# Budget piano libraries that exceed their price?



## Ray (Feb 12, 2020)

100$ at max if possible. Thanks!

LE: Any thoughts on Cinematic Studio Piano?

LE2: Thanks everyone, very helpful suggestions!


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## CGR (Feb 12, 2020)

Hard to go past these, which can be purchased as a bundle or individually:





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Out now: Due Pianos 1.4 Update


Due 1.4: WHAT'S NEW In Due 1.4, we presented new, big, features: Hi Vi-Control! I'm really excited to release this huge update of DUE, our new library with two pianos from a C3 and a C7 Yamah pianos. I want to thanks all the first customers that helped me a lot with their feedback! If you have...




vi-control.net





Also, The recently released Concert Grand by Profanity Instruments (via Kontakt Hub) is amazing value at $15. Not as refined as the Due pianos, but a very raw & realistic Steinway D with 4 mic sets. Don't be put off by the price!


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## h.s.j.e (Feb 12, 2020)

You might be able to find something that fits your requirements for free. Ivy Audio's Piano 162 is a really nice free option, and Christian Henson's Pianobook has a couple of instruments that really exceed expectations. Lots of the options there lack polish in one way or another, but there are some beautiful sounds.


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## Paul Cardon (Feb 12, 2020)

The Lite version of Embertone's "Walker 1955 Concert D". I only have the Lite version, but it's rapidly become my most used piano library. It's a Steinway D, so a very classical sound, but it has a wonderful brightness to it that never feels harsh.






Walker 1955 Concert D







www.embertone.com


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## Denkii (Feb 12, 2020)

With that budget I'd look into getting a used copy of Noir and call it a day.
Or not spend any money at all and scrounge pianobook, as h.s.j.e has mentioned.


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## Sarah Mancuso (Feb 12, 2020)

Paul Cardon said:


> The Lite version of Embertone's "Walker 1955 Concert D". I only have the Lite version, but it's rapidly become my most used piano library. It's a Steinway D, so a very classical sound, but it has a wonderful brightness to it that never feels harsh.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Same here! It's an incredible piano, fits nicely in lots of contexts and the price can't be beat.


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## BenG (Feb 12, 2020)

As others have mentioned, Embertone Walker D Lite is the way to go! Got it on sale for around $20...


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## SupremeFist (Feb 12, 2020)

The full Walker D is only $99 if you don't buy extra mics! Otherwise, I second Craig's recommendation of the Experimenta Due pianos, which are absolutely terrific.


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## Kuusniemi (Feb 13, 2020)

Wavesfactory's Mercury has a Lite version that is also excellent: https://www.wavesfactory.com/mercury-piano/


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## TomislavEP (Feb 13, 2020)

Another vote for Embertone's Walker D Lite. I've bought it for only 10$ and its one of the best and most useful affordable libraries I've ever come across. It has a somewhat brighter overall tone comparing to the other Steinway libraries I'm using, but it is still surprisingly singable.

P.S. The OP mentioned the budget up to 100$. In that case, I would probably recommend getting Native Instruments Noire when it's on sale. I've recently added this one to my virtual piano collection and it is definitely proving itself as a "jack of all trades" - if there is such a thing in the piano world.


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## Geomir (Feb 13, 2020)

Another value-for-money grand piano library to consider is Garritan Abbey Road Studios CFX Lite:









Garritan Abbey Road Studios CFX Lite


The CFX Lite retains all of the expressive detail of the original by providing the full power of the Close Classic mic perspective.




www.garritan.com





It's not a Kontakt library, it runs in the free Aria Player (included in all Garritan's libraries).


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## porrasm (Feb 13, 2020)

I don't have it yet but the new Spitfire Felt piano sounds pretty good for 30€ https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals/


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## CGR (Feb 13, 2020)

Ray said:


> 100$ at max if possible. Thanks!
> 
> LE: Any thoughts on Cinematic Studio Piano?


Cinematic Studio Piano is a very well captured Yamaha C7. Runs in the free version of Kontakt, and is light on computer resources so good to work with in a multi track project. A very clean tone (it's a more recent, warmer sounding model C7 - the C7's from the 80's are often quite a bit brighter & more 'wiry') and plays very well with good dynamics & 4 mic positions. It lacks realism in exposed solo playing (particularly short, staccato playing) due to not having separate release samples (which is where the Embertone Walker D excels) but works really well for lyrical, "cinematic" styles - hence the name.


