KVR Audio

skiltrip · Post by **skiltrip** » Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:58 pm

What's everyone's favorite "standard" EZkeys piano expansion? I currently only have the original Grand Piano. (I also gave Classic Electrics, Mellotoon, and String Machine, but I'm talking about regular pianos here). I find the original Grand to be a little generic sounding, though it works for most things (probably by design). I'm liking both the Vintage Upright and Small Upright for different reasons (demoing them now). The Original Upright seems a little unremarkable to me though, and the newer Studio Grand is a little too polished for my usual rock tendencies. What do ya'll think?

Fleer · Post by **Fleer** » Sun Apr 16, 2017 12:22 am

Studio Grand, Small Upright and Vintage Upright, in that order.
How do you like String Machine? I'm hesitant between that and the GForce one.

skiltrip · Post by **skiltrip** » Sun Apr 16, 2017 5:11 am

String Machine is an insane amount of fun. These are just my kind of synth sounds. Tons of presets. Demo it for sure. Once I did, I was hooked. Thanks for sharing your acoustic piano faves. I was just playing with the demos again. Vintage Upright wasn't doing it for me. I think the regular Upright Piano and Small Upright were feeling hide. Upright can be nice and warm and woody. Small Upright seems like the obvious main Contender for being part of a dense mix. Still sounds great solo though. I sort of want to grab both. Not feeling Studio Grand though. I think I've just heard to many Grand Piano samples in my life, maybe I'm just bored of the overall vibe.

I also have Addictive Keys Modern Upright which is pretty nice and versatile. Crazy tweakable. I like the EZkeys Songwriting tools though, so I'm looking for more acoustic piano options within EZK.

Fleer · Post by **Fleer** » Sun Apr 16, 2017 6:19 pm

Thanks, skiltrip. Have to revisit String Machine for sure, but GForce seems to offer a broader spectrum. And strangely enough, those demo files of the EZKeys String Machine sound a bit too samey for me.
As for EZKeys Upright, I didn't go for the original one, but straight ahead for Small and Vintage, covering my upright needs sufficiently. The AK Modern Upright is quite nice indeed, so I think I'll skip the EZKeys one.
As for the songwriting tools, don't forget you can just use its MIDI with every other vst you might have, including those Addictive Keys. So you don't need to buy everything inside EZKeys.
Then again, what am I talking about, as I have most of the expansions, apart from the standard Upright, String Machine and the Pipe Organ. Which is the one I'm getting now, I think.
Interesting to know that, until the end of this month, each new expansion gets you a free MIDI pack as well.

skiltrip · Post by **skiltrip** » Sun Apr 16, 2017 8:51 pm

I sometimes swap in AK after the MIDI is built, but I do like the ease of having everything under the same hood so to speak.

The free MIDI thing really is tempting right now. I really want Piano Pop and Singer-songwriter MIDI. Maybe I'll pick up Small Upright and Vintage Upright. I just keep asking myself, how many piano libraries do I need? I actually have a really great Samick Upright in my small one-room studio. In the space I'm in though, I get better results from VIs than I do micing it up.

skiltrip · Post by **skiltrip** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 2:46 am

Ended up picking up Small Upright. That's it though. It's the only one that was really speaking to me in any real way. Between the EZK Grand Piano, EZK Small Upright, and Modern Upright in Addictive Keys I think I'm pretty well covered. Ended up grabbing the Piano Pop MIDI pack for free with it. Pretty nice collection of ideas in that pack.

It's worth mentioning that I wasn't able to get the new Singer-Songwriter MIDI pack as a free choice. Not sure why. I don't see anything on their website about excluding it.

Fleer · Post by **Fleer** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 3:46 am

Good decision on that Small Upright. Definitely the most special one of the three uprights.
Thanks for telling me about the Singer-Songwriter pack. Was going for that one. Now I'm wondering if the other newish pack (Emotional Ballads) will be available as a bonus selection.

dzilizzi · Post by **dzilizzi** » Mon Apr 17, 2017 8:10 pm

I actually like the regular upright in a mix. But truthfully, I tend to change it out for another piano once I get my midi the way I want it.

And? I only got the studio grand a few months ago and haven't really had time to see if I like it better.

I didn't realize they had some new midi packs. It may be time for another "make your own bundle"

Favorite EZkeys "standard" piano expansion?What's everyone's favorite "standard" EZkeys piano expans