# Heavyocity Introduces ASCEND: Modern Grand. The incomparable Concert D. Reimagined.



## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

Hey all- we just launched our newest instrument, *ASCEND: Modern Grand*. It's a really beautiful new grand piano VI for Kontakt and Kontakt Player, with a whole other side of inspiring prepared piano performances in an all-new engine. We started by deeply-sampling a gorgeous 9-foot Concert D - and then captured several prepared articulations, using twine, ebows, chains, hammers, etc.

The engine was built specifically for this piano, and it's really inspiring. It's got these amazing Rhythmic Convolutions that immediately add movement and texture, as well as an Echo feature that adds a kind of melodic random spread to your performances. Check out the *Controls & FX* video on our YouTube page for the full feature breakdown.

So we're running an intro offer on *ASCEND* for 20% off (reg. $149, intro price: $119) until October 11. Videos and demo playlist below! Hope everyone likes it!










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## In.sight (Oct 1, 2019)

This one is amazing !


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## sostenuto (Oct 1, 2019)

First look is very positive ! Really enjoy the Jordan Rudess audio track !


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

sostenuto said:


> First look is very positive ! Really enjoy the Jordan Rudess audio track !



He improv'd them too! Dave from HY brought it over to Jordan's space to show him the new instrument and Jordan was so inspired by it, he improvised FIVE tracks right in a row. It was 🥰


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## johnkaefer (Oct 1, 2019)

@Heavyocity Media, this is very cool! I use the Kawai VPC1 controller (it's amazing), with the F-30 triple pedal. Does Ascend take advantage of this? The pedal is like a traditional piano, with damper, sostenuto, and sustain.


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## Braveheart (Oct 1, 2019)

Amazing, the Heavyocity way! I'm really close to the Buy button...


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## Mike Fox (Oct 1, 2019)

Damn. Just damn.


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

johnkaefer said:


> @Heavyocity Media, this is very cool! I use the Kawai VPC1 controller (it's amazing), with the F-30 triple pedal. Does Ascend take advantage of this? The pedal is like a traditional piano, with damper, sostenuto, and sustain.



ASCEND isn't set up for multi-pedal control, but there are independent controls for pedal up, pedal down, key noise, resonance samples, release as well as control over min and max velocity and the curve.


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

Braveheart said:


> Amazing, the Heavyocity way! I'm really close to the Buy button...



FINGERS CROSSED! 🤞


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## MrCambiata (Oct 1, 2019)

Truly amazing


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## BezO (Oct 1, 2019)

Hmmm... I have Soniccouture's Xtended Piano. This is definitely different. It would be a no brainer if it got the NOVO/FORZO treatment. Nice effected piano either way.

Still waiting on a NOVO/FORZO-type wind plugin.


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## motomotomoto (Oct 1, 2019)

Been looking for another piano flavor and was planning on Embertone, but after listening to this I have some deciding to do. Anyone out there able to offer some comparisons?


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## iggyigoe (Oct 1, 2019)

Heavyocity.. When I try to pay with PayPal, your yellow PayPal link takes to me a PayPal Credit application form, every time! I've tried 5/6 times now on different computers.. Can you check please, thanks so much..


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

iggyigoe said:


> Heavyocity.. When I try to pay with PayPal, your yellow PayPal link takes to me a PayPal Credit application form, every time! I've tried 5/6 times now on different computers.. Can you check please, thanks so much..




I think we might have fixed the issue. Do you mind clearing cache and trying again? If you still aren't able to purchase, shoot me an email at [email protected] and we can get it figured it out. Sorry about that!


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## iggyigoe (Oct 1, 2019)

Heavyocity Media said:


> I think we might have fixed the issue. Do you mind clearing cache and trying again? If you still aren't able to purchase, shoot me an email at [email protected] and we can get it figured it out. Sorry about that!


All good thanks! Successful purchase.. Stunning Piano sounds!


