I use the Modartt Pianoteq vst plugin as one of my main piano instruments and frequently modify or create new presets. This is my page for sharing those presets in the form of FXP files (.fxp).

Updated: 1-June-2021

I have used many piano vst plugin instruments and have a page dedicated to that: Getting Authentic Piano Sound in a VST Plugin and DAW

In the post below, I have provided all of the presets that I am using and what each sounds like. Feel free to download and use these as you like.

My Pianoteq Presets

See below the descriptions of the presets (FXP files) for Pianoteq. You must own Pianoteq, and it should be of the version indicated for each preset, to use these files. They may work in different versions, but the version is shown so you can decide/troubleshoot as needed.

Download all the presets here. Each file is a ZIP file containing the described presets. Scroll down if you want to hear each of them.

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Upright U4

U4 Felted Upright

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 22-August-2018

This is a preset to approximate what an upright piano would sound like with felt placed between the hammers and strings. This is a so-called “felted” piano. It is meant to replicate the Spitfire Audio Gwilym Simcock Felt Piano, the Fracture Sounds Woodchester Piano or the Cinematique Instruments Intimate+ Piano in their Charakter Piano Collection.  The sound is similar to that produced by artists such as Olafur Arnalds, James Joshua Otto, James Everingham, and Nils Frahm, to name a few.

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U4 Felted Upright (Soft)

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 22-August-2018

This preset is similar to my Felted Piano preset but is much softer. It is meant to replicate the Soft Piano of Spitfire Audio LABS Soft Piano. This very popular sound is epitomized by Ben Lukas Boysen in his absolutely incredible work on the Spells and Gravity albums.

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U4 Grandparents House

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 22-August-2018

This preset was made to simulate what I can remember of an old upright piano that was in my grandparent’s house and that I played on as a kid. I was always right up into it and playing with the front cover propped open so I could hear all of the strings as they were vibrating.

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U4 Old Upright

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 23-August-2018

This is a standard old upright sound that is slightly detuned from age but still sounds playable.

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U4 Klavins Una Corda 88 Felted

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 6-November-2018

This preset is to simulate the Klavins Una Corda 88 piano that is a unique one utilizing only one string per note. Nils Frahm played this on his “Solo” album released in 2015.

I simulated this as if it had added felt between the hammers and strings as is a prime feature of the Una Corda. The instrument has a location where felt strips can be applied quite easily. This is the sound I hear when I listen to Nils Fram’s recording of the tune “Some” from the album, “Solo.” I played the song along with tuning of the piano and this allowed me to get the sound almost exactly the same.

This piano has a soft character, but when played with a higher velocity, it responds well and comes out of that soft felted tone with some good overtone sounds. The piano comes in two sizes, the 88 and the 64, corresponding to the number of keys. I modeled this one off of the 88 version because that is what Nils Frahm has used.

As for how I made the preset, I read someone’s post on the Pianoteq forums, and modified it for my own uses. I wrote it all in a PDF file (see below):

Play this piano preset with the Mozart Rail pedal engaged for a realistic effect because the Una Corda has a reduced distance from the hammers to the strings that the Mozart Rail will simulate well.

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U4 Klavins Una Corda 88

Upright U4, Pianoteq 6.2.2 Standard, 6-November-2018

This is the same as the Klavins Una Corda 88 Felted preset, but it has a less-muted tone to it and is meant to simulate no felt being used.

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Grand Steinway D

Grand Steinway D Deadmau5 Nyquist

Grand Steinway D, Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

I was trying to make this one to approximate what deadmau5 used in his song, “Nyquist.”

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Grand Steinway D Deadmau5 1

Grand Steinway D, Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

This is a version that seems close to what deadmau5 used on “7.”

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Grand Steinway B

Grand Steinway B Beware

Grand Steinway B, Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

This preset sounds great on the high notes and I initially used it to play “Beware the Friendly Stranger” by Boards of Canada. It also sounds good in the low notes. What makes this one is the long ringing effect made by having the sustain pedal down and the reverb spacious (all within Pianoteq – not external). Here I play you the high notes first then follow it with some low ones toward the end.

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Grand Steinway B Deep

Grand Steinway B, Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

This preset has a depth to it and by that I mean that it is a deep sound. I like to use this one because it is so clear and crisp while having a low tone to it. Microphone selection and placement is key and I’ve made that a priority with a lot of my presets – this one included.

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Grand Steinway B Lune

Grand Steinway B, Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

I like this one for Clair De Lune by Debussy. It has a delay quality to it that gives it an extra repetition in each note.

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C. Bechstein (1899)

C. Bechstein (1899) Continental Lobby

C. Bechstein (1899), Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

This one is modeled after the actual C. Bechstein piano in the lobby of the Continental Hotel in Budapest. I like to play the Boards of Canada 5-9-78 song on it as it has a nice musical quality that really brings out the piano sound.

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C. Bechstein (1899) Under Lid

C. Bechstein (1899), Pianoteq 6.7.2 Pro, 14-July-2020

This one is also modeled after the actual C. Bechstein piano in the lobby of the Continental Hotel in Budapest. On this one, I got right down into the piano as it was being played in order to capture the resonances of the wood and strings.

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