Lindsay George (Cowes, Australia)

« Downloaded Organteq 2 after being so impressed with the trial version. The more I use the program and learn to get around it I’m just amazed at the effort and thinking that must have gone into its development. The helpful midi signal interpreter was just perfect for setting up the stops, and the ease of so many thoughtful adjustments made set up was a breeze. I should also add how intuitive and easy changing of any of the settings are and the use of sliders are just wonderful, also the touch screen worked right off too. »

Lloyd Rose (Stockbridge, USA)

« This software is my go-to gig piano. I've been using it on a macbook but am extremely happy to have it available on my ipad. I am a fan for life! I sometimes get gear-aqusition-syndrome regarding the latest Korg or Yamaha releases -- but I'd so much rather use Pianoteq on a computer/ipad than invest in the $5K latest good piano. Please, keep the faith in your product -- I certainly have that faith. To me the ability to soften the hammers or slightly detune the piano is fundamental, and you make this possible. Please tell your colleagues that I'm really loving your product! »

Lanfranco Simoncelli (Lusiana-Conco, Italy)

« I am literally in love with Pianoteq... I am 61 years old and have been playing since I was 15, but only now have I found a piano that I really like. Thank you for your beautiful instrument. »

Henning Ziegler (Potsdam, Germany)

« As a lifelong instrumentalist, composer and teacher who is always on the search for the ultimate in musical expression and sound quality, I must congratulate you on Pianoteq 8 which I have just bought. This is fhe first digital instrument that feels and reacts like the real thing to me, and surely the first one that allows me to digitally re-create prepared piano sounds, and even morph them with controllers much like experimenting on stage with a prepared grand piano. This is just absolutely stunning! »

Enrico Rossi (Imola, Italy)

« I use Pianoteq in all my recordings and live performances nowadays as a sampled piano doesn’t give me the same feeling. I think the Organteq software was a great and bold idea to develop as well. Its pervasive and detailed shaping features played very well on obtaining the expressive sound needed for my composition. Organteq also matched well with the idea behind my ModernAntico recordings: allowing the listener to “feel” the presence of the organ, the same feeling you get when you play it. »

Michael Valentini (Toronto, Canada)

« As a music educator, I really appreciate the incredible products your company produces. I spent many hours evaluating all the instrument packs and all their subtleties over the last few days. I compared them to all my other instrument libraries of other companies as well. Pianoteq is a very unique, organic, and powerful musical instrument. I felt I had no other choice but to purchase ALL the remaining instrument packs and I'm happy I did! I wish every company would put the same work into offering comprehensive tools for altering tuning temperaments. Many thanks for this marvelous experience. Pianoteq is truly inspiring to play. Look forward to all future developments from your team. »

Bernd Haller (Griesheim, Germany)

« This is just to thank you all for this wonderful product! And, while the possibilities of the models you have built are the big thing, I would like to applaud the user interface as much. So many tiny little details show the love that went into its creation. So well thought and designed. A class of its own. As is the modelling engine. When I purchased the Pianoteq 8 Standard package I had high hopes, but was sceptical. Now my highest hopes have been exceeded by far. Merci Beaucoup »

Scott Davis (Houston, USA)

« I would like to thank you for an absolutely extraordinary product. It has seriously changed my musical life. Being able to wear headphones and just bang away at what sounds and feels like a real piano let’s me experiment and improvise in a way I could never do if the neighbors were listening to me on a real piano. The fact that you are supporting Logic Pro on IOS with no additional cost made upgrading and buying an additional pack a no-brainer. Of all my software instruments, this is my favorite by several orders of magnitude. I am truly grateful to you and all of your obviously hard work. »

Peter Hecking (Freiburg, Germany)

« Let me express my gratitude for releasing Pianoteq for iOS and the ability to use one of my three slots for licensing the app. This is very generous and it is supercool to finally run the BEST virtual piano on my iPad. So much easier to set up. Up and running in no time… BTW, i love your software, i cannot comprehend how it is possible to get such good results by pure numbercrunching without samples. My favorite piano is the YC5. »

Kevin Mathie (West Jordan, USA)

« I just upgraded to version 8 after being at 6 for a long time. I've always been a Steinway guy -- both in real-life and on your software. But, since the move to version 8, I started pulling up K2 more and more. And now it's my new go-to piano sound. I appreciate the hard work you've put into the sounds. I literally use your software every day. I know there are a ton of companies making piano sounds, but yours stands out, at least to me, as being the best. Whenever my colleagues ask me what piano sound I'm using, I'm always proud to say Pianoteq. »

Gary Morrison (Austin, USA)

« Sampled instruments are to Modartt’s physical-modeling instruments, what a photo album of an instrument is to the instrument itself! »

Scott Anderson (Alvin, USA)

« Downloaded Organteq and after just a brief minute or so flipping thru a few sounds I must say I’m overwhelmed at how authentic the pipes and cathedral ambience sounds — WOW!! You all have done it again....amazing!!! Thanks again for your work developing playable and inspiring instruments. »

Adam Dell (Davisburg, USA)

« I have been a user of Pianoteq for two years. I want to say: Way to go, Modartt. Your quality is top notch, unmatched by any other available on the market. I have played a few Steinway D models in my lifetime, and your Steinway D packs are identical to the real thing. It is exhilarating to have my own concert D anywhere I go. »

Howard Lieberman (Hillsdale, USA)

« I have a 1924 Mason Hamlin Baby grand in my living room and the Pianoteq pianos are the only ones I have played which give me a similar amount of joy. For the last two years I have been happily playing piano gigs using Pianoteq my Mac M1 Laptop and the 88 key weighted Arturia controller. I have tried a lot of other digital pianos and software synths but nothing else has come close. Thanks again for making such a high quality set of instruments. »

Stig-Göran Wistbacka (Vasa, Finland)

« I’m an amateur pianist/organist who has over 400 hundred recordings on Youtube with Pianoteq/Organteq and they are growing continuously. As a school teacher, I accompanied students' singing with an upright piano. 2013 I found Pianoteq and haven't played acoustic pianos since. It sounds realistic, it's unique. It gives me the ability to control the sound in so many ways and I can blend them together and create new sounds never heard before. I found Organteq 2019. And every morning both are like new instruments, exciting. I never get tired of them. I use every free moment every day to play them and record music. And I have the same feeling with both Pianoteq and Organteq. Thanks to Pianoteq and Organteq I have developed my playing incredibly and can now compose, improvise my own melodies and make variations. Thank you Modartt for a fantastic work. »