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

iggyigoe said:


> All good thanks! Successful purchase.. Stunning Piano sounds!




👍👍👍


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## Lee Blaske (Oct 1, 2019)

Got an email about this, today. My initial thought was that I probably have a lot of things that are similar (NI Noire, Haushka, numerous 8Dio pianos, UVI IRCAM, etc., etc., etc.), but after watching the videos, this instrument seems really unique. DEEP! And, at the $119 introductory price, it's a serious bargain. All the samples, plus all the sound design, convolution, etc. Incredible.

At the asking price, I think this product is really redefining what around $100 will buy. It's going to suddenly make a lot of other competing products seem really expensive. This is definitely going to shake the market up. Interesting to see how this will compete against other sampled Steinway D's that cost over $600.


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## Sears Poncho (Oct 1, 2019)

This does sound great. Well, I already have a zillion Heavyocity libraries....might as well make it a zillion and 1.


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## jneebz (Oct 1, 2019)

DAMMIT.


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## Living Fossil (Oct 1, 2019)

@Heavyocity Media : May i ask how many velocity layers there are in the basic concert preset?
I really like the sound in the demos, but i'd also like to know how well it translates a broad dynamic range.


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## Drundfunk (Oct 1, 2019)

Won't purchase now since I need the money for Black Friday for libraries I wanted to purchase for a long time now, but it's definitely on the list! Sounds amazing! Good job guys!


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## Braveheart (Oct 1, 2019)

Living Fossil said:


> @Heavyocity Media : May i ask how many velocity layers there are in the basic concert preset?
> I really like the sound in the demos, but i'd also like to know how well it translates a broad dynamic range.


Probably one velocity layer and a lot of Heavyocity layers!


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## Heavyocity Media (Oct 1, 2019)

Living Fossil said:


> @Heavyocity Media : May i ask how many velocity layers there are in the basic concert preset?
> I really like the sound in the demos, but i'd also like to know how well it translates a broad dynamic range.



Great question! The Concert D piano was recorded with 18 different dynamic layers per note (in addition to different microphone positions). 

Additionally, we recorded a pass of "ppp" piano that you can load as an alternate option for a really intimate sound.


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## Braveheart (Oct 1, 2019)

Heavyocity Media said:


> FINGERS CROSSED! 🤞


You can open your hand, it's done!


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## Akarin (Oct 1, 2019)

Just loaded the ppp preset, sent a bit of the signal to VSS3 reverb, added a limiter to bring the track to -0.3dB and this is how it sounds:



I absolutely love this piano. For the kind of things that I like to write, I see it becoming my default. Alright... ...now back to exploring all the sound design stuff!


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## jneebz (Oct 1, 2019)

Sounds like the noise floor was well handled, also...


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## JonSolo (Oct 1, 2019)

When you really think you have no desire for another piano. This has a great sound. I hope the responsiveness is just as good.

Bought.


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 2, 2019)

Purchased practically 20 minutes after receiving the presentation email.
All I needed was the cinematic/intimate character to decide since I was waiting to buy a new piano for this genre.
Unfortunately, however, I am not very happy with regard to performance and, despite working with a high-performance PC, I noticed stress in terms of performance.
I hope this will be improved in the future.
For the rest, great buy and I'm really amazed by the cleaning of the samples and from the fact that the instrument, regardless of the genre and the preset used, really needs very few equalizations works.


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## Drundfunk (Oct 2, 2019)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> Unfortunately, however, I am not very happy with regard to performance and, despite working with a high-performance PC, I noticed stress in terms of performance.


You know, what a high-performance PC is or isn't is kinda subjective, so can you specify please?


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 2, 2019)

Drundfunk said:


> You know, what a high-performance PC is or isn't is kinda subjective, so can you specify please?


AMD's Ryzen 7 (eight core/16-thread - 4.3GHz) - 64Gb Ram - SSD for OS and Daw - SSD for instruments (PCIe).


