I recently started exploring sf2 (soundfont) files for my acoustic piano sounds. I’m using a free soundfonts player Sforzando and acoustic piano sf2 files free to download from Soundfonts4you. There are some great sampled pianos there, especially Yamaha pianos such as the C5 Grand and Chateau Grands. I’ve tried a number of VST piano apps (Pianoteq a long time favorite), but soundfonts are now my GoTo acoustic piano sounds.
This has run with no hitches in Cantabile and Windows
@LeesKeys I just downloaded Sforzando and have been playing around with it using the Essential Keys soundfont. Some of those piano soundfonts are actually pretty bloody good!! What surprised me most was how much less taxing they are on the CPU compared to some of my existing modeling instrument VST’s. I’m was considering buying Pianoteq but the high cost has been stopping me from making the jump… I may end up just going with soundfonts
We are spoiled having so many options to choose. I’m back to using Pianoteq primarily. Sometimes I switch apps just for something different (if not better)
I had invested about $500 in Tascam Gigastudio back in 2010 but they stopped development and support a few years later and since then I’ve been hesitant to blow large amounts of money on software.
If you don’t need all those piano-tweaking features, there is the Stage version, the same piano quality at about one third of the Pro. The real difference is the amount of additional packs, IMHO. Pianoteq has become expensive lately. I bought Stage version 5 at $50, now the same package comes about $120.
I’ll have to wait for it to come on sale before I jump on it because $129 euros for the basic stage version is close to $250 Aussie dollars which in a covid infected ecconomy is a fair chunk of money
