Kawai Piano Prices: Native Instruments Akoustik Piano: Sample Based Acoustic Piano Review

FYI, since writing this review a couple of years ago I bought an acoustic piano (a Charles Walter, which is an excellent value in an American-made piano).Everything I said about Akoustik Piano still goes--it's an incredible program.Having been spoiled by the fact that Akoustik Piano is always in tune, I've ended up calling in the tuner/tech about 4x/year to keep my piano spot on.

Here's my Akoustik Piano review:
This review is based on release 1.1.2 (released January 2007). While the version reviewed in December 2005 may have been a "beta" quality release, it's ready for prime time now. I'm running Akoustik Piano as a stand-alone instrument and outputting it to a mid- to high-end stereo system through a USB 2.0 audio interface.It runs flawlessly on my Macbook Pro with the samples stored on the laptop's internal drive. My MIDI keyboard controller is a Kawai ES3 (which works well).

I truly doubt any software "instrument" will ever replace a top quality, well maintained large or concert-sized grand piano. That said, the quality of these samples is truly marvelous. When I go to my lessons and play my teachers' Boston, it only reinforces my opinion that nobody using this program need feel that they are playing anything but a high quality, meticulously tuned and regulated "piano." One precaution, though. I have become a tuning snob since I've started using this program.It's great playing pianos that are simply dead on every time.Once you do, you will realize how many pianos are not--even in professional musicians' homes!!

This program contains 3 sampled grands and a nice upright. The Steinway is the best of the three. Maybe that is because the real thing is so great--it's my favorite among acoustic pianos.Initially I thought the voicing on the Bosendorfer was too bright, but it has grown on me.I like using it for Bach in particular--with the piano "well-tempered."The Bechstein is nice, too, but the D5 (2 D's above middle C) and Dsharp5 are a little bright, which can be irritating. I'm not sure where it fits with my repertoire relative to the Steinway which I love and the Bosendorfer with it's unique and special sound.However, if it were the only grand included with this program, I think most users would like it.The upright piano is fun and sounds neat.I don't play it much except when I am demonstrating the program to curious musician friends, but I can see how some people would find it ideal for their style of playing.

The user adjustments and controls in this program are useful but not overkill. I particularly like being able to change the velocity curve of the keyboard.There is plenty of information on these available at Native Instruments' and other "professional" review sites, so I won't bore you. Of note, though, I have tried some of the non-modern tunings on Bach, and they really work well on pieces written for the "well-tempered" piano. If you're playing more standard repertoire, stick to equal or stretch tuning, though, as the other tunings will simply sound out of tune on Beethoven, Chopin et al.

I did a fairly extensive tryout of Synthogy's "Ivory."In my opinion, Akoustik Piano is a WAY better product. Ivory CONSTANTLY accessed the external hard drive, creating a lot of noise in the process. Ivory's interface allows you to control every aspect of the program's sound--so much so that it is very confusing and difficult to navigate. Akoustik Piano's adjustments are limited to those most important to me. Ivory's Steinway is not nearly as good as Akoustik Piano's. It sounds as though it were recorded through a fog.Ivory's Bosendorfer sounds a little more like the real thing on the bottom end--if you've ever played a real Bosendorfer, you'll know what I mean.Initially, this is very enticing.But I tired of it after a while because the top end of the piano lacked the clarity of Akoustik Piano. Of note, the MIDI velocity utility in Ivory is better than Akoustik Piano's.It lets the user control the minimum, maximum touch on the keyboard and all points in between.

There have been a couple of reviews which compared the two and gave the upper hand to Akoustik Piano but were a little more kind to Ivory (notably Electronic Musician). In my opinion they had to say something nice about Ivory since Synthogy is spending a lot of money on advertising in their pages.

The reason I selected Akoustik Piano over Ivory was that the system requirements are not as demanding, THE STEINWAY SOUNDS GREAT (did I mention the Steinway is really nice?), the controls are easier to use, and it was available with academic pricing (a fantastic deal if you qualify!).If you have a really high-end computer, an extra hard drive (that's quiet) and the Bosendorfer sound in the bottom couple of octaves is very important to you, your decision might be more difficult.

I never tried the initial 1.0 release of Akoustik Piano.Apparently it was pretty rough.Fortunately the Native Instruments improved it and I think it is safe to say that it's the top software piano at the moment.Hopefully they will keep improving the product and maybe add some interesting pianos--ala Synthogy's "The Italian Grand."

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Product Description:
The Steinway D, Bechstein D 280, and Boesendorfer 290 Imperial grand pianos, plus the Steingraeber 130 vintage upright piano come together beautifully in Akoustik Piano. High-quality sampled sounds are expressive, precise, and very playable. Akoustik Piano covers the entire range of piano sounds and styles, transfusing the sonic characteristics and subtle tonal nuances of all 4 into your computer-the perfect complement for studios, rehearsal rooms, schools, stages and clubs.Authentic Sounds Akoustik Piano sets a new benchmark for sound quality, capturing the full body and feel of the originals with unprecedented authenticity. The latest recording technology and a specially developed microphone setup was used for all 4 pianos. The result is a uniquely warm, transparent and flexible sound that delivers the same distinctive character of each individual piano in exacting detail and can still be adjusted to meet specific needs.Plays Easy Akoustik Piano plays and responds exactly as real pianos do. The keys were sampled at varying velocities and great care was taken to capture the entire sustain and release phases. The innovative Layer Morphing Technology generates a seamless dynamic gradient. The characteristic resonances caused by use of the pedals can be adjusted, as can the subtle mechanical noises of the pedals and keys themselves. From perfect pianissimo to forceful fortissimo, this instrument delivers the same breadth and depth of tone as the originals.Add sounds to a space Akoustik Piano has a first-class integrated convolution module, allowing highly authentic spatial characteristics to be added to the sound. Place the piano in a studio, jazz club, concert hall, or a cathedral or use the dry signal as it is. The acoustic parameters of these spaces, such as the size, can also be manipulated. From the close mic setup of a jazz combo to the more ambient nature of classic solo performance, Akoustik Piano covers the whole spectrum.