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## motomotomoto (Oct 2, 2019)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> AMD's Ryzen 7 (eight core/16-thread - 4.3GHz) - 64Gb Ram - SSD for OS and Daw - SSD for instruments (PCIe).



Wow, hard to imagine a kontakt library slowing a system like that down. Do you have a lot of other plugins / libraries running at the same time?


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 2, 2019)

motomotomoto said:


> Wow, hard to imagine a kontakt library slowing a system like that down. Do you have a lot of other plugins / libraries running at the same time?



I noticed the slowdown in the first project (the one posted above), in which there were 3 instances of Ascend. In the project I'm working on now, with just one instance, I don't see anything strange, and I have a lot more stuff open (Hans Zimmer Strings, Forzo and others)


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## BezO (Oct 2, 2019)

Related question for you all. How do you deal with effected patches like these in your mix? Do you bother trying to match "spaces" regarding reverb, for example?


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 2, 2019)

BezO said:


> Related question for you all. How do you deal with effected patches like these in your mix? Do you bother trying to match "spaces" regarding reverb, for example?



As far as I'm concerned, this instrument does not need any external effect except for special production needs.
Space, convolution, echos and other beautiful equipment really work very well and are spectacularly integrated.
Furthermore, in the project I am working on now, the space created by this piano magically manages to incorporate other instruments such as strings and brass without the need to add further reverberations. Simply, in the mix it seems that they have reverberated, instead they do nothing but interact with the space created by ASCEND.


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## Kartus (Oct 3, 2019)

I've loaded the patch/preset "Bass Runner" in Komplete Kontrol (S88) software without any DAW and pressed my hardware sustain pedal and pressed a lot of keys and hit the CPU limit until I got distortion sound. It seems a heavy processed patch (a lot of echo and stuff). I'm happy that this doesn't happen on the other patches I've tried. I'm still exploring/walkthrough the patches randomly.


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 3, 2019)

Hi, I've just finished my first production using ASCEND in an epic/orchestral composition.

I am very satisfied with the result, and I think this will become my main piano for this kind of production.
As I explained a few messages above, one of the things I like about this instrument is the fact that going to work (directly on the instrument) on the effects, it is possible to create a large but clean space where to place the rest of the orchestra. In fact, I didn't add any reverb for all the other instruments in the mix, but only slightly added space/convolution in the master.

In the first part, up to 1:20, you can hear the piano only (apart from the solo of the viola) and it was not necessary to add pads or other sounds, because all the background sound is created by the effects (fx, ambiance, convolution and shape) in Ascend, using as main voice 'PPP mix' + 'Full Mix' and 'Brush' automating the volumes.

Other libraries:
Cue Builders Cinematic Rhythms (Other fantastic new entry!!!)
Forzo
Eastwest Hollywood Brass
Hans Zimmer Strings
Spitfire Solo Strings
Eastwest Hollywood Percussion
Novo Essentials

I hope to be useful with this review.
I wish you Good listening,
Sarah.


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## idematoa (Oct 5, 2019)

First Contact

NB : Here is the first Part of the piece, the second : https://vi-control.net/community/th...page-special-added.85053/page-20#post-4441463

01 - Heavyocity - Grand Ascend Modern - Pads Océan brossé
02 - Cinesamples - Voices Of War - Chants
03 - Sonuscore - L'orchestre complet - Secrets In The Cave


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## Donny Grace (Oct 5, 2019)

All I can say is this is incredibly awesome. I likewise have a gazillion piano libraries and definitely didn't need another one. But this is not just another one. Certainly it is a great sample of the D piano and has that too in the Core set. But it is so much more than that and is so different and so inspiring. Never thought so much could return after hitting a piano key. It would take a lot of stacking or layering and sequencing to approach some of these sounds. I could see someone doing an entire underscore with this library alone. At the same time I see lots of potential to add spice to pop music I do. Love it.