Frido Ruth (London, UK)

« I'm absolutely loving the playability of your grands and uprights. Having the Pianoteq plugin in my default writing canvas configuration has made me want to play again - in the true sense of the word. It's the closest thing I've got in my box to an instrument that I can emotionally interact with. Thank you. Merci beaucoup. Je suis vraiment impressionné et ravi. »

Steve Hopkins (Eastbourne, UK)

« I just want to say what a truly incredible software instrument Pianoteq is. Having grown up with a piano in the house, but now living in a small flat that cannot accommodate one, it's no exaggeration to say that Pianoteq has been positively life changing, as it's brought a realism to my virtual-piano playing that I didn't think was possible (I control Pianoteq with a Casio GP-310, which has an excellent action co-developed with Bechstein, and the overall experience is simply magnificent). I must congratulate you on what is truly one of the most impressive and inspirational software instruments I've ever had the pleasure to work with (and as a professional musician and producer, I've worked with a lot!). »

Blaze D. (Schwerin, Germany)

« I really appreciate your work so much. Thank you for making the old big dusty wooden boxes obsolete and opening the multiverse of timbral possibilities. The tuning interface is awesome too. »

John Reynolds (Bateman, Australia)

« I'm a software developer and musician, and I just wanted to say that your company produces some of the most impressive and inspiring software I've ever used. I wouldn't replace your Bluethner model with a real one even if I could afford to! »

George Gilliland (New York, USA)

« I want to thank you for all your hard work on Pianoteq. It is truly a wonderful product, and I can hear how it continues to improve. I live in an apartment in New York City and must spend a lot of time playing through headphones. I have a digital piano for that purpose. Its action is quite good, but I simply could not survive on the dreadful sounds built into that keyboard. Pianoteq to the rescue! »

Jamie Fyffe (Falmouth, UK)

« Thank you for your new Low Velocity Note-On feature in Pianoteq. This is a real step forward for midi-mallet percussion with Modartt bravely at the forefront of some much needed development work. Xylosynth + Pianoteq really is the ultimate combination - you are the industry leaders! »

Walter Aycock Jr (Hartwell, USA)

« I am very excited and pleased to have Pianoteq 7. For the first time, I have a virtual piano that sounds exactly like a real one. I have $800. JBL Studio Monitors, and an SSL USB interface. I turn the volume all the way up, so that if I slam my hands on the keyboard, it's very very loud. Then I just play the piano like I would play a real one, without changing the high volume. I can play whisper soft... So soft that it wouldn't be heard on most stereos or TVs, and can also reach thunderous loud peaks if I want. The dynamic range is amazing! Now all the other piano sample libraries sound compressed in comparison. »

Luca Di Gennaro (Napoli, Italy)

« I'm Luca Di Gennaro, software engineer, composer, arranger, producer and sound designer and Moog Music Inc. Collaborator. I've recently purchased Pianoteq 7 and I'm totally in love with it. It's inspiring and I appreciate every bit of it. I frankly can't understand why people still use sampled pianos with Gbs of heaviness instead of your lightweight masterpiece. »

Robin B. (Birmingham, UK)

« I just purchased Pianoteq 7 Std with 4 instruments today. Just to say that it is a wonderful product. Fabulous sound and so much fun to use and play. The best piano/keyboards vst that I've ever used (and I've used many). »

Edward Gordon (Houston, USA)

« Last year (2020) I purchased Pianoteq to integrate with a newly purchased Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809. I was particularly interested in having additional harpsichord instruments available on the CVP-809. A few weeks ago I decided to expand my selection of historic pianos and also added the Steinway D to my Pianoteq instruments. While the "native" piano voices (Yamaha CFX Grand and Bosendorfer Grand) of the Yamaha are quite good - they both seem (to me) to be a bit "weak" in the 6th and 7th keyboard octaves. Thus, I was blown away by how the Pianoteq Steinway D sounded on my CVP-809 - Just Amazing - and the problem with the upper range octaves disappeared !! Having figured out how to integrate the CVP-809 MIDI channels with Pianoteq allows me to both hear and record (mp3) - the Pianoteq instrument + a layered CVP-809 voice. This integration eliminated the need to purchase additional computer MIDI software (with it's generally steep learning curve). Again, KUDOs for the modeling of the Steinway D! »

Brian Linnell (Omaha, USA)

« I'd like to pass along my delight with the most recent Pianoteq upgrade, version 7. The improvements to the many virtual instruments are excellent! I play Pianoteq with a Kawai VPC1, and am more satisfied with the many virtual instruments I have to play with this setup than I would be with any acoustic piano that I could afford. Thank you for your continued improvements to this outstanding software! »

Paul Max Edlin (Deal, UK)

« I wanted to write to you to express my congratulations to you and your colleagues on what is an exceptional compositional tool. As a composer, it is easy to be 'fooled' by sounds that appear nice, but do not represent reality. Your piano sounds are an exceptional gift to us composers, because they allow us to properly 'hear' a piano in action. The results of what we write (and, of course adapt in terms of minutiae of tempos and dynamics for 'sound' versions, to replicate the form of 'interpretation' a pianist would achieve) are realised in extraordinary clarity - right down to the resultant harmonics when a sostenuto pedal is held down and other notes are played! I have made several 'sound versions' of piano my works (many extremely complex and daunting to very fine pianists), and the results are so helpful. To be honest, in a few cases, it will be very hard for a pianist (however good) to achieve such results! Thank you for creating this, and do please pass on my congratulations and thanks to your colleagues. »

Ko Tanaka (Nagoya, Japan)

« I'm Ko Tanaka, studied at Berklee College of Music and the first Japanese Off-Broadway composer ever. I constantly use Pianoteq 6 for my entire composition sketching. It usually starts from a track of Pianoteq which allows me to feel the resonance of each key. This effect is exclusively possible only by using Pianoteq. When I played the chord, I can easily imagine what's coming to the next. I can't wait to see what's next for the Pianoteq's journey! »