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## Ray (Feb 13, 2020)

porrasm said:


> I don't have it yet but the new Spitfire Felt piano sounds pretty good for 30€ https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals/


I already got Felt Piano and I'm very pleased with it! Now I'm looking for more possibilities.


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## tav.one (Feb 13, 2020)

Woodchester & Midnight Grand by Fracture Sounds


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Feb 13, 2020)

I really enjoy CinePiano, and use it almost daily. It’s essentially 4 piano libraries in one.


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## ghandizilla (Feb 13, 2020)

CinePiano sounds really good according to the walkthroughs, but I didn't try it yet.

As for Cinematic Studio Piano : I am fond of the distant mics. They sound awesome and blend well with the orchestra. Not that fond of the close mics. So it depends upon what you want to do with the library... My global impression: for a cheap Kontakt-Player-compatible light-weight piano, the Force is with this one.


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## PaulieDC (Feb 13, 2020)

TomislavEP said:


> P.S. The OP mentioned the budget up to 100$. In that case, I would probably recommend getting Native Instruments Noire when it's on sale. I've recently added this one to my virtual piano collection and it is definitely proving itself as a "jack of all trades" - if there is such a thing in the piano world.


I grabbed Noire for 50% off, $75, and I don't think a better piano for 75 bucks exists between here and the Sea of Tranquility. Garritan CFX Lite is probably great, I use the full version and it's currently my #1. Well, it and Noire are neck and neck, but with Noire you get a boatload of bonus stuff like the Felt piano (eliminates having to buy Emotional Piano) and all the crazy things in the Particles engine.

Also, Waves Grand Rhapsody Piano goes on sale for 29 bucks all the time if you want something decent at a real bargain price. But my vote is wait for Noire if you're not in a rush.


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## PaulieDC (Feb 13, 2020)

Oh wait, I also got the Ravenscroft R275 for half price, 99 bucks, another beauty. However, you really have to tweak the velocity curve just right to match your keyboard controller. It just seems to respond better to a higher-end 88 key controller, my M-Audio CODE61 thing doesn't get the beauty you hear when a Kawai VPC1 is attached, IMO. I'm basing that on a ton of NAMM show videos. Even that is skewed becasue the Kawai controller at the NAMM booth is a specially customized Ravenscroft version that costs over 5 grand. But with that you get probably the best piano sound out there. For those of us with sub-$500 controllers, I still vote Noire or Garritan if either goes on sale.


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## SupremeFist (Feb 13, 2020)

PaulieDC said:


> I grabbed Noire for 50% off, $75, and I don't think a better piano for 75 bucks exists between here and the Sea of Tranquility. Garritan CFX Lite is probably great, I use the full version and it's currently my #1. Well, it and Noire are neck and neck, but with Noire you get a boatload of bonus stuff like the Felt piano (eliminates having to buy Emotional Piano) and all the crazy things in the Particles engine.



I have Noire and like it a lot (mainly for the felt and the FX), but to my ears the pure piano, for strict realism, sits in a rank below instruments like the Garritan CFX (judging purely by demos) and the Experimenta Due First Piano (which I own and love). It still has that thing I hear in all Galaxy's pianos where the attack of the note sounds somehow squished on top of the body of the tone, rather than properly preceding it. At some point, there's plinkiness. But YMMV.


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## CGR (Feb 13, 2020)

SupremeFist said:


> . . . It still has that thing I hear in all Galaxy's pianos where the attack of the note sounds somehow squished on top of the body of the tone, rather than properly preceding it. At some point, there's plinkiness. But YMMV.



Good observation! I was listening to an acoustic piano recording yesterday (a Steinway B) on a great 2 channel system, and the clarity, complexity and purity of the note attacks really set it apart from a lot of the sampled pianos I hear and play. The Experimenta Due pianos do a great job getting close to that hammer attack naturalness, particularly the C3.


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## Ray (Feb 13, 2020)

What about Addictive Keys? From what I've seen, it seems to have lots of tweaking and fiddling options for the sound. It also comes with presets like "Intimate", "Jazzish", "Roomy Pop" etc.


