The soft and delicate felt piano sound reminds of certain movie soundtracks, bringing a dark, intimate, cozy blanket of foggy delight.
It includes five historical instruments built between 1600 and 1858, provided by instrument collector Peter Karsten, Braunschweig, Germany.
Pianoteq and Organteq will be demonstrated by the young talented musician Carlos Carranza who owns a Bachelor in Audio Production at the Los Angeles Film School.
Pianoteq will be demonstrated by sound designer and composer Javier Bermudo. Javier has worked with music and sound effect recreation for Apple, Showtime, MTV, Nickelodeon, HBO and others. Besides editing and mixing audio for the post production industry, he is teaching piano lessons as well as servicing and repairing pianos in the Miami area.
Participants who will not win will get a 20 Euro value coupon as a consolation prize.
IMSTA FESTA is open to anyone interested in the art of music making; professional and semi-professional musicians, songwriters, music producers, and audio engineers, as well as music students and educators.
Pianoteq will be demonstrated there by Zachary Calderon who specializes in tailoring original music for motion picture.
In Chicago, July 25, take the opportunity to visit the IMSTA FESTA show at SAE Institute, 820 N. Orleans Street. This free event is open to anyone interested in the art of music making; professional and semi-professional musicians, songwriters, music producers, and audio engineers, as well as music students and educators. Pianoteq will be demonstrated there by Jazz, Blues, and R&B pianist John Talmadge. John's credits include extensive touring with international blues artist Lonnie Brooks, and John has also shared the stage with Buddy Guy, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Wilson Pickett, the Blues Brothers, and Koko Taylor. Free entrance, pre-registration mandatory. More details
Modartt releases Hohner Collection for Pianoteq, authorized by Hohner.
The Clavinet D6, which Modartt released for Pianoteq in 2010, is now joined by two other members of the Hohner instrument family - the Electra-piano and the Pianet T. These electro-mechanical pianos have appeared in many hit records from the sixties and seventies including "She’s not there" by The Zombies, "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin and "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder.
The virtual copies for Pianoteq benefit from its physical modelling engine - the octave range is extended to seven octaves, a sustain pedal is added for the Pianet T and the Clavinet D6, and physical properties of the instruments can be modified.
The Hohner Collection, sold as an instrument pack, requires the latest update 5.2 of Pianoteq and is free for all Pianoteq customers with a licence of the Clavinet instrument pack.
We are proud to announce that Pianoteq 5 Pro has won the Platinum Award in the category Best Software Instrument, as part of the 2015 MusicTech Gear Of The Year.
"Still the best way to get authentic, belieavable acoustic piano on your computer while using hardly any space, powerful and playable."
Let us proudly present Toy Piano for Pianoteq. It is based on a Michelsonne "piano miniature", praised for its beautiful unique sound, extended from two to four octaves.
The Toy Piano is included in the Celeste instrument pack and requires the latest Pianoteq update 5.1.3.
More details
Thank you all of you who participated in the Pianoteq video contest 2014! Lots of impressing videos... and a tough competition... This year, instead of letting Modartt decide the winners, we let everyone vote for their top 3 entries. Watch the winning entries
In cooperation with Music Marketing, the young talented jazz/r&b pianist Quincy Bullen will do two Pianoteq demos as follows:
- Nov 15th – Long & McQuade, 2777 Steeles Ave W, North York, Ontario, Canada
- Nov 22nd – Long & McQuade, 1133 Markham Rd, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
You will learn how to control timbre, adjust hammers, edit velocity curves, control mechanical noises, calibrate your controller, manage effects, explore historical instruments, and much more...
The KIViR collection of historical instruments now takes into account the refined physical model of Pianoteq 5, resulting in increased presence and clarity. The collection is free for all Pianoteq customers.
More details | DownloadVersion 5.1 offers an improved binaural algorithm based on a new dummy head model, bringing a stunning three-dimensional sound experience.
