# Black Grand MkII



## SampleTekk (Mar 24, 2014)




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## jtnyc (Mar 24, 2014)

The link brings me to your homepage. There is no sign of The Black Grand mkII. 

I mean no offense by saying that the website overall does not provide a very pleasant experience. It's very dark and the font is very small. Navigating is often awkward. It says 50% off PMI libraries with an arrow pointing down. On first glance one would think the libraries below are PMI, but not all of them are. I did eventually see the very small line that directs you to click on products, then PMI. It's just kind of messy IMO. 

You guys have really great products and IMO, they should be better represented.

Looking forward to hearing The Black Grand mkII

Thanks


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## SampleTekk (Mar 24, 2014)

jtnyc @ Mon Mar 24 said:


> The link brings me to your homepage. There is no sign of The Black Grand mkII.
> 
> I mean no offense by saying that the website overall does not provide a very pleasant experience. It's very dark and the font is very small. Navigating is often awkward. It says 50% off PMI libraries with an arrow pointing down. On first glance one would think the libraries below are PMI, but not all of them are. I did eventually see the very small line that directs you to click on products, then PMI. It's just kind of messy IMO.
> 
> ...



It's only a teaser! =o 
Know about the site, thought about the slogan: "Site sucks - Samples are great" for a while, but decided to re-make the site instead, so new site is on its way!


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## SampleTekk (Mar 25, 2014)

Black Grand MkII will, apart from Sympathetic Resonance, controls for dynamic response, controllable hammerback and pedal noise and True Pedaling, have three different microphone positions that can be mixed together or used separatly:

*Close Perspective*
The "Close" perspective was recorded with the microphones placed very close to the strings. Normally, this isn't the way you would record a classical piece, but you will find that this perspective gives you a great presence and brilliance. Try this version for an in-your-face pop or jazz sound, or for bold and aggressive features. Definitely reach for this version first on a live performance. It has the raw edge needed to cut through a pounding rhythm section, or to back up a powerful vocalist. The more live your playing space, the more likely that the Close Perspective instrument will work for you.









_The treble and bass side of the microphones capturing the Close Perspective. Milab DC-96B and MG UM30_

*Ambient Perspective*
The "Ambient" perspective is normally the preferred configuration for recording a live classical piano performance, such as a recital. The microphones are placed at a sufficient distance let the tone fully engage the room. You might even say that the room is really the featured player here, as much as the piano. As a player, you are responding as much to the way the instrument is acoustically interacting with the room as you are to the piano itself. You might want to start with this piano if you are seeking to emulate the sound of a piano being played onstage with other instruments. Try it for solo piano work as well. Ultimately, again, only the final mix and mood you're trying to achieve can inform your decision.





_Microphone placement, Ambient perspective. Rode NT5_

*Medium Ambient Perspective*
The "medium" perspective is taken using two microphones placed at a moderate distance from the instrument. This perspective works well for both classical and acoustic jazz recordings, where the perception of some room in the tone is desirable. Don't be afraid to try this version in places where you might consider the Close Perspective to be ideal. Sometimes a little distance on the piano can actually make it easier to bring up in the mix. Every mix is different, and the ultimate choice is always going to be a "mix thing." 





_Microphone placement. Medium Ambience perspective. Neuman KM84_


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## FrozeN (Mar 25, 2014)

I am really looking forward to this one!!!

It's been my favourite piano which I used in a lot of projects, so many times that I think I hear some wear and tear in the samples! :mrgreen:

Frankie


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## jtnyc (Mar 25, 2014)

SampleTekk @ Tue Mar 25 said:


> jtnyc @ Mon Mar 24 said:
> 
> 
> > The link brings me to your homepage. There is no sign of The Black Grand mkII.
> ...



Great news. Looking forward to the new site and Black Grand mkII.


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## synthnut (Mar 25, 2014)

I don't own Black Grand, but have been thinking about it for a quite a while now .....I have to say though that I have recently bought the MKII versions of White Grand , and of Rain Piano , and the MK II version has made a HUGE improvement over already great sounding piano's .....Jim


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## rJames (Mar 25, 2014)

I have the black grand. What have you reworked?

The loudest samples were pretty compressed. Will that be changed?

Any discount for owners of the lib?

