Pianoteq is a modelled piano plug-in.

Being a truly modelled piano, the sound is created in real time from scratch through a sophisticated mathematical model, simulating an acoustic piano. It is responding to how the pianist is striking each key and how strings are interacting, just like a real piano does, resulting in an expressive and vivid instrument.

The first generation of pianos began with Cristofori's pianoforte in 1698 which came to maturity at the end of the 19 century with the acoustic grand pianos. It was followed in the 20 century by the second generation electro-acoustic pianos and the third generation sampled pianos where each note is a recording of how it sounded during a specific moment in time, not taking into account the complexity of the instrument.

According to Modartt, Pianoteq is the first and only piano belonging to the fourth generation, developed in order to go beyond the limitations of the third generation and to become a versatile and innovating tool.

• Simulating acoustic pianos: Everything that characterizes an acoustic piano is there: the mechanic noises (optional), the complexity of pedals and strings in interaction, the percussion impact on staccato play, and the beauty of the piano sound.
• New possibilities: The unique adjustable parameters result in great realism and even allow going beyond the material constraints of an acoustic piano, thus being able to create new instruments and sounds.
• System friendly: Pianoteq adapts dynamically its CPU consumption to the resources available on your computer.

Click to see Pianoteq Tutorials

Feature Highlights:

• Responds in real time to pianist's interpretation.
• Sounds and behaves just like a real piano.
• Offers playability and expressiveness.
• Advanced parameters for tuning, voicing and soundboard adjustment.
• Small (7 MB) and fast.

New in v5.1.0

• Updated KIViR collection.
• Enhanced Binaural model for all instruments.
• Minor revoicing for D4 Grand
• Extended keyboard range switch available in the interface.
• MIDI realtime-tuning support.

New in v5.0.1

• Small updates to D4, K2 (lowered a few longitudinal modes) and Bluethner (voicing).
• Bugfix for AU plugin not being recognized by a few hosts (STAGE version only).
• Metronome bugfixes (1/1 time signature begin silent, accent on first not being recalled).
• bugfix for Velocity curve to allow silent notes.
• Supersostenu was missing from the list of MIDI-assignable parameters.

New in v5

• Improved instrument models
• D4 and YC5 re-built from scratch
• Nine new instruments: Grand K2 and the Kremsegg Collection.
• The free KIVIR instruments are currently being upgraded and will be available soon
• Directional microphones support, which can be rotated in all directions.
• Many microphone models, with various directivity patterns, are available.
• Microphones can be linked together, and then moved or rotated together.
• The polarity of a microphone can be reversed (for M/S recording situations, typically).
• The four pedals of the interface can be re-assigned to a few parameters such as Rattle, Lute Stop, Celeste, Super Sostenuto.
• Improved key noises, with an optional humanization of the parameters.
• Pianoteq presets (FXP files) can now embed a short MIDI excerpt.
• Dithering added to the audio export in Pianoteq Standalone.
• Small metronome improvements

New in v4.5.4

• Workaround for issue with Maschine 2.0
• bugfix for wrong mic configuration loading after loading a reverb preset.
• Bugfix for sostenuto pedal behaviour when the sustain pedal is engaged.
• Handling of scala KBM files with more than one occurence of the same note is fixed.
• Fix for interface freezes and keyboard issues of the VST plugin with Ableton Live (on Windows).

New in v4.5.2

• Now available as AAX plugin for Pro Tools 11.
• French translation of tooltips available.
• Bugfix for condition slider saving, now restored in Pianoteq STAGE.

New in v4.5.1

• Bugfix for a crash in the delay effect.
• Bugfix for issue where the ASIO sample rate was not correctly restored on startup.
• Bluethner picture is back in the preset window.
• Linux archive permissions fixed.

New in v4.1.0

• Rhody R2 replaces Rhody R1
• Old Rhody R1 presets are moved to a legacy add-on
• New Rhody parameter - tines sound
• Enhanced chorus effect

New in v4.0.4

• Standalone version: single-step through MIDI files using the left/right arrows of the keyboard.
• Allow drag&drop of impulse response WAV files for the reverb.
• Disabled multicore rendering in Pro Tools to avoid freezes.
• Grand K1: correction for an unwanted difference with the K1 of Pianoteq 3.
• Bugfix for issue with some MIDI-mappings not working on startup.
• Better diagnostic message when an external impulse response is not available.
• Improved undo/redo behaviour when a slider is being dragged.
• Do not truncate exported WAV files when the sound tail is long.

New in v4.0.2

• Handle SIGUSR1 nicely.
• Solve incompatibility issues with realtime kernel variants.
• Standalone version: single-step through MIDI files using the left/right arrows of the keyboard.
• Allow drag&drop of impulse response WAV files for the reverb.
• Disabled multicore rendering in Pro Tools to avoid freezes.
• Grand K1: correction for an unwanted difference with the K1 of Pianoteq 3.
• Bugfix for issue with some MIDI-mappings not working on startup.
• Better diagnostic message when an external impulse response is not available.
• Improved undo/redo behaviour when a slider is being dragged.
• Do not truncate exported WAV files when the sound tail is long.

New in v4

• New Grand Piano D4 based on a Steinway D
• Convolution reverb
• Additional effects - delay, chorus, flanger, amplifier and compressor
• Keyboard calibration wizard
• Resizeable interface

New in Pianoteq v3.6.6

A "MIDI Dialect" option for high resolution MIDI messages was added-
• The "Disklavier XP" mode enables the recognition of "extended precision" MIDI files recorded on high-end Disklavier pianos, such as the ones available on the international e-piano competition website.
• The "Hi-res CC#88" mode enables recognition of the MIDI high resolution velocity prefix for note-on and note-off messages, such as the ones sent by the VAX77 MIDI keyboard.