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After two years of recording, editing, and programming, EastWest and Quantum Leap proudly present the most detailed collection of the world's finest grand pianos ever recorded in one of the 'temples of sound', EASTWEST STUDIOS (more RIAA certified platinum and gold records awarded than any other recording studios) with 3 mic positions for each piano.
This collection includes four of the world's finest grand pianos: a Bechstein D-280, Steinway D, Bösendorfer 290, and Yamaha C7. The PLAY interface includes impulses from the same hall the producers used to record Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs so the pianos can blend with those collections.
This collection includes four of the world's finest grand pianos: a Bechstein D-280, Steinway D, Bösendorfer 290, and Yamaha C7. The PLAY interface includes impulses from the same hall the producers used to record Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs so the pianos can blend with those collections.
Additional close mics version engineered by KEN SCOTT
(Elton John, Supertramp, David Bowie, Beatles)
(Elton John, Supertramp, David Bowie, Beatles)
Keyboard Magazine compares ten virtual piano collections in a pianos library roundup
The new meaning of heavyweight. Players agreed that EastWest/Quantum Leap has by far the most detailed and biggest-sounding pianos of the bunch. "The dead center of the Bosendorfer's dynamic range sings out for a long time," noted Fortner, "exactly like the real thing, and the nine extra notes below bottom A [a famous feature of the real thing] are just thunderous." Richard Leiter said, "This sounds like a good recording of a good piano. It makes me want to play late 19th Century classical - if I could!" Aikin added, "This'd be loverly for Chopin, but not the patch you'd load for Bach ... or Little Richard." Trying the Steinway, Aikin said, "I'd sit down and play this for pleasure over the Bosendorfer. It's very lively, with just the right combination of depth and brilliance." He was even happier with the Bechstein: "This makes me want to play Mozart. There's a nice singing quality and melodic projection over chords. I have a sense of comfort here, even more than with the Steinway." The Bechstein was also Fortner's favorite for his R&B-derived playing style: "Lean into it, and it doesn't go quite as far as the Yamaha, but the bell-like harmonics you want for pop come forward. Lean back, and it's brooding and mellow. Gorgeous." EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos stands out because it's the biggest most ambitious sampled piano project ever, with the sound quality to prove it. You'll need a bad-ass computer to play the full-size presets with abandon, but if you have one - wow!
Key Features
- The most detailed piano recordings - EVER!
- Load any piano or mic position individually (each piano is approx. 60Gbs)
- 3 positions are included per piano for maximum flexibility
- 10-18 velocities per note of sustain and sustain with pedal
- 8-12 velocities per note of repetitions and repetitions with pedal
- 5-8 velocities of soft pedal and soft pedal with sustain pedal
- 16 velocity staccato on every piano
- Repetition samples taken from 180 BPM performances for a TRUE repetition sound and not simply an alternate take.
- Software detects true repetitions
- Resonance - pedal resonance recorded for every note at multiple velocities, as well as with the soft pedal down
- Proprietary resonance captured on the Bösendorfer
- Release samples with software envelope follower
- Articulations on each piano include
- a. sustain
- b. sustain with pedal
- c. repetitions
- d. repetitions with pedal
- e. soft pedal
- f. soft pedal with sustain pedal
- g. staccato
- h. release trails
- Recorded in a proper piano environment with vintage Neumann microphones, Meitner AD converters and a vintage 8078 Neve console
- Stereo swap possible in software
- Mic position mixing in software
- Lid position simulation
- Articulation matrix for quick and straightforward loading
- Most powerful streaming engine available with highest polyphony counts
- PLAY interface includes impulses from the same hall the producers used to record Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs so the pianos can blend with those collections.
Play
PLAY is a 64-bit** (with 32-bit compatibility) Advanced Sample Engine with built-in Network Control* (plug-in or standalone). PLAY is Included with all new EASTWEST/QUANTUM LEAP Virtual (software) Instruments.
Interface designed to eliminate clutter, including only the controls needed for each individual virtual instrument
64-bit support** allows you to load many more instruments and voices, limited only by your system RAM (32-bit support is included also)
While most high-end computers will support 16Gb, a very small set of high-performance enterprise computers (with Microsoft Vista Ultimate) can already use 128Gb of RAM. As hardware develops, the theoretical limit is 17,179,869,184 gigabytes = 16 exabytes, or 17 billion gigabytes!