Paul Walker (New York, USA)

« I am writing simply to say: Thank you for making such an amazingly responsive and musical bit of software. Buying Pianoteq has improved every part of my playing and recording experience. Your team has made perhaps the best music software I have ever used - and I have written and maintained soft synths myself! So just a short note in this time of crisis to share my appreciation for a job which is so far beyond well done that well done doesn't do it justice. Thanks, be well, and be safe. »

Robert Marks (Budapest, Hungary)

« I work for PianoReport.com and was lucky enough to try out a few Pianoteq products. They are amazing. I want to thank the Pianoteq team for the fantastic job. I love the rich sound and I think each software has a fair price. »

Jeff Goeke (Lakewood, USA)

« WOW!!! I just installed the software. I am blown away, not just by the sounds I wanted to buy, but the legacy extras and how much customization is available. And, I don’t have to download 77GB of files. Thank you for such a phenomenal package. »

Michael Lindstrom (Waterbury, USA)

« Organteq is even more flexible and responsive than I thought it would be and the sound is remarkable. Congratulations to you all for developing a wonderful and well priced product. It is musically and technically superb, and I am delighted with my purchase. Thank you! »

Chris Dent (Ilkley, Australia)

« I recently trialled and then bought Stage with the Steinway D and electric pianos. I am only a part-time piano player, mainly I play guitar - but wanted authentic piano sounds for my recordings. I thought the Steinway and electrics were brilliant and would give me all the sounds I would ever need - until I tried the Bluethner demo, which I have just bought because I realised that I just had to have it. This Bluethner is knocking my socks off! I can't stop playing it and luxuriating in the beautiful sound textures. Thank you so much for these excellent piano sounds. All my other piano software (of which I have bought a few over the years - looking for 'that sound') is now redundant. The sound of all the pianos is so "real" that the keys feel different under my fingers. It is not just the sound of the piano but I now also have the "feel" of a real piano. My old Roland FP3 now feels like a grand piano, especially since installing the velocity map for the FP3 from your forum page. This is an excellent product that I would recommend to anyone without hesitation. Thank you. »

David Bergeaud (West Hollywood, USA)

« After years of trying every sampled piano, this is by far the best musician’s experience I’ve had playing a “virtual” piano. Thank you for such an amazing product. I can’t imagine the work that has gone into programming such a superb interface and capturing so many of the subtleties and complexities of an acoustic instrument. »

Leigh Goldstein (New York, USA)

« I have been involved in midi and sound since before midi was invented. I was one of the first midi mail order dealers in the world before the internet even existed! I am just absolutely flabbergasted by the quality and realism of your software, and am truly grateful to be alive to enjoy so many high quality products that have been coming on to the market. Pianoteq is truly second to none, and I still cannot believe you are doing this without sampling or huge resource hogging and I just love it so much. Thanks for the amazing, mind boggling product. »

Alex Ion (Bucharest, Romania)

« I am extremely grateful for Pianoteq and would like to express my gratitude to your team for such a unique and wonderful product. I use every opportunity to tell people about it and to present it as the future of the piano. It is amazing that mathematical modelling can produce such exquisite and intricate sounds. »

Ros Oswald (Marlborough, UK)

« I play historic instruments. Harpsichord, Spinet, and Square Piano and I also play the organ. I own an original 1812 Broadwood Square Piano, a Spinet, and modern piano but no organ. I give concerts, play for Regency dancing and attend Napoleonic Association re-enactments, but cannot move the original Square around since it is too delicate. Recently I was given an original Square Piano case which had been mutilated by the removal of all of its movement. My husband built a new interior to imitate the real thing but installed an electronic keyboard and speakers. With your program running on a recon MacBook Pro, I can take my “Pseudo-Square” out and about and not worry about dropping it. In the one instrument which has all the appearance of a complete original, I can now play all of the ones I love... And never have to worry about tuning thAnd Thank you for your excellent Pianoteq program, Organteq and the add-ons. As far as I know you are the only company with such a product and I recommend it to all of the musicians I know. »

Ky M. Austin (Round Rock, USA)

« I played Piano for 12 years as a kid. After college I always wanted to own a grand piano, but don't have the room or the cash to pay 60k+ USD for one. You have a great product and it reinvigorated my WANT to play the Piano. I don't have to purchase a real piano anymore because of how well you model'd the Pianos, it's ridiculous how much detail there is, I love it! It definitely sounds and feels like a real piano, especially when I make bad keystrokes and mistakes, the piano model shows it all like a real piano would with the vibrations of notes, sustaining of the notes, etc.... Unlike the sampled pianos. »

Edward Archibald (Berlin, Germany)

« I got a Zynthian recently and tried out the Pianoteq demo and it blew me away! So playable, beautiful, expressive! And from the standpoint of being a software engineer, I can appreciate the beauty of the way that the sound is created and look forward to the development of this technology in the future. Thanks for creating an excellent product! »

Peter Davison (Idyllwild, USA)

« I have been using Pianoteq for years. It is truly a wonderful program. I compose scores for TV/Film and also CDs. It is the only piano program I use - or need. I love the sound, features and controllability. It does great smooth, ambient piano and great bass octave bombastic piano. Great soft, creepy notes for scary music. Cimbalom/Tzigane is fantastic. So - THANKS! »

Mulomba Luabeya (Bronx, USA)

« I just want to congratulate you all there for a fantastic job your team have accomplished with the release of Pianoteq 6.0 version. The instruments sound more natural and their respective frequency range is more wider than before. The sound is more rich harmonically speaking as well as more opened. I just love it. »

Paul Smith (London, UK)

« I just wanted to thank you for making such an amazing piece of software. I've used Pianoteq for a couple of years and I recently updated my keyboard this week so I could really appreciate the playing experience. After that at about 2am last night I bought the Blüthner pack and I wanted to thank you for making the most amazing sound I've ever experienced. I played it for hours and enjoyed the formidable sound of the piano. Keep up the amazing work et merci beaucoup pour l'experience magnifique. »

David Porter (Port Clinton, USA)

« I find Pianoteq 5 to be endlessly inspiring. The feeling of having an actual, organic machine at one's fingers in a digital format is marvelous. It seems to be alive, as music should be as well. »