The D4 Grand Piano is now slightly improved by re-voicing, bringing increased timbre dynamics to the bass range and more transparency to the medium range.
It is now possible to easily switch to an extended octave range of the D4 and K2 Grand Pianos and the KIViR collection of historical instruments.
The update is free for all Pianoteq 5 customers.
Download full version | Download trial version
If you are nearby Toronto on September 6th, 2014, take the opportunity to visit the IMSTA FESTA show at RTA School of Media at Ryerson University. This free event is open to anyone interested in the art of music making; professional and semi-professional musicians, songwriters, music producers, and audio engineers, as well as music students and educators. Pianoteq will be demonstrated there by the young talented jazz/r&b pianist Quincy Bullen. More details
After having devoted two years of research to developing and refining the award-winning Pianoteq physical model, we are proud to present Pianoteq 5. This major upgrade brings a new clarity and authenticity to the piano sound. It offers no less than nine new piano models, and sound recording is taken to a higher level of control with the addition of directional microphones, letting the user choose from a range of well-known microphone brands.
More details
We are proud to announce that Pianoteq 4.5 Pro has received an award in the category Best Software Instrument, as part of the 2014 MusicTech Gear Of The Year.
"Modartt’s Pianoteq Pro 4.5 is an absolutely fantastic software instrument, combining an intuitive interface with high quality, innovative mathematical approach to generating incredible piano sounds..."
As a Christmas gift to all Pianoteq customers, we are delighted to present the Klaus P. Rausch sound design collection which includes 12 exciting presets of Pianoteq instruments.
Thanks to all of you who participated in the Pianoteq video contest 2013! Similar to last year's contest, we are very happy with the high quality of the videos and for that reason give value coupons of 20 euro each (instead of 10 euro each) to those participants who did not win.
- See the winning entries
on the forum |
on the website
- Contest rules
On September 28, at the SAE Institute in New York, it is time again for the yearly IMSTA FESTA event. IMSTA FESTA brings a collection of top music technology companies together in an environment where they can interact with music makers face-to-face. Admission is free but all visitors must register on-line. Pianoteq will be demonstrated there by Julio Herrera. More details
Why does a piano sound like a piano? That is the name of our new tutorial where we step by step explain and illustrate the nature of the piano sound and how to recreate it using physical modelling - check it out.
Modartt proudly presents the very first upright piano model for Pianoteq: the U4 add-on. Emphasizing the characteristics of upright pianos, it offers 21 exciting presets demonstrating the versatility of the instrument.
Besides the beautiful timbre of well-built acoustic pianos, there are higher inharmonicity and increased imperfections in presets such as Honky Tonk, Vintage, Detuned, Ruined, Bierkeller, Tacky, Wavy, Weathered, Club...
Pianoteq 4.5 includes an updated engine using an improved physical model of the hammer/string interaction which benefits the new U4 Upright Piano and the D4, K1, YC5 and Blüthner Model 1 grand pianos. The timbre variation is now more refined, bringing more intimacy and stronger attack at fortissimo. Included in this new version is a new Condition parameter that allows with a simple click to modify the state of the instrument from freshly-tuned to completely worn-out. The upgrade is free to all Pianoteq customers with a licence of version 4.0 or later.
Download from user area | Download trial version
Kawai has announced the VPC1, a brand new piano-oriented MIDI controller developed especially for use with virtual piano software. This professional controller is equipped with Kawai's sophisticated wooden-key keyboard action, featuring grade-weighted hammers, ivory-like key surfaces, and let-off simulation. In addition, the VPC1 also includes a triple pedal unit, detachable music rest, and editor software. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the VPC1 includes a specially prepared touch curve for Pianoteq users, which has been tested and approved by the Modartt team. More details
"Pianoteq is the world leader in fully modelled virtual piano sound, and when controlled by the VPC1 delivers an incredibly expressive playing experience. I believe this great combination establishes a new standard in virtual piano quality."