If you still need more power, our built-in NETWORK CONTROL allows you to load instruments on other machines controlled from your host computer
No more trips back and forth between computers, no more KVM switching when loading projects
No need to buy additional software
The PLAY system is a professional fully integrated solution for those with the most demanding production requirements
Easy to use browser displays all of your instruments
Favorites section to group the instruments you use most
Preview your instrument of choice in an easy-to-use column viewer
Load instruments into one instance to take advantage of your sequencer's "instrument tracks", or many if you so desire.
Interface automatically changes to display current instrument
Forget browsing through complicated patch names: pick the instrument and play
Turn on/off articulations as you wish
Articulations list also serves as reference for all expressions within the instrument (no need to look up key-switches in charts)
Save your favorite configuration for quick retrieval
PLAY senses legato and repetitive playing and responds accordingly
PLAY allows the user to manipulate stereo samples in very useful ways
Stereo Swap allows the user to instantly swap the left and right channels
Mono from left , Mono from right, or Mono Sum allow for instant conversion from stereo to mono
Control all mic positions for the orchestra, choirs, pianos, and other instruments with multiple mic positions with the built-in mic mixer (currently included in the QL PIANOS virtual instrument)
Now taken a step further, do it right in the patch
Load, unload, adjust, pan, mute mic positions as you wish
Pick your instrument, and PLAY!
The best sounding and most powerful effects engine out there, built from the ground up for the highest possible quality
Reverb section includes multiple impulse responses from halls, and the famous EASTWEST studios and live chambers (more RIAA certified Platinum and Gold records awarded than any other studio)
The smoothest filters you'll ever hear
Specialized effects including the first Artificial Double Tracking (ADT) software available
Highest quality resampling engine
Built from the ground up to create the most intuitive instruments possible. Allowed us to design instruments every step of the way without compromise
Authorize purchased instruments easily using the industry standard iLok security system
Offers complete portability, take your plugin anywhere you want, use it on any computer
Easy to authorize and manage (up to 100 authorizations on one key)
As Beautiful As It Sounds
QUANTUM LEAP PIANOS: PLAY interface (click to magnify)
Load MORE thanks to 64-bit support**
Networking Support*
All instruments are listed in one browser
Articulations
Legato Detection
Stereo Handling
Mic Mixer
Effects Engine
Playback Engine
Security system
System Requirements
(Bechstein — 73GB, Bösendorfer — 87GB, Steinway — 58GB, Yamaha — 46GB)
If you do not own an iLok Security Key you can purchase one at your local authorized EASTWEST retailers, or here. More details about the new iLok copy protection for our PLAY SYSTEM powered products is available here
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR MAC
RECOMMENDED MAC SYSTEM
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PC
RECOMMENDED PC SYSTEM
INCLUDED FOR BOTH PC & MAC:
SUPPORTED INTERFACES
Answers to the most common questions regarding PLAY and our new iLok security key is available in our Support FAQ.
*This feature will be available after release as a free download for all registered users.
**MAC 64-bit support will be announced after the release of MAC OS X (10.5 Leopard)
*This feature will be available after release as a free download for all registered users.
**MAC 64-bit support will be announced after the release of MAC OS X (10.5 Leopard)
Demos
| Steinway D Concert Grand Piano | |||
| Chuck Olette | A Somber Way | wav | mp3 |
| John Sawoski | Scherzo (Chopin) | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Alborada (Ravel) | wav | mp3 |
| Katsuhiro Oguri | Arabesque (Debussy) | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Paganini Etude No. 6 (Liszt) | wav | mp3 |
| Joseph Felice | Liebesfreud (Rachmaninoff) | wav | mp3 |
| David Goldblatt | Chi-Town Stride | wav | mp3 |
| Joseph Felice | Witches Dance Opus 17 (MacDowell) | wav | mp3 |
| David Goldblatt | Myriad Nights of the City | wav | mp3 |
| David Goldblatt | Finger Painting | wav | mp3 |
| Angela Kassett | Something in Red | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Paganini Etude No. 6 (Liszt) (Hall mics) | wav | mp3 |
| Bösendorfer 290 Concert Grand Piano | |||
| Joseph Felice | Hammerklavier Sonata (Beethoven) | wav | mp3 |
| Jie Chen | Poem for Piano (Babajanian) | wav | mp3 |
| Joseph Felice | Rhapsody in Blue (Gershwin) | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Etude No. 4 Fanfares (Ligeti) | wav | mp3 |
| Michael Whittaker | Tribute to Oscar | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Barcarole (Faure) | wav | mp3 |
| Katsuhiro Oguri | Reverie (Debussy) | wav | mp3 |
| Nick Phoenix | Behind the Curtain | wav | mp3 |
| Bechstein D-280 Concert Grand Piano | |||
| Steffen Fahl | Toccata (Casella) | wav | mp3 |
| Jerome Vonhogen | Romanze (Rosenthal) | wav | mp3 |
| Joseph Felice | Rialto Ripples (Gershwin) | wav | mp3 |
| David Goldblatt | It's Like This | wav | mp3 |
| Katsuhiro Oguri | Sonata (Mozart) | wav | mp3 |
| David Goldblatt | Rockem Wilma | wav | mp3 |
| Steffen Fahl | Prelude (Bach) | wav | mp3 |
| Kyle Robertson | Freedom | wav | mp3 |
| Yamaha C7 Grand Piano | |||
| Michael Whittaker | Old Willow | wav | mp3 |
| Michael Whittaker | Sunday Morning | wav | mp3 |
All demos were created with no external reverb or processing.
