very quiet when I play using my keyboard midi. But when I click on the key using the virtual keyboard, it sounds great.

[@user-7272hshwk]

You should upload more piano related videos!!!!

[@ikstephan]

UVI Workstation is the player. True Keys isn't the developer. VI Labs is the developer, the company which also sells another product called True Keys. Wasn't so hard, was it?

[@hifimidi]

ikstephan Thank you for your facts and cynicism. :)

[@dreamchasers9197]

I don't believe this man after months of looking for the perfect piano i finally found it, i think this is better than the vienna imperial and way cheaper.

[@TheSchlerm]

Nice. Thank you.

[@MrKeysss]

what keyboard are you using?

[@hifimidi]

+Maxwell Akotia I think I was using a Yamaha CP33 back then. It's a great keyboard for its price.

[@kwrambo]

Thanks

[@davidbantle7992]

I like the Truekeys American Grand better! (same developer) great demo though

[@stockage4434]

Do you know why i can t open Ravenscroft 275 with Pro Tools to my PC? Other with this problem?

[@hifimidi]

Stock Age is it the UVI player or Ravenscroft you can’t open? If it’s the UVI player, it might be that Pro Tools hasn’t verified it in the plugin manager. Check to see if UVI AAX is in your VST folder. If it doesn’t open in your UVI player within Pro Tools, it might not be linking to your hard drive or might not be authorized. I’m not sure. Try restarting your computer.

[@stockage4434]

I can't open the Ravenscroft. The UVI Player opens normal. When in UVI press double click to open browser to choose the instrument shows me only ''Falcon Preset Tour''

[@hifimidi]

Does it work as a stand-alone plugin?

[@stockage4434]

Yes it works normal. Only in Pro Tools I can't open it.

[@hifimidi]

I’m not sure. I’ve had this issue before with logic, and I had to reinstall it and restart my computer. Check your VST folder to see if the AAX extension is in there. Not sure how windows works.

[@rodneylee4026]

It's ok until you try and make it loud with mastering, then sounds digital.

[@mangiyas4475]

wow

[@officialpoa3171]

*The phase-issues are ABSOLUTELY coming from PRO-TOOLS CRAP-ASS ENGINE AND CLOCK - slipPing back and forth and smearing the image!* PROVABLE #UnLOCKyoURFOOL®

[@rolf6738]

wtf is this software

[@pablo-zn1mg]

+Crazy basist a virtual piano.