Thanks to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s non-looped samples, the CEUSmaster sounds like a genuine Imperial, yet that in itself would hardly satisfy our requirements for product innovation. Only the fact that we could incorporate our computer piano know-how and our profound knowledge of grand piano construction led us to develop the CEUSmaster.
The CEUSmaster Stage Piano: sounds like an Imperial
Thanks to the Vienna Symphonic Library’s non-looped samples, the CEUSmaster sounds like a genuine Imperial – yet that in itself would hardly satisfy our requirements for product innovation. Only the fact that we could incorporate our computer piano know-how and our profound knowledge of grand piano construction led us to develop the CEUSmaster.
The CEUSmaster Stage Piano: with the virtues of a concert grand
The pleasure of playing music is of course not only dependent on the sound of the instrument but also its playability. For the pianist, the point is not only how one’s playing sounds, but also how it feels to play the instrument.
Therefore, what could be better than giving the CEUSmaster a genuine concert grand piano action?
A natural touch combined with perfect control of musical expression – that’s what lends confidence to a performance.
The CEUSmaster Stage Piano: with CEUS technology
For our stage piano we took advantage of the fact that, where computerized pianos are concerned, the CEUS is the measure of all things. From CEUS comes the stage piano’s phenomenal sampling resolution in addition to the pedal sensors, which together guarantee that the pianist’s every action is reproduced with the utmost fidelity.
Thanks to a level of precision that never gets in the way of emotion, you’ll have the feeling of playing a genuine Imperial. Give it a try!
Development status, October 07
They currently have three prototypes in use for professional onstage and studio application. One of them is currently located in London’s renowned Airstudios. There, Stephen Duffy is working with the CM on his new album for the Lilac Times. Artists such as Paul McCartney and Phil Collins have also expressed great interest.
For private, home use, a “Sound on Board” version is currently in the works, which includes built-in loudspeakers. In this respect, our in-house audio department, which is meeting with great success in the hi-fi industry, is highly beneficial. Loudspeaker placement, in addition to hardware components such as the amplifier and sound processor, will prove critical.
Equally important is the feeling while playing. Whereas on an acoustic piano the action’s hammer strikes the string, this impact must be artificially simulated on a digital piano. Since we use a genuine concert grand piano action, including felted hammers, only the strings require a substitute.
We are thus currently testing various materials. In an authentic piano, the hammers meet with progressively greater resistance as the pitch increases — the strings become shorter and thinner. Thus, this factor must be taken into account in order to achieve a grand piano feel while playing.
The sound will likewise be recorded again. In cooperation with our partner Vienna Symphonic Library (VSL), the CEUS Imperial will be drawn upon for the new sample library, starting at the beginning of October.
What’s unique about the recording methodology is that the CEUS is able to play the notes at any required dynamic level without the aid of a pianist, and this at 127 different volume levels.
This means that the pianist no longer needs to be taken into account while miking, and microphones can be used where the pianist would otherwise sit, where the mikes actually belong. One must consider that the microphones are extremely sensitive and that every single noise is recorded — even noise made by the pianist’s clothing — which necessitates compromise. With CEUS, all that is history.