Harin David (Colombo, Sri Lanka)

« I just purchased this today, and my goodness this is what I've been looking for all my life :-) in all seriousness the last few VSTs I purchased kept me wanting and I've been extremely disappointed sound wise and also how much memory/space these things take up. Out of desperation I was on the look out for something different. I came across Pianoteq on a couple of forums and then read some reviews and only saw positive feedback.. What appealed to me was the size of the entire thing because of it being a physical model and not being samples. Without checking out the demos I took a risk and purchased it and my word this is the best €99 I have spent in several years. Totally worth the risk and It's truly amazing! »

Robert Hakalski (Philadelphia, USA)

« I'm soon releasing a CD of original piano compositions which I recorded exclusively with Pianoteq (Stage). The instrument performed beautifully and I just wanted to let you know that I couldn't have conceived or completed this project without it. The piano simulation is amazing. And I tried to take advantage of all the nuances of velocity and resonances that the software was capable of ... The lower end bass notes have a wonderful warm, rich tone and the much higher octave notes have a very pleasing ring, and with practice it became easier and easier to extract more and more nuance from my playing. Please keep up with development of this software .... It's brilliant! »

Varun Manjunatha (College Park, USA)

« I just heard your Model B for the first time today. I think you've truly outdone yourself. It sounds absolutely *flawless*. There's a real resonance, and the mids and low-mids are unbelievable (your highs were always excellent). A great VST makes an ordinary pianist sound like a great pianist. And I think you've done it. »

Eric Barfield (Nashville, USA)

« I stumbled across Pianoteq before a tour with CCM artist Meredith Andrews, and it was a lifesaver. All the other guy’s piano plugins choked my computer live, but Pianoteq was so CPU efficient that I was able to rely on it as my go-to piano plugin for the entire tour. Not to mention that the sound was the most expressive and “playable” piano VST I’ve ever used. If you’re in a modern worship band, there’s not a better option on the market for great sounding pianos. »

Jack Dwosh (Moorestown, USA)

« The whole Pianoteq concept and the way it functions is truly amazing. I'm nearly 62 years old and have been playing piano since age 4. I own two acoustics- Yamaha C2 grand and a Yamaha U 3 upright. Right now, I'd much rather play on Pianoteq than the acoustics- your product is that good! I'm using a 14 year old Triton Studio as my keyboard with Pianoteq and it functions perfectly. »

Ron Jopp (The Hague, Netherlands)

« As a life long piano player of 59 years old I was very sceptic about a 'virtual piano' based on just mathematical models. My experience with sample based pianos probably was the cause. Having tried 'the best' sample based pianos (hardware and software) I never found a completely satisfying solution that sounded right and played right. The gap with the real thing was too large for me, especially on the playing aspects. The response was never really like a real piano. Straight out of the box I was immediately impressed by that aspect of Pianoteq. It just felt right from the start. It actually plays like a real piano! Very impressive to say the least. At first the sound was 'just' OK, but then I discovered all the settings to adapt the piano to your needs and preferences. I upgraded to Standard to have more settings available. Really brilliant. By playing with things like dynamic response, hammer hardness (yes, really ..) and microphone settings I could come close to the sound of my ageing Grotrian Steinweg. Actually your program taught me a lot about pianos in general. I am still learning all the aspects of the settings and having great fun with it. You revived the fun in playing piano. Thanks a lot! »

Michael Stow (Bury St Edmunds, UK)

« I've just bought Pianoteq Stage. I am stunned by the high quality. The clavichord and harpsichords are so rich and beautiful that it's almost impossible to stop playing them. And the sympathetic resonance is now something I couldn't live without, perhaps it's this feature that makes me feel like I'm sitting at a real instrument. I consider myself lucky to be able to experience the sounds that keyboard players from the past must have heard. I congratulate you, and am now a total evangelist for the product. »

David Andrews (Hadleigh, UK)

« I just wanted to send a quick message to say what a fantastic piece of software Pianoteq is. It's the solution to a problem that has been bugging me for ages. My Korg LP 180 piano has a horrid built in sound and I've been running it through sample libraries on my Mac. The limited velocity layers and RAM demands on my 2007 iMac have been frustrating to play classical music on without glitches. Pianoteq has solved all the issues I was having with performance and given me back the expressive capabilities to my digital piano. Now I fully enjoy every time I sit at my piano. I look forward to seeing the product grow and being part of it's future! Congratulations on an excellent product. »

Neil Palmer (Rothenberg, Germany)

« My name is Neil Palmer - I have been the keyboard player & co producer for the German R&B singer/songwriter Xavier Nadoo for around 17 years now. The piano is central to my world. So I don't compromise. Yes there are alternatives to Pianoteq but I'm put off by the massive sample library involved and subsequent CPU load on my Mac or Receptors (What's the use of a top piano sound and audio dropouts from overloaded disc drives?) - so when Pianoteq was recommended to me I downloaded the demo version of the plugin and spent a day trying it out - it impressed me very much!! - and allows me to design my 'own' piano sound rather than just sound like a Steinway - and all with much less CPU load. Added to that the excellent emulations of other keyboards (Wow!) and I'm sold on the idea! Thank you for producing this amazing instrument. You made my world a much better place to be! »

Mikael Landberg (Uddevalla, Sweden)

« Well what a surprise that I finally was able to get a piano sound that sounds really good. My favourite is D4 but I also like the Cinematic Blues and Jazz pianos. No more dull lifeless tunes :-) . Thanks for giving me inspiration !!!! »

Steven McCabe (Macclesfield, UK)

« I recently purchased Pianoteq after being totally knocked out by the demo: I have played and owned many multi-gig sound libraries and I have to tell you that Pianoteq blows them all to bits: I really feel like I am playing a piano and not just some recording. For the first time ever, I am actually truly happy with 'my piano' - it sounds fantastic as a solo instrument and absolutely sits in a mix like it was made for it! »

Stuart Elliott (London, UK)

« I bought Pianoteq solely on the strength of the D4 and Blüthner cinematic presets. They carry the longest of sustains in a most beautiful and haunting way. So much so that they inspired me into a whole new writing project. I feel this instrument is going to be a journey of discovery for many years to come in my compositions. »

Jack Tenen (Toorak, Australia)

