True Keys: German Grand is a deeply sampled virtual concert grand piano for producers and composers, offering multiple microphone perspectives and detailed mechanical nuances within an efficient sample player interface.
Instrument Character and Sampling
True Keys: German Grand from VILabs captures the sound of a German semi-concert grand piano through extensive sampling. The library is built from nearly 11,000 audio files, using high-end microphones and preamps. It replicates fine mechanical details, including key resonances and noises, purely through samples without modeling or synthesis.
The instrument includes 19 velocity layers with silent strike samples and thousands of release samples, including true staccato releases. The una corda pedal is fully sampled, and sympathetic resonance is adjustable for polyphony. This detailed sampling approach aims to provide an expressive and authentic piano-playing experience for various musical genres.
Microphone Perspectives and Sound Shaping
Four microphone perspectives are available: Close, Player, Side, and a Mix. The Close mics offer a punchy, modern sound with wide stereo imaging and deep bass. Player represents the pianist’s perspective with more distance and hammer attack, while Side uses a stereo ribbon for a warmer tone. The Mix position combines all mics for a quicker setup.
Each perspective can be blended independently, giving users flexibility to dial in a sound that suits a mix or solo performance. The interface provides controls for adjusting these perspectives, along with other parameters such as release trails and pedal noise. This allows for detailed sound shaping without requiring extensive external processing.
Performance Controls and Workflow
True Keys German Grand offers sophisticated sustain pedal modeling with repedaling and true pedal action. The half-pedal mode is sample-based and fully adjustable, providing realistic control. Users can also customize MIDI and dynamics response to match their playing style or controller. Custom tuning presets and micro-tuning are supported for specialized musical contexts.
The instrument includes 22 convolution reverbs, offering a range of ambient spaces for quick sound enhancement. Because the piano is a virtual instrument, users can load it within a sampler and integrate it into a digital audio workstation. The efficient engine ensures fast loading times and low resource usage, which is beneficial for complex projects with many tracks.
Practical Applications and Integration
This virtual piano is suitable for a wide range of musical styles, from jazz and pop to classical and film scoring. The multiple mic options allow users to shape the tone for solo performances or to sit well in a dense mix. The velocity layers and release samples contribute to realistic performances in both live and studio settings.
The instrument is fully sample-based, meaning it behaves like a traditional sampler but with advanced scripting for realism. It is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple interface for controlling key aspects like pedal noise and resonance. The lossless FLAC format reduces drive space usage and speeds up loading, making it practical for large sample libraries on portable systems.
Key features
- 100% sample-based, no modeling or synthesis
- 4 discrete microphone perspectives
- Fully sampled una corda pedal
- Adjustable sympathetic and pedal resonance
- Half-pedal mode and true pedal action
- 22 convolution reverbs
- Lossless FLAC format with fast loading
Best for
Best for composers and producers who need a deeply sampled concert grand with flexible microphone blending and realistic playback, especially suitable for jazz, pop, classical, and film scoring where detailed control over tone and response is required.