Most demos were created using the player position mics only. Some demos such as Hammerklavier and Liebesfreud use a mixture of the player position mics and the room mics.
To download each .wav file option-click on the file name on a Mac, or right-click or control-click on the file name on a PC.
Most demos were created using the player position mics only. Some demos such as Hammerklavier and Liebesfreud use a mixture of the player position mics and the room mics.
To download each .wav file option-click on the file name on a Mac, or right-click or control-click on the file name on a PC.
Third Party Piano Comparison Demos
The following comparison demos were created by Thomas Bryla for a forum in Europe. Thomas has no affiliation with East West or Quantum Leap. The midi files were NOT created with the EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos. The piece is called "Piano Piece 5.4", written and performed by Thomas Bryla. All demos are dry without any additional reverb. The East West/Quantum Leap Piano versions were reproduced using the player position samples.
EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos Steinway | mp3 |
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos Bösendorfer | mp3 |
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos Bechstein | mp3 |
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos Yamaha | mp3 |
Synthogy Ivory
| Synthogy Ivory Steinway | mp3 |
| Synthogy Ivory Bösendorfer | mp3 |
| Synthogy Ivory Yamaha | mp3 |
Native Instruments Akoustik
| Native Instruments Akoustik Steinway | mp3 |
| Native Instruments Akoustik Bösendorfer | mp3 |
| Native Instruments Akoustik Bechstein | mp3 |
Pianoteq
| Pianoteq | mp3 |
Comparison Demos
The following demos are comparisons running the same midi file through various virtual pianos including EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos, Synthogy Ivory, Native Instruments Akoustik Pianos and VSL Bösendorfer. The midi files were NOT created with the EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos, they were created with other sampled piano libraries. No external processing was used. The latest software versions were used for all instruments and the primary factory default programs were selected. All demos are out of the box, except Vienna which does not have reverb, so minimal reverb was added. For the EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos and Synthogy Ivory versions, the player perspective samples were used. For NI Akoustik Pianos and VSL Bösendorfer, the more distant samples were used as there were no player perspective samples. The intention here is show the dynamic, tonal, resonance, coloration and overall image differences between the EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos and other popular alternatives. The EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos are capable of many other sounds, due to the multiple mic samples and interface options. Synthogy Ivory, NI Akoustik, and VSL Bösendorfer also have other options to alter the sound, but these comparison demos use their default programs.
Steinway D Concert Grand Piano
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos | wav | mp3 |
| Synthogy Ivory | wav | mp3 |
| Native Instruments Akoustik Pianos | wav | mp3 |
Bösendorder 290 Concert Grand Piano
| EastWest/Quantum Leap Pianos | wav | mp3 |
| Synthogy Ivory | wav | mp3 |
| Native Instruments Akoustik Pianos | wav | mp3 |
| VSL Bösendorfer | wav | mp3 |
Multiple Mic Positions
Each of these pianos were sampled with three different mic positions (see picture) allowing you to mix together any combination of mics "using the interface" for the ultimate in real-time tone and ambiance control. This feature enables users to customize the sound of each piano to their own requirements.
Please note: while most computers suitable for running professional music software will run one of the mic positions (what you typically get with other piano libraries), you may need a more advanced system to have all options available.
EW/QL Pianos: Sampling Session (click to magnify)
Platforms and Hosts
Summary
PLAY isn't just a sampler, the PLAY SYSTEM is a professional fully integrated sample playback software solution for those with the most demanding production requirements
