Overview

Do you have a sense that this is a real, acoustic instrument? Can you picture someone actually playing these pieces? Or, is there something about the sound that destroys the illusion?
Is the emotion of the playing captured? Or does the music come across as emotionally monochrome?
Is there a clear distinction in dynamics between the playing beginning at :13 seconds and that beginning at :20 seconds? Are the transitions between soft and loud smooth?
A full-size grand piano is a very powerful instrument. Does the opening run sound powerful?
Is the instrument balanced? Or, for example, does the bass overpower the mid-range?
Is the instrument too bright? Or, too muted?
Does it feel "in your face?" Or, do you sense that you're in the room?
Does the character of the piano come through? Can you tell that it's a Steinway, or Bosendorfer, or Yamaha?

	As you can see there are a number of changes to the Digial Piano Shootout. Because each listing is now simply an entry into a database, adding new pianos is vastly easier. The primary reason the maintenance of the Shooutout had been neglected in the past is that adding new pianos had become increasingly more complicated and time consuming. BTW, the program that I'm now using is ExGenerator by the same people who make Fruity Loops. New ways to view the database. You can now find the newest entries, software only, major hardware manufacturers and the complete database. The voting for best has been eliminated. The results were never tabulated any way. Only one MP3 download is available for each entry. In almost all cases these are 44.1K, stereo, 192K bps.
Creation of the MP3s
	I created the MIDI file that generates these MP3s specifically to expose some of the common shortcomings found in the current crop of digital piano emulations. Manufacturers' demos typically showcase the instrument with a dazzlingly piece of perfectly executed (read: quantized) music that magnifies the strengths while hiding the flaws. The MIDI file contains two short segments. It was recorded into Digital Performer and played on a Roland XV-88 weighted action keyboard. The segments are similar in that they make extensive use of the sustain pedal and contain a fair amount dynamic expressiveness. Most digital pianos can sound anywhere from good to great hidden in a mix. It's when they're played in a solo environment that issues arise. I suggest you listen to the recording of the acoustic instrument first in order to get an idea of what the music sounds on a real piano. All of the examples were recorded in stereo and were triggered by the same MIDI file. The many of the orignal pianos were each recorded using the Emu PARIS DAW system. All newer posts were done using Protools TDM HD. Here they were normalized (when required) and a touch of reverb added equally to all. (Note: if you're hearing more "reverb" in the GigaSampler pianos this is a result of the pedal down samples being engaged. Also, some of the samples capture more of the instrument case and string resonance, then do others). Finally the WAV files were converted to 128Kbps/192Kbps MP3 files.
MIDI File
	The MIDI file is now available for download (do a save as...). In your sequencer, make sure the tempo is at 120bpm. Compare your piano with some of the MP3s at the site to ensure that the tempo is the same. If you have a piano that you'd like to see included, please contact purgatorycreek@comcast.net
Sample Library Differences
	Sampling = compromise. The idea is to record audio snapshots of a real instrument and to lay them out in such a way that they closely resemble the original. The problem is, RAM-based samplers have a finite amount of memory. Sound designers know that the larger they make their instruments, the fewer number of potential customers they'll have. Hence most of them go to great lengths to minimize the RAM required. This results in a compromises in the final instrument as a result of employing such techniques as: looping, single notes stretched across a range of notes, single velocity key-strikes captured, etc. For example, interpolation noise occurs when you stretch a sample across several notes (a common technique in RAM-based sound design). Stretching also causes other unavoidable altering of the original sound, e.g. the body resonance of the instrument isn't constant--it changes up and down in pitch relative to the stretch. Overtones, as well, are not constant. Looping alters the natural changing harmonics of the instrument's decay. Looping can also introduce very audible artifacts if it's less than perfectly executed. Nuances, such as pedal down samples in the case of pianos, are typically found only in GigaSampler instruments. Granted, some of these compromises don't impact the sound significantly when you listen to the instrument in the context of a performance, but as you audition each note by itself these often become very apparent. The huge advantage of GigaSampler/GigaStudio is that sound designers can build instruments without being overly concerned with the amount of memory the instrument will require.
Listening Suggestions
	A few questions to ask while listening to the MP3s of the digital pianos: Do you have a sense that this is a real, acoustic instrument? Can you picture someone actually playing these pieces? Or, is there something about the sound that destroys the illusion? Is the emotion of the playing captured? Or does the music come across as emotionally monochrome? Is there a clear distinction in dynamics between the playing beginning at :13 seconds and that beginning at :20 seconds? Are the transitions between soft and loud smooth? A full-size grand piano is a very powerful instrument. Does the opening run sound powerful? Is the instrument balanced? Or, for example, does the bass overpower the mid-range? Is the instrument too bright? Or, too muted? Does it feel "in your face?" Or, do you sense that you're in the room? Does the character of the piano come through? Can you tell that it's a Steinway, or Bosendorfer, or Yamaha?
	If you have questions/comments regarding the comparison, shoot us an email at purgatorycreek@comcast.net