Thanks,

Ron


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## RGM (Mar 26, 2014)

I also have a copy of the original Black Grand. Having used it on many movie scores as my "go to" piano, I produced a solo piano album in the autumn called "Piano Tree Elettriche" :-

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/piano ... d712325433

I'd be very interested to hear any improvements on a version II

Best wishes to all
Richard


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## SampleTekk (Mar 26, 2014)

Thought I give you a few examples on the sounds that you can get from tht MkII. Since you can mix the three microphone perspectives to taste, the combinations are (nearly) endless

[mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo1.mp3[/mp3]
_Poem For Piano, Babajania_
This one has mostly the Ambient but I added a pinch of Close to give it a bit more "exactness".

[mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo2.mp3[/mp3]
_Crazy, Nelson, played by Sue Keller_
Here it's the Close perspective only

[mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo3.mp3[/mp3]
On this one, I used the Mid perspective, but added a bit of Close to give it a bite.

[mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo4.mp3[/mp3]
_Sonata F Major, Mozart_
Ambient only for that concert piano feel, This piano was actually recorded in a concert hall

[mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo5.mp3[/mp3]
_St Louis Blues, WC Handy, played by Sue Keller_
And here we've used the Mid perspective and turned up the hammer noise to give it a bit more bluesy feel.


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## kj.metissage (Mar 26, 2014)

SampleTekk @ Wed Mar 26 said:


> [mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo3.mp3[/mp3]
> On this one, I used the Mid perspective, but added a bit of Close to give it a bite


That's a lovely sound you got here.

Another must have !


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## SampleTekk (Mar 26, 2014)

kj.metissage @ Wed Mar 26 said:


> SampleTekk @ Wed Mar 26 said:
> 
> 
> > [mp3]http://www.sampletekk.com/proddemos/BGMkII/BlackGrandMkIIDemo3.mp3[/mp3]
> ...



Glad you like it!


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## RGM (Mar 27, 2014)

Hi Per .... the demoes are really great. As you know .... I've always been a big fan of your Black Grand!

Will the new version have the same number of sample velocities on each note as the original?

I would say without doubt the Black Grand Mark 1 is the best sampled Steinway piano available for the sort of work i do. (movie score -classical / jazz styles with real orchestra) 

If I was being incredibly picky ..... my only ever problem was once whilst I was scoring a movie which heavily featured the B above middle C in a cue. It stands out as being odd in relation to the notes around it but suspect that it's the actual instrument itself .... not your recording and programming work! 

I've dropped now dropped the B from my sample set and taken the C (above middle C) and pitched it down a semi tone. So no great hardship. 

I look forward to playing with this new version.
All the best and good luck with it!
Richard


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## rJames (Mar 27, 2014)

rJames @ Tue Mar 25 said:


> I have the black grand. What have you reworked?
> 
> The loudest samples were pretty compressed. Will that be changed?
> 
> ...



bump


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## SampleTekk (Mar 27, 2014)

The samples are pretty much the same. Already sound good, so no reason to change that.
Bigg features:

All michrophone perspectives available for mixing/blending to taste.
Sympathetic resonance
Controllable room response (not applied in the GUI shown i this thread)
True pedaling
Controllable velocity response

Hmm, think that's all


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## SampleTekk (Mar 27, 2014)

RGM @ Thu Mar 27 said:


> Hi Per .... the demoes are really great. As you know .... I've always been a big fan of your Black Grand!
> 
> Will the new version have the same number of sample velocities on each note as the original?
> 
> ...



Thanks! Yes, it has the same number of velocities. I'll check the B!


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## Lode_Runner (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi Per, the demos sound beautiful  

I get a bit confused with the range of variations of the Black and White Grand pianos as to which is the most complete / premium version. At the time it was released I thought the Sampletekk Black was an upgrade on the Black Grand given the types of features added, although the Black Grand seemed to still have more microphone perspectives and cost more, so that I didn't know which was intended to be the premium version. Would this upgrade have the improvements made in the Sampletekk Black, applied to all microphone perspectives, plus have additional features added, thus making it the ultimate Black Grand?

Also, I might be jumping the gun a little with this question, but given the recent upgrades to the Rain Piano, White Grand and soon Black Grand, will TBO & 7CG also be having a mkII upgrade?