IMSTA (International Music Software Trade Association) invites you to participate in the "Let's Talk Piracy" Survey. Take the opportunity to also participate in their contest with a Pianoteq licence to win. More details.
As a Christmas gift to all our customers, we hereby announce a Neupert Clavichord, based on a "Modell Philipp Emanuel Bach". The clavichord, invented in the early 14th Century, is a predecessor to the piano and to the more recent clavinet. It is a popular instrument for playing music from the Renaissance and Baroque period but can in fact also be heard in modern music such as in recordings by Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Tori Amos and The Beatles.
More details | Listen
As a Pianoteq customer, you can now make use of the following new exclusive promotional offer, available in the user area: 5% discount on LACHNIT FLK keyboards
The LACHNIT FLK Keyboard is a high quality MIDI Masterkeyboard, developed with passion and love. Each keyboard is hand crafted, assembled and regulated in collaboration with professional pianists. The patented FLK Hammer Lichtsensorik technology provides you the experience of absolute authenticity and superb dynamics, resembling to real grand pianos. The main developer of the Lachnit FLK keyboard, Fritz Lachnit, has more than 10 years of experience in keyboard development for Bösendorfer where he was in charge of the development of the CEUS reproducing system.
As a Pianoteq customer, you can now make use of the following new exclusive promotional offer, available in the user area: FREE one-year subscription of International Piano (digital edition)
In cooperation with Rhinegold Publishing, we give away a FREE one-year subscription (worth £24.99) of the digital edition of International Piano magazine, written for pianists and discerning fans of piano music. Each bi-monthly issue includes interviews with top pianists and rising talents, performance tips, news, features, analysis and comments. You will find exclusive tutorials by concert artists, in-depth articles on piano recordings and repertoire, masterclasses on piano technique, and festival, concert and competition reports from around the globe. Each issue includes free sheet music – often rare or newly released works.
Publish your own video on YouTube where you are using Pianoteq 4, such as playing the piano or demonstrating a feature. We will decide and announce 3 winners who will receive up to 400 Euro in value coupons.
More details
Authorized by Blüthner, we proudly present the world's first physical model of Blüthner's finest grand piano, widely celebrated for use on the concert stage. The round warm tonal character of the Blüthner Model 1 is accurately rendered by Pianoteq's physical model, bringing sparkling treble notes and powerful bass.
More details | ListenOn Saturday, September 22, it is time again for the big yearly IMSTA Festa exhibition in New York. Admission will be free. Check out Pianoteq's latest developments there and have a chat with the Pianoteq specialist and pianist Julio Herrera. More details
The popular Rhody R1 instrument, included as part of the Electric Pianos add-on, has found its successor in Rhody R2, which is a free update. The sound, presence and response are all improved with increased accuracy. By using the new exciting effects in Pianoteq 4, such as Amp, Chorus, Tremolo, and the new Tine noise parameters, the Rhody R2 can be transformed into amazingly expressive variants.
We hereby present Steelpans add-on for Pianoteq.
This exciting new add-on includes 4 instruments offering a superb playability: Steel Drum, Spacedrum, Hand Pan and Tank Drum.
More details | Listen | Buy
Pianoteq 4 Stage (formerly known as Pianoteq PLAY) is based on the same recently refined acoustic model as in version 4 of Pianoteq Standard and PRO. It is the choice of the budget-minded musician who does not need to modify the sound. The new stunning Grand Piano D4 is included as well as several new features such as convolution reverb and a set of new effects.
More details | Listen to audio samples | Buy/Upgrade
As a Christmas gift to all Pianoteq customers, we hereby announce our latest instrument add-on: a virtual copy of a Tubular Bells, also known as Symphonic Chimes. More details
Just like last year, Pianoteq with all its add-on instruments will be demonstrated by Julio Herrera at IMSTA Festa exhibition on September 24 at SAE Institute, 1293 Broadway, 9th floor, New York. Free entrance, pre-registration required. More about IMSTA Festa
Will Wernick, manufacturer of the MIDI controller Xylosynth, demonstrated his products using Pianoteq at the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) exhibition in February. On his monitor we can see the Pianoteq interface with the Xylo add-on loaded.
