[sdiy] Other resonator designs

[JH.]

David,

I think you are right. :)

I have an old digital piano (Kawai CA600), and although the samples are ridiculously short, and from the sound of it it only has two 
velocity layers, the built-in speaker system makes it feel much better than when played over headphones. In fact, I prefer that 
CA600's sound over speakers to the Steinberg "The Grand" which I have on my computer. I do *record* with the Steinberg, but I *play* 
with the Kawai. - I also tried to play the Steinberg software over the Kawai's speakers, but then the coloration is bad. Seems Kawai 
did a superb job of integrating whatever (poor) sampling technology was available at the time, with the "body" of the enclosure. 
(There's a multi-band EQ chip in there, too - so we're back on topic of resonators. :) ) So I think you're spot-on about the spatial 
disembodiment of virtual pianos!

Which makes me think of a possible 3rd candidate. Kawai has a new model of digital piano now that uses a real wooden soundboard 
(with an electric transducer) as a part of its built-in speaker system. Might be a good concept!

JH.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David G. Dixon" <dixon at interchange.ubc.ca>
To: "'JH.'" <jhaible at debitel.net>; "'Scott Nordlund'" <gsn10 at hotmail.com>; <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Thursday, August 13, 2009 8:50 AM
Subject: RE: [sdiy] Other resonator designs


Jurgen,

Let me simplify the decision for you:

Digital pianos sound wonderful over good headphones, but it is next to
impossible (in my experience) to make them sound good over any sort of
keyboard amp or sound reproduction system, particularly in a home situation.
Also, even if the timbre isn't total crap, the fact that the sound is
disembodied spatially from the piano is disconcerting.

Do yourself a favor: buy the real piano!  If you have money left over, then
get a decent digital model and use it for digital recordings and night
practice (used Yamaha P80s can be obtained for $500 or less these days, and
they make great MIDI keyboards as well).


> >It's certainly interesting territory.  This may be anathema to sdiy
> types, but this sort of thing can be much more deeply explored
> >in software.  I have found some >piano soundboard, violin, viola, etc.
> impulse responses and I think that these (as well as FFT
> >equalizers) can give a more intense and interesting (to me) effect than
> >the sort of stuff that's easily achieved in the analog
> >domain.  Of course, I'm only speaking of fixed formant filters; I'm not
> discounting other applications of filter >banks and
> >multiple voltage controlled bandpass filters.
>
> It's very interesting what can be done in software (or in digital
> hardware) today.
> I think about spending a considerable amount of money for a piano,
> probably an Essex EUP-123E
> (http://www.steinway.de/instrumente/essex/klaviere.html) which is designed
> by Steinway and sounds *phantastic* for an upright piano
> in that price range. But then again, that Roland V-Piano looks tempting
> just from the description and the demos - it's remarkable
> what modern technology is capable of. Superb digital emulation of a grand
> piano, or wonderful real piano which is "only" an upright,
> for about the same price? That's a hard decision! - I don't know if I'm
> going to spend that money at all, but knowing myself, if I
> do, I'll probably go for the real thing, the Essex.
>
> JH.
>
>
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