KVR Audio

bobbyblank · Post by **bobbyblank** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:49 am

I've been searching all over for a realistic piano sampleset that DOESN'T sound beautiful.
Won't people buy samples of an out of tune piano?

Laugh if you want, but we mangle our audio all the time.
Wanting to use an old broken-down upright piano is on the same level as an EDP Wasp, or a a Casio CZ-101.
Or a freaking TB-303.

I can't even find a soundfont that sounds realitic and out of tune.

The closest that I have got, was PMI. PMI's Iowa steinway A is seemingly the only set that has this kind of character. But it's still too pretty. Not rough enough for my needs. I love PMI, they're like the Alan Lomax of samplehouses. they're pianoforte and theatre organs are freakishly good. [checkout their groupbuy, btw]

Is what I'm looking for out there? Or will I have to buy an old church piano and lug it up 4 flights of stairs?

dry bones · Post by **dry bones** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:04 am

The mdaPiano VST has a preset called 'Broken Piano' which might approximate what you're looking for.

meroveus · Post by **meroveus** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 8:40 am

You need the RainPiano, downloadable from here: www.sampletekk.com

bobbyblank · Post by **bobbyblank** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:33 am

thanks for the replies.
the rain piano from sampletekk sounds like a perfectly tuned upright.It's very pretty, but not what I'm looking for. a shame, but at $50- a great thing just to have around.
Perhaps the SampleTank Piano Collection has something suitable, but I doubt it. I vaguely remember it's honk tonk piano was waaay over the top.

I think [ for anybody at all interested ] that PMI's Fortepiano is the closest you can get to a realistic beat-up piano sound. that's not saying much, because the pianoforte is a wonderful instrument, and PMI's offering is tuned and well tempered. but in a non-classical context, it would sound properly ragged.

If anybody has anymore suggestions, I'd love to hear them, 'cos I'm stuck.

freeztar · Post by **freeztar** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:40 am

How about I ask my buddy that has a 1936 snakeskin baby grand (that is wonderfully out of tune) if I can sample it.

bobbyblank · Post by **bobbyblank** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 9:44 am

that's hot. I could really get into that! haha, is it Jerry Lee Lewis out-of-tune, or John Cage out-of-tune?

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 11:57 am

Some of the GM soundfont "honky tonk piano" presets are probably close ...

Doug

Meffy · Post by **Meffy** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:01 pm

Seems to me that VSampler comes with a (downloadable?) "beat-up piano" that's not as detuned as the honky-tonk style ones. Dunno if that will help you but there it is.

bobbyblank · Post by **bobbyblank** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:14 pm

no, doug. not close at all. I'm looking for realism. A GM 'honky tonk piano' makes everything sound like Super Mario World.
I've used all the free piano VST's, and love EVM's Grand Piano.
But that's not what I'm looking for. And I'm kinda shocked that no samplehouse has what I'm looking for. Are all pianos supposed to sound like steinway D's and bosendorfers?
Am I crazy for wanting a piano sound that CAN'T play Flight of the Bumblebees without sounding like a trainwreck?

ozinexile · Post by **ozinexile** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:36 pm

Hey bobbyblank, I've got the Vintaudio Upright collection that might be close to what your after. One Clinton and one Steinway upright, still beautifully recorded but definitely has the character of an old style upright. I guess tuning inconsistancies could be programmed to suit. I got a package including their Yamaha C7 grand some time ago and really like that I have well recorded pianos that don't sound like expensive concert grands.

Funkybot · Post by **Funkybot** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:42 pm

I agree, those Vintaudio Upright's are great. Just really warm and fuzzy, not perfect (some notes have a bit of noise, that you can hear as actually just having been part of the piano from worn out hammers or something), just very nice. One review compared them to the piano you hear on Radiohead's Pyramid Song, and that's a very fair comparison. Well recorded, but not this perfect unattainable piano sound.

jeffn1 · Post by **jeffn1** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 12:55 pm

bobbyblank wrote:thanks for the replies.
the rain piano from sampletekk sounds like a perfectly tuned upright.It's very pretty, but not what I'm looking for. a shame, but at $50- a great thing just to have around.
Perhaps the SampleTank Piano Collection has something suitable, but I doubt it. I vaguely remember it's honk tonk piano was waaay over the top.

I think [ for anybody at all interested ] that PMI's Fortepiano is the closest you can get to a realistic beat-up piano sound. that's not saying much, because the pianoforte is a wonderful instrument, and PMI's offering is tuned and well tempered. but in a non-classical context, it would sound properly ragged.

If anybody has anymore suggestions, I'd love to hear them, 'cos I'm stuck.

Vertikal piano by Sampletekk might be right for you. Check out this link:

http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/sho ... ight=honky

jeffn1

bobbyblank · Post by **bobbyblank** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:00 pm

I did look at the Vintaudio website, and it looks promising. that Clinton has a great ballad sound too it. still, not junky enough for my current project. PMI' Iowa piano is just a touch closer. maybe I just need to program, like you said, Oz. thanks.
still looking, though.

Stupid American Pig · Post by **Stupid American Pig** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:16 pm

I could let my piano go another year or so without tuning and sample it. naw, I prefer to keep it sounding nice.

Actually there is a preset that comes with the excellent dimension synth(included with project 5) that sounds like a pretty good out of tune piano, alo fi plugin like vinyl or camelphat could make it dman convincing.

Buddah Buddy · Post by **Buddah Buddy** » Fri Jun 24, 2005 1:27 pm

Ross Bolleter finds and records on 'ruined' pianos... not a sampleset, but you could sample them I guess...

http://www.warpsmusic.com/sound.htm

Does an 'old piano' sampleset exist??