I'm looking for something versatile, something that can play both soft and sweet but also loud.
Oh and umm.... keep in mind that i'm a broke university student so please don't suggest something that's going to break the bank.

 

I would suggest trying some on the sister site and making a choice. Pianos are a very personal thing. Many Kontakt libraries don't respond to aggressive playing, but that might be because I don't like to attack my keyboard and risk breaking a nail after I've just had a manicure and shampoo. But seriously, it's hard to tell someone what's a versatile library which will make you feel connected. I can only recommend a visit to oz and providing you have the download capacity, audition a few, spend some time with them.

 

Still those from "imperfect samples". http://www.imperfectsamples.com/

 

I like Imperfect Samples too - lots of lovely responsive (vel) layers, but they're quite "noisy" (creaky and groany almost =) as the name suggests. I'd recd trying a lot of the big kontakt libs, but Hammersmith is very lovely solo. And using the sus pedal doen't impact performance. It's kinda down to taste and feel, which is personal. I'd also recd ya use the *ahem* demo of Pianoteq, because having adjustable sustain is rly amaze, difficult to live without. (Just wish I could remember all that square law stuff to make a curve into / outta that sweet spot. )= It also takes about 50Mb of space!

 

Has anyone tried Alicia's keys before ?? I heard it on youtube but I don't know how it plays

 

Go with Garritan Yamaha CFX. It plays like the real thing.

 

Garritan Yamaha CFX
The Hammersmith
Vienna Symphonic Library Steinway D-274
Vienna Symphonic Library Yamaha CFX
(Note, a lite version of the Vienna Steinway is included in the Synchronized Special Edition 1 package, which has a bunch of other instruments also included)

There is one more that I cant think of the name of at the moment, and Im too lazy to open Kontakt. These are my favourites tho

 

Garritan Yamaha CFX, Hammersmith or Production Voices Concert Grand (LE version is enough if you do not need the 24-bit samples).

 

Last edited: Jun 25, 2019

maybe Alicia Keys!

 

Soniccouture The Hammersmith!!
You can get it in light and pro versions and they´re both great.

 

Almost 50 GB damn

 

The light version is less than 18 Gb!

 

I do perfectly agree. There's is no "one for all piano", not in the real world, not in the virtual world.

However, I found NI meade great steps since the piano collection "Gentleman (Bechstein A) - Maverick (Bechstein B) - Grandeur (Steinway D)" and also the last Noire (Yamaha CFX), having this one as my personal winner. Also, they're not too demanding in hdd size, that to me counts.

I tried it, I found it unplayable. It's not about sound, but dynamics.
When you play you shoud forget to have a MIDI device, and get the sensation that there are real hammers hitting strings. With AK piano, there was somenthing wrong, artificial, and a wrong sustain pedal behaviour.

 

Last edited: Jun 26, 2019

Alicia's Keys.

 

I found Alicia's keys and returned them. She was sitting in front of her house really freaked out when I got there and almost in tears. In gratitude she took me out for sushi and led the diners at the other tables in a gospel version of Happy Birthday to me even though my birthday wasn't for another three months. She's funny that way, bless her big ol' heart.

 

Like others have said here, a Piano sound is a very personal thing for sure. I happen to like Imperfect Samples releases. They have a few to choose from that are actually affordable here: http://www.imperfectsamples.com/ The Ebony, White, and Walnut Grands sound fantastic! So yeah, +1 on Imperfect Samples!

 

best for what? EDM like Avicii? Classical? Pop? 80s? 90s? Hip Hop?

 

I'm really into some dark emotional piano music but I also like to use piano to give power to chords played by synths in electronic music

 

For a warm, sweet piano that sounds and plays nicely I have opted for Native Instruments The Gentleman, which also is relatively inexpensive for 99 euros. It weighs in at a bit over 3 gigs and sounds like this...

https://www.native-instruments.com/...N/audio/The_Gentleman_StoneRock_PK_MASTER.mp3

 

Thanks this is probably the one I'm gonna get