PavlovsCat

Hmmm...I'm wondering if these deals are a result of 8Dio working on their Black Friday sale and I'm unintentionally scoping them, which would normally be something Larry would do! I'll update my original post. I just saw a thread someone did for a Sonuscore flash sale that's not free, but a fantastic deal, and I think I'm going to pull the trigger on IK's B-3X. We're only at the end of the first week of November and the deals are killer.

The beta version. It would suck to buy the paid version and find the problem still exists, because it makes the plugin unusable for me.

Wow, I have a couple of those and they're very nice. This is a fantastic deal!

Haha! I mentioned Hammersmith FREE in the original post in this thread and recommended that anyone who didn't already download it do so. To answer your question why there's not a similar thread about Hammersmith FREE; it's been around for years and unless there's some big news about it or a sale on Hammersmith Pro, it's not really newsworthy. FTR, Hammersmith FREE is on the top of the two threads/lists of free sample libraries that I maintain on this forum for the piano sample library category. I give it my highest recommendation and, like you, I love the sound. So why is 8Dio giving away this piano free newsworthy? The library retails at $249 USD and the cheapest I recall seeing it for was probably $49 USD. Second, it sounds excellent. While the Hammersmith and the 8Dio piano are both Steinway D models, the Hammersmith library is a more recent model and the 8Dio piano is a 1928 Model D. They sound different. If you prefer the SonicCouture, that's great. But I have a collection of piano sample libraries that each has something special about them. Having a favorite grand piano sample library doesn't mean that I don't want other options. My favorite grand piano library is NI's Noire. It's my go to. But I also love the sound of Embertone's 1955 Walker D and the 8Dio 1928 Scoring Grand. All of those pianos are all Steinway Ds, yet they all sound a bit different, which can be attributed to their being made in different eras and the strings and other components aging differently (I believe the 1928 Scoring Grand has the original strings, which of course, results in a different timbre than even the same year and model piano with newer strings or strings that were in different environments). So each piano has its own unique character and, of course, the room each piano was recorded in and the mic and gear used to record it are also factors that make each library unique. If we look at the technical, sampling side of things, Hammersmith FREE is a cut-down version of the paid Pro library. The Free version doesn't have sustain pedal samples, only pedal up samples. It doesn't have multiple mic positions. It doesn't have round-robin samples but uses scripting. Whereas the 8Dio piano has two mic positions, extensive velocity layers (I think there's 11 layers) , extensive round-robin samples, some very nice convolution reverb IRs, around 2 dozen presets (I always appreciate when a library has great factory presets/snapshots)... It is a full-featured, premium, deep sampled KONTAKT piano library, not a cut-down free version of a premium sample library. There simply isn't premium piano library with this quality and similar specifications for KONTAKT that is free anywhere. That's why I think this is a straight up BFD.

If that reverse library they did ever came down in price, I would definitely want to pick that up. There's something about reversed/backward samples that really appeals to me, and based on the demos I've heard, Output has done a fantastic job.

I'm conflicted on this because I still find that Goyo emits this white noise-type sounds when vocals hits certain pitches. I reported it, but never heard back.

The Wursy was part of a deal they had for $5USD at PluginBoutique in the past, but they didn't have any demos of it so you could hear what it sounds like. When I finally did hear what it sounded like, the deal was over. But for $45 USD, there are, IMO, better alternatives for Wurlis/reed electric pianos than what Sampleson offers. They're pretty good, but I think sample libraries and Arturia does reed electric pianos better.

No this KONTAKT library has never been free before. As I wrote in an earlier post, I believe that the lowest sale price I can recall seeing was probably $49 USD. There is a SoundPaint version of the piano for free and I highly recommend getting that too. But, as I explained, there is just something special about the way this piano sounds in KONTAKT version that I love. The SoundPaint version lets me do things with effects, sound design and the arpeggiator that I can't do in KONTAKT. But I don't know what it is, maybe it's the convolution reverbs and presets in KONTAKT, that makes me love this version of the piano. It's simply a very high end, superb KONTAKT grand piano library, and if you're a KONTAKT (full version) user, I think this is one of the best freebies I've ever known of for KONTAKT.

Funny, I was going to 8Dio's site to see if their upright piano was on sale when I stumbled across this deal. The upright is on sale for $49 USD, and I'm almost certain that I'm going to buy it, because I've been watching it for most of the year and this is the best price I've seen, but seeing the Steinway grand piano for free surprised me. Sheesh, if 8Dio asked me for advice on a promotion, for a hot take, I might have said something like, price it at $29 USD (yes, I'm thinking of Waves sale pricing) , but free, that's a BFD!!! And hopefully, this isn't an error or an accidental early release of a BF deal that I've unintentionally spoiled. If it is, 8Dio, please accept my apology! But I was too excited and had to share it before cclarry beat me to it! This was the piano library I was interested in buying when I came across the Steinway Grand Piano for free and got distracted: https://8dio.com/products/1901-upright-studio-piano-for-kontakt-vst-au-aax-samples?variant=41309878354120

I "bought it" (for free) on my phone with no problems. But I have a Samsung (Android). Try 8Dio's support. Hopefully, this wasn't a pricing error.

