A damped, warm and acoustically beautiful upright piano for EZkeys 2.
This expansion for EZkeys 2 features a carefully captured felt-damped upright piano, ideal for anything from mellow singer-songwriter and folk to acoustic pop and rock. If you’re looking for the ultimate instrument for earthy, round and warm tones, this is it.
The piano in this EKX was recorded using a classic technique where an extra layer of felt is applied directly to the strings that the hammers strike, giving the tone of the instrument a much quieter attack and an overall more warm and intimate resonance. To add, the room in which it was captured is moderately small, adding to its almost visceral timbre. To capture every tonal aspect possible, one mono as well as three different stereo pairs of carefully selected microphones were used in the recording. These microphone options were then all utilised in the broad collection of presets, showcasing anything from the subtle, nuanced and delicate to the more full-bodied and rich – still all with that gentle and almost velvety attack. In addition to the sounds, a basic MIDI library tailored specifically for the instrument is included, giving you a starting point of piano grooves to work from and be inspired by when exploring the sonic possibilities of the product.
If your songs call for a piano with sounds as soft as silk, here you go.
- Features a carefully sampled upright piano
- Recorded using an extra layer of felt damping applied to the piano strings
- Ideal for anything from mellow singer-songwriter and folk to acoustic pop and rock
- A wealth of presets incorporating different mic setups and effects
- Includes a basic MIDI library unique to the product
FELT, FINESSE AND FEEL.
When a key is pressed on a traditional piano, the hammer that corresponds to each key strikes a string, producing sound. The “felt” modification works by introducing a felt layer between the hammer and the string, damping the impact. The result is a quieter, more delicate and damped sound. This makes a felt piano the perfect choice for any song that calls for softer dynamics and an overall more intimate sound.
THE PRESETS.
Mix-ready sounds – one click away!
The included presets cover anything from the most natural, warm, nuanced and intimate to the more elaborate ones involving various amounts of effects and saturation. To add, some presets even include textures of additional synths, giving you completely new multi-layered soundscapes.
As always, each preset has its own bespoke set of macro controls. With these, you can easily alter, tweak or fine-tune the sound to perfectly suit your mix. Should you wish to route an instrument to your DAW for further processing, use any of the various Multi-Out presets. In addition to offering unsaturated takes of each instrument, these settings will distribute all stereo microphones in each recorded configuration of the instrument to its own channels.
THE MICS & THE AMBIENCES.
The piano was recorded using several sets of microphones; one stereo pair under the keyboard, one pair in front of the soundboard, one pair at the backboard and, finally, one mono mic providing a centre image of the instrument. The different sonic flavours and ambiences are represented across the variety of presets.
1. Flea 47
This mic is a hand-built high-end replica of the classic Neumann U 47* but with modern improvements in electronics and performance. A go-to mic for a vintage-inspired warmth but with a modern performance.
2. Neumann KM 84
This vintage gem of a mic has been a studio standard since it was first introduced in the 1960s. Widely praised for its transparency and balanced response, it’s a great choice for capturing the natural tone and voice of acoustic instruments.
3. Coles 4038
This classic ribbon mic is a highly regarded recording studio staple and a go-to pick for vintage warmth and character. Its bidirectional quality, meaning it picks up sound equally from both the front and rear, makes it a great choice for capturing the ambient nature of acoustic instruments, particularly pianos.
4. Beyerdynamic MC 930
Due to its natural frequency response and low self-noise, this small diaphragm condenser microphone is ideal for capturing subtle details in acoustic instruments. For many engineers, it’s one of the first-choice mics specifically for piano.
THE MIDI.
Instant inspiration – at your fingertips!
This EKX includes its own basic collection of MIDI. It was tailored specifically for the instrument and designed to give you a starting point of material to work from and be inspired by when exploring the sonic possibilities of the product.
As always, the profound set of features in EZkeys 2 designed for tailoring MIDI to fit your needs will let you expand on these basic ideas and take them to whatever musical space your compositions call for.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
- 2 GB of free hard disk space (plus 2 GB for download)
- 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended).
A working EZkeys 2.1.2 (or above) installation.
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