Piano library and sampler

Samples:

The samples are 4 days of recordings (112 GB) of an 1900s upright piano in the studios of SAE Glasgow in 2016, with different microphone configurations and positions (here an AB C414 pair is demonstrated). The recordings were edited and enhanced (EQ, exciter, de-noise, etc) and exported to a wav-library.

Sampler:

The MAX/MSP-based sampler takes arbitrary libraries as long as the notes are arranged in their respectively named folders and the files are named after a precise scheme. Any number of velocities are supported, as the midi range is subdivided into the number detected and the sample amplitude is scaled accordingly in addition to a slight hi-shelf EQ. Furthermore, any number of samples is allowed within velocities to make the sampler very versatile. It was chosen to have 4 velocities with 5 samples each per used microphone for each of the 8 octaves.

Or view here


Here a list of the features presented in the video:

1. Front of plug-in

Provides a preset management system to store and retrieve presets, a several visual representations of the currently played notes, a transposition tool and an output display and gain control.

2. General Tab

Provides the classical ADSR envelope controls and the usual three piano pedals and supplementary controls.

The “Soft pedal” proportionally reduces incoming notes' velocity and activates a soft hi-shelf affecting HF content. The “Sustenudo” allows to indefinitely (until sample end) sustain the currently played notes, while the Sustain sustains all notes until the pedal is released. The impact control plays a recording of hits on the piano with the sustain pedal pressed and supplementary controls are provided for sound shaping. The “solo vs mix mode” allows samples of each octave to pass through respective steep HPF to eliminate the piano resonances to take up less space in the mix. The width control allows a progressive reduction to mono. The “pedal” control controls the level of the creaking sound when the pedals are pressed for realism. Note that the sustain pedal loosens the strings making them vibrate which is also emulated, the amplitude depends on the speed at which the sustain pedal is pressed.

3. The Reverb Tab

provides control over a modified version of the "yafr2" patch where I added several controls, effects and made it stereo.

4. The waveshaping-based exciter engine

is based on three different algorithms and custom waveforms, each with given HPF and LPF, presence control for more pronounced effects, and individual levels. The “Body” control is a filter attenuating the piano's lower range. “Bite” pushes the note's attack stronger into the exciter, while “Sustain” weakens the exciter's effect on the notes’ sustain. The “Iceberg” algorithm is crystalline analog-style distortion giving the notes a bell-like quality. The “Mountain” is a mild guitar-like overdrive, while “Abyss” is an aggressive digital-like distortion for rich harmonic generation.

5. Player noises Tab

Live Piano recordings often have movement noises from the player, which are here provided for realism. Every [Interval], there is a [Chance] that a random sample is played. “Drift” further randomizes the interval of playback by providing an upper bound to the random delay.