The Celesta resembles an acoustic upright piano and features metal plates struck by felt hammers, complete with a sustain pedal. Its timbre is soft, subtle, and enchanting. The Pianoteq model is based on a modern five-octave German instrument, now enhanced by Pianoteq 9’s audio engine, which adds a richer, more evolving tone and greater spatial depth.

The Glockenspiel also consists of metal plates but is struck by hard metal mallets held by the musician, producing a smaller, higher-pitched, and brilliantly shimmering sound. The Pianoteq virtual copy, modeled after a modern French instrument, has been slightly extended to four octaves.

Toy Pianos, often seen as children's instruments, are usually small, made of wood or plastic, and produce sound through hammers striking metal rods. Their unique timbre, reminiscent of celesta or glockenspiel, has inspired composers and performers for centuries. The Pianoteq model is based on a two-octave Michelsonne toy piano, extended to four octaves in this version, and benefits from Pianoteq 9’s enhanced audio engine for richer, more immersive sound.

The Kalimba, or Mbira, is a small African handheld instrument made of a solid wooden board with staggered metal tines. The Pianoteq model has a default range of 20 notes, extendable to a full 88-note range, with more expressive and evolving tone thanks to the new audio engine.

Thanks to Pianoteq’s physical modeling, all these instruments come in several variants and include a unique humanization feature, varying the strike point for natural expression—particularly effective for the glockenspiel. Features of traditional pianos, such as damping, sustain, and soft pedal, can also be applied, and refreshed Binaural presets offer an immersive experience when listening through headphones.

Features

System Requirements