KOMPLETE Piano Sound Source Comparison Committee

Introduction

Hello.
I often use piano sound sources when creating music. One of the most frequently used instruments is the one included in Native Instruments' KOMPLETE plug-in bundle. KOMPLETE's pianos are of high quality and come in a wide variety of sounds, so I can easily choose the sound that best fits the tune of the song. It's convenient.

To be honest, however, I did not have a firm grasp of the differences and characteristics of these sound sources. On the contrary, there were some sound sources that I had never used! This is a treasure trove. This is unbearable for the author, who is a poor person.
So this time, I would like to compare the 6+1 (Factory Library) piano instruments included in KOMPLETE 14 STANDARD, which I own, and learn what kind of instruments they are.

Native Instruments / KOMPLETE 14 STANDARD

I’m not a pianist, so I will not mention how comfortable it is to play or how realistic it is as a piano. Rather, I cannot. Instead, I will review it from the perspective of usability in composition and arrangement as a single piano tone.
For this reason, this comparison will be conducted in the form of an audition, in which the author will play backing phrases of a piece I am working on with seven different piano sound sources, and finally decide which sound source will be adopted in the arrangement.

I have prepared a video where you can hear the piano sounds for your reference.
In the first half of the video, the sound is just a snapshot (=preset) named “Basic” of each sound source started up. In the second half, the sound after the author created the sound based on “Basic” is played.

[All Seven Types of Entries]

• Kontakt7 Factory Library (Grand Piano)
• Noire
• The Gentleman
• The Giant
• The Grandeur
• The Maverick
• Una Corda

Kontakt7 Factory Library (Grand Piano)

First is a grand piano sound source from the standard library that comes with NI's highly functional sampler, Kontakt 7. In addition to this, there were two other live piano sound sources, Ragtime Piano and Upright Piano.
My first impression is that it is light, thin, and hard. This may sound like a bad thing, but it is a great tone for rhythmic backing, as it has a sense of attack and is easy to hear the contours. It also sounds a bit phased. It also differentiates it from other sound sources.
The low end is quite low, and even with the Sub Reso turned up to max, the sound is light.

Noire

This is the newest sound source in this lineup.
In addition to “Pure,” which is the normal piano sound, a “Felt” mode is available, which produces a round sound with less attack.
A distinctive feature is the particle engine, a performance aid. Just play a chord and it will add a phrase to match it. Although not used in this case, it can be found at .......
Speaking of the essential sound, it has a gorgeous atmosphere with a solid low frequency. It's easy to use even in its default state. I made very few changes to the settings and tweaking made it sound the way I like it.
By default, all effects such as reverb are turned off.

The Gentleman

It is the only (regular) upright piano.
It is also included in “KOMPLETE SELECT” and was briefly mentioned in a previous article.
Compared to a grand piano, it is a little more restrained and mature. It has a cozy feel and does not seem to fit in with grand music.
The “COLOR” is not easily broken even when turned to the extreme in the HARD direction, and it is not flabby even when turned to its maximum value. Personally, I found it easy to use when tuned in the 2-3 o'clock direction.
Since it has little resonance, adding reverb would make it easier to use. Try the built-in convolution reverb in various ways.

The Giant

This sound source is a reproduction of the world's largest upright piano.
Of special note is the XXL button. When lit blue, it increases the dynamic range and power of the sound without changing the volume much. Conversely, if you do not press this, The Giant does not have much of a feature.
Under normal conditions, “RESONANCES” does not seem to need much manipulation, but in XXL mode, it is easier to use if it is turned down quite a bit.
Reverb is on as default. Since this is a loud sound source to begin with, “AMOUNT” does not seem to need to be turned up very much.

The Grandeur

This is the most versatile and hassle-free sound source among the pianos in the KOMPLETE recordings.
It has a fairly clean impression and is very easy to use for backing pop music. The “RESONANCES” doesn't need to be narrowed down too much, as the low frequency range is not too downy.
"COROR" also has a good attack without any modification, so it is a good first choice for piano sound sources.
The “LID (top panel opening)” can be adjusted in three levels, and if you don't want it to stand out too much, set it in the middle to suppress the high frequencies and make it less assertive. You may want to try this when you want it to be more of an accompaniment.

The Maverick

It is a reproduction of a piano made for a Prussian prince in 1905.
It has a rustic sound, somewhat similar to an upright piano, but I wonder if this is the nature of old instruments.
Personally, I had the impression that the sound was not fully extended, and as a piano, it did not sound goofy. However, I think this instrument is good at creating a gentle atmosphere, so I think it would be a good match for a calm verse part or for calm background music.

Una Corda

This is a sampling of a special piano with only one string on each keyboard. The piano was made especially for this sound source. It is an amazing amount of passion.
Because of this origin, it is not suitable for use in the same way as an ordinary piano. On the other hand, if you have a clear objective, such as creating a fantastic atmosphere, you can easily get good results without using effects.
The characteristic of the sound is as if there is always a membrane between you and the piano. Basically, the attack is not strong, but the high frequencies are rather kinky.
Even if you turn up the “COLOR” a lot, the timbre doesn't change that much.
Be careful not to apply too much reverb, as it will make it sound mawkish.

The adopted sound source is ......?

Now, we have listened to and compared seven different pianos in order. They all seem to have their own characteristics and are easy to use in different ways.
By the way, which piano did I use for the piece I was working on?

Have you figured out which sound source it is?

The correct answer is “The Giant”! It's hard to recognize it because it's mixed in the song and the sound has been changed by EQ, etc.
The deciding factor is the presence. The fatness of the sound brought about by its large body and its upright, colossal sound are very unique and good.
Actually, this was the first time for me to use this sound source, but I am sure I will have more opportunities to use it in the future.

Summary

In this article, I have compared the seven different piano instruments included in KOMPLETE 14 STANDARD.
I was able to learn more about “The Giant” and “The Maverick,” which I had never used before, as well as “The Gentleman” and “The Grandeur,” which I had used many times in my music. From now on, I am going to have more fun arranging with the piano.
If you have KOMPLETE after reading this article, please re-explore your own library. You may discover something new. And if you don't have KOMPLETE, take another look at the piano instruments you use on a daily basis. You will love it even more.
Thank you for reading.

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