Garritan Abbey Road CFX Concert Grand Virtual Piano (DOWNLOAD)

Allmänt

If you thought that you already had the ideal virtual piano, think again. Ok, year in, year out, many developers claim to have released the best going - which is pretty good news for us, since things will only get better and better. However, by introducing this breathtaking chunk of software, Garritan haven't just changed the game but grant access to the sound of a real Yamaha CFX concert grand piano, recorded in the very real Abbey Road Studios, via your humble computer.

Cut No Corners

In developing this package, Garritan have clearly made no compromises. For a start, the Yamaha CFX concert grand is considered one of the best pianos in existence - if not ever. Add that to the fact that it's been recorded on the hallowed ground of Abbey Road, and you're already overwhelmed. In terms of how it was recorded, you can only expect the best: Neumann, AKG, Schoeps, and DPA microphones, and extensive sessions to result in the highest-grade samples that amount to 122GB (there's also a compact installation of 24.5GB).

Potential

The sheer size of this virtual piano is understandable. The fact that you also get a choice of microphone configurations also help to explain it. To shape your own sound character, you can select classic, contemporary, or player. Classic gives you the sense of a piano in a concert hall, while contemporary has the brightness demanded of more mainstream pop, and player literally gives you the sonic perspective of a pianist and sounds awesome through a good pair of headphones. But there is more: 20 velocity layers. So, assuming a MIDI scale of 128 steps, you're hearing a different sample every 6 to 7 velocity steps - and that's truly gigantic.

• Please note: This product is a download. You'll receive a download code and a URL via email after completing your purchase.