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recommendaions?

Kawai MP11 - best piano and strings sound? Something better?

FWIW (I don't have either a recording studio or an MP11) --

I would be surprised if the sounds built into the MP11 would be better than, or even "as good as", a good software piano "sample library", or the many string-section sample libraries (and modelled strings -- e.g. AAS "String Studio").

I recognize that using software instruments has its own problems. But you did say "best piano and strings sound", without any limits.

And I might be biased, as well as ignorant.

Depends what is most important to you. IMHO it's a lot more difficult to find one's best compromise for piano sound/touch vs a real acoustic grand than for other sounds, even strings. So if you prefer the Kawai MP11, use it and as mentioned MIDI it to your favorite strings module or sample library.

OTOH, if you give equal importance to piano and strings, Kurzweil have excellent sounds for both. I personally now use a Kronos-2, on which I can add third party libraries to the Korg sounds.

Do you want realistic string/orchestral sounds, or nice string sounds for use in a band setting?

Generally, if you're going to make an album of solo piano with strings layered in there, you want them to sound like real string players. This is where virtual instruments would be best. In a studio setting, you can record the software strings and then massage the MIDI to make it sound quite realistic and beautiful.

Personally, I think making a recording using a string sound on a DP will sound like just that - you won't fool anyone into thinking they're strings. However, if you are making great music, no one will care.

If I were to use a DP or keyboard for a string sound, I'd pick something with a lot of options for strings available. The MP11 only has a few to choose from, which are very nice, but it's limited and may not suit all applications. Using the MP11 as a controller of a keyboard, module, or software might be best.

I also agree with this. 100%. For your money the virtual libraries are the best and you have lot of to choose from. Some of those are also sold for keyboards like Korg Kronos (as it is basically a x86 motherboard running linux) but they are costly, and Kronos is another can of worms.~~~~
The Kurtzweil used to have most listenable strings and orchestra, but still it is no match for the Virtual Instruments. And most of them have awful keyboard.

As for hardware keyboard if you insist: I have Roland FA08 and can very much recommend it as an 88 piano action keyboard with an incredible amount of high quality sounds. The expansions are now free and you have a whole sets just for orchestra and strings - hundreds of tones of each category. And the SN sounds being the newest generation from their Integra module you are sure it is the best sound roland has at its disposal at this moment. But again, same thing apply with comparison to Virtual Instruments. A good virtual instrument will smoke roland for breakfast.

Yeah, for a good orchestral\chamber mockups the better contemporary virtual instruments are the best, but I'm still struggling to find some good orchestral virtual instruments playable on a live keyboard setup.

There are some great playable VIs for some single instruments, most of them are keyboard instruments, and you have to buy seperately each one - great virtual pianos, harpsichord, pipe organs, electric organs, electric pianos, etc.


But for other instruments, all the VIs I'm familiar with, were designed for MIDI productions usage, to give realistic results.
But when you play keyboard you don't need realistic sound with many articulation, you just need a few nice sounding strings\brass patches which is very playable on keys, but it's really OK if it sounds like synth eventually - because that is what it is!

Korg Kronos is a great example: it has amazing built in VIs designed particularly for keyboard playing.
Unfortunatly, I have yet to encounter any high end VIs bundle which is capable to compete with something like the Korg Kronos.

If you can add an expression pedal or breath controller to your workflow on a keyboard, or can get used to using a wind controller (akai ewi/yamaha wx/roland ae-10) samplemodeling has some solo instruments that are very playable and can give pretty great results.

Maybe the VCp1 with piano/string libraries in the computer makes the most sense. One would think by now that someone could get the best of these piano and string samples in a hardware unit by now. It is not like memory is that expensive! But I should have mentioned that a piano action as good as the MP11 is important to me as well.

One would think, but one would be wrong.

But if you want to wait for it to happen, you can. Wait, and wait, and wait.

Otherwise, pick the controller of your dreams and hook it up to a fast computer to which you can add new and revised sounds as they are released. This IS the way to go for recording.

Hardware innovation is mostly done. Workstations are now bought by gigging musicians and as such they don't need the best piano sound nor the most pristine orchestra. Nobody is going to hear it on the stage. They need a reliable and easy to access instrument. Sound is secondary.

People who really need the best orchestra sound spend thousands on the 50GB libraries and sit at home or studio with a midi keyboard, computer, yerba mate tea and mouse. (And then they send the final sheets to the real orchestra.
This is the way things are now and going to be for years to come.

Didn't know, that Korg Kronos is running on Linux. Maybe that's not a bad idea. Linux is lighter on resources than at least Windows, and with a OS in the backend, a digital piano has almost become a mini computer. Not sure if I can skip the almost in the sentence before, or not!

Well - I went with the Roland RD2000. Not an easy decision. Maybe the weight made a difference - plus the idea that it will have access to a sounds library which may be helpful.

Probably for both purposes, software instruments will give best recordings at reasonable cost. Garritan CFX has good review for the piano sound.

On-board sounds:

Historically, Yamaha orchestral sounds have been good (if we are talking on-board sounds). If I were looking for good string sounds, I'd check out the Montage 8: FM strings tend to be a bit warmer in character than PCM based sampling.

If you were doing more than just piano/strings in the studio on a regular basis, I'd suggest two instruments - Tyros 5 and a piano controller. The Tyros 5 has ensemble voice, which can turn your strings playing into an actual string quartet. The Tyros 5 is perhaps one of the best electronic arranger instruments ever made, but that's why it's hellishly expensive.

Tyros 5: Ensemble voice feature - strings

Symphobia or the Essentials Series from Project Sam is great for this. These are more focused on complete orchestra sounds rather than only separate segments.
https://www.projectsam.com/Symphobia

Another option is Spitfire Audio - Albion Series.
http://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/ranges/albion/

Spitfire Albion One.