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## reimerpdx (Oct 5, 2019)

I’m a huge fan of Heavyocity, and will be adding this to my library. 
for those who are working with it now, what are the parts you like the least?


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## SoNowWhat? (Oct 7, 2019)

Given comments from @Sarah De Carlo above, any other thoughts on CPU/Ram impacts? I’ve been meaning to ask this for a while of those that have purchased.


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## Kartus (Oct 7, 2019)

Disclaimer: I'm a composing beginner since a week.

How I've posted rearlier in this thread, my Intel i7 3770 3.4Ghz quadcore is a bottleneck on only a few heavy processed patches (mostly pad-like sound) when hitting a lot of keys in short time (like 5+ keys in 1 or 2 seconds). But all other patches worked very well even on many keys hitting in short time. Ascend is definately CPU intensive.

But on real daily composing a track I wouldn't hit that many keys with these heavy processed patches (otherwise it would sound not good/chaotic), maximum 1 to 3 in 2 seconds, so I would be alltime below 100% CPU. Only tested in Kontakt Player, without any DAW/project. I can imagine with a full orchestra track in a DAW I would have to export some Ascend patches tracks to audio file to not hit the CPU limit.


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## Donny Grace (Oct 7, 2019)

Kartus said:


> I can imagine with a full orchestra track in a DAW I would have to export some Ascend patches tracks to audio file to not hit the CPU limit.



So your DAW doesn't have a Freeze function to allow you to render the Kontakt instrument in place in the project to save overhead? Shouldn't be necessary to have to export it externally.


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## Kartus (Oct 7, 2019)

@dgrace I use Cubase 10 Pro. I'm new to composing since 1 week (read and watched a lot about it before), so I didn't tried any freeze function and such tricks. Thanks for your hint. I also still don't have a project with more than 10 tracks, so I didn't have to export it until now. I'm step by step working into the whole composing world


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## Donny Grace (Oct 7, 2019)

Kartus said:


> @dgrace I use Cubase 10 Pro. I'm new to composing since 1 week (read and watched a lot about it before), so I didn't tried any freeze function and such tricks. Thanks for your hint. I also still don't have a project with more than 10 tracks, so I didn't have to export it until now. I'm step by step working into the whole composing world



I don't use Cubase, but it *does* appear to have the function (Help link below).

However, I'm currently working on a project experimenting with Ascend and already up to 8 instances of Ascend along with some other stuff with no bogging down, even without freezing. So I'm so far not finding it a CPU hog.






Freezing Insert Effects


Freezing an audio track and its insert effects allows you to reduce processor power. However, frozen tracks are locked for editing. You cannot edit, remove or add insert effects for the frozen track.




steinberg.help


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## Scalms (Oct 7, 2019)

I also haven't experienced any major CPU issues, that's with a modest setup. However, I just bought it yesterday. With one instance, with the basic and other presets I've tried the CPU is hovering between 10-20%, with some occasions getting up to 30-35% max, but that's with one instance, no other tracks running. So my conclusion: It's not really too intensive, normal I would say.


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## motomotomoto (Oct 11, 2019)

Into deal ends today, any other early adopters have any thoughts on it


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## Braveheart (Oct 11, 2019)

motomotomoto said:


> Into deal ends today, any other early adopters have any thoughts on it


Yes. I played a little bit with it and I really like it. Some patches are consuming a lot of CPU.


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## BezO (Oct 11, 2019)

I was waiting to see/here as many reviews as possible through today before making up my mind. I really like the sound, but the CPU hunger has me a bit concerned. I guess I should be OK on the newest iMac (3.6GHz, 8-core i9, 64GB RAM).


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## jneebz (Oct 11, 2019)

BezO said:


> I guess I should be OK on the newest iMac (3.6GHz, 8-core i9, 64GB RAM).


Uh, yeah you’ll be fine.