« Have purchased Pianoteq Stage yesterday and have had difficulty dragging myself away from the keyboard. Just wanted to thank you guys for creating such a wonderful project. I had been struggling with sampled instruments for quite a while, now having a database of around 120GB! Have only felt recently that my computers could cope and still sometimes bothered by latency and occasional noise. Your product has virtually eliminated these issues immediately while providing gorgeous instruments to play with a host of controls that I am still trying to get my head around. I wanted to make special mention of your clavichord instruments. Over 30 years ago, before the internet, youtube etc., I wanted to hear a real clavichord but no such thing was readily accessible here in far away Australia. I decided then to design and build my own and did just that, just so that I could hear what it sounded like. I had never constructed any instrument before so wasn't expecting it to be first grade. Indeed it was pleasant enough but it introduced me to how it differed from a piano. There is always contact with the string when the key is depressed and pressing harder actually stretches the string and changes the pitch. Changing pressure on the key while depressed allowed a vibrato effect. I sampled the instrument a couple of years ago and created a gig file but obviously could not replicate these effects on a piano keyboard. The pitch changes with change in velocity also did not make it very attractive IMO. I notice none of these pitch changes on changing velocity with your instrument and am actually much happier for it. Your clavichord sounds beautiful. »

Roger Huang (Taichung, Taiwan)

« I just did a recording of my daughter's performance with my Technics PX-664 digital piano and Pianoteq v5. The result is stunning that amazed all my friends and my daughter's piano teacher. Very nice! I use this to take some record of my daughter's progress on learning piano. And I personally also enjoy playing with it. Hope to see even more progress on this awesome virtual instrument! Thank you! »

William Coakley (Lake Worth, USA)

« The new version 5 is another step forward and a great improvement. I'm enjoying the Blüthner more than the Steinway at the moment... Keep up the good work. »

Dr Graham Clarke (Northcote, Australia)

« Over recent months, I have been out on tour with a small group of singers. When I tried touring again because I had access to an excellent sounding digital piano, I finished the concert ready to put an axe through the instrument because of the limited expressive possibilities! So, "Never again!" I declared and would stick to my original decision made decades ago of no regional touring. That was, until Pianoteq. I'd like to share a special "Thank you!" for the three most recent concerts. The one closest to my musical heart was a recital based around a selection of French art songs. The hall was a 1930, Art Deco original that seated around 120 people. I was completely engrossed in accompanying using the "Erard"; the expressive depth of the una corda and its exquisite shift back into forte is a treasure! The standing ovations at the end were from an audience for whom such concerts were now a rarity. However, it was the fact that they had been deeply moved that they sprang to their collective feet. As I was taking my bow at the end of the recital, I had one hand on the piano and was thinking of you, wishing that I could share the response with you! I have such deep gratitude for your work. »

Ron Eddo (Altamonte Springs, USA)

« How great is it for me, that I can wake up, open your email, and in a matter of a few key strokes and a few minutes, be benefiting from all your hard work of two years. What you are creating, and the way you are making it available, is proof to me, that this is the best time in history to be a musician. I love Version 5. Thank you very much. »

Stephen Phillips (Brisbane, Australia)

« I remember the first time I 'touched' Pianoteq 2, and realised what might be possible through full-modeling. That dream is becoming reality. Ironically, my situation as a violinist in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra in Brisbane, Australia, has given me some wonderful opportunities in the world of piano. Of course, we are surrounded by Steinway Ds (mostly Hamburg) of a number of vintages, including a magnificent antique concert grand. Since Pianoteq version 4, I have felt things where moving along very nicely for this stunning product, not just in sound quality, but in 'fashionability' of the sound. Now, with version 5 we have a truth of sound coming from the tone generator engine that is absolutely convincing. I would absolutely challenge even a sophisticated listener to identify the model, as distinct from reality, in a blind listening test, and to a statistically significant degree. »

Craig Richards (Melbourne, Australia)

« I am surrounded by acoustic pianos of many makes and models each day, working in a retail piano showroom in Melbourne Australia (agents for Steinway & Sons) so I feel I am well qualified to make the comment that your latest Bluthner Grand Piano and Pianoteq 4.5 is simply amazing. At last, a virtual piano that I can play and forget about the technology and simply become lost in creating music. What an astonishing achievement you have made - congratulations and a big thank you! »

Devin Wipperman (Waverly, USA)

« I think this is the first time I've felt compelled to thank a company for their product. I only play casually, but I can lose hours at a good piano. However, I haven't been able to have one of my own for a long time now. Digital keyboards are better than nothing, but they've never given me joy that comes with the real thing. It feels like I've tried every sample-based instrument out there, spending hours tweaking settings, trying to replicate that feeling. But no matter what I did, they all felt off somehow. I'd heard of Pianoteq and it's modeling synth before, but always passed it by, assuming it would sound flat and lack character. But when I finally tried it, I instantly felt that joy that comes from a real piano -- no need to tweak settings to get what I want. I can just play, and it does what I'd expect from the real thing. Pianoteq lets me forget that I'm playing a software instrument, and lose myself in the joy of playing. Thank you. »

Mark Sherman (Pflugerville, USA)

« This is a beautiful program, it takes the edge off of wanting a Steinway 1098. Thank you for making this. »

Robert Dorn (Leeuwarden, Netherlands)

« This piano rocks!! The D4 really is amazing, I tried it 2 days ago and it's already my favorite piano. Complements my other virtual piano very well, and besides Pianoteq4 D4 is way better responsive and broader useable in different genres. »

Emmett Whitaker II (North Tonawanda, USA)

« Several years ago I worked in a piano dealership in Buffalo, NY (Denton, Cottier, Daniels --touted as the ''oldest Steinway dealership'' in the United States). Among other piano brands, I sold Steinways. Just let me state that in my humble opinion, your D4 series nails the rich mellow fullness of the best that Steinway has to offer. For someone like me, who will never be able to afford a Steinway, this is quite a remarkable boon. I don't know what magic you employed in order to produce such a fine virtual instrument, but let me thank you for your efforts. »

Jeremy Abel (Brooklyn, USA)

