And kudos to Modartt for including unique instruments like the Hohner Pianet N and T, and a model of the RMI Electra-Piano. I wasn’t disappointed.įrom a Queen-era reed piano entitled “You’re My Best Friend” that nailed the bark and bite of the original, to a convincingly processed Rhodes MK1 model named “Sweet Flanger” that sounded straight out of a Styx song, Pianoteq 6’s electrics are bound to impress everyone from a jazzer to a Prog fan. For those of us who will never get a chance to hear many of these rare keyboard instruments in person, Pianoteq 6 affords the opportunity to experience their essence at home.īeing no stranger to the world of Wurlitzers, Rhodes pianos and Hohner Clavinets (my trusted Wurly 200A sits beside me as I type), I was interested to hear what Pianoteq 6’s electrics had to offer. It featured historical models like those by Broadwood, Pleyel and Erard keyed percussion such as vibraphone, celesta and toy piano and predecessors to the piano such as concert harp and harpsichord - each with its own singular sound.
The Studio bundle arrived stocked with instruments beyond just standard grand and uprights. For instance, some of the Steinway B varieties include those named Recording, Close Mic, and Cosmic, each with its own character and sonic imprint. Acoustic and electric offeringsĪs someone who has gigged for the past decade with, generally, hardware-based digital pianos (typically offering only a handful of presets), Pianoteq 6 is a veritable cornucopia of pianistic possibilities - from Steinway B and D grands (approved by the instrument manufacturer, itself ) to more esoteric models by Grotrian, Steingraeber and others. This mission control-style GUI helps the user navigate the myriad of customizable parameters quite well, and I found myself diving into different sounds and tone-shaping options right away. Next, you are taken to Pianoteq’s main screen, which displays the current keyboard preset, as well as options for instrument tuning, voicing and design. After installation and authorization, you select and calibrate your MIDI controller and audio output interface.