How to Find, Download, and Install the Best Real Piano VST Plugins in 2023
If you are a music producer, composer, or keyboardist, you probably know the importance of having a good piano sound in your arsenal. Whether you need a grand piano for classical music, an upright piano for jazz, or an electric piano for pop, having a realistic and expressive piano sound can make a huge difference in your music.
However, not everyone has the luxury of owning a real acoustic piano, let alone multiple ones. Real pianos are expensive, bulky, and require regular tuning and maintenance. Plus, recording a real piano can be challenging, as you need a good microphone setup, a quiet room, and some mixing skills.
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That's where real piano VST plugins come in handy. A VST plugin is a software that emulates a musical instrument or an audio effect within a digital audio workstation (DAW). A real piano VST plugin is a plugin that reproduces the sound of a real acoustic piano, either by sampling or modeling.
There are many benefits of using real piano VST plugins, such as:
Having access to a variety of piano sounds, from different brands, models, sizes, and styles.
Saving space and money, as you only need a computer, a DAW, and a MIDI keyboard to play them.
Enhancing your creativity and expression, as you can tweak the sound parameters, add effects, layer sounds, and automate changes.
In this article, I will provide you with an outline and a detailed guide on how to find, download, and install the best real piano VST plugins for your music production. I will also answer some common questions about real piano VST plugins and give you some tips and tricks to optimize your performance.
How to find the best real piano VST plugins
Before you download and install any real piano VST plugin, you need to do some research and find the ones that suit your needs and preferences. There are hundreds of real piano VST plugins available on the market, each with its own features, advantages, and disadvantages. How do you choose the best ones?
Here are some factors to consider when choosing a real piano VST plugin:
Sound quality: This is the most important factor, as you want your piano sound to be realistic, clear, dynamic, and expressive. You should listen to some demos or reviews of the plugin and compare it with other options. You should also check the source of the sound: is it sampled from a real piano or modeled by an algorithm? Generally speaking, sampled pianos tend to sound more authentic but take up more disk space and CPU power; modeled pianos tend to sound more synthetic but are more flexible and customizable.
Features: This factor depends on what you want to do with your piano sound. Do you want to play it as it is or tweak it to your liking? Do you want to add effects or layer sounds? Do you want to control different aspects of the sound with MIDI? Some features that you might look for in a real piano VST plugin are: number of piano sounds, velocity layers, round robins, pedal noises, key noises, sympathetic resonance, reverb, EQ, chorus, delay, compression, etc.
Compatibility: This factor depends on your computer system and your DAW. You should check the plugin format (VST, AU, AAX, etc.), the operating system (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.), and the DAW compatibility (Ableton Live, FL Studio, Logic Pro, Cubase, etc.) of the plugin. You should also check the minimum and recommended system requirements (CPU, RAM, disk space, etc.) of the plugin and make sure your computer can handle it.
Price: This factor depends on your budget and your expectations. You should compare the price of the plugin with its features and sound quality and see if it offers good value for money. You should also look for discounts, deals, bundles, or free trials of the plugin. Some plugins are free or donation-based, while others can cost hundreds of dollars.
Based on these factors, here are some of the best real piano VST plugins available in 2023:
Name
Source
Features
Compatibility
Price
Pianoteq 7
Modeled
Over 60 piano models, physical modeling engine, microtuning, effects, MIDI mapping, etc.
VST/AU/AAX/Standalone; Windows/Mac/Linux; Any DAW
$149-$449
Addictive Keys
Sampled
Four piano sounds (grand, upright, electric, modern), tone shaping tools, effects, presets, etc.
VST/AU/AAX/Standalone; Windows/Mac; Any DAW
$99-$179
The Grandeur
Sampled
A rich and detailed grand piano sound, dynamic range control, tone control, effects, etc.
VST/AU/AAX; Windows/Mac; Any DAW that supports Kontakt or Kontakt Player
$99
Ivory II American Concert D
Sampled
A stunning Steinway concert grand sound, harmonic resonance modeling, half-pedaling, effects, etc.
VST/AU/AAX/RTAS; Windows/Mac; Any DAW that supports iLok
$199
Piano One
Sampled/ModeledA hybrid of sampling and modeling techniques, based on a Yamaha C7 grand piano sound.VST; Windows/Mac; Any DAW that supports VST plugins.FreeHow to download and install real piano VST plugins Once you have chosen your desired real piano VST plugin, you need to download and install it on your computer and your DAW. The exact steps may vary depending on the plugin and the DAW you are using, but here are some general guidelines:Download the plugin file from the official website or a trusted source.You should always download the plugin file from the official website of the developer or a trusted source that offers legal and safe downloads. You should avoid downloading from unknown or suspicious websites that may contain viruses or malware. You should also check the file size and format and make sure they match with the plugin specifications.Extract the plugin file if it is compressed.Sometimes the plugin file may come in a compressed format such as ZIP or RAR. You need to extract the file using a software such as WinRAR or 7-Zip. You should extract the file to a folder that you can easily access and remember.Install the plugin file following the instructions.Depending on the plugin format and system requirements, you may need to install the plugin file using an installer program or by manually copying and pasting it to a specific folder. You should follow the instructions provided by the developer or in the readme file. You may also need to activate or register the plugin using a license key or an online account.Scan and load the plugin in your DAW.After installing the plugin file on your computer, you need to scan and load it in your DAW. You should open your DAW and go to the plugin manager or preferences section. You should scan or refresh the plugin list and look for the plugin name. You should enable or activate the plugin if it is not already. You should then create a new track or project and load the plugin as an instrument or an effect. You should be able to see the plugin interface and hear the sound when you play your MIDI keyboard or draw some notes.
