Kontakt users... what piano sample do you use?

[JWB]

I\'ve been thinking about switching from GS to Kontakt. In order to do so however, I would need to purchase a new sampled piano that worked flawlessly with Kontakt. Currently I use a tweaked version of the GigaPiano so I suppose I favor a Yamaha sound (bright & present). Ironically, I prefer a darker tone but that usually doesn\'t sit in a mix well. Any suggestions.

Thanks,
Jon

[sporter]

Originally posted by JWB:
I\'ve been thinking about switching from GS to Kontakt. In order to do so however, I would need to purchase a new sampled piano that worked flawlessly with Kontakt. Currently I use a tweaked version of the GigaPiano so I suppose I favor a Yamaha sound (bright & present). Ironically, I prefer a darker tone but that usually doesn\'t sit in a mix well. Any suggestions.

Thanks,
Jon <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">I\'m a big fan of the Bardstown Bodendorfer. The 24 bit versions work great with both Kontact and Kompakt. It sounds very different than the classic Yamaha, but if it\'s \"bright and present\" you\'re after, you won\'t be dissapointed. It\'s really a delightful sample to play out of the box...with Kontact\'s filters you can get all sorts of variations. There\'s some killer sampled pianos out now, but this one is at the top of the heap...IMO of course.. images/icons/smile.gif

I believe the site is Bardstownaudio.com

[Alan Russell]

JWB,

I\'ve done many user demos for Bardstownaudio.com where I\'ve met Kip McGinnis (Sound Developer) who offers superb customer support on any of his samples including his Vintage Guitars, Accordians & Banjos.
I too made the switch form GS to Kontakt 1.5 and all of Kip\'s samples work flawless.

His Borsendorfer Piano is the kind of sampled piano (16 or 24 bit) I use exclusively in ALL of my work. A great sampled piano always leads the way to great scoring IMHO and this is the one to have in your sound arsenal.

If you enjoy Jazz scoring please give a listen to my user demos and others here:

http://bardstownaudio.com/frames/mp3.html (\"http://bardstownaudio.com/frames/mp3.html\")

Alan Russell

[Rich Pell]

I`m using the PMI 24-bit Bosey,and Hans excellent Kontakt version of the Malmsjo. The E/W Steinway B is also good in kontakt. There all good for diff. reasons and now that all the really good Pianos(Bartstown and Vinaudio as well) are ported to Kontakt Format theres no reason not get the best quality sampled piano in kOntakt..Rich

[JWB]

Well thanks everyone for your suggestions. I downloaded every sample suggested thus far and was very impressed. They do however sound a little distant compared to the GigaPiano which IMHO sounds a bit more \"in your face\"... almost like your ear is right next to the strings. Maybe that\'s why I have trouble mixing it properly? Who knows? Plus I\'m sure the mp3 format doesn\'t do them justice sonically images/icons/smile.gif

Kip, with the Bardstown, does the CD come with any variations of the sample or does playing velocity determine the brightness or darkness of the instrument?

Again, thanks for your help.
Jon

[Olivierbergman]

hi,

take a look to ther upcoming piano with EWQLSO SILVER (available soon)

here the MP3 demos :

http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=000584 (\"http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=24;t=000584\")

Regards,

Olivier

[Bardstown Audio]

Alan and Sporter,

Thanks so much for your compliments!

The 24 bit Bardstown Bosendorfer was programmed from scratch in Kontakt/Kompakt formats, in addition to HALion and EXS24 sampler formats as well, which are all included in the 24 bit package.

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com (\"http://www.bardstownaudio.com\")

[James Thornton]

I\'m very happy with the Vintaudio Yamaha C7. I run the native Kontact version, but it comes in several other formats too. It sounds great and the price is reasonable.

[Bardstown Audio]

Originally posted by JWB:


Kip, with the Bardstown, does the CD come with any variations of the sample or does playing velocity determine the brightness or darkness of the instrument?

Again, thanks for your help.
Jon <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">Hi Jon,

There are several different ways to approach this situation, depending on the desired sound you are wanting for your particular music style applications.

In all of the sampler format versions of the Bardstown Bosendorfer, there are full instrument file patches that provide the full, pure, natural, and unprocessed sound of the real Bosendorfer Imperial Model 290 that was sample recorded, and there are also velocity filter instrument file patches as well. With velocity filter programming you have low pass filter being applied with softer playing and as you play louder you have less low pass filtering being applied. Many people consider velocity filter programming to make for very expressive programming for sampled pianos, which is excellent for more expressive solo classical and solo new age music.

If you are wanting an overall warmer, mellower, and darker sounding piano, the solution is to apply an overall low pass filter within the sampler program itself, with the desired amount of filter being applied. The 16 bit Giga version of the Bardstown Bosendorfer has a low pass filter patch where you can set the degree of low pass filtering with the mod wheel. With the 24 bit Kontakt, EXS24, and HALion, versions of this instrument, you have low pass filter controls built into all of these samplers that is easily applied by the user. As another alternative you can also apply an EQ/Filter plugin to your piano track in your host application program. When using an EQ/Filter plugin, you need to be sure and set the EQ/Filter plugin for low pass filter mode. This is usually accomplished in most of these plugins by clicking on a low pass filter icon on the plugin window, which is usually represented by a picture of a line being curved downward on the right side. Once you have set your plugin for low pass filter mode, you then set the desired amount of low pass filter that sounds best to your ears by pulling down the frequency level on the right side of the frequency band line with you mouse.