In the FXP Corner you can download settings and instruments created by other Pianoteq users. We have now added a new feature that lets you easily add your own FXP files (together with a MIDI and audio sample) to the FXP Corner and manage those files you have previously uploaded. You can also rate each FXP file uploaded by other users. Visit the new FXP Corner here.
We have created a webpage where you can listen to Pianoteq rendering MIDI files used in the Minnesota Piano-e-Competition. The files were originally recorded by talented pianists on Yamaha Disklavier Pro grand pianos and played back on an identical instrument in front of judges and audiences. Some of the MIDI files are using the high resolution MIDI XP format (almost 10 times as detailed as the standard MIDI format), supported in the latest version 3.6.6 of Pianoteq.
We are proud to announce that Pianoteq Pro receives EM 2011 Editors Choice Award for Most Innovative Product:
Note-by-note editing is what really sets Pro apart from previous versions of Pianoteq and is what earned it this year's award.
As an early Christmas gift to our customers, we hereby release a virtual copy of a 1926 Pleyel grand piano Model F, available in the latest version of the KIViR add-on collection of historical instruments. Chopin preferred to compose and perform on Pleyel pianos and it was also used by other major composers, such as Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky. The Pleyel sound can be described as round, warm and sensual. More details | Listen
Pianoteq is currently being demonstrated at Music Austria, Rieder Musikmesse. Here, Georg Watzek (piano builder, on the right) and Philippe Guillaume (Modartt, on the left) show real and virtual copies of a Schantz pianoforte.
Try out Pianoteq with all its add-on instruments at IMSTA Festa exhibition on September 25 at SAE Institute, 1293 Broadway, 9th floor, New York. Free entrance, pre-registration required. In a nice quiet room you can enjoy and explore the Pianoteq sounds being demonstrated by the pro pianist Julio Herrera (check out the interview with him on the IMSTA Festa website).
We now offer two new price worthy add-on collections:
Chromatic percussion (Vibes, Celeste, Xylo) 99 € |
Rock (Electric Pianos, Clavinet, Rock Piano) 89 € |
The new Xylo add-on includes a Xylophone and a Bass Marimba. These are similar to the vibraphone but are using wooden bars instead of aluminium. They are both popular jazz instruments and are also used in other musical styles from classical to Latin and rock. The Marimba add-on instrument is modelled after a modern five-octave French brand bass marimba whereas the Xylophone add-on is modelled after a modern 3.5-octave French brand.
Listen | Read more | Buy
The latest instrument add-on for Pianoteq includes a Celesta and a Glockenspiel, appreciated for their pure bell-like sound. These instruments are still popular today, appearing in everything from marching bands to jazz ensembles. The celesta is modelled after a modern five-octave German brand and the glockenspiel after a modern French brand, slightly extended to cover four octaves.
Listen | Read more | Buy
Pianoteq PLAY is based on the award winning physical model, offered in Pianoteq 3 and Pianoteq 3 PRO, praised by many musicians for its close intimacy and responsiveness. Pianoteq PLAY is not for tweaking settings and parameters. With Pianoteq PLAY you are focusing entirely on your playing. Pianoteq PLAY includes the same instruments, sounds and playability. All this for an unbeatable price: 99 €.