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## idematoa (Oct 12, 2019)

It's ok with my i7 - 2.6 Ghz & 16 GB, here 5 Instruments :

01 - OT - TMI - Low Strings Sustains random Vib Tm - Low Strings Very Slow Tremolo TM
02 - NI - Session Guitarist - Picked Acoustic - Power ballad
03 - Heavyocity - Ascend modern Grand - Ascendant Wings
04 - Heavyocity - Ascend modern Grand - Soft Improviser
05 - SA - HCT - Swells Grid


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## BezO (Oct 15, 2019)

I went with it. I was too busy playing & listening and forgot to check the CPU usage. I'm digging this.

Maybe just the newness, but I really like the "regular" piano patches too.


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## SupremeFist (Oct 15, 2019)

I'm loving the core piano so much I haven't even played with all the other stuff yet...


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## idematoa (Oct 25, 2019)

01 - NI - Session Guitarist - Picked Acoustic - Pawnshop Guitar
*02 - Heavyocity - Ascend modern Grand - Ascendant Wings*
_*03 - Heavyocity - Ascend modern Grand - Delicate crystals*_
*04 - Heavyocity - Ascend modern Grand - Syncopated Eigths*
05 - OT - TM - Mixed Choir Multi
06 - Sonuscore - The Orchestra Complete - Under Pressure


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## JonSolo (Oct 26, 2019)

I have been enjoying this fine instrument since its release. Some patches require a little taming, but really this is an outstanding and inspiring library.


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## Sarah De Carlo (Oct 29, 2019)

I fell in love with this library. (5 patches from Ascend).


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## zimm83 (Oct 29, 2019)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> I fell in love with this library. (5 patches from Ascend).



Nice...how does it compare to Noire?


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## chasmanian (Nov 25, 2019)

any more thoughts about Ascend?
here are super youtube reviews.


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## 5Lives (Nov 25, 2019)

zimm83 said:


> Nice...how does it compare to Noire?



Judging solely by the demos - and I may be the only person on VI-C to say this, but I don't find anything that special about Noire...while Ascend sounds rather amazing. Just a perfect "Newman" piano sound by default but then with a lot of creative possibilities beyond that. Given the amount of piano libraries out there, this is the first one I've come across that doesn't seem like just another "me too" one (to be fair to Noire, it does have that particle engine, but I haven't heard as interesting of sounds out of it vs. the Ascend demos). For the lack of a better description, Ascend just sounds made for cinema.

Seems like there may be some CPU / performance issues though, which would be a pity.


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## sostenuto (Nov 25, 2019)

5Lives said:


> Judging solely by the demos - and I may be the only person on VI-C to say this, but I don't find anything that special about Noire...while Ascend sounds rather amazing. Just a perfect "Newman" piano sound by default but then with a lot of creative possibilities beyond that. Given the amount of piano libraries out there, this is the first one I've come across that doesn't seem like just another "me too" one (to be fair to Noire, it does have that particle engine, but I haven't heard as interesting of sounds out of it vs. the Ascend demos). For the lack of a better description, Ascend just sounds made for cinema.
> 
> Seems like there may be some CPU / performance issues though, which would be a pity.



Perfect post for my immediate question !! COMMERCIAL Announcement restrctions 'restricted' me. 
At current promo prices, Ascend is only $44.50 more than Noire and seems stronger choice, given my 'decent' set of piano VSTi.


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## davidson (Nov 25, 2019)

Most heavyocity (novo, vento, forzo etc) are absolute cpu killers on my rig (2013 trashcan 6 core 64gb), and can easily cause cpu spikes and dropouts with a single instance in a project. It's once you start hitting the more abstract presets. Their engine could do with a serious efficiency overhaul, but I love their stuff so put up with it.


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## 5Lives (Nov 25, 2019)

Maybe @Heavyocity Media can chime in on CPU performance and any suggestions on how to address or if they plan to resolve it.


