Which pianos were sampled for the Nord piano library?

[itaiifrach]

After my original table probably got corrupted during forum software update, I tried to create it anew with the new ascii table format.

With Piano 5 and Stage 4, all piano samples are v. 6.x.

Note: "Grand Imperial Lrg 6.1 and Bright Grand Med 6.1 do not support Soft Release, and Ballad EP1 Med 6.0 supports incorrectly String Resonance." (ElectroStrat summarising some problematic findings in the restore pack for Stage 4) So, there are some issues at the moment with the latest versions.

(last updated: 2024-10)

Name	Version	Instrument presumed	Technical notes	Released in or before	Sizes, MB (legacy)
Soft Grand	6.2	Yamaha G2	?	12/2023	199/118/97/61
White Grand	6.3	Steinway B-211	? (by SampleTekk 2016?, maybe related to SampleTekk's White Grand)	06/2019	204/129/114/69 (245/155/110/67)
Royal Grand 3D	6.1	Yamaha S6	dummy head (ambient), for use with headphones	12/2016	208/103/86/54 (200/99/82/51)
Velvet Grand	6.1	Blüthner Model 1	?	12/2015	197/112/92/61 (190/106/87/58)
Silver Grand	6.1	Shigeru Kawai SK-7	?	07/2015	203/105/89/55 (194/100/85/53)
Italian Grand	6.1	Fazioli ?	slightly ambient?	12/2012	189/101/85/51 (182/97/82/49)
Bright Grand	6.1	Yamaha S4	?	06/2011	195/88/74/45 (196/87/72/44)
Grand Imperial	6.1	Bösendorfer Imperial	? (maybe related to SampleTekk's Emperor MkII)	03/2011	198/90/75/44 (197/90/74/44)
Grand Lady D	5.3	Steinway D-274	(maybe related to SampleTekk's Old Lady Mk2)	03/2011	79/61/39
Studio Grand 1	5.3	Yamaha C 7	close-up (derived from SampleTekk's The Big One Mk2)	03/2011	69/57/35
Studio Grand 2	6.2	Yamaha C 7	close-up, custom preamps (maybe related to SampleTekk's 7CG Mk2)	03/2011	177/94/81/49 (69/55/34)
Concert Grand close	5.3	Steinway D-274	close-up, for live (related to SampleTekk's Black Grand Mk2)	03/2011	58/46/29
Concert Grand ambient	5.3	Steinway D-274	ambient: concert hall, for recording (related to SampleTekk's Black Grand Mk2)	03/2011	57/44/29
Steinway No1	5.2	Steinway No.1 'Kitchen Piano' replica (1836/2006)	?	01/2017	132
Mozart FortePno A.Walter	6.1	Anton Walter Fortepiano (1780~1800)	?	01/2016	157/110/95/59 (149/105/91/56)
Beethoven ForteP Broadwood	5.3	Thomas Broadwood Fortepiano (~1820)	?	01/2016	151/99/84/52
Perl Upright	6.0	Grotrian-Steinweg Mod. 120	?	12/2022	182/121/102/65
Felt Piano	6.2	Yamaha SU118	modified: felt inserted between hammers and strings	01/2022	186/115/97/61
Baby Upright	6.1	Nordiska compact	?	12/2017	136/95/83/50 (124/87/76/46)
Amber Upright	6.2	Grotrian-Steinweg Concerto G132	?	07/2017	165/102/87/53 (162/100/84/51)
