Recording - December 2016 - 20

Traditional types might back away slowly (or just run!), but anyone with an
experimental itch is going to love
scratching it with Kaivo.
Kaivo will require some time investment. You can use the presets for basic
sounds, but you are never going to get
the best results unless you learn a little
about the models, get your feet wet with
some basic patching, and start experimenting with a set of tools that will probably initially feel quite foreign... but
quickly become inspiring. In the end,
you will be able to create sounds with
Kaivo that you'll never produce with any
other synth plug-in, and that is a recommendation all on its own!-DDG

Modartt Pianoteq 5
$129 Stage, $319 Standard, $519 Pro,
$799 Studio Bundle; www.pianoteq.com

We've been covering Pianoteq since
version 1 in our December 2007 issue;
our last look was in June 2013 with version 4.5. Now at version 5, this physicalmodeling virtual instrument keeps growing and exceeding expectations.
While it was a CPU-gobbling beast in
2007, on today's computers it is relatively CPU-efficient, and with no samples to store, it takes up virtually no
hard drive space.
This was my first experience with
Pianoteq, and after hearing my colleagues (and prior reviewers) Richard
Shore and Mike Metlay gush about its
believability, playability, and sound
quality for years, I was both excited
and skeptical-without samples, how
good could it be? Well, color me convinced. Yes, it sounds that good, and that
believable.
Pianoteq 5 comes as standalone, VST,
AU, RTAS, and AAX, in three versions
depending on your needs. Pianoteq
Stage is the lightest and least expensive
version. This is a great way to get into
the Pianoteq world, but its downside is
that it primarily lets you play presets
rather than tweak them very much.
20

RECORDING DECEMBER 2016

Pianoteq Standard is next on the ladder; it opens up the world of the piano tech and
lets you adjust hammer hardness, string length, unison width, and even change
placement with up to five virtual microphones. Pianoteq Pro is the ultimate version-
you can tweak 30 parameters on every note individually, plus individual overtones,
all at 24/192 quality!
All three versions come with an initial choice of two instrument packs, and you can
purchase more à la carte as your needs grow for $59/pack. These include electric
pianos, harpsichords, vibes, steel drums and esoteric hand percussion like hand-pans...
even concert harps. Or you could get the Pianoteq Studio bundle that comes with
everything all at once. In addition to those, you can also download free models at the
Pianoteq website, which cover the rare, the odd, the wonderful and the vintage... and
when I say "vintage" I mean emulations of historical pianos going back centuries.
So what's new in version 5? For starters the Modartt team has spent two years refining the physical models, resulting in more body and warmth in many of the existing
pianos. Microphone modeling has also been improved in version 5, with 15 well-known
name brand mics with a choice of polar patterns, room placements, and more.
Then there's the new K2 piano developed for Pianoteq 5-a dark, woody, rich
instrument that doesn't exist in the real world (but sounds like it should!). Also new are
the Kremsegg Collections, two paid expansion packs of instruments from the historic
Kremsegg Schloss Museum in Austria. Just in time for our Buyer's Guide, Modartt has
released the new Model B Grand Piano, modeled after a Hamburg-built Steinway
Model B grand piano from 2014's limited-run Martha Argerich Edition. In my opinion,
this is the most upfront, clear, clean, and dynamically present piano in the Pianoteq line
so far. It is nicely immediate in regard to playing feel and responding tone.
While I loved playing with the acoustic pianos and the electric pianos, as a percussionist I was most interested in the vibes, steel drums, and hand pans. I wasn't
disappointed, especially when I played/triggered Pianoteq with my Roland
Handsonic or my Keith McMillen QuNexus.
It's not just about the notes or even the strikes, but also about what happens after
the notes are hit. Just as the pianos have great harmonics, pedal and body noises
and such, so do the drums. The metallic harmonics blend beautifully into a rich tapestry of overtones that are beyond believable. The vibes also deserve special mention
as they sound like they just came off of a vintage 1950s Modern Jazz Quartet album.
I could go on and on, but it's easier to play and listen for yourself, now that you
know about it; Modartt offers free demos. I'm glad I finally experienced Pianoteq for
myself; it will see a lot of use in my studio and my live set for quite some time to
come.-PV

Novation Launchpad Pro: Scale Mode
$299.99; www.novationmusic.com

In our February 2016 issue, I introduced readers to the Launchpad Pro,
Novation's newest grid controller for
Ableton Live and other DAWs. The top item on my wish list had to do with Note
Mode, where the 8 x 8 pad grid becomes a chromatic keyboard of velocity- and
aftertouch-sensitive keys to play virtual instruments. While the chromatic keyboard
worked well, I did find myself wanting a way to select a key and scale type and
only be presented with notes in that scale.
Problem solved! The most recent firmware upgrade to the Launchpad Pro now
offers Scale Mode, which allows customizable grid layouts and a wide variety of
key and scale choices. It's available on all currently shipping Launchpad Pro units,
and is an easy and free firmware upgrade for older units.


http://www.pianoteq.com http://www.novationmusic.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - December 2016

Contents
Recording - December 2016 - Intro
Recording - December 2016 - Cover1
Recording - December 2016 - Cover2
Recording - December 2016 - 1
Recording - December 2016 - 2
Recording - December 2016 - 3
Recording - December 2016 - 4
Recording - December 2016 - 5
Recording - December 2016 - Contents
Recording - December 2016 - 7
Recording - December 2016 - 8
Recording - December 2016 - 9
Recording - December 2016 - 10
Recording - December 2016 - 11
Recording - December 2016 - 12
Recording - December 2016 - 13
Recording - December 2016 - 14
Recording - December 2016 - 15
Recording - December 2016 - 16
Recording - December 2016 - 17
Recording - December 2016 - 18
Recording - December 2016 - 19
Recording - December 2016 - 20
Recording - December 2016 - 21
Recording - December 2016 - 22
Recording - December 2016 - 23
Recording - December 2016 - 24
Recording - December 2016 - 25
Recording - December 2016 - 26
Recording - December 2016 - 27
Recording - December 2016 - 28
Recording - December 2016 - 29
Recording - December 2016 - 30
Recording - December 2016 - 31
Recording - December 2016 - 32
Recording - December 2016 - 33
Recording - December 2016 - 34
Recording - December 2016 - 35
Recording - December 2016 - 36
Recording - December 2016 - 37
Recording - December 2016 - 38
Recording - December 2016 - 39
Recording - December 2016 - 40
Recording - December 2016 - 41
Recording - December 2016 - 42
Recording - December 2016 - 43
Recording - December 2016 - 44
Recording - December 2016 - 45
Recording - December 2016 - 46
Recording - December 2016 - 47
Recording - December 2016 - 48
Recording - December 2016 - 49
Recording - December 2016 - 50
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Recording - December 2016 - 53
Recording - December 2016 - 54
Recording - December 2016 - 55
Recording - December 2016 - 56
Recording - December 2016 - 57
Recording - December 2016 - 58
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Recording - December 2016 - 60
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Recording - December 2016 - 70
Recording - December 2016 - 71
Recording - December 2016 - 72
Recording - December 2016 - Cover3
Recording - December 2016 - Cover4
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