Bösendorfer Concert Grand 280VC coming to Pianoteq!

navindra

Bösendorfer on Pianoteq? Wow. I first read of this on PianoClack, but I was skeptical.

Turns out the information is straight from Modartt.

Modartt has been working quietly in the background. Never thought this day would come, even though it's easily the most requested piano model.

Bellyman

I look forward to hearing it, maybe playing it! 🙂

HeartKeys

Nice! Time to sell my 280VC now, since I can just play it on Pianoteq!

Just kidding. But I’ll still plan to get it anyhow.

On another note— they probably should mention András Schiff as well, since he’s seen playing a 280VC. Many of the names they mention were Imperial players.

HeartKeys

@navindra it appears Modartt updated its User Manual, where it no longer displays the 280VC. I currently assume that someone, maybe an intern, placed it in there prematurely?

That said, in Modartt’s Youtube Shorts channel it does sound close enough to a 280VC to me, that it’s nearly a certainty that it’ll be a 280VC, especially given their “spill of beans” within the User Manual, which now has been deleted.

Bellyman

I read it somewhere but my eyes can't seem to find it... when is the release expected?

HeartKeys

Bellyman the screenshot that @navindra posted above is from Modartt’s Pianoteq User Manual as of yesterday.

As of today, it appears their User Manual has deleted that section of the User Manual.

Mindbullets

Bellyman when is the release expected?

Can't comment on that, but they said I could make this public today. 😉

navindra

Mindbullets Can't comment on that, but they said I could make this public today. 😉

Nice scoop!

HeartKeys

Moddart has certainly come a long way. Judging that video and comparing it with the tones from my 280VC acoustic, what stands out is the high registries. It sounds “unfake” compared to previous Pianoteq pianos. The highest notes sound very very similar in tone to my acoustic.

The middle registries I can still tell it’s Pianoteq. But the high really stood out as feeling realistic.

As for the bass, I think it sounds very solid, more than any piano currently in their arsenal. I still think the other pianos’ bass isn’t as rich as their acoustic/ real counterparts. Perhaps when Modartt creates Pianoteq 9 they’ll revamp the bass for the other instruments.

HeartKeys

Looks like it’s live now!

HeartKeys

UPDATE

Okay, I just purchased the instrument. Here are my first impressions:

Tone: for the low and high registries, sounds realistically similar to my 280VC acoustic piano.
Presets: they’re quieter than similar pianos’ presets. Also, the “Classical Recording” preset has less reverb than other pianos’ settings (e.g., Petrof, Steinway Classical Recordings, which sounds very concert hall’esque).
Pedal Action: sounds way better. A lot quieter than other pianos’ presets. One of my quips with Pianoteq is that their presets always has an annoyingly loud pedal.
It’s clear to me that Modartt (the maker of Pianoteq) has leveraged its learnings from previous/current instruments, and improved upon this particular piano.
I’ve played many Steinway Ds, Bluthner Model Ones, Steingraeber 272 and 232, and C. Bechstein D282, and I think Modartt almost does those pianos justice, but the bass on those Pianoteq still sound relatively hollow compared to the actual instruments. This is where Modartt really did the 280VC justice. Compared to the other pianos anyway. I’ve always loved the Bosendorfer bass, so I’m positively shocked they emulated this sound very well (for a modeled piano).
My main drawback of the Pianoteq 280VC, is that the midrange needs some tweaking. Given I am pretty happy with the high and lows, it means they could’ve increased the strength of the mid. I imagine that’ll get updated in the next patch.
You have to download Pianoteq 8.3 to get the 280VC. And at this moment, it doesn’t exist on iOS which might take a few weeks to perhaps happen. Pianoteq seems to lag in its updates on iOS compared to its PC/Mac counterparts. So for now, you’ll have to play with a computer, and your phone and tablets are useless for now.

My first impressions, after having played this for about 10 mins.

Mindbullets

HeartKeys That's some high praise from someone with the real deal! Cool insights, thanks for sharing. I agree the bass finally feels BIG.

Here's my favorite demo so far:

I'm looking forward to seeing what can be done with custom presets, too.

Mindbullets

HeartKeys You have to download Pianoteq 8.3 to get the 280VC. And at this moment, it doesn’t exist on iOS which might take a few weeks to perhaps happen

It’s up!

HeartKeys

Mindbullets thanks! I just downloaded it on my iPhone and now playing songs with my fingers 🙂

bSharp

I tested this on an Ipad. Sounds ok. I don't understand the Felt presets though. What do you use that for 😃

HeartKeys

bSharp I don't understand the Felt presets though. What do you use that for

Probably for the occasional pensive piece. I could see one messing with Ravel, Debussy, Philip Glass, or modern Indie music. Or a very sentimental, close to the end of movie, song. Or Enya. Or Bach Prelude No.1. Or Jim Brickman.

You likely wouldn’t do it for something like Liszt, Rachmaninoff! 🙂

Bellyman

Interesting. I signed on over at Pianoclack just to see what it was like. Felt like a constant war zone. Here, if you like the new Bose, great, if you don't, that's OK to. Over there, they're ready to pull out the tanks and rocket launchers at the drop of a hat, and don't dare actually like Pianoteq. Dang. Thankful that you guys are civil.

Mindbullets

Bellyman Those guys are ... zealous, lol. They seem particularly salty that Pianoteq still has a modeled sound to it after all these years.

I love Pianoteq for what it is. It's remarkably playable, versatile, never glitches on me, and the sound quality is impressive (IMHO) given the resource requirements. And it's a small company with very reasonably priced instruments.

Anyway, I agree, it's nice here. 🙂

MacMacMac

Bellyman Interesting. I signed on over at Pianoclack just to see what it was like. Felt like a constant war zone.

Piano Clack "wars" primarily revolve around a couple or three trolls. Block them and the wars become invisible.

The moderation over there is extremely permissive. Deliberately, I think.
There's (almost) nothing that cannot be said.
There's (almost) nothing said that will be deleted.
And there's no such thing as being banned.

With such freedom comes the occasional anarchist.
Fortunately there are only a few of them. I just block them.
BTW ... some of them are here, too.

Jazzpunk

Bellyman I hung out there for a minute but quickly realized it was not for me. I requested my account be deleted which the host will do. Nice to see some familiar faces here and hoping it’s a less contentious hang than either PW or PianoClack.

HeartKeys

Mindbullets Those guys are ... zealous, lol

And it’s not even on the topic of politics. Just imagine!! 🙂

Bellyman

Mindbullets

Actually, I like the new piano! I could see myself using it. (I can see how I might wanna tweak a few things for my own liking, but I suspect that's pretty normal for most people.)

One of the things I'd actually like to try out for myself is a few of the Pianoteq pianos and compare them to the Roland German Grand expansion pianos that reside on my RD-2000. Not that I'm unhappy with the current Roland sound, I'd just like to see (hear) for myself, side by side. More like exploring than critiquing.

Maybe I just don't play the same way or play the same music as other folks. I honestly find some of the old recordings of Bill Evans, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Vince Guaraldi , can be pleasing in a quaint kind of way that the finest concert grand just doesn't do. That weathered and tired sound of an old piano, nobody wants that if they wanna play Chopin. But I haven't played Chopin seriously for years. 🙂