« Just wanted to say that the fact that Pianoteq is always recording midi data of anything you play is a fantastic feature. I have an entire folder of midi snippets of stuff I've played while jamming or just messing around, and without that feature, there's so many ideas I would have forgotten or had to stop and write down or record. It's great that I can just go into a menu and export stuff I've just played, without having to push record, and without the nervousness associated with recording it for real. Every piece of instrument software should have this. »

Louis S Carrozzi (Bellevue, USA)

« I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth to the customer testimonials because Pianoteq is an excellent product and was exactly what I needed. The two most important features of Pianoteq Standard, for me, are that you can randomly generate pianos that simply don't exist in real life, which is fun, but more importantly you can also design your own piano from scratch. I can get EXACTLY the piano sound I want for for my music, no matter what style of song, and that's something you just can't do with samples. Genius! »

Donny Collins (Statesboro, USA)

« I got Pianoteq 4.5 Stage last week and I absolutely love it. Of any instrument I have ever played, it's among the most expressive and beautiful sounding. »

Mark Hinton Stewart (Old Isleworth, United Kingdom)

« Hello to the amazing team at Modartt. I've been using Pianoteq pretty much since the beginning, and I've always been a big fan, though I've fluctuated at times between various piano sample libraries and Pianoteq, continually searching for the ultimate piano sound to use in all my projects - I'm a film and TV composer as well as being a performing musician. Well, I have to congratulate you profusely on the Blüthner add-on. It's amazing, incredible, beautiful, emotional, expressive, tender, huge, in fact everything that I've been searching for in a piano sound. I spend hours just playing it and enjoying the beauty of the sound and the playability. I had to write this email to you all to thank you for creating this and making it available to us all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Merci!! »

Johannes Biedert (Stuttgart, Germany)

« The Blüthner and Steinway pianos in your software are a daily source of inspiration for me, the texture of the sound, the pearly brilliance, the responsiveness - all that is totally stunning! I am discovering nuances in the sound every day I am using Pianoteq which are impossible to find in a sample-based emulation. I am totally convinced this is the best sounding virtual piano out there! Thank you very much and keep up the excellent work. »

Connor Chee (Chandler, USA)

« I recently bought Pianoteq, and I want to express just how satisfied I am with the product! I am a classically trained pianist, with a master's degree in piano performance. I have always been hesitant to use digital keyboards for anything other than practice. However, after getting your software, I prefer to use my digital grand to make recordings for my albums and my youtube videos! The sound quality is fantastic! I recently released a CD that was recorded with pianoteq, and everyone commented on how nice the instrument was that I recorded on. No one knew it was a digital piano! And the sound quality on my youtube videos is great. This is one that I think Pianoteq really made sound great: http://youtu.be/pY-Xb8a3BaU - Not to mention the simplicity of using the software to record! I recommend the program to all of my pianist friends that need affordable recording options (since studio recordings can run well into the thousands!) Thanks! »

Paul Von Mertens (Chicago, USA)

« I work for Brian Wilson as music director and I needed something I could use on tour for writing and arranging mostly, so I tried Pianoteq last year while we did the Beach Boys 50th reunion tour. It worked so well that I'm adding it to my studio at home for recording. If I'm using plug-ins I want them to sound real, musical and be easy to use because I don't spend a lot of time with the technical stuff. The pianos sound great and the set-up and interface are very clear, intuitive and seamless. Thanks for a great product. »

Mark Willmot (Cape Town, South Africa)

« I've complimented you on the beauty of your work in the past, but I just have to compliment you again. I plan to buy the Blüthner add-on soon. Listening to those sample pieces on a good hi-fi just blew me away - again. Thank you so much for your wonderful, wonderful work. You have turned software into Art. »

Rube Quinones (El Paso, USA)

« I've been using Pianoteq for about 2 years now and just wanted to say thank you for putting out such an awesome product that runs on Linux. It is the best piano sound I've found and it does not consume tons of resources from my pc. Keep it up with the good work! »

Hans Holema (Alkmaar, Netherlands)

« Congrats on the U4 - I have already purchased it... I really like the sound... It's one of those cases where you didn't know you were missing that sound until you have it :-) good job! »

Brian Hanke (Burbank, USA)

« I'm a classically trained pianist and I've been using Pianoteq for almost a year now. Thanks to this amazing software I'm doing some of the best creative work of my life. Every time I sit down at my keyboard I'm blown away by how good Pianoteq sounds and how incredibly expressive it allows me to be. I truly think it's the greatest advancement in piano technology in the last 200 years. »

Rafał Rudawski (Wroclaw, Poland)

« As a pro musician/composer it is very important for me to have a true piano sound on stage and in my studio. I was looking very hard for the best sounding piano plugin - no results, nothing interesting nor true. I was completely DAS (disappointed, angry, sad). Thanks God I have found Modartt website somehow on the internet. I was testing Pianoteq 4 demo for two weeks, after that I decided to buy it. Pianoteq 4 is not a plugin with tons of recorded samples or virtual/hybrid toys - it is a real instrument with soul, like a real grand piano. Thank You Modartt Team! »

Harald Sævik (Åkrehamn, Norway)

« Fantastic sounds, REALLY fantastic ! And not only the expensive ones, but the old pianos, the free ones, they are incredible. So much soul and spirit, really looking forward composing my romantic piano music on these sounds, and also my straight-to-the-heart tunes with the rhodes, the wurlies and the grands. »

Paolo Negri (Casalpusterlengo, Italy)

« Hi guys, just wanted to spread some love for the new developments. I'm a professional musician from Italy and I've been using the Pianoteq 3 (and now 4) for almost every release I made in the last 2 years. I love the Clavinet add-on (I use it as a real instrument making it thru an effect pedalboard), the Rhodes, CP-80 and, of course, grand pianos. The new Bluthner is really shining, it has a wonderful response and a sound character which is simply lovely and amazing, really a great job!!! »

Pierre-Yves Bessuand (Antony, France)

« Votre dernière version de Pianoteq est fabuleuse ! Ce fut l'excitation et l'euphorie dès les premières notes. Cet opus représente à mes oreilles une évolution radicale par rapport à la version 3. Ce nouvel instrument a renouvelé mon inspiration... Je n'aurais pu espérer mieux ! »

Jefferson Jarvis (Nashville, USA)

