This is the right place if your topic concerns different Nord Keyboards, you are not sure which one is the right one for you, etc.

Steinway No. 1

Postby OrpheusNY » 19 Jan 2017, 22:01

I have loaded it into my E5 and played it for a bit. Quick and dirty first impressions:

1. It's only currently available in XL (132 MB). I don't think this will end up residing on many Nords before the most recent generation with 1 MB piano memory.

2. It's very atmospheric, especially with string resonance on. Notes are slightly detuned. Sounds otherworldly/out of the past which I guess is appropriate. I prefer it with string resonance/long release on.

3. Even though you may look at the description and think to yourself "I have no use for 19th Century pianos", I'd say if you like and/or have any use for the Rain piano, and have the room, it's worth taking this Steinway for a spin. To my ears, it provides a somewhat similar tonal character as Rain Piano does, would be useful in most applications Rain Piano would be useful in, but the sample is a little richer and more satisfying to play, which I guess you'd expect given the file size. My first impression is also better than I remember my first impression of the Bambino being, which is another sample I put in the "character actor" section of Nord piano samples.

A specialty piano, not a bread and butter piano, more likely to be an occasional guest star than a series regular, but it's a nice addition to the palate.
OrpheusNY
 
Posts: 189
Joined: 23 Jan 2015, 18:13
Country: United States of America
Has thanked: 6 times
Been thanked: 84 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5

Steinway No. 1


Sponsor
 

Re: Steinway No. 1

Postby maurus » 28 Jan 2017, 16:36

I'm in a soft and good mood today so I sat down and indulged a bit in playing Bach on my VPC1 + NE5 setup with the Steinway No. 1. A few movements from the Partita No. 1 in B flat major, and the Prelude and Fuge in f minor from the second volume of the Well Tempered Clavier. This was wonderful, I can only recommend to try this if you are into Bach. The sound, being in between a harpsichord and the modern piano, is most colorful, and allows to bring out an expressivity that would be impossible with a harpsichord and yet is more tender and somewhat "earlier" in style than anything I can do on my 21st century grand.

Mendelssohn started the Bach renaissance with his famous re-performance of the St Matthew Passion in 1829 and this piano is (sampled from a copy of a piano) from 1836, so playing Bach on it probably comes close what people in Mendelssohn's house might have heard in the late 1830's or 1840's. (Except Felix was of course a virtuoso on the piano and I'm most definitely not.)
Last edited by maurus on 28 Jan 2017, 16:41, edited 1 time in total.

The author maurus was thanked by 2 members, including:
be lee vitOrpheusNY
User avatar
maurus
 
Posts: 456
Joined: 26 Jun 2011, 11:34
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 130 times
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5
Your Nord Gear #2: Other Brand


Return to General Nord Forum



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 23 guests