(edited to add additional question)


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## SampleTekk (Mar 28, 2014)

Lode_Runner @ Sat Mar 29 said:


> Hi Per, the demos sound beautiful
> 
> I get a bit confused with the range of variations of the Black and White Grand pianos as to which is the most complete / premium version. At the time it was released I thought the Sampletekk Black was an upgrade on the Black Grand given the types of features added, although the Black Grand seemed to still have more microphone perspectives and cost more, so that I didn't know which was intended to be the premium version. Would this upgrade have the improvements made in the Sampletekk Black, applied to all microphone perspectives, plus have additional features added, thus making it the ultimate Black Grand?
> 
> ...



The SampleTekk Black are based on Black Grand Close but with refined samples and things added like sympathetic response and true pedaling. Black also comes with a Kontakt Player license.
The Black Grand MkII has all the microphone perspectives and are based on the same samples as close, mid and ambient versions, and with functionality added through scripting. Black Grand MkII will not have a Kontakt Player license, so you need a full version of Kontakt to use it, (minimum ver 4).

We plan to make MkII version of 7CG and TBO in the near future


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## Lode_Runner (Mar 29, 2014)

Thanks Per, I'm not sure what more refined samples means exactly, but given that Black Grand MkII also adds sympathetic resonance and true pedalling along with 3 microphone perspectives, and that I've got full Kontakt, I think Black Grand MKII will be the top of the line one. Looking forward to it, along with the MKII of the other pianos.


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## wst3 (Mar 29, 2014)

I don't know what the heck Per did... it probably involved voodoo or some other black art<G>... but if the upgrade to MkII for Black, TBO, and 7CG are as dramatic as the upgrades to Rain Piano and White Grand then I'm in!

Here's what I've discovered...

Rain Piano - it sounds more lively, if that makes sense. The overall timbre is really (really!) close to the original, but it responds more to playing dynamics.

White Grand - again it is more responsive, but there is also a change in timbre. You can tell it is the same instrument, but it is almost as if he used different (and better) microphones, there is more detail. It is a LOT of fun to play.

The velocity controls are wonderful, my main keyboard is a Roland Rhodes MK-80, which has a really nice action, but it is velocity challenged. I usually have to use a MIDI data processor to get the full range. These instruments take care of it.

The Shimmer feature is kind of cool, in a novelty sort of sense (sorry Per, if that wasn't the intention.) I can see me using it, but sparingly.

For perspective, my other favorite piano libraries are the Orange Tree Rosewood Grand and the SoundIron Emotional Piano.

I too am looking forward to whatever it is Per is up to!


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## SampleTekk (Mar 30, 2014)

wst3 @ Sat Mar 29 said:


> I don't know what the heck Per did... it probably involved voodoo or some other black art<G>... but if the upgrade to MkII for Black, TBO, and 7CG are as dramatic as the upgrades to Rain Piano and White Grand then I'm in!
> 
> Here's what I've discovered...
> 
> ...



Just some ordinary scandinavian voodoo.... =o Glad you like the pianos! Release of the Black Grand MkII getting close.....


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## SampleTekk (Apr 3, 2014)

The release is getting closer!
We did say that we have a VERY nice intro/upgrade offer, so how about this:

MSRP will be $199, BUT
Special introduction price: $79, AND
if you have ANY of the old Black Grand versions you will be able to upgrade to the new Black Grand MkII for just $39!


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## Mika31sens (Dec 27, 2014)

SampleTekk @ Thu May 15 said:


> Mika31sens @ Mon May 12 said:
> 
> 
> > SampleTekk @ Mon Apr 07 said:
> ...



What year ? :? 
There is a big problem with the gestion of sustain pedal. When you release and press quickly : Sometimes no sound ! For example, i can't play "2nd September" of Petrucciani :cry:


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## arznable (Nov 23, 2018)

Wondering does the Black Grand MkII have half pedalling or continuous sustain pedalling? Or it only has the on/off pedal positions? The website mentioned it has "Real Time/True Pedaling", but I have no idea what those are, thanks.


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## alanb (Nov 24, 2018)

SampleTekk said:


> We plan to make MkII version of 7CG and TBO in the near future




Any exciting future plans for TVBO?


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## kgdrum (Nov 25, 2018)

@SampleTekk
I know it's been a long time but I'll ask anyway.
I have the original Black Grand which I never updated.Is there any way to still get the $39 Black Grand upgrade that you offered in 2014?

Thanks


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