Piano samples for live use

[waaktaar]

I played a gig last night (in a rock band). After the concert, the sound technician came up to me and said the piano sound (which I use on approximately half of the songs) sounded a bit dull and undefined. I use the newest version of the Studio Grand 2 C7 XL, straight through the PA. Have you ever experienced any problems with this set up? Or do you think the sound technician was wrong /f%cked the sound up?

EDIT: And what samples do you use? Are some better than others for live use?

[olafhaugan]

I dont think the sound technician was wrong at all!

Translated to norwegian:
Hei.
Jeg har selv en NS compact og er veldig fornøyd med den. Men pianolyden er ikke bruklig i det hele tatt i visse settinger. (Jeg bruker vanligvis NS mest til Orgel og en YAMAHA S90ES til piano)

Jeg har gitt den mange sjanser med ulik PA og ulik monitoring, men den har aldri funka bra. På en spillejobb ble jeg nødt til å dra hjem å hente s90ES'en min fordi trommisen på jobben nesten ikke gadd å spille med meg hvis jeg brukte NSen... Jeg har nå kjøpt meg et MotifXS rack for å ha en god pianolyd samtidig som riggen er lett å ta med seg.

Pianolyden er veldig fin hvis man spiller alene med masse sustainpedal. Den låter jo veldig naturtro, men det er ikke alltid det man trenger i et band, den skjærer liksom ikke igjennom riktig.

Det spørs hvor rocka bandet er, men jeg har noen ganger lagt på litt vreng samtidig som jeg har komprimert ganske kraftig, da får du en ganske kul og skitten pianolyd, som ikke låter fint alene, men funker i sammenhengen.

-Olaf

[Bjosko]

Sorry, more on norwegian, I hope Google can transfer the other way ;-)


Jeg er delvis enig i dere.

Det kunne være fint hvis man hadde en mulighet for å "slå av" funksjonen med at de øverste oktaver er med sustain hele tiden, ihvertfald en oktav mere.
En annen ting jeg pleier å gjøre, er å endre anslagsfølsomheten et hakk, husker ikke helt hva funksjonen hetter her og nå, Dynamic? , så får du litt spissere lyd uten å slå hendene av ledd. Det pleier å gi litt ekstra i 50-60 talls rockabilly ala Elvis, Chuck Berry M.M.

Romklangen kan også "mudre" lyden lidt, jeg foretrekker å spille uten.

Noe helt annet er at det jo stadig er himmelsk forskjell på stereo og mono-lyd, på senen får jeg kun mono via monitorene, det er ikke den beste lyd, ut er det
fin lyd i stereo, men det krever også lidt tid med equalizeren på våres PA.

[waaktaar]

Thanks to both of you for input!

I'm very happy with my stage, and if I'm going to get another keyboard it'll be a nord wave for playing my own samples.

Anyways:

I will try to play without the build-in reverb. I like to mix the reverb myself to better make a "room" that suits the song in particular, but I'll try leaving this entirely to the sound technician.

I'll also try playing around with the dynamics-setting, particulary on the "rockier" songs.

[Gustavo]

Hola! (dont worry wont write in spanish... this time XD)

I think that although the Yamaha samples sound very realistic, they are not suited for the rock context. If I remember well, one of the steinway piano samples was actually perfect for the job. Also, I would recommend setting the dynamic curve to the third setting, so that notes sound "harder" and with that you will get a more "defined" sound. You could also try processing it a bit, like adding compression but just a bit. You can also try the upright piano, it may suit you well.

I recommend trying out every piano sample before hand. Just delete all samples in your stage and try to load the most pianos you can at a time. Iy could take you a while to try out all samples (and dont forget to mark those you like!), but it will be well worth it.

Also, the Yamaha Cp80 could do the trick, after all it was meant to be a "giggning piano". I have had some experiments with this and it sounds quite good, very defined sound and not mushy at all (as sometimes a piano feels in some band contexts)

Hope this helps,
Gustavo

[waaktaar]

Hi Gustavo!

When the 4.xx samples were released, someone on the yahoo nord stage made comparison-mp3's of the different piano samples. I listened to them and chose the one that sounded more natural. I think I'm going to listen through them again, however, playing the stage. There's one I haven't tried called "Stage Grand", for instance.

I always mix in a little bit of the upright piano for some extra character.

I'll try adding som compression, and change the dynamics, thanks!