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- Publisher: Toontrack
- Product: Felt Piano EKX
- Release: ViP Team
- Version: 1.0.0
- Format: EKX Sound Expansion
- Requirements: EZkeys 2.1.2 or higher
For the songwriter, the right piano is more than an instrument; it’s a confidant. It’s the sound that translates a fleeting emotion into a timeless melody. But not all pianos are created equal. While many are bright and percussive, some stories demand a softer voice—a sound that is warm, intimate, and rich with nuance. If your songs call for that kind of gentle, heartfelt character, your search is over.
Introducing the Felt Piano EKX, a breathtakingly beautiful expansion for EZkeys 2. This is not just another piano sound; it is a meticulously captured felt-damped upright piano, designed to deliver the ultimate in earthy, round, and warm tones. Ideal for everything from mellow singer-songwriter ballads and intimate folk to acoustic pop and rock, this instrument provides a sound as soft and luxurious as silk.
Available as a free download, the Felt Piano EKX is an essential addition to any producer or songwriter’s palette, offering a uniquely delicate and resonant voice that will bring a new level of emotional depth to your music.
The Art of the Felt Piano: A Uniquely Intimate Sound
What gives this piano its signature character? When a key is struck on a traditional piano, a hammer directly hits the string. The “felt” modification, a classic technique for achieving a softer sound, introduces a layer of felt material between the hammer and the string. This subtle change has a profound effect, damping the initial impact and transforming the instrument’s voice.
The result is a much quieter, more delicate attack, a rounder tone, and an overall more intimate and warm resonance. It’s the perfect sonic choice for any composition that calls for softer dynamics, gentle expression, and a sound that feels close and personal.
Crafted with Care: A Deep Dive into the Recording Process
To capture the soul of this special instrument, we embraced a meticulous recording philosophy where every choice was made to enhance its natural warmth and visceral timbre.
The Room
The piano was captured in a moderately small, acoustically treated room. This choice was deliberate, minimizing excessive reflections and adding to the instrument’s close, almost tangible presence. It’s a sound that feels like it’s right there in the room with you.
The Microphones
To capture every possible tonal variation, we used a combination of one mono and three different stereo pairs of world-class microphones. These distinct setups were then used to create the wide variety of presets included, giving you a broad sonic palette to explore. The microphones used include:
- A Classic U 47 Replica: This hand-built, high-end microphone is a modern interpretation of the legendary Neumann U 47. It delivers a vintage-inspired warmth combined with the clarity and performance of modern electronics, making it a go-to for capturing a rich and soulful sound.
- Neumann KM 84: A true vintage gem, the KM 84 has been a studio standard since the 1960s. Widely praised for its transparency and exceptionally balanced response, it was the perfect choice for capturing the pure, natural, and uncolored voice of the piano.
- Coles 4038: This classic ribbon microphone is a highly regarded staple in top recording studios, celebrated for its vintage warmth and character. Its bidirectional pickup pattern, which captures sound equally from the front and rear, makes it ideal for recording the beautiful ambient nature of an acoustic piano.
- Beyerdynamic MC 930: A first-choice microphone for many of the world’s top engineers, specifically for piano. Thanks to its natural frequency response and incredibly low self-noise, this small-diaphragm condenser is perfect for capturing the most subtle details and delicate nuances of an acoustic performance.
Find Your Perfect Tone in an Instant: The Presets
The Felt Piano EKX comes loaded with a wealth of mix-ready presets, putting a huge range of sounds just one click away. These presets, built from the various microphone configurations, cover everything from the most natural, nuanced, and intimate tones to more elaborate and creative soundscapes involving various effects and saturation.
For even more creative possibilities, some presets even include tastefully blended textures of additional synths, instantly transforming the piano into a completely new, multi-layered instrument.
As always with EZkeys 2, each preset features its own bespoke set of macro controls, allowing you to easily alter, tweak, and fine-tune the sound to perfectly suit your mix. For producers who want to take their processing even further, the included Multi-Out presets distribute each microphone pair to its own channel in your DAW.
Instant Inspiration: The Included MIDI Library
To get you started, this EKX includes its own basic collection of MIDI grooves and phrases. This library was tailored specifically for the intimate feel of the felt piano, giving you a perfect springboard for ideas and inspiration as you explore the instrument’s sonic possibilities. Use the powerful MIDI editing features within EZkeys 2 to tailor these ideas and take them into any musical space your compositions call for.
Key Features
- Features a carefully sampled and intimate-sounding upright piano.
- Recorded using the classic “felt” technique, where an extra layer of felt is applied to the piano strings for a softer, warmer tone.
- Ideal for mellow singer-songwriter, folk, acoustic pop, rock, and any genre requiring a delicate piano sound.
- Includes a wealth of mix-ready presets built from various microphone setups and creative effects chains.
- Comes with a basic MIDI library of grooves and phrases tailored specifically for the instrument.
System Requirements
- Disk Space: 2 GB of free disk space (plus an additional 2 GB for the download process).
- RAM: 4 GB of RAM is required (8 GB or more is recommended for optimal performance).
- Software: A working installation of EZkeys 2.1.2 (or above) is required.
The Voice of Intimacy, Free to Download
When your music needs to speak softly but with profound emotional weight, the Felt Piano EKX is the answer. It’s more than a sound; it’s a feeling. A meticulously captured instrument ready to bring warmth, nuance, and character to your next song.
Download the Felt Piano EKX for EZkeys 2 for free and discover a sound as soft as silk.