Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Digitals with quality samples?

Having messed around with one or two sample piano libraries in Gigastudio and even SF2 format, and being quite satisfied with the results, I'm left with what seems an obvious question. Why don't makers of digital piano's use samples that sound like these, rather than their not quite there piano sounds that it seems people inevitably want to upgrade after a month or two? Especially when a decent digital now costs a small fortune.

Do they assume that those who want a close to realistic sound are going to use their own sample libraries anyway

You said it yourself. They want people to want to upgrade after a month or two...
They rather advance slowly and make the most out of the current technology, till they will be forced by public demand or by competition to let out the newer stuff.

(My conspiracy is that the technicians at the company came up with such powerful results – they nearly shocked themselves… so the manager yelled at them: “Idiots! That’s not what your hired for! That’s the last model we’ll be selling for the next ten years! Now put those plans away for 2015. Your job is just to think of some fancy bell or whistle to add on to the old piano, to convince people that they really NEED the new model”.
So, that’s what they did. this year they add 20MB, next year another 40. After that they will put in samples of every key, every note, 3 levels then 5, 10,15, add power to the amp add more speakers, and less weight, upgrade the action, put in wood, then real ivory then gold, platnum… ).

Your comment seems to be more a statement of frustration concerning the current cost of fish, rather than a genuine inquiry into effective lures and proper casting technique.

The last time I was in San Francisco on business, I treated myself and rented a Jaguar sedan at Hertz, and the driving experience was so extraordinary that it casued me to wonder why Suzuki, Hundai (sp), and the other Korean manufacturers choose to build an uncomfortably crowded and underpowered little deathtrap of an automobile.

Do they actually intend to make driving a private automobile such an unpleasant and utterly pedestrian experience that we prefer public transportation?

It just might work....

Not everyone can afford, or is willing, to lay out $50,000 or more (or whatever a Jaguar costs) for a car. Similarly, not everyone can afford, or is willing, to lay out a lot of money for a piano, digital or acoustic.

Very good point, I didn't consider this at the time. Of course they can make digitals sound just like acoustics, but this will be profits for 2010 - 2015 etc.
I've often heard comments that suggest that technology available on the market today is probably 10 or 20 years behind what can be produced.

If u are going to get a very good digital for a fraction of the cost of an acoustic who will buy an acoustic
The biggies(Yamaha and company) are like dinosauruses destined to be extinct one day unless they adapt fast

I don't think that's true. Nothing sampled on any level will ever replace a real acoustic instrument. It's the power and vibration of real sound, and the soul and unique character of every piano that nobody who can afford it (financially or technically) will give up.

The invention of the phonograph didn't stop people from preferring to hear an orchestra.

It used to be that those ROM chips were expensive. Don't know the situation now.

Hi, I'm new here. :-)
I'm sure you're right. I recently bought an acoustic drum kit for my son. I'm worried about his hearing (he uses earplugs), I'm concerned about my neighbours and it can be a nuisance when I'm trying to teach. However, I believe he has a much better chance of developing a sensitive touch on this, rather than the best of the electronic alternatives. I used to do a lot of teaching and it was always clear who practised on a 'real' piano by the sound they were making.

I have resisted buying electric piano for years, all the ones I used at schools felt and sounded pretty bad. I'm about to take the plunge, probably go for Roland 700 as I rather like the action.
I'll be able to take it on stage, not worry about getting it tuned, not worry about mic placement an ambient noises while recording, I might even get round to playing with all the extra sounds and buttons. It's not going to replace my Broadwood that I play at home, and if I ever come into a fortune, I shall be filling all the little space I have at home with a Steinway.

Martin

Digital pianos have evolved over a period of time and they keep getting better by the day.Newer technologies would make it possible to for digitals to match acoustics in every aspect after all even an acoustic just produces a sound wave however complicated it may seem and with those extremely powerful processors thaat are turning up these days it is definitely possible to match an acoustic note for note.
However manufacturers are not keen on implementing these technologies at the pace at which they prop up as they would have their inventories full with pianos which nobody wants and thus if anyone wants a satisfactory digital he has to try out the new technologies on his own Difficult but satisfying nevertheless
One only hopes for some upstarts who is not saddled with the problems of the biggies and who is genuinely interested in providing good sounding pianos will turn up someday

I've not played an absoloute top of the line digital (like one of those grand digital piano's). These cost $30,000 ish AUS dollars.

eg

http://www.allansmusic.com.au/default.aspx?Pg=21&ProductCode=KR117MPE

I wonder whether the sound samples are better on these. I would hate to pay that sort of money and get a similar sound to my much less pricy digital. That price could buy one heck of a good acousti grand. Anyone tried one of these digitals?

Whatever the advances in digital sampling and processing, they would need to be matched by amplification. I have worked with studio quality monitors and they don't sound like live instruments.
I dare say digital sound might one day approach the acoustic sound to within the limits of our perception (which is personal). Manufacturers realise that the bulk of the market is more interested in other aspects (convenience, educational features, pop music gadgets), so they don't need to try to convert the purist minority.

Martin