Braunschweig Piano

I just recently bought a new piano sample set from Imperfect Samples called the Braunschweig Upright Piano. It's a 5 GB collection that samples each note of this particular upright piano at 8 different velocity layers. I picked it up because I realized that all the different piano sounds I have at my disposal are sample sets of these giant concert pianos in even larger rooms and that doesn't always give you the most intimate feel. So many of my fond memories of piano involve a crappy upright in a tiny music room somewhere, and I thought something that captured that essence would be cool. Plus, it's cheap and the demo's sound good.

Anyway, since I downloaded it I've been really eager to check it out, but since I'm in the middle of moving I haven't gotten a chance to hook it up to a midi controller yet and play it. But I in my impatience I did try the next best thing, which is to drop it into a song for which I'd already recorded a midi performance, replacing the piano that was in there. That got me thinking that I might as well try a selection of piano sample sets that I have at my disposal and post them up for everyone to hear.

So without further avail here are a selection of piano sample set sounds. I'm just using what I got here, but if there are any others you think I should check out, let me know. The meatiest part is at about 1:58 if you feel like jumping right in.

Reason Factory Soundbank Piano (this is the one that the song was written with):



Reason Orkester Soundbank Piano:



Logic Pro Factory Soundbank Steinway:



Imperfect Samples Braunschweig Upright:



Sonic Couture Bowed Piano (This one is very cool, check out the haunting demos at the Sonic Couture website):



I really like the Reason Orkester Piano, though it may have a bit of an edge since these tracks came from a mix that used it. I also may just like it because I've been listening to it in the piece for a while. On the other hand the Braunschweig has a really cool sound to it too. I don't know if it fit's this song as well as the grand, but I'm excited to try it for a more intimate rock style production. I think it's interesting that you can hear the uprights smaller soundboard give out on the lower notes, it's rare that you get the experience of a grand and an upright next to each other to compare. The only other things to say are, the Sonic Couture Bowed Piano has really awesome haunting sounds, but sounds so different from a piano that it really doesn't fit in this production. And finally, the stock Logic piano's suck.

Anyway, here's the working mix of the track in question with all the other instruments, if you're interested.



Peace,
Dan