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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby emartin149 » 20 May 2016, 15:04

The newer acoustic grands are better suited for the newer Nords - there's just not enough memory on the older ones to take them in L (much less XL) form, if you want to have a collection of electric pianos as well. Same for the confusingly-named "Grand Upright."

I play Bright and Italian Grands (both L) and I cycle around on the upright - currently trying the Queen at a Med size. I keep the Honky-Tonk in Small form for a few blues numbers.

I play in a pop-rock combo and as many have said, the Bright cuts through mix well. It's not the most subtle sounding piano, so I've been slowly shifting over to the Italian for the quieter stuff. The Italian seems to be a richer sample.

The Queen is more for personal home playing - I haven't found an upright that really sails through in a rock environment (except for the Honky, which can't be used often). I don't like to fuss with the equalizer so this could part of the reason.

With EP6 and EP7, the amped Wurli and mono CP80, the DX7 and the Clav, that's all I have room for. But it's just as well, since I think too many choices makes it hard to develop a personal "sound. "
Last edited by emartin149 on 20 May 2016, 15:21, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)


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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby themixtape » 27 Dec 2016, 22:15

So many choices.... each of these pianos really adds a certain something.

With Royal Piano, do any of you find the D, two octaves above middle C, recorded a little "hot"? Like the dynamics aren't soft enough? Random thought, when I was messing with all pianos last night.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby jazzystu » 29 Dec 2016, 14:31

I've had all of the pianos and I keep coming back to Concert Grand Ambient. The newest headphones grand is very good and when I go back to piano 2 it's like Ahhhhhh.

Rhodes wise, I have binned all of them apart from 7 and 8. 7 being the belly one and 8 being the suitcasey one. The latest rhodes has stopped me looking for an original again....but if one comes up, I will buy it.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby Gambold » 29 Dec 2016, 16:31

>I've had all of the pianos and I keep coming back to Concert Grand Ambient.<

The choices have become a bit overwhelming, but despite some of the "it's all a matter of taste" comments, some of these samples are better than others, and would be a lot more missed if they suddenly weren't available.

The players who celebrate the old models, like the Rain or the Concert Grands, tend to be long-time Nord users who cut their chops on these first offerings. Steinway also has a strong American following. Unfortunately this piano is not available in XL, and judging from Clavia's release history, which doesn't revisit old models, we may never see one.

It's interesting to see what Nord continues to factory load in their new machines...that to me is an indicator of what they think are their best models, since Nord newbies will buy these machines and many of those will never bother changing out the samples.

The Piano 3, Stage 2 EX and the Electro 5 all feature the XL of the Italian Fazioli as their principal acoustic piano (even though newer samples were available when the Piano 3 was released) They also all include the Grand Lady D and the Studio Grand 2...a Steinway and a Yamaha, which I think is in response to general market popularity and to the relative quality of these samples.

Indeed, it could be argued that the Italian, Lady D, and Studio Grand 2 are all you would ever seriously need. It will be very interesting to see if this "Big Three" change with the next keyboard release.
Last edited by Gambold on 29 Dec 2016, 16:38, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby Gambold » 29 Dec 2016, 16:47

As for Rhodes - I don't use the Nord for the Rhodes, although I think they do a serviceable job with it. If Rhodes is your main thing, you are better off getting something like a Korg SV-1, which even sort of looks like a Rhodes. It's relatively cheap ($1500) and weighs about 1/3 of an actual Mark I Stage.
Last edited by Gambold on 29 Dec 2016, 16:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby needs keys » 24 Jan 2017, 06:37

Here are my ratings:

Royal Grand - using xl version
rating: 5
live/recorded thoughts: actually does feel like sitting at a piano through the headphones, easily my favorite grand, the middle and upper middle register is quite addictive and the intonation is superb

Velvet Grand - not currently loaded
rating: 3
live/recorded thoughts: didn't find anything special about this grand, just wanted to move on

Silver Grand - not currently loaded
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: I liked this one but ultimately preferred the character of the Imperial

Italian Grand - not currently loaded
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: I wanted to like this one more, just seemed a little bland compared to the Royal

Bright Grand - using xl version
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: very bright, overlooked this one at first but it responds well to eq. - not my go to piano but I like having it in the arsenal...It will get used on the right pop song

Grand Imperial - using lg version
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: has that unique texture that you expect from a Bosendorfer...mostly layer this piano with a pad or strings...may switch it out for the Silver at some point but I do prefer it's low end.

