Thank you very much for your kind offer! I will keep trying with it. The overall timbre of the piano and its sustain are great. I can see how the software route can be so beguiling because the sense of grandeur and realism with a bigger sample set (compared to a hardware DP) is easily appreciated.

I downloaded sforzando and made everything like manual described and nothing. No idea what to do
Anyone can describe me what should I do step by step?

Rychubil,

There are install steps for Mac & Windows. I can't remember the exact procedure but it took 5 minutes of tinkering so hope this helps

First, this Sforzando guide might help you a bit:

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sforzando/sforzando_guide_1.621.pdf

In the Sforzando, you might need to go to TOOLS>PREFERENCES. There you need to select Input device etc. Once you set those, click OK and exit Sforzando. Open Sforzando and make sure your choices stuck. If not reenter them and repeat this process.

Now open Sforzando, in the top left corner there is a drop-down labeled instrument. If you click that you should be able to select "Concert Grand Compact".

> If it does not show up, then you can simply open your "file explorer" in Windows or Mac, and follow step 5 below (make sure you unzipped "concert grand" folder as noted in step 2 below). Sometimes Sforzando does not let you drag and drop that file into Sforzando; try relaunching Sforzando or restarting your computer.

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https://www.productionvoices.com/wp...oncert-Grand-Compact-SFZ-User-Manual.pdf

Installing Concert Grand Compact for sforzando

Installation of Concert Grand Compact for sforzando is fairly straightforward:

1. Download and install sforzando: http://www.plogue.com/products/sforzando/

2. Download Concert Grand Compact for sforzando and unzip.

3. Place the “Concert Grand Compact for sforzando” folder on the drive that you wish to run it from. Any fast hard drive will work. If available, we recommend an SSD solid state drive for best performance.

4. Launch sforzando.

5. Drag the “Concert Grand Compact.bank.xml” file from within the “Concert Grand Compact for sforzando” folder onto sforzando. This registers your purchase with sforzando and puts the presets into sforzando.
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If you still have trouble, please note what equipment you are using (e.g. keyboard, interface, cable type, computer brand, version of Windows/OSX. Do you have any other VIs running?

Thank you newer player for very detailed explanation. Much appreciated
When I back home tomorrow, I do everything again exactly like you advised. Probably I missed something while setting of sforzando.

P.S. Currently I don't have any other VSTs on my computer.

I tried to do as if I were describing both manually and nothing. Sforzando shows me information about the demo version, Compact grand is still invisible for sforzando - waste of time and money for me.
I give up

Have you unzipped the files and installed the sfz player? If so, all you need to do now is drag the (unzipped) Concert Grand Compact bank.xml file from its location (wherever you downloaded and unzipped it to) to the surface of the player (it actually says 'drop a supported file to start').

When you do this, you get a notice saying 'the piano is installed and registered' or some similar message. And that's it. You can even do this off line (I've just done it with my offline music computer).

It's actually one of the easiest install and registration systems - easier by far than Native Instruments and EWQL which can be a great big pain in the butt.

OMG! I downloaded chipsounds file instead sforzando - my silly mistake! Sorry for all mess.
I already instaled sforzando and Compact Grand runs but I have a big latency. What can I do with it?

Big latency with what configuration ?
ASIO mode ?
Buffer size ?
Sample rate ?

On a PC, you must have an ASIO driver (given with the sound card, or else ASIO4ALL), I am ok with 128 samples per buffer at 44.1kHz.

Note, some people are more sensitive about the latency than I am.

Tools -> Preferences, Audio Device API is probably ASIO, and Audio Device something like Roland Quad Capture, or however it identifies itself, if you've set your Roland up properly.

Sample Rate, try 44100 Hz, can raise it if you get the latency down, and Buffer Size 128. May depend on your computer's specifiactions, if they're low, increase the buffer size, but that raises the latency.

On another note - no pun intended - has anyone noticed that the Concert Grand Compact goes silent when switching between presets?

Dell Vostro 3460: i5, 2.50GHz, 8RAM, SSD
1. I had different Asio than my Roland Quad Capture - now is ok
2. Buffer size: 882 - I can't change it. How can I set a lower size?
3. Sample rate: 44100

Thank you very much guys for your quick help

882 at 44khz is too high. Are you using an ASIO driver? If you use ASIO4ALL, you should be able to reduce the sample buffer in its interface window. 128 sample buffer should be acceptable in terms of latency. But try to go as low as possible.

Can you choose Asio under Audio Device API?

Normally, from the virtual piano (in standalone mode), or the DAW (VST mode), you have an « ASIO configuration option », or something like this which opens the configuration panel of your card, then you can change the buffer size. 882 is huge !!

Yes but I already change it for ASIO Roland Quad Capture which is my soundcard and I get 256 but still I can't change it to lower size.


There is but available option is 256 only.

Just to make sure we understand each other, there are two settings in Tools - Preferences.

