HOLLYWOOD — There’s certainly truth to the long-standing adage, “What’s old is new again.� EASTWEST, exclusive US distributor of Best Service products, proves this true by making eight new sample collections by Best Service, which feature European historical instruments, available to today’s users. The newest sound libraries, developed in cooperation with Realsamples, include Pianoforte, Early Pianoforte, Grand Piano, English Harpsichord, Dutch Harpsichord, Dulcitone Celesta, English Spinet and Italian Harpsichord.
To offer users true to life sounds, each collection features eight different samples of each note, four different release sounds of each note as well as 32 different velocity layers as opposed to the typical four to five found in most piano collections. No mastering is applied to the samples, giving users access to the raw recordings for additional control of the end result. For further realism, each instrument was recorded in 192 kHz/24 bits resolution and down sampled.
Available for the first time in a sample collection, Pianoforte offers the unique sound of a historical pianoforte built in 1848. This collection delivers the ultimate pianoforte experience to your studio with sounds captured at 32 velocity layers of each note for great dynamics, feel and a pure sound. The 3,300 single samples included in the collection are presented in the pianoforte’s original tuning at 433 Hz (presets at 440 Hz.) Pianoforte carries an MSRP of $180.00.
The Early Pianoforte library offers more than 2,500 single samples of this uncommon, svelte and elegant piano whose sound is influenced by the harpsichords of the 18th Century. Also capturing the vibrance of the instrument with 32 velocity layers for each note, the Early Pianoforte is presented in its original tuning at 417 Hz (presets at 440 Hz). The collection retails for $180.00.
The Grand Piano library offers a lithe, charming and warm, sound — far from your typical piano. This Grand Piano library is presented in its original tuning at 435 Hz (presets at 440 Hz). The Grand Piano collection contains nearly 3,300 single samples and carries an MSRP of $180.00.
Until now, many keyboards and samplers represented harpsichords by always triggering the same sample, resulting in a cold and sterile sound. To pay proper tribute to the liveliness and depth of these antique instruments, Realsamples captured every sampled register with up to eight variations of each note. To complete the harpsichord experience, each register was recorded with four different release samples of each note.
The English Harpsichord library presents samples of the Kirckman harpsichord offering numerous unique sounds, sampled with six different register combinations, including the upper 8′, lower 8′ (principal 8′), both 8′ together, the 4′ register, the lute stop as well as the nasale stop, a feature only available with Kirckman instruments. All 3,600 single samples included in the English Harpsichord collection are presented in its original Valotti tuning at 368 Hz (presets at 440 Hz). The collection retails for $180.00.
The Dutch Harpsichord library offers an original harpsichord by Andreas Ruckers built in 1628. Due to its two manuals and many registers, the Ruckers harpsichord offers lots of unique sounds, sampled with six different register combinations, including the upper 8′, lower 8′ (principal 8′), tutti, both 8′ together, the 4′ register as well as the lute stop. The library is presented in its original Valotti tuning at 372 Hz (presets at 440 Hz) and contains nearly 3,700 single samples. The Dutch Harpsichord collection retails for $155.00.
The Dulcitone Celesta collection provides a warm and full bass sound to a rather quiet instrument. An original Dulcitone celesta is very hard to play, offering a very rough-running and tight dynamic response. To capture the dynamic shades of the instrument, Realsamples recorded every note with eight different samples. The dulcitone owes a huge part of its character and life to the unique release sounds of its keys – these sounds were recorded for the library, providing four variations of each key release sound to complete the Dulcitone experience. For maximum sound quality, the library was recorded in 192 kHz/24 bits which can then be down sampled to the resolution of your choice. The sample library contains nearly 1,500 single samples and carries an MSRP of $155.00.
“The Dulcitone Celesta collection is mind-blowing,� says Nicolay Ketterer, head of Realsamples who led the sample recording sessions. “The unique and soothing sound is addicting, leaving you yearning for more.�
In addition to the samples, the Dulcitone Celesta sample library contains an essay in German from Professor Andreas E. Beurmann himself, explaining both the historical and musical background of the instrument.
Comprised of majestic warmth and elegance, the English Spinet collection preserves the timelessness of a spinet sound. Available now for the first time, the English Spinet collection, featuring a Thomas Hitchcock spinet, widely known as the best-sounding spinets ever built, is presented in its original Valotti tuning at 430 Hz (presets at 440 Hz). Since the release sounds of the keys are also of major importance to the overall sound, Realsamples recorded four release samples of each note. The English Spinet library consists of more than 700 single samples and retails for an MSRP of $155.00.
The Italian Harpsichord library features an historical harpsichord built in 1579 by Pierluigi in Livorno providing its fundamental, resonant, warm and deep tone to users. This unique collection is presented in its original meantone tuning at 383 Hz (presets at 440 Hz). The library carries with it an MSRP of $155.00.
“Due to their age and rarity, it is often hard for composers to have access to these unique and antique piano sounds,� says President and CEO of EASTWEST Doug Rogers. “With these new collections from Best Service, users can make the old new again by bringing these historical sounds to their modern-day projects.�
All samples offered in each collection are License-free, available in DVD or
CD sets and are ready to be played in Kontakt 2®, EXS24®, GigaStudio®, HAlion®-Presets or .wav formats (excludes GigaStudio® versions). For more information, visit the EASTWEST website, www.soundsonline.com.