Grand Lady D - using lg version
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: I played the small version on my electro 3 for years without realizing it and nearly grew to hate this sound, but the large version has quite a nice character and I keep coming back to it. Like many I am wishing that Nord will revisit with an xl version. It's not over 'til the Grand Lady sings!

Studio Grand 2 - using lg version
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: prefer this close mic over the studio grand 1, and also over the concert grands. This is the versatile Yamaha C7. This is a very well recorded even and in tune sample, and holds up quite well despite its age and smaller sample size.

UPRIGHTS

Mellow Upright - using lg version
rating: 4
live/recorded thoughts: very pretty when played softly...need excellent amplification live or this will end up sounding like an electric piano

Grand Upright - using xl version
rating: 4 +
live/recorded thoughts: xl version sounds better to my ears. even with xl version there is something a little off on a couple of the higher notes (the high B's are in tune with each other but the overall intonation is off). Regardless, this piano is full of character without having the flaws that are usually associated with character - I never thought an upright (or even an upright grand) would make the cut but this could be a go to piano for anyone with limited space. It sounds more like a real piano than most. It gets a 4+ because it was a nice surprise.

None of the other uprights really interest me at the moment.

For EP's I used the MK 1 close ideal for years but I am trying the Nefertiti now. I also have the low deep, the bright tines, MK 5 close ideal, and the amped wurli...I sometimes layer the Nefertiti with the key click or the ep bell sample from this forum. And I keep the DX-7 on board most of the time just in case...of what I don't know.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby afroskully » 24 Jan 2017, 15:00

needs keys wrote: And I keep the DX-7 on board most of the time just in case...of what I don't know.


Ha! I do the same thing...why, I don't know. Maybe one day I'll get that bar mitzvah gig where they want that true early 80's cocktail hour sound.

Total agreement with you on the Royal and Grand Imperial being the top grands on the nord.

As for uprights, I recently loaded each one of them (a few at a time) as I needed to play that Chuck Berry song from Pulp Fiction, and was looking for that characteristic slightly detuned low-end rhythmic chugging sound yet totally serviceable Upright. Out of all of them, the Blue Suede did the job. The other larger/newer ones sounded great, but they almost sounded 'too' good.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby needs keys » 25 Jan 2017, 00:44

Do you prefer the xl Imperial? I've been using the lg version lately. I never did load them side by side to compare.

I'm going to have to go through the uprights again at some point...haven't tried most of them since I upgraded from the electro 3 to 5.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby afroskully » 25 Jan 2017, 01:13

I tried out both, and like most L to XL comparisons I've done, I feel like there's a kind of "depth" that I hear on the XL that's lacking on the L. I'm aware that could totally just be subjective bias, but the XLs always make me happier in a live setting. Except for the Bambino. That's the only one I liked the L better for whatever reason.
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Re: Rate ALL Piano Library sounds (Grands and Uprights)

Postby needs keys » 30 Jan 2017, 02:23

My main problem with most of the pianos is that it is way too easy to reach the highest velocity layer. Even though I have a light to medium touch I have keyboard touch set to the heaviest setting. Even then I can reach the highest velocity sample easily and often when I don't want that particular sound.

I've just begun to try out a lot of these pianos in a live setting but I feel most of them have this issue. The one exception I've found so far is the mellow upright. It's quickly become my go to jazz piano because it's highest layer is still nice and smooth sounding in a live setting.

I am really hoping that the upcoming multi mic Royal Grand will have a less sensitive upper velocity. Please Nord!!!
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