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## 5Lives (Nov 25, 2019)

Btw, @Daniel James did a fantastic overview of the library and you can see it in context with other instruments like strings, etc. Not sure if he is continuing to use it, but I loved the sound of the piano based on this video.


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## Daniel James (Nov 25, 2019)

5Lives said:


> Btw, @Daniel James did a fantastic overview of the library and you can see it in context with other instruments like strings, etc. Not sure if he is continuing to use it, but I loved the sound of the piano based on this video.




I do use it still, mostly for those scenes where you need a piano but not just a normal piano tone. Great at filling space in the underscore without getting too in your face.

-DJ


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## chasmanian (Nov 25, 2019)

Daniel,
can you compare it to Noire?
if you already have Noire and UVI Augmented Piano, would you still buy Ascend?


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## Daniel James (Nov 25, 2019)

chasmanian said:


> Daniel,
> can you compare it to Noire?
> if you already have Noire and UVI Augmented Piano, would you still buy Ascend?



Noir is more of a conventional piano compared to Ascend, great conventional tone.

Ascend is more the piano you go for if you want that cinematic sound design style piano. The kind you get in a lot of drama type movies where is floating in the background (if you get me)

-DJ


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## chasmanian (Nov 25, 2019)

thank you very much.
I super appreciate your thoughts.


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## Braveheart (Jan 3, 2020)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> Hello.
> Are you planning an update to fix the notes with that annoying click in the samples contained in 'ppp Mix'?
> It is one of the mixes I use the most and every time I am forced to export and treat the track to remove them,
> and after 3 months I expected that you had already fixed it since they are so obviously audible that they cannot go unnoticed.
> Thank you.


Did you try contacting Heavyocity directly about this?


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## Sarah De Carlo (Jan 3, 2020)

Braveheart said:


> Did you try contacting Heavyocity directly about this?




Since I have left several positive reviews in this thread, it seems fair (and fair to other buyers) to report it here. But thanks for the invaluable advice.


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## Braveheart (Jan 3, 2020)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> Since I have left several positive reviews in this thread, it seems fair (and fair to other buyers) to report it here. But thanks for the invaluable advice.


It may seem obvious, but I see a lot of people on music forums making many requests to developers without contacting them.


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## Sarah De Carlo (Jan 3, 2020)

Braveheart said:


> It may seem obvious, but I see a lot of people on music forums making many requests to developers without contacting them.



Sure...

But in this case, more than a request I think it is something obviously detectable even at the first use, for this I find it very strange that after months it has not been arranged. 
Unless those who developed this tool have never used it after putting it on sale ... which is even stranger, isn't it? 

For me, however, it remains one of the best libraries ever purchased, so much so that I have not deliberately reported in my reviews this 'small' detail that renders unusable (for those who are unable to fix this problem) one of the best mixes that makes this instrument unique in compared to the competition.

For this reason, after 3 months, I find it correct to report it here.


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## Sears Poncho (Jan 3, 2020)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> Are you planning an update to fix the notes with that annoying click in the samples contained in 'ppp Mix'?


What exactly are you hearing? Maybe my hearing can't detect it. I don't hear a click. I hear a wooden sound in that octave. I can hear it in the room mix and in several other mixes. It's strongest on the "E". Is that what you are hearing?


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## Sarah De Carlo (Jan 3, 2020)

If I had not been the one to write this post about this small defect of Ascend I could think that it is an attempt to make this post a Hot Thread. 
This makes me very happy because I still love the sound of this piano and it will certainly remain my first choice for film music for a long time. 

❤


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## theiss1979 (Jan 5, 2020)

Sarah De Carlo said:


> Sure...
> 
> But in this case, more than a request I think it is something obviously detectable even at the first use, for this I find it very strange that after months it has not been arranged.
> Unless those who developed this tool have never used it after putting it on sale ... which is even stranger, isn't it?
> ...



I can not hear any distracting noise or "click" within this very example. To my ears, those samples are totally fine.


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