It is, but there's something about the KONTAKT format that I really love for pianos. If you have full KONTAKT, I'd say, get this, install it, listen for yourself and report back here. That said, SoundPaint does let you do amazing programming and sound design work with ease that goes far beyond KONTAKT-- and I'm a huge fan. I've heard developers describe SoundPaint as a blend of kind of a hybrid next-generation Omnisphere and KONTAKT. There's a ton more you can do with a library in SoundPaint than KONTAKT . And maybe it's just me. But I think it's worth having both with the SoundPaint version used for effects, layering and sound design, and the KONTAKT version for a straight piano. I don't know if it's because of the way the layering/transitions or exactly what it is. Anyhow, the fact that you can pick it up free makes this a no brainer. Of course, they're giving the SoundPaint version away free to entice people into trying out the SoundPaint sampler/ ecosystem, and I'd strongly recommend doing that too.

I'm not aware of any issues with it. I'll let others weigh in.

8Dio just put their 1928 Steinway Grand Piano for KONTAKT, normally $249 USD, on sale for $0 / FREE! I find this the best quality, full-featured, deep sampled piano sample library for KONTAKT available for free anywhere. I do not know how long this deal will last. It's not labeled as a Black Friday sale, but I'm guessing that's what it is part of. First, I'm friends with 8Dio's CEO and we were texting yesterday and she mentioned that the team was working on their Black Friday sale, but she didn't tell me any specifics of what will be on sale and this sale wasn't referred to as a Black Friday sale on 8Dio's website, so I'm not exactly sure how long this deal will last. FTR, I'm not doing this as any kind of favor, I'm sincerely blown away at 8Dio offering this piano library for free because it's a premium quality piano sample library and I am very aware of other free piano libraries for KONTAKT -- I maintain two threads on this forum containing lists of my picks for the best free sample libraries -- and no other developer I know of is offering a highly detailed, full-featured KONTAKT grand piano sample library at this level for free. No one. The piano is also available in the SoundPaint format for free too. But it's never been available for free for KONTAKT before and I've contemplated buying it before coming across this today. IMO, the highest quality free piano sample library for KONTAKT available prior to this was SonicCouture's* Hammersmith Free, which is a cut-down version of their full grand piano library (it's superb, BTW and I highly recommend getting it too). But this is a full-featured KONTAKT piano library. It's on another level from the free piano sample libraries I recommend in my two lists on this forum. You simply can't find another piano library for KONTAKT with this level of quality and detail for free. It has 11,095 samples, two mic positions (close and player), more than 40 convolution reverbs and 23 presets. Its normal price is $249 USD and I don't know what the lowest sale price they've sold it for was, but I'm guessing it was something like $49-$79 USD from memory. FROM 8Dio's website: MICROPHONE OPTIONS The 1928 Scoring Piano contains over 11,000 samples and two different microphone perspectives, including a Close Microphone and Player Microphone, which was a mix of 8 Neumann Microphones run through a NEVE console. The close position consists of microphones close to the soundboard of the piano, highly intimate and with a clear sensation of the resonance. PIANO BLENDING OPTION The 1928 Scoring Piano contains a variety of custom piano morph options, so you can blend the piano with a selection of instruments and create completely new instruments with a single click. The instruments you can blend include Guitars, Caisa, Marimba, Rhodes, Crotales, Bowed Percussion, Glass Marima, and Glockenspiel. ARTICULATIONS The 1928 Scoring Piano is the first ever to have round-robin based sustains and round-robin based staccatos in combination. The round-robin sustains allow you to get a hyper-natural variation in the sound, even when playing slow and with the pedal down. The staccatos were recorded separately, since the attack of a short note on a piano differs from a sustain. FEATURES Deep-Sampled 1928 Legacy Scoring Grand Piano 2 Microphone Positions (Close/Internal & Ambient/Player Perspective) Round Robin Sustains (X 3 Round Robin Pr. Note & Velocity Layer) Round Robin Staccato (X 6 Round Robin Pr. Note & Velocity Layer) Advanced Release Triggers Pedal Noises And Pedal Noise Volume Control Custom Convolution Reverbs (+40) Bonus: 8 Piano Blending Options Several Custom Convolution Reverb(S) / Impulses 11,095 Samples 12 GB Installed 24 Bit / 44.1 KHz Stereo .NCW Compression Format Format(S): Kontakt / .NCW Compression NEW Superlative Presets (23) NEW Bonus: 8 Piano Blending Options OPTIONS: Uniquely Sampled Pedal Up And Pedal Down Live Keyswitch Pedal Volume Control Release Triggers Of Hammer Action Release Triggers (Time Based For Both Tail Of The Sound And The Immediate Resonant Buzz Associated With Damping A Piano String) https://8dio.com/products/1928-scoring-piano?variant=41309999792328 (FTR, I've provided consulting to around 3 dozen sample and plugin developers, including SonicCouture many years ago, but my consulting never involves my posts; I'm not an influencer and do not / would not hawk products for anyone; my posts reflect my opinions; if I like/love something, I post about it, but like to be transparent if I know a developer personally or have done some consulting in the past.)

