Created by Chris Cook: "C. Bechstein Upright – Hof-Lieferant Sr.Maj.des Kaisers u.Königs (supplier of the Emperor and King).

Our Bechstein dates back to the late 1800s, is in wonderful condition and has an incredibly warm tone. Having had the piano for around six months I decided to sample it for the PianoBook as it has given me a new creative pallet.

The mics have helped to capture a depth to the piano and consist of a pair of Sontronics Orpheus in a spaced close mic position as well as a Sontronics Apollo 2 stereo ribbon mic using the Gary ‘Barlow’ technique, positioned just above my head; thanks Christian and Gary! The signals go through a UA Apollo 8p interface without any processing applied.

The felt is attached to an old curtain rail using double sided tape. A small corner of felt is also tagged to each end of the rail to reduce any vibrations from the piano.

I would love to know if some of you can make use of it as I’m considering re-sampling with more velocity layers, with and without felt.”

Download it for free here: https://www.pianobook.co.uk/library/the-emperor-king/

The Emperor & King

Favorites

Created by Thomas Grant: "This piano was recorded and multisampled while I was studying for a HND in Music Production. This is an old and slightly (most definitely) abused Kemble upright piano located in studio one (1 of 3 studios situated within the college.)"

Download it for free here: https://www.pianobook.co.uk/library/college-kemble/

College Kemble

A selection 10 tracks submitted in November 2020.

Pianobook instruments used:

Track 01 - Flute+Violin
Track 02 - Winter Felt Piano
Track 03 - Acoustic Harmonics + Singing Bowls + Marimba + Chord Organ + AMB2 + String Spurs + Soft Drums + Flute+Violin + Quiet Choir + Ultrasound Pad + Céleste + Static Felt Violins + Air Textures + Grand Studio A
Track 04 - Autumn Piano
Track 05 - Niue
Track 06 - The Emperor and King + College Kemble
Track 07 - Autumn Piano + Nuie + Thrumming Textures: Earth
Track 08 - Bowed Electric Guitar (With Release)
Track 09 - Isolation Piano - Tubes & Tape
Track 10 - Thrumming Textures: Earth

Download all these instruments and many more absolutely free at www.pianobook.co.uk

Monthly Highlights - Nov 2020

A selection 12 tracks submitted in 2020.

Pianobook instruments used:

Track 01 - Winter Piano
Track 02 - Spring Piano
Track 03 - Winter Felt Piano Prototype + Piano Gtr Harmonics Lovechild
Track 04 - Ice Choir + Joshua's Hybrids + Tape Delay Experiment + Soft String Spurs Extra
Track 05 - Quarantine Piano
Track 06 - Hyundai U852
Track 07 - Cavaquinho Waves + Confinement Céleste + Quarentine Piano + Box Violin Swells
Track 08 - Study Piano
Track 09 - Autumn Piano
Track 10 - Winter Felt Piano
Track 11 - The Emperor and King + College Kemble
Track 12 - 1911 Bechstein Upright +Joshua's Hybrids

Highlights of the Year - 2020

Featuring pianobook's acoustic unicorn series skimmer glass alongside claustrophobic piano

also rises (demo)

A calm minimalistic new age piece composed while exploring some lo-fi-sounding instruments available at https://www.pianobook.co.uk/ Featured instruments: "Autumn Piano", "Midnight Upright", "Lullaby" and "One After 969". Cover photo by John Towner at Unsplash

Waves

A track from my latest material for an album. It features "Winter Felt Piano Prototype" Kontakt library as well as the "Piano Gtr Harmonics Lovechild", both of which can be obtained at Pianobook.com. For more information on the project, please visit https://www.pianobook.co.uk/

Zima

A Study In Scarlett, Pianobook version, Winter Piano

Le Chat Noir

Being stuck inside on such a lovely spring day I've tried to channel my inner HGW and see what happens. Apparently this; using the following instruments:
Piano: The Emperor & King (https://www.pianobook.co.uk/library/the-emperor-king/)
Solo Strings: Spitfire British Drama Toolkit
Ensemble Strings: Spitfire Albion NEO
Harps & Vibes: Orchestral Tools Time Macro
Alto Flute: Spitfire Symphonic Woodwinds

To find out more about the Pianobook project, how you can get involved and to download 'The Emperor and King' as well as many more free pianos please visit:

www.pianobook.co.uk

For further information and updates please visit:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh…jA7uvVnIDayerm1zl

R324 - Pianobook The Emperor & King

A generative piece using the Emperor + King Bechstein piano contributed by Chris Cook. Various FX applied and backed by some ambience from Spitfire's Atmos LAB instrument.