« Wow, Version 4 is quite an impressive upgrade! The additional included effects are a welcome addition-especially for the Rhodes, Wurly, and Clavinet instruments. I'm also really enjoying all the new presets using the D4 piano instrument. The continued efforts on the part of the Modartt company to make this the best software piano instrument deserve much praise. Pianoteq Stage has saved the day for me when I do fly dates, providing me with a consistently great piano sound without having to worry about getting my preferred hardware keyboard (currently the Roland RD-700NX). »

Edwin Mitchell (Bogangar, Australia)

« I was extremely pleased to see that you have Modeled the Rhodes, as the realism of your Pianos is sincerely breathtaking... I have some other Electric Pianos (sampled) from a leading manufacture of VST Instruments, and they simply do not sound or feel real. Your instruments actually give me the sensation of moving air, vibration of strings and movement and touch of physical components. It is very hard for me to put it into words. Warmest regards and sincere gratitude. »

Paul Radelat (New York, USA)

« I've been using synth and samplers pianos now for a long time, and for me, Pianoteq sounds like a great piano, I prefer it to the sound than other pianos out there. One thing that I'm not seeing mentioned here is that Pianoteq also responds like a real piano, at least it does for me. Somebody mentioned to me that back in the day, people liked the DX7 rhodes better than the original rhodes when it came out. I think that we've come to the point in the evolution of pianos that it's just not about "does it sound like a real piano"? But does it sound like an ideal piano that doesn't exist as wood and metal. I think that these models based on real pianos eventually take a life of their own as well. Anyway, I'm very happy with Pianoteq... :) »

Ken Mann (Calgary, Canada)

« Last night I used Pianoteq 4 for the first time at a Jazz Big Band practice. There is a warmth and richness that is quite amazing. It worked well in solo playing, ensemble and full big band onslaught. I received a few compliments from people that I highly respect and I know that it was largely due to the improved piano. I find that it lends itself naturally to many styles. The Jazz AB setting was my choice! Great product - Kudos to all. »

Karl Parnow-Kloth (Lüneburg, Germany)

« I just tried the new version of Pianoteq 4 and would like to say: wonderful. In my little studio I use an old A50 Roland Masterkeyboard, worn out, but still beloved, how come that when playing the D4, all the plastic keys turn into real ebony and ivory? It's magic .... Thanks a lot for this inspiring instrument, it's simply beautiful, yet versatile, just like the original. »

Marcos Ubeda (Ulricehamn, Sweden)

« My name is Marcos Ubeda and I'm a pianist/producer/musical director for several TV-shows, living in Sweden. Just wanted to let you guys know that through my career of 15 years as a professional keyboardist this is absolutely the most astounding software piano I've come across - EVER! I will be using it exclusively in the future both live and in my studio productions. As a songwriter I've released over 150 songs and had at least 15 top 10 hits in Sweden. As a keyboardist/pianist I've recorded and toured the world with jazzfusion legend Billy Cobham during 5 years. Feel free to visit my homepage marcosubeda.com. I just want to say again - FANTASTIC WORK!!! »

Joseph Felice (Homewood, USA)

« May I tell you, Sir, that Pianoteq has exceeded my wildest expectations in terms of sheer musicality! With all sincerity, you must be made aware that, since having acquired Pianoteq 3 and now 3.5, I have completely deleted all 290GB of a sampled piano library from my computer's hard drives. Compared to the visceral feeling I perceive when using Pianoteq 3.5, those beautifully sampled pianos simply do not give me the enjoyment of playing a real musical instrument. Congratulations to all of the engineers and designers at Modartt. As a pianist of over 50 years, the recurring thought that comes to mind about Pianoteq 3.5 is "musicality". »

Alain Maugeau (Chelles, France)

« Je suis musicien pianiste et guitariste depuis maintenant une cinquantaine d'année. Je pense qu'en matière de synthétiseur, j'ai pratiquement tout eu sur scène avec différents orchestres de variétés. Vous vous en doutez bien, que de galères pour trouver un son de piano correct... même avec les échantillonneurs... Vous avez pour votre part, complètement innové, et comme vous le dites si bien, le piano, ce n'est pas que trois cordes par note, mais une mécanique, des marteaux, une table d'harmonie... et le must.... la pédale, et la résonance par sympathie, cela n'a plus rien à voir... c'est purement gigantesque... Je viens de passer à la version pro, et là, c'est la perfection dans le détail. J'avais des problèmes d'équilibre sonore sur mon clavier Akai MX1000 hélas vieillissant, et la nouvelle fonction "note edit" m'a permis de rééquilibrer le volume général des notes du piano en un balayage de souris. »

Ulisse Garnerone (Milano, Italy)

« I am a young piano tuner and repairer, son of a tuner...) and I compose music and record it on computer. I tried every famous, huge gigabyte eater virtual piano, and they had all the same problem: the tuning! There are some upper notes really bad just in certain velocities, they have well tuned the piano at the beginning, but after days of sampling tuning was impossible to keep, even re-tuning the piano. Then I tried Pianoteq 3, the Demo (on wich I play a lot) and I was amazed: perfect tuning, under every proof! The Equal Temperament is just the tuning my father taught me, with the thirds growing by going up, without any doubt a fantastic, realistic tuning. And then the sound. Finally every aspect of pedals and harmonics and sympathetic sounds is recreated! It's like the software is a little God, creating the sound in real time. Virtually not a single note is repeated ever, every one is brand new from the soundboard! The sound of Pianoteq is absolutely the most accurate reproduction of a piano I've ever heard and tried. No sampling can cover all the phenomenons that occur when you play a piano, your attempt is far away from the others, in beauty. »

Curt Allen (Medina, NY, USA)

« Over the past year I have been scaling EVERYTHING back in my studio including a migration over to a notebook PC (an extremely awesome notebook PC!). When I first became aware of Pianoteq (v2) and how it totally abandoned the need for a huge fast dedicated hard drive, I felt that I had finally found the perfect solution for my new compact needs. Unfortunately, the sound of the instrument was still a little 'digital' and sterile for me. Well all of that has changed now!! I think the main reason for this is the new C3 model and the mic placement feature. No longer does it sound like the note is being produced and "heard" directly from a very hard soundboard. I can back the "microphones" off a bit, place them exactly where I want them to be, and get that soft, warm, deep tone that I love from a Steinway D. I'm absolutely amazed and inspired by this technology and this wonderful instrument you have created. »

