Back in time Records has released Grand Piano – Concert Orchestra, a new TSL product available as an expansion for TSW Pro and all ws-engine format compatibles like Wusikstation and ManyOne.
Grand Piano –Concert Orchestra offers a dynamic playable grand piano, useful for many musical styles. A Schimmel CO256 was the source for this sampling project - it has a unique timbre character, somewhere between a Steinway and a Boesendorfer. This grand piano comes with a powerful bass range and, thanks to the built-in "bell", a higher range with a more shiny bright tone compared to other grand pianos.
The result is a 1.1 Gb sampled Stereo Grand Piano in the ws-engine format. All 88 keys were sampled in the 4 dynamics ff, mf, p, staccato. The samples can be used as single velocity timbres too by using the sampleplayer's filters for further sound design. The grand piano was recorded in true stereo (90° 2-channel mic setting), room microphone positioning, distance to instrument about 2 meters.
The library provides full duration of the 88 tones (original note length considering the complete real decay time). Usually the dynamics are assigned as velocity switch, but can be used for individual layer slots too. The same handling is recommended for the left and right channels. To make this instrument really custom for your individual songs and personal playing style you can load each dynamic and stereo channel separately:
- fortissimo ff left channel
- fortissimo ff right channel
- mezzoforte mf left channel
- mezzoforte mf right channel
- piano p left channel
- piano p right channel
- staccato left channel
- staccato right channel
Additionally the library content includes a series of unusual prepared piano special effects. Extra metal strips, chains and rubber were added inside to provide dramatic and weird tones. Then the keys were hit, and the strings scraped, bowed and struck with several tools. The result is a 200 Mb collection of additional sounds. Some are one shot and sound effects, others are multi-samples. Many of them are stereo. The tone length varies from short to up to 30 seconds and longer. TSL Prepared Piano is separately available too, retail price €19.
This project was realized in cooperation with the grand piano manufacturer Schimmel himself. Recorded in a special designed studio location in Germany skilled piano player Ratko Delorko helped as creative consultant to capture the mighty sound of this instrument. Before the recordings Detlev Haenseler tuned it, and pianist Klaus Schroen hit the keys to get the instrument timbres in the requested dynamics as best as possible. The entire project was supported by Nikolaus Schimmel and Edith Hollenstein.
Grand Piano – Concert Orchestra costs €79 / $99. TSW Pro customers receive a 20% discount.