Special care was taken during the sample recording process of this Bosendorfer Imperial Model 290 in order to have to lowest possible signal to noise ratio in the samples by using the very best equipment and recording techniques, and because of this, no noise reduction or filtering was necessary on this sampled piano. You do get the pure, clean, and natural sound of the real Bosendorfer Imperial Model 290 that was sample recorded. For softer piano music applications with the Bardstown Bosendorfer, the user can always very easily apply low pass filters if desired, but if filters were permanently processed into the samples, you would never be able to remove this destructive effect. The user has complete control over the sound of this amazingly beautiful concert grand piano.

Kip McGinnis
Bardstown Audio
www.bardstownaudio.com (\"http://www.bardstownaudio.com\")

[JWB]

Wow thanks Kip for all your information!

I know exactly what your refering to regarding the low pass filter approach. My tweaked GigaPiano uses one as well and it can provide a lot of control over the instrument\'s high end. The velocity filter programming feature looks like it offers even more expressive capability... nice job! Now I could kick myself for not taking advantage of your Bardstown 24-bit introductory offer price a few months back!

Thanks again,
Jon

[JWB]

Olivier,

Your reprogrammed Kontakt version of the Steinway B is amazing. I especially liked the Steinway_B_300_Mo_demo2 (Mozart Sonata). Is that demo played using the new Kontakt version?

Also if you will...
Is there a date when the Steinway B Silver Edition will ship?
Will it be 16 or 24-bit? (possibly a dumb question images/icons/grin.gif )
And, will it still be priced at $199 at EW

Thanks for your help,
Jon

[Olivierbergman]

Originally posted by JWB:
Olivier,

Your reprogrammed Kontakt version of the Steinway B is amazing. I especially liked the Steinway_B_300_Mo_demo2 (Mozart Sonata). Is that demo played using the new Kontakt version?

Also if you will...
Is there a date when the Steinway B Silver Edition will ship?
Will it be 16 or 24-bit? (possibly a dumb question images/icons/grin.gif )
And, will it still be priced at $199 at EW

Thanks for your help,
Jon <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">I don\'t know the date when the Steinway B Silver Edition will ship.

Hi,

images/icons/smile.gif

Perhaps 21 -23/24 november.




Is that demo played using the new Kontakt version?
<font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">yes


i\'m recording other demo\'s. However you should see another demos soon on www..com (\"http://www..com\")

Regards,

Olivier

[robgb]

I use the Fazoli that comes with Kompakt, ported it over to Kontakt 1.5. Sounds great.

[Olivierbergman]

Hi,

yes, the Fazioli (from Eastwest Akai version)inside Kompakt sound great.
(It\'s an Eastwest Piano sampled by Olivier Truan like the Steinway B).

However, the upcoming Sylver orchestra Steinway Piano(reprogrammed Olivier Truan\'s Piano \"EW-steinway B for giga\") have more layers (8) and real velocity.

All samples are equals, same color, with harmonics, without noise. (samples are clean)

I\'ve tested the Piano with a lot of pianists and you can use it for live or recording. (Dark/bright presets)

if you want a demo with one of your midi file.
Send me the midi and i post the .mp3 demo.

Regards,

Olivier

[JWB]

Olivier,

Do you know if the Kontakt version of the Steinway B will be available separately from the
EWQL Symphonic Orchestra Silver Edition?

At $295, the orchestral sample library is a very good deal but I\'m not in need of orchestral instruments, just a piano.

Thanks,
Jon

[Olivierbergman]

Originally posted by JWB:
Olivier,

Do you know if the Kontakt version of the Steinway B will be available separately from the
EWQL Symphonic Orchestra Silver Edition?

Jon <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">I don\'t know. The version included in Sylver Orchestra is a special version (reprogrammed) of EASTWEST\'s critically acclaimed STEINWAY B GRAND PIANO.

You can have the giga version from .
I have an update (free) for the giga version.

However this new version sound better (even if the size is 300 mo) and it\'s easier to play it directly with a keyboard (more real velocity)

EW-161 (\"EW-161\")

STEINWAY B GRAND PIANO

Steinway_bright.nki
Steinway_dark.nki
Steinway_pop-jazz.nki

Ask Doug Rogers on the Eastwest\'s Sample Developer Forums if they plan in the near future to sell another Kontakt version. (with a larger size like the giga version)

Regards,

Olivier

[JWB]

Update:

I went with the Bardstown 24-bit Bosendorfer for now. I\'m still working out the velocity parameter adjustments in Kontakt but all in all, I\'m astonished by how well it sits in the mix! Very nice!

Also, I posted a topic at EastWest forum concerning the Steinway B\'s availability. Why not have both right?!

Thanks guys for all your help images/icons/smile.gif And Kip... got it yesterday at 1PM. Thanks for the smooth transaction!

[Alan Russell]

JWB,

Enjoy your BardstownAudio Borsendorfer Piano and the customer support that comes with it. I\'ll be posting a holiday greetings that features your new sampled piano shortly.

Stay in touch and congrats..

Alan Russell

[JWB]

Thanks Alan, I will images/icons/smile.gif