The Studio Grand Addictive Keys ADpak features a Steinway Model D Concert Grand piano. At 8' 11 3/4' (274cm) in length, this majestic instrument is the overwhelming choice of the world's greatest pianists. Addictive Keys also works standalone, making it easy to load an instrument, find an inspiring preset and start playing. XLN Audio is a Swedish software company that makes award-winning virtual instruments, plug-ins and sound content for music makers.
XLN Audio Addictive Keys: Studio Grand features a classic Steinway Model D concert grand piano. The first choice of many pianists, Steinways are famous for their character and unrivaled sound. The included ExploreMaps offer presets in a variety of styles ranging from open and natural to processed and strange. The variety of sounds makes Studio Grand perfect for both production and stage duties. THE INSTRUMENT AND ITS PRESETS Studio Grand features a Steinway Model D Concert Grand piano.
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At 8' 11 3/4' (274cm) in length, this majestic instrument is the overwhelming choice of the world's greatest pianists. More than ten Steinway Grand Pianos were auditioned before finding the one with the most desirable character: a crystal clear and open timbre with a perfectly balanced resonance. XLN approached Studio Grand with production in mind.
It was found that fitting a grand piano in a mix can be hard and often results in a compromise of the sound quality in order to make it fit with the other instruments and vocals. By offering the exact recording setup in Addictive Keys and the option of mixing and matching microphones, Studio Grand is sure to fit nicely into any production style. Studio Grand was recorded in a large recording studio at the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation.
The studio is famous for being extremely quiet and for having a controlled acoustic ambience; for such a large room the reverberation still sounds tight and airy which is a rare combination and the perfect condition for recording a grand piano. The recordings were done using rare vintage tube and ribbon microphones capturing the instrument at several different perspectives. From close up perspective with microphones next to the soundboard to far away perspective with natural room ambience.
The end result is a warm and vibrant sound that goes from intimate to larger-than-life. The vintage microphones used were hand picked from the studios impressive collection. Features:. Steinway Model D Grand Piano. Warm tone and unique sound.
Six selectable mic perspectives Specs.
The supply of sampled pianos seems never‑ending, and every one brings something different to the table. More than almost anything else, opinions on pianos are entirely subjective, depending entirely on personal taste. A general round-up of sampled grands and uprights includes Sampletekk's The Big One, The Synthogy Ivory II series, The Soundiron Piano Collection, Quantum Leap Pianos, Art Vista Virtual Grand Piano, Galaxy II Grand Piano Collection, and NI products including Alicia's Keys and The Giant.
Modartt's Pianoteq 4 probably comes closest in concept to Addictive Keys, but it's physically modelled, not sampled. The two best sampled Rhodes pianos that come immediately to mind are NI's Scarbee MkI and SonicCouture's EP73. Apart from Pianoteq, none offer anything similar to the extensive microphone options of AK.
After years of determination to keep it away from the Internet, my studio computer is now online. It's out of necessity rather than choice, as an increasing number of software companies are making their products downloadable only. Increasingly, download and authorisation can only be done on the computer on which it will be installed. XLN have recently elected to go down this road, so if you still can't or won't go online, acquiring their products is a bit of a problem. To enable the download and installation process, an Online Installer application must be downloaded from the XLN web site.
When started, this connects to XLN, whereupon any products you've purchased and/or registered (including free ones) will be shown. Click on the Install link for each one, and the downloading and installation is all handled automatically by the Online Installer. Currently, the whole shooting match, samples and all, are installed to your system drive; annoying if you prefer to store your samples on a separate drive. However, XLN are working on an update to the Installer that allows users to install to specific locations, or move existing installations to another location.
Addictive Keys runs in both plug-in and stand-alone versions. Minimum system requirements are quoted as follows:. Mac: Intel CPU, OS 10.5 or higher (32- or 64-bit). PC: Intel or AMD CPU, Win XP/Vista/Win 7 (32- or 64-bit). 4GB free hard disk space. Internet connection. Logic 8 or higher.
Cubase 5 or higher. Pro Tools 8 or higher. Live 8 or higher. Garageband 6 or higher. XLN recommend downloading and trying the free demo if you're using any DAW other than those listed.
However, I can confirm that AK works perfectly in Sonar. For those with RAM concerns, AK itself requires around 115MB; each loaded microphone eats up around 200MB, so if RAM is an issue you might consider deactivating all but one mic to conserve resources while programming a song, then reactivate the others and render to audio when your piano part is complete. XLN Audio Addictive Keys €179 €179 pros. High recording quality. Comprehensive choice of microphone perspectives. Incredibly fast load times. Flexible and wide-ranging sound-sculpting tools.
Cons. Consistency issues with the Rhodes. Lack of pre/post switching for effects sends. Mandatory online installation may not be an option for some. Summary Addictive Keys is XLN's bid to breathe new life and interest into the well-trodden and otherwise formulaic world of sample-based pianos.
Loading times are impressive, and the sound-creation possibilities are considerable, allowing a single instrument to produce a wide range of sounds to suit almost any style of music. All contents copyright © SOS Publications Group and/or its licensors, 1985-2019. All rights reserved. The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents.
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