Just wondering if anyone here owns Piano in Blue, and if so, if you've tried and been able to replicate the piano sound of Bill Evans and Wynton Kelly playing on Miles Davis' Kind of Blue album?
It sounds great from the demos on the website, although none of those are the same as the sound on the recording. Still with a bit of tweaking I would think it should get close. After all, it is the same piano that was used for both the recording and the sample library, and the piano was sampled using vintage Nuemann U49 microphones which were also used on the recording. I know there are some differences from the equipment used on the album eg it was sampled through a Neve 8078 and a Studer A800 tape machine which are both later vintage and probably higher quality than what was available at the time the album was recorded, and obviously it wasn't possible for it to be sampled in the Columbia studios given that its been closed for thirty years. Still it would be possible to get close to the sound wouldn't it?
Piano in Blue and the Kind of Blue tone?
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- KVRist
- 397 posts since 1 Jul, 2011
Last edited by Lode_Runner on Sat May 12, 2012 10:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRist
- 117 posts since 20 Nov, 2011 from Mao, Balears
I quickly tried and I have to say that you can get close to it.
Using onboard controls I used the farther mic position at first. I then added close and room mics to taste; I obviously used the 'tape' samples, not the 'direct' ones, a tiny bit of hipass filter and a little of short reverb. In this way the sound seems quite close to me but still too clean.
Adding some external filtering and lowering the sustain I think you can get very close. But if you are taking your purchasing decision on that is better if you wait for some more replies or try to listen with you ears; listening is soo subjective
If you want an 'end user' demo here is the link. I didn't try to replicate the sound your asking for though.. I recorded this the same day I purchased the library and the sound is out of the box (I added only a bit of external compression).
Using onboard controls I used the farther mic position at first. I then added close and room mics to taste; I obviously used the 'tape' samples, not the 'direct' ones, a tiny bit of hipass filter and a little of short reverb. In this way the sound seems quite close to me but still too clean.
Adding some external filtering and lowering the sustain I think you can get very close. But if you are taking your purchasing decision on that is better if you wait for some more replies or try to listen with you ears; listening is soo subjective
If you want an 'end user' demo here is the link. I didn't try to replicate the sound your asking for though.. I recorded this the same day I purchased the library and the sound is out of the box (I added only a bit of external compression).
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 397 posts since 1 Jul, 2011
Thanks for the suggested techniques EdC. That was my impression - that it is a more clean/crisp sound (relatively speaking of course - it's still a very warm vintage sound). I've got a few effects that could help me make it a bit more lofi (eg Sonitex) although I'm not sure if they'd make it sound closer.
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- KVRist
- 117 posts since 20 Nov, 2011 from Mao, Balears
You're welcome. And yes, your impression is right.
If this issue is important for you, send me a little midi file played with Bill Evans' technique and I'll render it so you can experiment with your effects.
Another option could be pianoteq; the new D4 created for version 4 seems based on the same steinway.. and you can download the demo for free
If this issue is important for you, send me a little midi file played with Bill Evans' technique and I'll render it so you can experiment with your effects.
Another option could be pianoteq; the new D4 created for version 4 seems based on the same steinway.. and you can download the demo for free
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 397 posts since 1 Jul, 2011
Thanks for the very generous offer EdC!
I found a midi of Blue in Green on the following webpage - http://www.billevans.nl/Midipage.htm
At the bottom of the page.
In terms of other options - I just found this video of a guy playing using the sampletekk Black Grand - #! - sounds beautiful and very useful for jazz.
In regards to what I'm looking for, I'm actually more interested in something a bit more like the sound of the "Mirion" demo on the website for Piano in Blue (other competitors for this sound would be Imperfect samples' Walnut, and 8Dio's Legacy). However, it would be great to also be able to get the Bill Evans sound out of the instrument if I can.
I found a midi of Blue in Green on the following webpage - http://www.billevans.nl/Midipage.htm
At the bottom of the page.
In terms of other options - I just found this video of a guy playing using the sampletekk Black Grand - #! - sounds beautiful and very useful for jazz.
In regards to what I'm looking for, I'm actually more interested in something a bit more like the sound of the "Mirion" demo on the website for Piano in Blue (other competitors for this sound would be Imperfect samples' Walnut, and 8Dio's Legacy). However, it would be great to also be able to get the Bill Evans sound out of the instrument if I can.
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- KVRAF
- 5521 posts since 6 May, 2002
you might want to look into Pianoteq 4
http://www.pianoteq.com/d4_in_action?s=d4_workshop
http://www.pianoteq.com/d4_in_action?s=d4_workshop
Intel Core2 Quad CPU + 4 GIG RAM
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- KVRian
- 1210 posts since 5 Dec, 2002 from Earth
@EdC The piano sounds beautiful on "Natural Woman" in your YouTube video, and even though the timing isn't perfect (as you noted), I love the feel and emotion you played that song with on the piano. Nice!
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- KVRist
- 117 posts since 20 Nov, 2011 from Mao, Balears
Thank you eDrummist I think is a very inspiring library for this kind of music (soft, jazzy, old style)
I think is a very inspiring library for this kind of music (soft, jazzy, old style)