Akoustic Piano: Feels like the first time?

I totally agree with you that it's in the programming. I still believe, however, that even if NI spent a thousand hours tweaking the velocity curves, they still would not satisfy piano purists. People demand different things from a piano, which is why there are so many different brands of piano that are successful. Steniways feel different than Baldwins, which feel different than Bechsteins, which feel different than Yamahas, etc. Therefore, it seems impossible to me to create one single virtual piano program that can satisfy everyone. No matter how good the programming is, and even if the program ran flawlessly. Playing the piano is *not* (I repeat -- NOT) just about velocity. There are a million more things to consider.

I liken the whole experience to watching the Spideman movies. The movies look fantastic and the CGI is amazing -- the swooping through buildings and the jumping and the fighting and the blazing speed of everything. But. If you're watchful enough, you will see that it's all fake. The gravity isn't quite right, the skin tones are too pure, the collision detection is a little off. There's something rubbery and weightless about it. And that's how I felt when I heard the AP samples online, even though many will admit that the samples are of extremely high quality for what they are.

I also agree that Propellerheads is one of the absolute best when it comes to released software in a very final, polished state. I've purchased several products from them (Reason, ReCycle, updates, and sample packages), and I've never had a single stability or performance issue in many years. I also agree that NI is one of the worst, judging from these message boards. After I get whatever updates they are making for AP, I probably won't purchase anything else from them.

I feel like I've been talking in circles for the last couple of posts, so I'll stop now. I think I've made my points. I'll just lie in waiting for an AP update like everyone else.

 

Hi - the only thing I don't like is ther notes are all the same volume, wether pressed hard or softly - is that normal for AP?

 

Yes, AP is indeed velocity-sensitive!

Perhaps your keyboard is not sending velocity information. Or something in your MIDI setup is filtering velocity.

AP most definitely would be useless as a piano if it were not sensitive to how hard the keys are struck! Its responsiveness is one of its most impressive qualities, and is the main reason that the samples take up so much space.