Leon Bemmelmans (Amersfoort, Netherlands)

« For daylight-use I own a Steinway upright piano ( V25 ). For evening and night playing up to now I have been using sampling instruments ( Roland RD600, Yamaha PSR-1500, Yamaha S90-ES ). I really hate them because they do not interact the way I want, there is no interaction between single notes, there is no instrument resonance, no useful sympathic resonance, and they are always "in tune" ( dull ). So when I read about pianoteq, at first I was a bit sceptic about modeling techniques ( as in guitar-amplifier-modeling techniques, they are mediocre at this moment ). But I must say: Pianoteq blew me away. I can play with the parameters side by side to my Steinway and reproduce the most important characteristics of the instrument ( and more ). So I reduce size, increase resonance and sympathetic resonance, change the unison a bit to simulate the all-day-behaviour of a "not perfect" instrument, and voila: my own Steinway upright. And the most important part: after 1 hour tweaking you'll be attracted to the sound and really believe you are playing an instrument, and all at a sudden you are playing music again. This is by far - did some comparison with high-end-sampled piano's on the internet - the most musical software piano. Thanks. »

Henk Baetsen (Nederweert, Netherlands)

« I've searched and tried many digital pianos over the years but you've beaten them all. At first I was searching for a cp80 plugin. That's how I came to your website a month ago. Downloaded your trial and thought it was a good cp80, but expensive for just that. I did not realize at the moment the power of the grands included. Friday I searched for a new grand-plugin. Thought it had to be massive (at least 60gB). Again I googled your website. I thought: "already heard that one", but had a closer look at the trial I already installed a month ago. I was speechless... 15 mB download, hahaha, splendid, great, superb.... And that for only 250 Euros. »

Ted Perlman (Beverly Hills, USA)

« The best sounding and FEELING acoustic piano plugin I have ever used or heard! I replaced the acoustic piano on a mix we are working on just now, and the difference was instantly noticeable. The low notes thundered, the high notes glistened, and the middle register did what middle registers should do - they enhanced the middle! It sits PERFECTLY in the mix. I'm using the M1 Jazz for a pop mid tempo track. Just great - congratulations! And the CPU hit is almost negligible in Nuendo. »

Arne Eickenberg (Berlin, Germany)

« Thanks for the latest update (v2.2). The C2 Chamber preset came at the right moment, only hours before delivery deadline on my last project. It added just the right touch that the recording needed. I've been using Pianoteq on almost every project since I bought the plug-in, and I was already delighted by the quality, when there were still a few glitches with the first version. Now it's simply and only great. Period! :-) Keep up the good work. »

Fredrik Muskos (Göteborg, Sweden)

« I work as a music producer, remixer and composer and have tried a lot of different pianos through the years. When I first heard a sample of what Pianoteq was capable of, I couldn't believe my ears! That such a small application can host such a realistic and varied sound was simply amazing. It's easy to work with and I've never seen (heard) a piano that can be so controlled, even in detail I was completely unaware of, even though I have played the piano for over 30 years. If you learn to handle Pianoteq, no-one can hear that it's not a real piano. Nowadays, whenever I need a piano, my first choice is Pianoteq, no doubt about that. »

Graham Sanders (State College, USA)

« I am a professional opera singer and I am always being asked to supply audition CD's. Well, doing it the traditional way, by going into the studio is very expensive. My solution was to buy Logic Pro, Roland FA-66 audio capture and MLX mic. The problem was the piano. After much testing and debate, I chose Pianoteq, and I have been blown away with it. Also, the people I have played my tests for, not one of them has questioned if the piano and pianist is live. »

Tom Hunt (Oklahoma City, USA)

« Here at Minimum Blue Studios, we're still trying to figure out why we used to think that our sampled pianos (which we've spent thousands of dollars on, over the years) played so well and sounded so good. Pianoteq simply blows even the very best of them away -- it isn't even fair to compare them side-by-side, it's apples and oranges, and Pianoteq has become our go-to instrument -- we thank you for it. »

Rodney Jones (Caledon, Canada)

« I believe that this is the finest, most expressive and realistic digital piano instrument that I've ever encountered. I'm sure that this will be the instrument I use for playing, practicing, and sequencing moving forward. I really can't say enough in praise of the technology. The dynamics are extremely convincing and much better than any sample library or ROMpler in my collection. Pianoteq even beats my Clavinova which I was convinced had the best dynamics until now. I especially enjoyed the ability of Pianoteq to catch a staccato note with an immediate press of the sustain pedal. This isn't something I was able to replicate with any other sample library. »

Christophe Jodon (Le Plessis-Luzarches, France)

« Taking into account Pianoteq's mechanics possibilities, it places it on a pedestal compared to competing sampled pianos. It requires much less CPU and much less disk space, the sound is very vivid thanks to its irreproachable mechanics which allows a very high expressiveness, and provides a substantial playing pleasure because it behaves like an acoustic piano. »

Brian D. Schum (Port Arkansas, USA)

« The interface is simple and logical in design. It is intuitive, and the inclusion of pop-up help is an especially bold stroke, since it not only reveals the function, but what the function affects. The technology is unbelievably innovative and revolutionary (and I don't use this term lightly). In the end however, it is the sound that counts. As amazing as the technology behind this piano is, it is remarkably overshadowed by its superb sound. The Pianoteq piano is by far more "vivid" than my favorite sampled piano. »

Brian McKinlay (Toronto, Canada)

« Pianoteq is far more vivid than static samples. It invites the muse, and chords sound like chords (ensemble) as they interact. The massive harp (sympathetics) ringing on a full-compass glissando with pedal is truly staggering! It sounds just like a gliss while listening right over an open piano lid. »

Ole Jeppesen (Copenhagen, Denmark)

« You will discover what Pianoteq can really do after having played around with the different settings/parameters. I'm doing a song right now where I replaced the sampled piano with Pianoteq. No doubt I did the right thing buying this beast. After having increased the hammer sound and adjusted hammer hardness to get some more overtones from the attack, the piano is blending great in the song. Try to do that with a sampled piano! It's a true joy to be able to fine tune the instrument this way. »