Hey all, I'm completely new to using new sounds on my computer with my digtal piano, but I wanna learn. Can anyone reccommend a good program to use (audio program to host instrument plugins I can play on my DP)? I would prefer free but if that limits my plugin options then i don't mind trying programs that are not free.

My next question is where do you get the plugins? For instance, I really want some Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds to play, would I just download then somewhere? Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated thanks!

I'm also exploring VST and found this article that helped a lot. It also provides a free host program download. Hope it helps.

http://www.pianoclues.com/2008/03/15/how-to-use-virtual-instruments-with-your-digital-piano/

Native Instruments sells the Scarbee EP Piano Package for ~$150.00.

Considered by many to be the best Rhodes and Wurly sample set.

I assume this is for a PC running Windows or you'd not be asking. On the off chance you do have a Mac, then you already have the software, just click the Garage Band icon and you're set.

The simplest way to get started in a PC is to download the Pianoteq demo. The demo is free and easy to use. But this just scratches the surface of what's available

Go here and click "try"
http://www.pianoteq.com/

Another way to go is to buy a USB audio interface (You will need one eventually) but select one that comes bundled with some good software.
For example this one comes with "cubase" and sells for about the price of cubase. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Alpha/

The freeware 'VST Host' is an excellent, lightweight programme for, well...hosting VST plugins.

Then consider combining this with a selection of freeware VSTs, such as Mr Ray available from this page:

http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=37

Cheers,
James
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I'm assuming your working with a PC so here are a few free VST hosts you can experiment with.

http://ifoundasound.com/index.php?page_id=8
http://www.cantabilesoftware.com/lite/
http://www.hermannseib.com/english/vsthost.htm

The best place that I've found to look for plugins, free or commercial, is here at KVR.

http://www.kvraudio.com/get.php

Just use the the search function to sort out what you're looking for. If you want some help getting started with VSTHost or Cantabile Lite, I've made a few introduction videos that you can find on my blog.

http://blackgrand.com/vsthost
http://blackgrand.com/working-with-cantabile

mr ray 22 and mr ray 73 are really good and free, and as setchman said above, kvr is a great place to look for stuff. If you want to spend a little bit of money, the native instrument elektrik pianos are fantastic and they come with a standalone player, but for the most realistic samples, you can buy the scarbee pianos. Native Instruments discontinued elektrik piano and stuck the samples into kontakt 4, but I've never tried the new samples so I dont know if they are as good as the old player.

I'm thinking about trying Mixcraft. See the tutorial below, looks like it has a lot to offer.

http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/v4/help/how-audio.htm

To answer that specific question. These at $49 each are relatively affordable. But there is another layer of complexity. They are just "data". The idea is that you load this into a sampler VST. This is a general purpose kind of plug-in that can play .wav files
Look Here

I doubt you will find many high quality free sample sets. Creating them requires many hours of studio time and then maybe even more time in post processing.

For Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds don't forget to check out Applied Acoustic Systems Lounge Lizard. It comes in 2 versions, EP-3 ($229) and the Session ($99) version.

http://www.applied-acoustics.com/loungelizard/overview/
http://www.applied-acoustics.com/loungelizardsession/overview/

Like ChrisA says, the good stuff is generally going to cost you something.

if you've never tried mr ray, it does a better job of modeling the rhodes than pianteq does of modeling a piano. it's definitely production quality. the sonart audio yamaha c7 sampled piano is 2 gigs worth of samples, a great sounding free piano.

some of the free vsts are just as good as the expensive ones.

The real problem with free vsts is you eventually get tired of them, and want to add to your palette, so you want to buy stuff like scarbee, lounge lizard or elektrik piano.

Plus, it's relatively cheap to add instruments. When a new grand piano costs several thousand dollars, and an awesome 8 layer sampled piano costs $50, it's hard to resist.

Don't forget that Pianoteq also has an excellent Rhodes and Wurlitzer. (an additional cost add-on for the pair)

Mokafix Audio has a very good Wurlitzer too. (again, not free)

Greg.

edt, in you opinion, how does Mr Ray compare with Pianoteq's EP modelling?

Cheers,
James
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James, I never demo-ed the pianoteq EP. I've demo-ed scarbee, electric piano, garritan's electric pianos, mr ray, native instrument's elektrik piano, and elektrik piano is my favorite followed closely by mr ray, though scarbee is more realistic. for real pianos, my favorite is probably one of the imperfect samples (not sure if I like the hohner or braunscheig best) then sampletekk emperor, and then akoustic piano's steingraeber, and then maybe pianoteq. I'm not real fond of the pianoteq model it doesnt sound good to me.

How much do you like the pianoteq eletric piano if you've tried it?

I used to use elektrik piano (an older version) MIDI'd-up to my aging Korg. It was a great sound, however I found bringing my laptop and MIDI cables to band practise rather inconvenient, while the delay switching/loading sample sets also proved to be frustrating.

Then I starting using the Nord Electro and haven't returned to VSTs since.

I do recall trying the Pianoteq demo a little while ago, and being very impressed by the modelled electric pianos (i.e. no samples), although the missing notes in the trial version can be rather off-putting.

I have been meaning to give the recent Pianoteq update a try for new clavinet instrument, but just haven't been able to find the time. I'm hopeful that with the Atom CPU optimisations it should perform reasonably well on my OS X netbook.

Cheers,
James
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This is awesome information, thanks everyone. I'm going to start with the video tutorials so I can learn more about it, and I think I'll start with some of the free programs mentioned above. Once my palette needs more then I may move on to the paid versions.