Bambino Upright	6.2	Baldwin spinet piano (Acrosonic, as Pscooter63 guesses)	6.1 L and XL have an issue on the loudest F6 and F#6 sound; obviously, 6.2 (available through the NP5 factory bundle) and 5.4 versions don't (see here)	07/2016	132/102/86/55 (125/97/82/52)
Mellow Upright	6.1	Bösendorfer C 130	extra soft felt hammers	10/2014	170/98/81/50 (171/98/80/50)
Grand Upright	5.4	Yamaha U3	?	10/2013	160/86/71/43
Queen Upright	5.3	Bösendorfer ?	?	03/2011	66/52/32
Black Upright	6.1	Petrof 132	softened hammers	03/2011	79/59/38 (65/52/33)
HonkyTonk Upright	6.1	Baumgardt	modified: nails replacing felt hammers	03/2011	57/47/29 (55/45/28)
Saloon Upright	5.3	Baumgardt	detuned	03/2011	61/49/30
Romantic Upright	6.1	Schimmel Fortissimo 108 'Chippendale' (1967)	?	03/2011	73/59/ (60/48/29)36
BlueSwede Large Upright	5.3	Östlind & Almquist (now: Malmsjö)	stereo	03/2011	69/56/34
Rain Piano	5.3	Svenska Pianofabriken	close-up miking (by SampleTekk)	03/2011	47/37/23
EGrand 3	6.1	Yamaha CP80	tube amped	02/2014	22 (63/31)
EGrand 2 Gerbstadt	5.3	Gerbstadt Grand with CP80-pickups	?	03/2011	6
EGrand 1 CP80	5.3	Yamaha CP80	?	03/2011	9
DigiGrand 2	6.0	Roland RD1000 (according to Tony White/Bonner's)	?	08/2017	10 (10)
DigiGrand 1	6.0	Roland XP80 ?	?	08/2017	12 (10)
DX Rubba Tines	6.0	Yamaha DX7	FM synth based Rhodes piano imitation	05/2015	20
DX Full Tines	6.0	Yamaha DX7	FM synth based DynoMy Rhodes piano imitation	05/2015	21
EP 9 Stockholm	6.0	Rhodes Mk I (1976) Stage Piano	extended dynamic range	06/2023	101/51/35
EP 8 Nefertiti MkI	6.2	Fender Rhodes Mk I (1970) Suitcase "Nefertiti Club Göteborg"	slightly uneven timbre/dynamics/sustain	12/2018	29/14/8 (20)
EP 7 Amped Tines	6.1	Rhodes Mk I Piano	tube amped	12/2018	33/18 (31)
EP 6 Sparkletop	6.1	Fender Rhodes 'Silvertop' Electric Piano (1967)	new (felt) hammers, ideal timbre	12/2018	19/11 (12)
EP 5 Bright Tines	6.1	Rhodes Mk I (1975) Suitcase Piano	partially hard hammers, bright timbre, 'close miking'	12/2018	24/15 (15)
EP 4 Mk5 80s	6.1	Rhodes Mk V (1984) Stage Piano	ideal timbre, close volume	12/2018	12/7 (7)
EP 3 Shallow Close	6.1	Rhodes Mk II (1981) Stage Piano	shallow timbre, close-up	12/2018	11/7 (7)
EP 2 Ideal Timbre	6.1	Rhodes Mk I (1975) Suitcase Piano	ideal timbre, close volume	12/2018	10/7 (6)
EP 1 Deep Timbre	6.1	Rhodes Mk I (1978) Stage Piano	deep timbre, low amplitude (more fundamental)	12/2018	12/7 (6)
Wurlitzer 2 Amped	6.1	Wurlitzer Piano 200A	tube amped	12/2013	24
Wurlitzer 1	6.3	Wurlitzer Piano 200A	straight?	03/2011	8 (6)
Clavinet D6	6.1	Hohner Clavinet D6	?	05/2010	6