How to optimize your real piano VST plugin performance
After downloading and installing your real piano VST plugin, you may want to optimize its performance and make sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. Here are some tips and tricks to do that:
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Adjust the buffer size and sample rate. The buffer size and sample rate are two settings that affect the latency and quality of your audio. The buffer size is the amount of time that your computer takes to process the audio signal. The sample rate is the number of times that your computer samples the audio signal per second. A lower buffer size and a higher sample rate can reduce the latency and improve the quality, but they can also increase the CPU load and cause glitches or dropouts. A higher buffer size and a lower sample rate can reduce the CPU load and prevent glitches or dropouts, but they can also increase the latency and degrade the quality. You should find a balance between these two settings that works best for your system and your needs.
Disable unnecessary features or effects. Some real piano VST plugins may have features or effects that you don't need or use, such as pedal noises, key noises, sympathetic resonance, reverb, chorus, delay, etc. These features or effects can consume CPU power and memory, and affect your performance. You should disable or turn off any feature or effect that you don't need or use, and only enable or turn on the ones that you do need or use.
Freeze or bounce your tracks. If you have multiple tracks or projects that use real piano VST plugins, you may notice that your CPU usage and memory consumption are high, and your performance is slow or unstable. To solve this problem, you can freeze or bounce your tracks. Freezing a track means rendering it as an audio file temporarily, so that it doesn't use any CPU power or memory. Bouncing a track means rendering it as an audio file permanently, so that it doesn't use any CPU power or memory. You should freeze or bounce your tracks when you are done editing them, and only unfreeze or import them when you need to make changes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, real piano VST plugins are great tools for music production, as they allow you to have realistic and expressive piano sounds without owning a real acoustic piano. However, finding, downloading, and installing real piano VST plugins can be challenging, as there are many options available on the market, each with its own pros and cons. In this article, I have provided you with an outline and a detailed guide on how to find, download, and install the best real piano VST plugins for your music production. I have also answered some common questions about real piano VST plugins and given you some tips and tricks to optimize your performance.
I hope you have found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading!
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about real piano VST plugins:
What is the difference between sampling and modeling?
Sampling is a technique that involves recording the sound of a real piano at different velocities, pitches, and articulations, and then playing back those recordings according to the MIDI input. Modeling is a technique that involves creating a mathematical algorithm that simulates the physical properties and behavior of a real piano, such as strings, hammers, soundboard, etc., and then generating the sound according to the MIDI input.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of sampling and modeling?
Some advantages of sampling are:
It can capture the nuances and details of a specific piano sound.
It can sound more authentic and natural than modeling.
It can offer more variety of piano sounds.
Some disadvantages of sampling are:
It can take up more disk space and CPU power than modeling.
It can be limited by the quality and quantity of the recordings.
It can be less flexible and customizable than modeling.
Some advantages of modeling are:
It can take up less disk space and CPU power than sampling.
It can sound more consistent and stable than sampling.
It can offer more flexibility and customization of the sound parameters.
Some disadvantages of modeling are:
It can sound more synthetic and artificial than sampling.
It can be less accurate and realistic than sampling.
It can require more computational power and processing time than sampling.
What are some examples of sampled and modeled real piano VST plugins?
Some examples of sampled real piano VST plugins are:
Addictive Keys by XLN Audio
The Grandeur by Native Instruments
Ivory II American Concert D by Synthogy
Piano One by Sound Magic
Some examples of modeled real piano VST plugins are:
Pianoteq 7 by Modartt
Lounge Lizard EP-4 by Applied Acoustics Systems
Piano V 2 by Arturia
Ravenscroft 275 by VI Labs
How can I improve my piano playing skills with real piano VST plugins?
Real piano VST plugins can help you improve your piano playing skills by providing you with realistic and expressive sounds, as well as various features and effects that can enhance your creativity and expression. Here are some ways to improve your piano playing skills with real piano VST plugins:
Practice regularly and consistently, using a MIDI keyboard that has weighted keys, velocity sensitivity, and aftertouch.
Learn some music theory and piano techniques, such as scales, chords, arpeggios, inversions, voicings, etc.
Play along with some backing tracks or songs that you like, and try to improvise or create your own melodies and harmonies.
Record your playing and listen back to it, and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Seek feedback from other musicians or teachers, and learn from their suggestions and critiques.
Where can I find more information and resources about real piano VST plugins?
If you want to learn more about real piano VST plugins, here are some useful websites and blogs that you can visit:
: A website that offers free downloads of VST plugins, including real piano VST plugins.
: Another website that offers free downloads of VST plugins, including real piano VST plugins.
: A blog that reviews and compares various VST plugins, including real piano VST plugins.
: A website that covers news, reviews, tutorials, and tips on music production, including VST plugins.
: A magazine that features articles, interviews, reviews, and guides on music technology, including VST plugins.
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