Morning Generative (Pianobook Emperor + King)

This is the pianobook version of my Track Mind Journeys. The main Pianobook Instrument is the Kawai Felt Piano. Other beautiful Pianobook instruments in this production: Ice Choir, Joshua's Hybrids, Tape Delay Experiment and Soft String Spurs Extra.

Mind Journeys - pianobook version

This track was created by using the free 'The Emperor and King' from Pianobook.

To find out more about the community and download some amazing instruments for free please visit www.pianobook.co.uk

Feltred

I wrote this tune with the Beautiful Quarantine Piano by Marco Belloni. 

I never understood the appeal of felt piano before trying this one. 

Great Stuff, Marco!

PoetryOfRust

More experimentation with my polyphonic arpeggiator system.
As usual, the voice splitter is feeding 8 instances of ArpacheSX in sequence mode; there are some more syncopated sequences this time on top of some left overs from last time.

Using the following Pianos:
The Emperor and King (Odd arps - Panned Left)
The Bjarma Grand (Even arps - Panned Right)

As usual, some EQ on the pianos and an Olafur inspired Reverb/Delays chain.

To find out more about the Pianobook project, how you can get involved and to download 'The Emperor and King' and 'The Bjarma Grand' as well as many more free pianos please visit:

www.pianobook.co.uk

For further information and updates please visit:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh…jA7uvVnIDayerm1zl

Study for Polyphonic Arpeggiator No 12 - The Bjarma Grand & The Emperor and King

This track was created using sample instruments from both myself and others, all of which are available at PianoBook.co.uk.

Instruments used:
Mine - Acoustic Harmonics, Singing Bowls, Marimba, Chord Organ, and AMB2.

Dan Keen - String Spurs
Jon Meyer - Soft drums, Flute Violin
Joshua Meltzer - Quiet Choir, Ultrasound Pad
Pierre Caillet - Céleste
Stuart Bramwell - Static felt violins
Francesco Silvestri - Air Textures
hannesbachofner - Grand Studio A

Ripple Effect

This track was created as part of the pianobook project using it's free 'Dictaphone Loop Synth' as well as Spitfire Audio's LABS Soft Piano.

To find out more about the project, how you can get involved and to download the 'Dictaphone Loop Synth' and many more free pianos visit

www.pianobook.co.uk

Messages in Memories

Demo for the Niue patch Hit 1. Niue is a sample library with atmospheric and inspiring sounds all based on wine glass recordings.
Read the story and get the library for free on www.pianobook.co.uk/library/niue/

Niue Hit 1 Demo

A quick piece I wrote to see how Christian Henson's Autumn Piano samples would work out. The slate and the tape delay effects fade in/out throughout the track.

Autumn Lockdown 2.0 (Pianobook Autumn Piano Version)

Down To The Sea

These tracks were created as part of the Pianobook project.

Curated by one of the founders of SPITFIRE AUDIO, Pianobook is a collective sample project that aims to bring together a community of like-minded music makers to talk about their stories through the pianos they use, admire and are inspired by.

To find out more about the project, how you can get involved, and to download these (and many more) FREE sounds, visit
www.pianobook.co.uk.

Contact: marcusmanderson@gmail.com 
Facebook.com/dafingaz 
Twitter.com/dafingaz
Instagram.com/dafingaz

TG College Kemble

My latest contribution to the Pianobook community. It features the following PB instruments: "Autumn Piano", "Nuie, and "Thrumming Textures: Earth". For more information about the project, visit: https://www.pianobook.co.uk/ Original photo and design by Tomislav Erhard-Pacovski

Paths

Technically just another study/improv for polyphonic arpeggiators (No 13), however as it reminded me harmonically very much of the great Penguin Cafe I decided to quickly sketch some string parts on top reminiscent of said group.

Using the following Instruments:
The Emperor and King (Chords - Panned Left)
College Kemble (Arpeggios - Panned Right)
Spitfire British Drama Toolkit (Viola)
Spitfire Aperture Strings (Flaut Ens)

To find out more about the Pianobook project, how you can get involved and to download 'The Emperor and King' and 'College Kemble' as well as many more free pianos please visit:

www.pianobook.co.uk

For further information and updates please visit:

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLh…jA7uvVnIDayerm1zl

Study for Arpeggiating Penguins - College Kemble & The Emperor and King

nativeVS