I thought it would be valuable to have a thread with links to various sites with Black Friday sales lists. Please add any lists / links in your post. I'll start with the Bedroom Producer's Blog Black Friday List: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2023/11/06/black-friday-2023/?fbclid=IwAR3bePfyvQ-Q0flxDMYt4a2PLmLFBX7bCmnPsh1D0w67TKuJgifjvvVwU3s

Thanks for enabling my GAS, Craig and Vernon. It's so much more fun to blow my kids' inheritance a little at a time when I have my virtual forum pals to encourage me! 😜

Vernon, I took organ (piano and drum) lessons as a kid, but I have tendinitis and play terribly in my old age. But still, considering the deal on the IK Hammond B-3-X at JRR Shop and the "GROUP" discount brings it to only $33.59 USD, and your testimonial in this thread I think is breaking down my defenses. That price is too good to pass up.

Does anyone want to join me in a speed round of slogans and taglines for Waves? "Come for the free plugins, stay for the WUP!" "WUP the FUP?!" "A free can of WUP as* with every Waves plugin. " "WUP, the gift that never stops giving."* "WUP doesn't seem so bad now that you've seen we could go subscription-only overnight, does it? " * Waves gives you email and Waves Central WUP requests for more money with every plugin purchase.

That is what I thought. I just wanted to get ahead of anyone posting a code, which has historically happened with the Loopcloud offers. This forum is, IMO, the friendliest, most helpful group of people of any forum of its kind. It's my personal fav. But sometimes someone will share a code intended for paying subscribers, which is piracy, and group think can take over and before you know it, a crowd has justified piracy and I find that really disappointing. So, I just wanted to get ahead of that, before someone posted a code.

I realize you may not have been thinking it, but just for folks who are...Some folks here need to stop posting codes intended for subscribers. That is technically piracy as defined by the leading software association. It also violates this forum's anti-piracy policy. I realize this post won't get a lot of love for my stating that, but we need to draw the line at piracy.

It's like they say, you can't have enough WUP! Wait, nobody says that...

I second what Lemar wrote. If this was a permanent freebie, I'd put on my freebie list with my highest recommendation. Grab it while you can.

💯. I have Analog Lab Intro and when Play came out I meant to put in on the list, but I forgot about it! This is one of the many reasons it's important that this is a collaboration. Thanks! This will be the first entry where I use a date.

Thanks for the feedback, @augustenz and @alacantec. @alacantec regarding your suggestion to date entries, going back to the past ones would be tough and a bit arbitrary (I didn't write down the dates I listed everything). But I think your reasoning is so that you can better identify when I add new libraries, right? So I can easily add dates going forward. What do you think? One thing I did do today (during halftime watching an American football game!) was to put my highest rated libraries at the top of each instrument category. I thought it's another way to show what I feel are the best of the category right away, as I realize this list is getting pretty big.

I just added several sample libraries spanning multiple categories to the original post. The list is now at the point where I have so many libraries in certain categories that it can overwhelm people looking over the list. Consequently, I'd love to get your thoughts on how to improve the usability of the list. Do you think, where I have a great deal of instruments I give my highest recommendations that I should eliminate the libraries that don't get my highest ratings? For example, I have a lot of piano libraries. All of them are at least very good, but I have three that I find are exceptional: VSL Soft Imperial SoundPaint 1928 Vintage Grand Steinway SonicCouture Hammersmith FREE IMO, all of the above piano libraries are good enough to be paid instruments. While the Soft Imperial and Hammersmith libraries may lack the velocity layers of the paid libraries they were taken from, I still find they are better than many piano libraries I've paid for. In the case of the SoundPaint piano library, it appears to be at the same quality standard of the developer's paid piano libraries but is used as an enticement to get people to give the SoundPaint ecosystem a try. I would keep the piano libraries that offer something different. For example, The Death Piano is a prepared sample library and Heavyocity Foundations Piano offers sound design and arpeggiator functionality that differentiates it from other piano libraries and is significant enough to keep it on the list. Which of the following options would you prefer I do: (1) Refine my rating system. Instead of only putting stars on favorites, rate each library from 1-5. (2) In categories where there are what I consider superior libraries, eliminate the libraries that are good but don't offer anything different from the superior libraries. (3) Eliminate the libraries that are simply very good where superior alternatives exist and rate each library from 1-5. (4) Leave the list as it is.

Wow, I missed that. There has been some crazy good deals on effects this year. I've picked up effects I historically thought of as way out of my price range.