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Alpha: Piano Settings to sound like Geert?

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written by: geert

Good software compressors that are still light on CPU are very difficult to find, you might want to try ButterComp, it's freely available for demo:
http://www.airwindows.com/buttercomp.html

written by: Larryheil

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 23:21:56 +0100 BST

I have listened to a couple of Geert's videos where he says he is using the Piano that comes with the Alpha. Is this the Sampler 1 instrument? If so why does his piano sound richer and fuller than mine does ? I am using a firewire audio I/O to drive a good Roland keyboard amp.
I have not figured out how to get a sustain function (like a real PIANO) working.
Also thanks to Stage, I have noticed a lot of variable settings that are there. These are as shipped right now, are there changes that will help me get the very nice sound that Geert gets on his videos??


written by: geert

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 07:32:11 +0100 BST

Hi Larry,

Yes it is the standard factory piano, I just put a tube compressor AU after it to make it sound richer and fuller. I particularly love the Softube CL-1B for that. I do the same for the violin. These are directly accessible to the inline AUs in your Alpha setup.

For the sustain pedal, you need a proper pedal (like the Yamaha FC3) plugged into 'volume pedal 1'. Then you need to calibrate it. Look into your reference guide, there's a pedal calibration page. The upmost horizontal row of 'calibration square' is for the first pedal. Press the key that's to the edge of the Alpha without using the pedal to set the minimum, press the other key horizontally next to it while pressing the pedal fully to set the maximum.

Once you've done that, the sustain will behave very naturally.

Hope this helps,

Geert


written by: Larryheil

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 13:00:23 +0100 BST

Thank you ! My pedal is a M-Audio Exp pedal that I got for my Axon AX-100 guitar synth a few years ago. After a number of posts John finally confirmed that if I set my pedal switch so that the wiper of the 10k pot was on the tip of the trs 1/4' connector ("other" setting on the bottom switch of EXP) it should be like a non spring loaded Yamaha FC3. I did the pedal 1 cal. and NOW I have sustain on Sampler 1 piano !!!
A big improvement in the sound. Yeah!
Next on to the compressor. The one you use costs $299 so I found a few that were free and many more that were less than $90. Next step to figure out??

I wonder if we are experiencing the expert-beginner communication problem ? I know when I teach new guitar students I have a hard time relating to their problems doing things with their fingers (and brain) that I find so easy that I don't even think about it. Sometimes hard for the experienced to understand the new person's difficulties.


written by: geert

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 13:47:58 +0100 BST

Good software compressors that are still light on CPU are very difficult to find, you might want to try ButterComp, it's freely available for demo:
http://www.airwindows.com/buttercomp.html



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