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## Ashermusic (Feb 13, 2020)

Fluffy Audio's Scoring Piano at $129 is, as Larry David would say, prett-ay, prett-ay good.


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## Vin (Feb 13, 2020)

Ray said:


> What about Addictive Keys? From what I've seen, it seems to have lots of tweaking and fiddling options for the sound. It also comes with presets like "Intimate", "Jazzish", "Roomy Pop" etc.



It's a nice collection, but it's a bit "sterile".

For $99 (and at any price) my recommendation would be Piano in Blue.


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## CGR (Feb 13, 2020)

Ashermusic said:


> Fluffy Audio's Scoring Piano at $129 is, as Larry David would say, prett-ay, prett-ay good.


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## SupremeFist (Feb 13, 2020)

Vin said:


> It's a nice collection, but it's a bit "sterile".
> 
> For $99 (and at any price) my recommendation would be Piano in Blue.



PiB is stunning and one of my absolute favourites but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to the OP as an all-purpose piano...


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## SupremeFist (Feb 13, 2020)

CGR said:


> Good observation! I was listening to an acoustic piano recording yesterday (a Steinway B) on a great 2 channel system, and the clarity, complexity and purity of the note attacks really set it apart from a lot of the sampled pianos I hear and play. The Experimenta Due pianos do a great job getting close to that hammer attack naturalness, particularly the C3.


Yes! I believe the dev said he deliberately didn't trim the C3 samples too much in order to preserve the naturalness of the attack. A nice thing about the Wavesfactory Mercury too is that it has that "sample start" parameter which can bring in more of the attack…


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## damcry (Feb 13, 2020)

Artvista : Supergrand , Malmsjo


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## reutunes (Feb 14, 2020)

For a totally different sound and recommendation I would look at The LO.VE. Piano from VST Buzz. It's only €29 and has a beautiful gentle Thomas Newman type of sound. I've used it a great deal over the past few months.


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## mohsohsenshi (Feb 14, 2020)

CGR said:


> Also, The recently released Concert Grand by Profanity Instruments (via Kontakt Hub) is amazing value at $15. Not as refined as the Due pianos, but a very raw & realistic Steinway D with 4 mic sets. Don't be put off by the price!



I agree it's a nice budget plugin, but its downside for me is the background noise, it get to be annoying when playing in the high register. You can hear serious noise problem in the tail when holding the sustain pedal.
It's 15 bucks though, how can I expect more at such a low price.


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## CGR (Feb 14, 2020)

mohsohsenshi said:


> I agree it's a nice budget plugin, but its downside for me is the background noise, it get to be annoying when playing in the high register. You can hear serious noise problem in the tail when holding the sustain pedal.
> It's 15 bucks though, how can I expect more at such a low price.


Yes, it's certainly not a polished and noise free sampled piano. Also, the sustains are quite short, but I find it's fun to play and has a great character despite it's flaws - reminds me of some late 60's early 70's jazz trio recordings. Compare the Profanity piano sound to the wonderful Dudley Moore Trio clip below (also a Steinway D):

The developer has expressed interest in returning to re-sample the piano more comprehensively, with higher quality equipment, although I think his mic choices are great (the humble Shure SM57 over the hammers being a pleasant surprise for me).


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## DerGeist (Feb 14, 2020)

Paul Cardon said:


> The Lite version of Embertone's "Walker 1955 Concert D". I only have the Lite version, but it's rapidly become my most used piano library. It's a Steinway D, so a very classical sound, but it has a wonderful brightness to it that never feels harsh.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


For me the lite was so good I bought the full version. So, yeah the light version is great.


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## cqd (Feb 14, 2020)

Light and sound concert grand is half price now..
I like arturia piano v2 as well..


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## Joe_D (Feb 14, 2020)

Sonivox Eighty Eight goes on sale frequently for less than $20 USD, and is a very nice piano. I learned about it from Rob S., who posted about it.


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## Jerry Growl (Feb 15, 2020)

It's been said before, i know, but yet again: The Experimenta Due (or just piano 1 only if you need to stay below $100).

Especially with the new updated functions. Like formant control:

An example of the piano 1 by Xperimenta with formant -12


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