I left out most 'non-piano' piano samples (harpsi, vibra etc.) as well as the layered digital versions. I also didn't include the secret pianos that can be found on this forum.

I didn't label the timbre of the APs because this will schedule too much. Besides, most information given at the moment is available through hints that anyone can get with a Nord under his/her fingers. There are some claims and rumours about relations to SampleTekk sounds; the only one I really believe in is this short forum entry. Details for release dates thanks to a post from ajstan.

This is so great man thanks ! i'm working on a graphic picture to describe all the models of Electro 3. Did u have any clue about which instrument they sampeled on Ballad EP1, Ballad EP2, Hybrid EP and Silver EP ?

[Mighty Motif Max]

...Did u have any clue about which instrument they sampeled on Ballad EP1, Ballad EP2, Hybrid EP and Silver EP ?

These are generally believed to be the result of the never-released Gospel Keys collection - so things like the JD-800, MKS20, and Rhodes MK80.

[FZiegler]

And of course, you can add that those sounds are blended 'layers' of probably two different instruments each - as Nord already state.

[Mighty Motif Max]

I found a thread on the SampleTekk community forum where they stated that although they did indeed do the sampling for Nord's White Grand (a Steinway B), it has no relation to their own White Grand library - which I own, and I'd agree that they sound pretty different (apparently theirs is a Malmsjö).

https://sampletekk.discussion.community ... a-13613768

The White Grand was the first piano that Sampletekk produced, way back in 2004! Back then everybody was trying to make "the most natural sounding piano in the world", but we took a different direction, namely to produce a piano that would work in a mix! If Abandoned is on the more mellow side, this one is bright and more in your face, and even though it's 21 years since it was sampled, it' s still a bit of a benchmark and probably the first, shall we say, boutique piano that wasn't supposed to sound like you standing beside the instrument, but recorded and treated like you would if you where to record it for a pop/rock session. It has 16 velocities, so you can go from softer tones to a forte that blow your socks off! We also chose the instrument for it's bright tone and clarity and found this large Malmsjö Grand from around 1900's that worked great!

Btw, Nord has a "White Grand" among it's many pianos, we recorded that also, but that's a completly different instrument. The Nord people choose that name because it sounded cool!

[nordpiano5]

Hi everyone,
I’ve been spending some time with the new Astoria Grand from the Nord Piano Library and I’m really enjoying its warm, woody and expressive character.
According to Nord, it’s a medium-sized grand piano built in New York in 1916, during the American “Golden Era”. I also noticed that in the piano reference table in this thread the Astoria Grand hasn’t been added yet (it currently goes up to the Soft Grand).
Unlike some other Nord pianos, I haven’t seen any information about the actual brand or model of the original acoustic instrument behind the Astoria.
Does anyone here have more insight into this?
Any historical clues about NY-built grands around 1916 (Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Knabe, Chickering, etc.), or info from Nord or their technicians?
I know Nord sometimes keeps this intentionally vague, but given how distinctive this piano is, I’m very curious about what the original instrument might have been.
Thanks!

[nordpiano5]

Steinway & Sons was founded 1853 in Astoria. No idea if this is the crucial link between the sample and its name.

Unfortunately, meanwhile there are two of those lists in this thread. The latter has the Astoria included.

[nordpiano5]

Steinway & Sons was founded 1853 in Astoria. No idea if this is the crucial link between the sample and its name.

Unfortunately, meanwhile there are two of those lists in this thread. The latter has the Astoria included.

Thanks for the reply — I’ve done a bit more digging and I’d like to propose a likely candidate for the original instrument behind the Astoria Grand, making it clear that this is a hypothesis, not a confirmed fact.
Nord states “built in New York in 1916”. Historically, the medium-sized living-room grand built in New York at that time would have been the Steinway Model O. The Model L does not appear in Steinway records until around 1923.
For that reason, it seems more likely that the sample comes from a Model O (or an equivalent NY-built medium grand from 1916) rather than a Model L or a Model A-2 from 1914.
In 1916, Steinway’s medium grand produced in New York was the Model O (approx. 5'10½"). The Model L only appears later, from the early 1920s onward.
A Steinway A-2 (e.g. 1914 examples) is significantly larger (around 6'2") and would imply different dimensions and tonal characteristics — photos can be misleading, but length and build date matter here.
Finally, the tonal description provided by Nord (“warm, woody, expressive”) aligns well with what one would expect from a restored early-20th-century medium grand.

[nordpiano5]

What do you think? it's possible?

[FZiegler]

I'm not that much of a happy guy if I see you just adding another version of that list on this forum. Sure, the original version is hidden in the deep history of its thread. But that's exactly what will happen to your list as well in a few months. And at the end, there are multiple versions to maintain.

[Schorsch]

I'm not that much of a happy guy if I see you just adding another version of that list on this forum. Sure, the original version is hidden in the deep history of its thread. But that's exactly what will happen to your list as well in a few months. And at the end, there are multiple versions to maintain.

Hi, I merged the new topic into this one here