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"Only double" for a relatively rarely used feature (few DPs even come with a soft pedal). Also, HI-XL may be 512MB but SK-EX models have 1GB, so that'd require roughly 2GB of ROM. Still doable of course, but manufacturers will probably think twice before allocating that much to just una corda.
I'm not sure what the limiting resource of physical modeling is, but I suspect it's at least the algorithmic know how and expertise as it is any hardware constraints. Since when in higher end models where CPUs aren't cost-limited (and VSTs where there is no built-in CPU cost) we still don't have more than a skant few modeling options.
Bosendorfer D214VC ENPro Past: Yamaha P-85, P-105, CP50, Kawai MP11, Kawai NV10
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You don't need any una corda samples. You just use the regular samples. Choose a low-velocity sample for its timbre, and cut the loudness level. Do they not do that in your piano? If not, I wonder why? 1-corda samples would double the space required for the samples, and that for each of the main grand piano sounds (SK-EX, SK-5, EX), so I guess they used this trick to avoid to use a bigger flashrom to store the samples.
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You don't need any una corda samples. You just use the regular samples. Choose a low-velocity sample for its timbre, and cut the loudness level. Do they not do that in your piano? If not, I wonder why? In a real grand una corda sound extraction is essentially different. A hammer strikes only a single string of the note-related set of 2 or 3 strings. The rest of the strings only resonate, without being touched. This produces a sound with soft attack and very special harmonics. So, the physical process is different. Modelling it by modifying the non-una-corda samples cannot produce good results.
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You don't need any una corda samples. You just use the regular samples. Choose a low-velocity sample for its timbre, and cut the loudness level. Do they not do that in your piano? If not, I wonder why? That's a very basic (and cheap) implementation of the effect and I guess that's what do many (if not all) digital pianos today. But true una-corda sounds are different because the hammer strikes just 1 string instead of the usual 3 (apart from the very first octaves, when we have 1 or 2 strings). It should be not just a volume/velocity reduction, but a different sound with a slightly more harp-like timbre. If you try an acoustic grand piano or a good VST with 1-corda samples, you will hear the difference.
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In a real grand una corda sound extraction is essentially different. A hammer strikes only a single string of the note-related set of 2 or 3 strings. The rest of the strings only resonate, without being touched. This produces a sound with soft attack and very special harmonics. So, the physical process is different. Exactly. Modelling it by modifying the non-una-corda samples cannot produce good results.
Theoretically speaking with modelling you could do anything. You can consider the 1-corda sound like a different piano to model. If the result is good or not depends from the level of accuracy of the model.
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Uh, no. It produces superb results. Remember ... The tech doesn't matter. The sound does.
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When using using una corda, the hammer strikes two strings when there are three per note. Sometimes, it strikes all the strings. Some manufacturers and techs just needle the parts of the hammer that strike the string when using una corda (the hammers are shifted to the right), and strike all three strings. IIRC Steingraeber do it this way at the factory.
Last edited by johnstaf; 07/26/19 07:10 AM.
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My P-515 has a soft pedal and it does exactly what the name says: Making the sound softer. The overall volume doesn't change much and I can still play forte, but the timbre gets much more mellow.
There is no una corda specified anywhere in digital piano manuals, but UC is something specific to grand pianos anyway. Even upright pianos don't feature it.
Yamaha P-515
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Upright pianos usually don't have a 1-corda pedal. They have a soft-pedal that, when depressed, brings the hammers closer to the strings so it will play softer. This generates a sound that is somehow more similar to what my digital piano does.
So, my conclusion is: the vast majority of digital pianos have no 1-corda function. They can use a pedal to activate a behaviour similar to that of an upright piano when you depress its left pedal.
Now I'm curious to know what Roland digital pianos (with modeled sound) do when you press the soft-pedal... 1-corda emulation, or soft-pedal emulation?
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How often do you use the una-corda pedal in your playing and with what kind of music? People on this forum sometimes tend to fixate too much on almost academic types of problems concerning digital pianos which leads to weird conclusions such as declaring some digital pianos (or sound generation approaches) unfit because of unnecessarily overblown significance of parameters. Half-pedaling on the sostenuto pedal comes to mind from one thread in the past
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That's a very good point, CG. Frankly the una corda pedal is largely useless to me. Someone else might need it but I don't. That's why I've reassigned it to other functions. Even more so the sostenuto pedal. That one is just a clunker. Not only is it totally useless to me, but it's positioning is awkward. It might as well not even be there. That's a good joke about half-pedaling the sostenuto. That's akin to the 60s era joke about the astronauts' packaged dehydrated instant water. Just add water.
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How often do you use the una-corda pedal in your playing and with what kind of music? I use it when Chopin writes "sotto voce".
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How often do you use the una-corda pedal in your playing and with what kind of music? I use it when Chopin writes "sotto voce". I also use it when I see ppp to be able to create very soft tones more easily rather than just relying on soft touch but I don't think it makes any serious difference for the player I don't even think it makes a difference for me, besides the psychological one. Is there any piece which requires the una corda pedal throughout an entire piece? OTOH the "doll" from Debussy's Children Corner comes to mind but I doubt it makes any serious difference with or without. Would be interesting to see what grand Debussy had and how the una-corda was implemented on his grand. Let me check the score to see whether the pedal is marked as "una corda" at all or just "left pedal".
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Just checked the Serenade for the doll score and downloaded the manuscript but the resolution is low and it's no readable what's written but there are only 2-3 words there. In the first official release the french instruction is "Il faudra mettre la pédale sourde pendant toute la durée de ce morceau". French members should help in translation but I believe this translates just as "soft" pedal. Not necessarily una-corda, so the intent might have been just to produce as quiet tone as possible.
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How often do you use the una-corda pedal in your playing and with what kind of music? People on this forum sometimes tend to fixate too much on almost academic types of problems concerning digital pianos which leads to weird conclusions such as declaring some digital pianos (or sound generation approaches) unfit because of unnecessarily overblown significance of parameters. Half-pedaling on the sostenuto pedal comes to mind from one thread in the past With classic music there are situations when you should/would like to use the 1-corda pedal or the soft-pedal. AFAIK it's very difficult (if not impossible) to play some scales very quickly with a low velocity timbre and low volume. Anyway I never said that my digital piano is unfit for my needs or a pianist needs. I'm just used to analyze all the functions of a new device I own, even something I rarely use. I like to know that that function is there for when I could need it. And when you see a glittering golden pedal I think you are more eager to try and test it. A "continuous" sostenuto pedal... I think this is a bit 'too much...
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For quick and quiet lines you can play leggiero - tapping keys lightly to put some momentum in the hammers without pressing them fully.
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Google translates this ... Il faudra mettre la pédale sourde pendant toute la durée de ce morceau.as ... It will be necessary to put the pedal deaf for the duration of this piece.We'll have to grant google some poetic license when he says "deaf". Just checked the Serenade for the doll score and downloaded the manuscript but the resolution is low and it's no readable what's written but there are only 2-3 words there. In the first official release the french instruction is "Il faudra mettre la pédale sourde pendant toute la durée de ce morceau". French members should help in translation but I believe this translates just as "soft" pedal. Not necessarily una-corda, so the intent might have been just to produce as quiet tone as possible.
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"la pedale sourde" means the una-corda pedal. But I believe there's some doubt about what Debussy intended.
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I use the left pedal to turn the page on Forscore. . If I need to play softly, I don’t hit the keys as hard.
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Exactly. I use the left pedal to turn the page on Forscore. . If I need to play softly, I don’t hit the keys as hard. But I use the left pedal to change pianos in Kontakt.
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