Modern digital piano's: What's inside (cpu, library sample size, etc.)

[Tonkempen125]

Hi everybody,

I was wondering something. With all the large cpu power available today and with the continous increase of harddisk and RAM sizes, VST(i) piano's and other digital instruments start to sound quite decent. But ofcourse even modern digital piano's (like the new clavinova's, the Privia's etc.) do not have -I think- all the horsepower a mordern pc or laptop has. Still they tend to sound quite well and suprisingly balanced.

The thing I am wondering now is what are, for example the library sizes on let's say the modern clavinova's? Do they really have stored gigabytes of pianosamples on these machines? Or are the sounds more generated in a way like truepiano's and pianoteq do? In that case I am quite impressed with the cpu-power these modern digital piano's have.

So, does anybody has any insights on the memory, cpu-power, library-samples or what-so-ever nowadays is used in these fine instruments?

Best regards,

Tom

[sullivang]

This is mainly guessing, but FWIW - I think most probably still use looped samples, which saves an enormous amount of space. I also suspect that they use less velocity layers, and employ filtering to smooth the transitions between layers. This is in addition to any compression of the samples - I know that 2:1 lossless is easily achieved, and it is conceivable that some digital pianos achieve higher ratios than this.

Some digital pianos use sound modelling (e.g some of the Kawais), and presumably this would require significantly less storage.

Greg.

[magicmusic]

Hey there,

I think you ask a really good question. Modern digital pianos have such advanced technology and are always improving. As for whether they actually have stored gigabytes of piano samples, I think they do. In fact, I'm pretty sure some do. It depends on the model of course. I think Yamaha digital pianos in particular - like the Yamaha P95 piano - have samples of real pianos. Check out their sites for more info, as it comes straight from the horse's mouth.

Also, you can always connect these to your computer and import even more piano sample sounds, I believe. Anyway, catch you later!

[Riyaverma]

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[MacMacMac]

Modern digital pianos have such advanced technology and are always improving.

Unfortunately this is not true. Today's digitals are nearly the same today as they were ten years ago. The advertising hype makes it sound as though there has been much change. But in fact, pianos change VERY little. Most so-called "new" technology is really just a new phrase/acronym ... marketing blather.

As for whether they actually have stored gigabytes of piano samples, I think they do. In fact, I'm pretty sure some do.

Actually, their sample sizes are depressingly small, a few tens of megabytes. That's why the computer-based piano libraries (with multi-gigabyte sample sets) sound so much better.

It depends on the model of course.

It doesn't. They're all truly poor in this respect.

I think Yamaha digital pianos in particular - like the Yamaha P95 piano - have samples of real pianos.

True. Almost all of them are sampled.

Also, you can always connect these to your computer and import even more piano sample sounds, I believe. Anyway, catch you later!

I don't know of any digital piano that can import sounds. But nearly all of them allow you to play the piano/keyboard into a computer (sending MIDI data to the computer), and have the computer generate the sounds.