Enter virtual pianos, commonly called piano VSTs (virtual studio technology) or piano plugins.
What does a virtual piano do differently?
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This is also what your digital piano does, but again, your PC is a lot more powerful.
Im a beginner.
Do I really need fancier piano sounds?
Im just barely past a beginner myself!
That doesnt mean I dont enjoy better sound quality.
My initial motivation in researching VSTs was to more closely replicate the sound of my teachers grand piano.
Notes feel more authentic, and your playing feels more expressive.
Besides, Ive been listening to music all my life and know what a real piano issupposedto sound like.
Im no pro, but I still love to mess around with the keys and see what comes out.
VSTs are also an investment.
What VST should I get, and how much do they cost?
Whichever sounds best to you that you’re able to afford.
The goal here is to help you find a piano tone that inspires you to keep playing.
You should look for a VST that makes you think I want to play that!
Most VSTs have a few demos on their website, not to mention countless others on YouTube.
Pianoteq 7 by Modartt ($149-$449)
Pianoteqis my favorite modeled piano.
Its also a cinch to install and is overall the most painless desktop VST Ive tried.
Each piano model comes with a variety of presets.
Better yet, as a modeled piano, Pianoteq gets more realistic with every update.
You should definitely give the demo a try, especially if youre a beginner.
I appreciate that it has more character than most of the very pristine VSTs out there.
It also has a fair bit of customization to further make the piano your own.
Id only recommend it for users with a modern, reasonably powerful computer with an SSD.
Its a great option if you want a very pristine-sounding piano.
Youll need 22 GB of space for the Lite version, and 122 GB for the full version.
But these are just a few of my favorites; there areSOmany options out there.
Do your research, and youll surely find something you love.
How do I set it up?
On older digital pianos, you might only find an old-school MIDI output, a port with 5 pins.
In this case, youll need aMIDI to USB interface.
Youll also want to be aware of latency.
Youll want to adjust your VSTs setting for minimal latency.
What else do I need to know?
After all, the sound is only as good as your playback system.
Using a VST does bring up a few caveats.
Dont fall into that trap.
Hopefully, these tips will help you keep making beautiful music.
