Monthly Archives: May 2025

Steinberg Etude vs. CSP-170: Quick demo

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This post is a quick comparison between the main Yamaha CSP-170 grand pianos (CFX and Bösendorfer) and two patches from the new Steinberg Etude grand (Concert Grand and Gospel presets).

Please pardon my under-caffeinated playing. You can tell that my fingers and brain got warmer from CFX to Gospel. 🙂 Simple set-up — plug the CSP-170 into a Roland Micro-BR, set levels and go. Tune is the old classic “Jesus Is On the Mainline”.

The Gospel preset came through a little hotter than the CSP-170 CFX and Bösendorfer. I apologize for the slight clipping grit in the right channel.

I hope this brief comparison demonstrates the difference in tone between the pianos.

Copyright © 2025 Paul J. Drongowski

Free stuff from Steinberg

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I’m looking into the new Steinberg Etude (sampled Yamaha C3X) piano VST instrument. As usual, I’m trying to keep costs low and found a few free Steinberg downloads that may help you out.

First, there is the free Steinberg Halion Sonic player. Like Halion Sonic, the player can run stand-alone. I don’t feel like diving into Cubase simply to host a piano VST instrument. The Halion Sonic player can run as a stand-alone VST host that does the business.

Next, you need pianos. 🙂 Steinberg offers three free pianos: Lo-Fi, Taped Vibes, and Sonic Atoms Novel. Each piano has its own character and potential uses. Lo-Fi is a messed up lo-fi upright piano for chillhop, cozy or retro. Taped Vibes follows in a similar vein, but it’s a sampled Wurli 200A. Novel is an upright piano from Sonic Atoms suitable for effected cinematic or straight piano.

While you’re at it, you might as well scan the VST instruments for other free instruments (including synths).

If you need or want conventional instruments, download and install the free Steinberg Dorico SE notation program. Dorico SE comes with a 3GByte library including a General MIDI (GM) sound set. Plus, you get to try Dorico.

One frequently asked forum question is “Are there any free notation programs?” Obviously, the answer is “Yes, Dorico SE”. I spent a few minutes with Dorico SE and it is highly featured for a free application. It makes me want to try the Dorico app for IOS, too.

Wow, that’s a lot of high-quality, free content!

Copyright © 2025 Paul J. Drongowski

Yamaha Montage M OS 3.0 update

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The Yamaha Montage M series is getting another update:

  • New Waveforms “ClavD6”, sampled with different pickup positions
  • New VCM Effect “GS1 Ensemble & Tremolo” from the Yamaha GS1
  • New VCM Effect “CS Ring Modulator” from the Yamaha CS80
  • New VCM Effect “Mid/Side EQ Compressor”
  • Extension of the Scenes with the parameters “Note Limit” and “Note Shift”
  • Scene parameters can also be saved for Parts in “External” Mode
  • Additional Effect parameters accessible via Quick Edit
  • Parameters from the AN-X and FM-X Engines as Destinations in the Part LFO
  • “Insert” function in the Live Set
  • “Delete & Move” function in the Live Set
  • DAW Remote extended to include ESP control
  • New “SSS Time” parameter for seamless switching of sounds
  • Maximum number of Libraries increased from 16 to 24
  • New “Ribbon View” Display variant
  • Sixty new Performances featuring new OS 3.0 functions

I’m happy to see Yamaha releasing updates for their major platforms. Hope your Ideascale suggestion made the cut! Availability is “Summer 2025”. [Engineers do not like being pegged down.]

You’ll find all of the details in the latest Music Production Guide (March 2025, from Easy Sounds). Overall, there are some nice, small enhancements unless you’ve been pining for a new Clav and specialist vintage effects. The Mid/Side compressor and parametric equalizer add to Montage M’s “studio in a box.”

The description of the Seamless Sound Switching (SSS) time parameter is interesting on a few different levels:

Seamless Switching (SSS) allows you to switch Performances without interruption. In particular, Release Times and Effect components (Reverb, Delay) of the last Performance played are retained throughout the change and decay natural afterwards. The remaining signals of the first Performance played are only interrupted when switching to a further, third Performance. Permanent signals that do not have an ending Release Time, e.g. from special Effects such as “Digital Turntable” or the “Noise Level” of the VCM Rotary Speaker, remain active beyond the first Performance change. The “SSS Time” can now be set for such or similar cases.

The first sentence helps clarify why SSS is needed on SWP70 architecture Yamaha synths (and arrangers, if they ever add it). Pushing release and other aspects of synthesis into the chorus/reverb stages reduces latency through the rather long synthesis pipeline.

If you want to play a cruel joke on your sound guy, engage the Digital Turntable effect. I never saw a board engineer dive for faders as when they heard this effect over the PA. 🙂

Gosh, OS 3.0 and I’ve barely read up about OS 2.0. OS 2.0 included new CFX Grand Piano waveforms, new CP80 waveforms, and AN-X Smart Morph. The new CFX grand is a 200MByte (compressed) package. The CP80 waveforms are taken from the Stage YC series keyboards.

All that aside, OS 2.0 added a new Shimmer Reverb effect type:

  • New high quality Reverb that already sounds great without using the Shimmer feature
  • Numerous parameters integrated in the Control Assignment
  • Low and High-Pass Filters for the feedback signal
  • Two finely tunable Pitch Shift parameters, each spanning four octaves, that can interact
  • Panorama and Balance of the Pitch Shift signals can be set separately
  • Comprehensive modulation options
  • “Color” parameter for “coloring” the overall signal [Duh!]

I heard a few Shimmer Reverb demos and it sounds fabulous. I want to try to create a similar effect on MODX and possible Genos (gen 1).

Copyright © 2025 Paul J. Drongowski