EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

When it comes to pianos, I'm not even halfway someone who knows anything,
but IMHO there's one very critical thing that you will perhaps never get out
of a sampled piano library.
The whole piano itself will resonate, no matter which piano it is, no matter
which note you will play. Of course, these resonating things (be it the
metal frame or the wood) might get recorded along with the samples as well,
but obviously that's not the same. It might work for one note, but just
imagine what would happen if you'd play a bunch of notes - on a real piano
the resonating sounds won't exactly add to each other, they would eventually
(no, most likely) influence each other, due to their overtone structures and
the way the frame, wood and so on would react to this.
The whole thing must even become worse as soon as the sustain pedal is used.
Obviously, a whole lot more strings (maybe even all) will ring along in one
way or the other.
IMO you can't recreate such things with samples too well - but they might be
a pretty much important part of piano sounds in general.

I don't remember whom it was, but when people were trying to get a real
"boomy" guitar sound, they tried placing their amp pretty close to a grand
with the sustain pedal pressed, just to have all those notes ringing along -
now, try this with a sampled piano ;o)
Of course I'm not 100% serious on this, but if you think about it, this is a
pretty much important part of a piano sound as well.

Anyways, for my needs the (free) PSP piano verb does a nice job in adding at
least a bit of the occasional odd overtone. But well, I don't own any
expensive piano library either, so this might not be a real option for the
true piano afficionados among you.

Regards,
Sascha