Pianoteq 8

What it does

A physically modelled instrument, so nothing here is a recorded sample. Grands, uprights, electric pianos, harpsichords, vibraphones, steel drums and a classical guitar are computed as they are played, which keeps the download small and the response continuous. On top sit movable microphones, velocity curves, action noises such as key release and pedal noise, alternate tunings, note editing, morph layers, a condition control that ages the instrument from mint to battered, a chord readout, and a reorderable effects rack.

In the demo

Jade plays a piece of her own through it, then walks the microphone stage, calibrates velocity against a keyboard, dampens the action noises, and stacks and morphs layers. She spends a stretch on the classical guitar with its key switches, and splits piano parts out to separate tracks in her host.

Worth knowing

The app downloads free and plays in demo mode with notes dropping out, and a licence is bought as Stage, Standard or Pro, which unlocks progressively more of the above and comes with instrument packs chosen at registration. The licence covers desktop too, and is managed through a Modartt account rather than the App Store.