Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

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ckbarlow
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Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by ckbarlow » Sat Oct 30, 2010 8:23 pm

It's a beast at 230GB (35 install disks!) and my dual G5 whimpers a little, but the sound is pretty stunning. This is the kind of VI that makes you fall in love with just sitting and playing all over again. (IMHO.)

I started playing and my spouse came in the room and said, "My gosh, that sounds amazing!" (And she doesn't pull any punches, lemme tell ya! LOL)

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by cameron » Sun Oct 31, 2010 9:02 pm

Nice purchase CK!

I've been using the free CV Piano developed by Teac and found its sound pretty amazing, but I do run into some strange audio glitches, i.e. when my anti-virus software updates (this is Windows XP) and announces to me that the database has been updated, the piano jumps an octave until I restart my audio device. I've learned to live with the glitches, and sure can't complain about the price, but I have wondered if I would have the same sort of issues if I spent several hundred dollars for another piano program. I also had to modify the sounds a little so that they used less CPU or I would get strange noise and sometimes lock-ups when I played too many notes at once. That didn't bother me, as I actually think I improved the sound, but I still have to be careful not to play too many notes too fast. The computer is running a 2.8 GHz processor and has 2 GB of RAM. That's probably at the low end of what is necessary.

Have you run into any issues like that? I have thought of switching to a MAC next time I update my computer, but that would mean investing on all new software.

How expensive is the EWQL package?

Thanks!

Cam

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by mojobone » Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:19 am

I could never get the CV Piano to work at all on my system. I've been using the Maestro grand and the Garritan Steinway, mostly.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/QLPianos/

That price doesn't include a dedicated hard drive, which is probably a really good idea, if not a requirement. I'll quote a review from the same site:
Nothing sounds better, but be aware
by Bob from Jacksonville, FL
March 30, 2008
Music Background: Recording Engineer, Live Sound Engineer
Before buying this package, know what you are getting yourself into! First, this software will not operate without an ilok hardware key. You must buy one if you don't already have one. Second, while you are buying things, go ahead and get another hard drive to dedicate to this software. I use an external SATA 1TB RAID 0 set. The software takes over 250GB of disk space, and USB 2.0 or Firewire 400 is just not fast enough to keep up with this program's data transfer needs when you really get going on it. Also, putting the sound library on the same drive as the operating system or the program portion of this software will also cause data transfer issues unless your drive is lightning fast! There is just too much data transfer! And another thing: the software comes on 35 dual-layer DVDS! Install time will exceed 16 hours, and cannot be interrupted!

Now that I have discouraged you, GET THIS SOFTWARE! The sound quality of the samples is magnificent, and so detailed that you lack for very little in piano articulations. The staccato sections are head and shoulders above any other software, at any price. I work with the lid position fully up, since this is the way the sound library was recorded, but the sounds are still most excellent with the position simulator active. And, the flexibilities of the sound adjustments are amazing in their scope! My main keyboard player owns a 1906 Steinway grand, and has never been satisfied with any recorded piano that I or anyone else has been able to do. Not anymore! With the fast dedicated drive, she can even play MIDI only at shows and let me supply the piano sounds 100% in the system! Now, EVERYBODY is happy! Am I gushing? Sorry, but it really has solved a lot of issues here, since other piano sound banks never were good enough.

In summary, you will never regret having these wonderful sounds; just prepare in advance to use them properly, because they take a lot of horsepower to work right.
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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by matto » Tue Nov 02, 2010 12:38 am

Ck I'm glad you're enjoying EW Pianos...if you are enjoying playing them, that ultimately means you'll be writing better music.
My personal review of EW Pianos wouldn't be quite so glowing (bloatware! ;) ), but that's cool, everybody has their own taste.

In the end, the proof is always in the music. So rock EW and make us all proud!!

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by fusilierb » Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:30 am

When I bought Goliath, they sent me a demo version of that piano. I thumbed through the 35 disks, laughed and then threw them back in the box. Good lord!

Post up some music with it so I can see what that thing really sounds like.

B

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by anne » Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:25 pm

I absolutely can not wait to hear what you record CK!

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by Mark Kaufman » Tue Nov 09, 2010 10:09 am

matto wrote:Ck I'm glad you're enjoying EW Pianos...if you are enjoying playing them, that ultimately means you'll be writing better music.
My personal review of EW Pianos wouldn't be quite so glowing (bloatware! ;) ), but that's cool, everybody has their own taste.

In the end, the proof is always in the music. So rock EW and make us all proud!!
What piano programs do you prefer, Matto?

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by matto » Fri Nov 12, 2010 1:30 am

I mostly use the various Sampletekk pianos for Kontakt. Very deeply sampled, lots of variety, great feel, gorgeous sound, and running on the industry leading sampler.

It's amazing to me how long these samples have been able to remain (IMHO) at the top of the heap. Maybe Ivory 2 will finally be able to best them, we'll have to wait and see...

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Re: Just installed EWQL Pianos. Good gravy, is it beautiful.

Post by Mark Kaufman » Mon Nov 15, 2010 1:45 pm

Thanks!

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