Read more | Download trial version | Buy
We have expanded our collection of high class pianos in the latest version 3.6 of Pianoteq by the addition of the magnificent K1 Grand Piano. This new instrument, produced in the Modartt virtual piano factory, combines stunning dynamics, sharp attacks and powerful fortissimos with a very nice woody percussive quality.Listen | Read more
Download upgrade | Download trial version
We are proud to release the CL1 - a clavinet add-on, bringing you the very characteristic sound heard in many rhythms & blues, pop, funk, disco and reggae songs from the seventies. The clavinet add-on is modelled after the well-known D6 electric clavichord. Thanks to the powerful technology provided by physical modelling, it offers in contrast to the original instrument a sustain pedal, an extended range from C0 to C6 (original range F0 to E5), a variable mute bar, continuous pick-up mixing, and possibilities to adjust the timbre such as hammer hardness, overtones and resonator. There is also a wah-wah feature and customized EQ presets. The clavinet add-on is embedded in demo mode in Pianoteq's latest version 3.5.3 and can be unlocked for 49 €. Read more.
As a Christmas gift to all Pianoteq customers, we are glad to offer a cimbalom add-on, the latest addition to our KIViR family of virtually restored historical instruments. The instrument, of oriental ancestry, can be regarded as the precursor of the piano.
Christmas is approaching, so we will for that reason give away 60 rebate coupons with values from 50 € to 100 € each. Just answer a few questions to participate in the lottery. You can use the coupon for purchase of any of our products on this site. Participate here before December 17.
We are proud to present the release of Pianoteq Pro, announced in June 2007 on the Pianoteq forum and eagerly awaited by many customers. Pianoteq Pro is the advanced version of Pianoteq and the ultimate tool for sound shaping and instrument creation, offering note per note adjustment for no less than 22 physical parameters. Pianoteq Pro is the natural choice for composers, audio engineers, keyboardists and others who are interested in having full freedom to create and adapt the Pianoteq sound to their own needs. The price of the pro version is 399 € (150 € upgrade from the standard version). More details here.IMSTA (International Music Software Trade Association) invite you to participate in their Piracy Survey. Take the opportunity to also participate in their contest with a Pianoteq licence to win. More details.
We proudly present the brand new Rock Piano add-on (YC5). It is developed to meet demands for a specific pop/rock piano, modelled from a famous Japanese grand piano, frequently seen on stages and very much appreciated by touring artists for its musical qualities and reliability. Its bright and vivid tone makes it addictive and cuts through elegantly in pop/rock oriented mixes. It is embedded as demo instrument in the latest Pianoteq update 3.0.5. More info and audio demos here.
We have today released update 3.0.3 of Pianoteq. Changes include a new model for the Vibes add-on and a native Linux version. Customers can download the update from the user area.
Change log | Download trial version
We are proud to present our brand new commercial add-on: Vibes, featuring two beautiful vibraphones! Both are provided as embedded add-ons and included in the latest update 3.0.3 for demo evaluation. More info and audio demos here.
An update 3.0.2 is available for download in the user area. The trial version is also updated. We have made some minor modifications to the C3 instrument sound: more punch in fortissimo, slightly longer notes and slightly longer harp resonance.
The MODARTT team is glad to offer to all Pianoteq customers a free add-on made of Easter bells coming directly from Roma! (following Easter tradition in some European countries)...
Actually, it is a virtual copy of bells and carillons that were recorded at the European Bell Institute.
- Download available in the user area
- Listen to bells.ptq
- More information
Using the newly extended model in version 3, we are now able to reproduce two new amazing electric pianos with a gorgeous sound - the Rhody and Wurly add-ons. These are provided as demo evaluation instruments in version 3 and can be purchased by all customers here for only 49 euros. Listen to these audio demos to hear them in action!
After nearly two years of research we are proud to finally present the long awaited and much improved version 3 of Pianoteq. This new version is a free upgrade to all customers through the user account. If you are not yet a customer, a trial version of Pianoteq 3 with the Rhody and Wurly add-ons is available here.
Version 3 includes two new beautiful piano instruments, Grand C3 and M3, which are based on a new acoustic model that simulates the sound radiation of the soundboard and cabinet. An advanced microphones setting lets you combine up to 5 microphones into 5 output channels to change the colour and perspective of the piano sound.
More information:
Product details | Audio demos | Video tutorials