1. Audio Device API
2. Audio Device

The first, Audio Device API is the Application Programming Interface, sort of the driver. In my case (Focusrite Scarlett 2i4) it's only ASIO. In your case, it could be ASIO Roland Quad Capture.

The second, Audio Device, is the hardware you're using, and that's where you should be able to choose your Roland audio card, as the hardware.

So you must make the right choices in both settings drop-down lists, first the software/driver, then the hardware.

256 buffer size might be something you could live with, but you should be able to get at least to 128. Check if you have set the Roland audio interface up correctly, and refer to the manual or a Roland forum/support site for that. I don't have a Roland card, but someone here might.

Yes, you right!
1. ASIO
2. QUAD-CAPTURE

Fortunately latency gone and hopefuly I can use that number (256) without problems - we will see

Three quick audio uploads from Latvia using Concert Grand...

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mus...t-20.html#post13115613&postcount=598

Nice demos, I don't think the PV Steinway D is mind-blowing, but it's not bad. With the price up to $39, if I were looking for my first piano VST, I would save up for something in the $100-$150 range, which could include the Garritan CFX, depending on available offers.

The PV Steinway D Concert Grand might be enough for many pianists, I mean the sound is good, and it loads fast. Personally, I like to have many mic perspectives in virtual instruments, better sound han the internal piano voices of my digital instrument, and having them respond like a normal piano to my playing.

If they don't sound better, or only a little bit better than my digital piano, I can just as well play the internal piano voices. Though it's nice to have some variety, not always be stuck with the same piano sound. The virtual instruments can also serve that purpose, be used to get away from the Casio/Kawai/Yamaha or whatever built-in piano samples.

Does anyone know when the full Kontakt version will be released?

I guess when Mr. Jason says so.

Free playable trial version of Production Voices Concert Grand Compact.

https://www.productionvoices.com/product/concert-grand-compact-demo/


I don't think this trail version was previously available:

"* Concert Grand Compact DEMO allows users to try Concert Grand Compact with just a few keys. All the C's and a limited range from G3 above middle C to C5 are available to try in the demo version.

* The controls and features are near identical to the full version except that keyup and sympathetic resonance has been disabled.

* There is NO TIME LIMIT on the demo version. Only select notes are available on the demo version."

While this is better than nothing, it's little more than an octave... It sounds nice, but it's way too little to spend $200 to $280 to try the rest. Especially the bass that is completely missing from the demo...A less defensive approach would have led to more sales IMO.

Agreed. Pianoteq's demo removes around a half-dozen notes. This demo removes around 70 of them?
That's not a demo. That's a practical joke.

Well, you should have got it for $19, when you had the chance. The Compact version is not bad, at least well worth $19. For $49, not so sure.

I'd rather recommend the Estate Grand for Sforzando for that money, since it's got three microphone pairs, not one like the Concert Grand Compact.

I myself will probably not get the full Concert Grand, simply for the reason I don't want the third SSD into my setup, or to have to exchange one of the 240/250GB SSDs for a 500GB one.

I think Production Voices quickly put this demo out this week because of the recent release of the brand new Light And Sound Concert Grand Steinway Model C software piano with 11 mic perspectives on sliders plus a separate factory "Mix" perspective. L&S full product is on introductory offer for $99 USD / £71.56 GBP until 30 April.

After all, both products are pretty similar being Steinways with a very wide choice of mic perspectives, running in Kontakt (although are PV now using Plogue?), and many customers wanting to purchase a big Steinway virtual piano this year might opt for the new L&S available now for bargain price, rather than waiting until Production Voices full version is available ?????? and paying maybe 3 times the price for that instead, so Production Voices might fear they are losing potential sales and want to remind people of their forthcoming product.
In fairness, the Production Voices Steinway Compact version is already available now for $49, but that's a significantly stripped back version of the forthcoming full product.

Obviously if you're a die hard Steinway fan like me you'll be buying both...!

I am not dying yet (hopefully) but I was hunting for Steinway software piano several times with no much success (Galaxy Vintage D and PV Compact don't work for me, True Keys American almost does but not fully). So I am really interested if anyone here has experience with Light and Sound Concert Grand...

EDIT: Sorry I ran too fast with my question. I later found Light and Sound Concert Grand dedicated thread that answers it very well

Haven't you tried Ivory German D or American yet? Those are IMO the best virtual Steinways aroud.

Thank you Digitalguy for suggestion. Ivory II ACD is in my wishlist under N1 but not for nearest time - I already spent too much time and money evaluating a number of different software pianos (far not all are in my signature) and currently CFX Lite is my main (and almost the only) instrument for practicing. I prefer to save money for full CFX upgrade first . Next try will be ACD - unless by that time community opinion will shift to something new . I asked about Light and Sound Concert Grand not buy it immediately but because I am still collecting information for some future ...

You can try ACD on try-sound.com... the latency is huge, but you can hear if the timbre is ok for you.

Thanks Frédéric! Yes, I'll probably do it.