VLS's Beautiful FREE Piano Library

[PavlovsCat]

I realize that this is not new, but just in case anyone else like me, couldn't get Vienna Symphonic Library's player plugin to work on their system, I just ran an update last night and used it for the first time. There are several free libraries, but the piano library, the Soft Imperial,  Bösendorfer Imperial blew me away. I am in love with the tone of this instrument. I have no idea how many layers it has or round robins -- when I played a single note very quickly, I did not notice any machine gunning. I think this is my clear favorite free piano and I have dozens. 

And a short related note. There was a thread at VI Control a few years ago where I made a post to the developer behind VSL and suggested that while I wasn't arguing his use of a dongle requirement for his paid libraries, I had argued that the dongle requirement for FREE libraries, like this one, was a misttake, because, as it's free there should be no concern of anti-piracy measures and it's very unlikely that a prospective customer would purchase a VSL dongle merely to try out their freebies. The guy responded very rudely and arrogantly. So I always thought, this isn't someone I would ever want to deal with. But years passed, VSL stopped requiring the use of a paid dongle for their freebies and Guy Bacos, who I'm connected to on FB, had done a demo and video for VSL and I thought I'd give them a shot in spite of the bad behavior of VSL's owner. However, the app wouldn't load libraries  until the update last night. So, yeah, a few years after my bad experience with the dev, I can get over it and I would be okay buying a VSL library, especially after using this freebie piano. 

There are several other free orchestral free libraries, but I thought piano would appeal to most of us here. I'll update this thread a bit later with recommendations for other recommendation worthy free pianos that run in free players  and invite others to share their favorites. 

https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Product_Overview/Free_Instruments

Edited October 28, 2022 by PavlovsCat

[Starship Krupa]

1 hour ago, PavlovsCat said:

I think this is my clear favorite free piano and I have dozens.

I presume you have MSoundFactory Player and Monastery Grand. I'd have to say that it's my favorite free piano. I too have tried many free pianos.

Not my favorite piano period, that honor must go to the Meldway Grand that comes with MSoundFactory(LE).

Soundpaint comes with a cool sampled Steinway. Check it out if you haven't already.

[Craig Fowler]

*All* the free VSL libraries are well worth having. So are all the paid ones I've got, but that's another story.

Their support has always been excellent, btw - When it comes to getting a refund on a library you decide isn't for you, they're very responsive and easy to deal with.

[Patrick Derbidge]

2 hours ago, PavlovsCat said:

I realize that this is not new, but just in case anyone else like me, couldn't get Vienna Symphonic Library's player plugin to work on their system, I just ran an update last night and used it for the first time. There are several free libraries, but the piano library, the Soft Imperial,  Bösendorfer Imperial blew me away. I am in love with the tone of this instrument. I have no idea how many layers it has or round robins -- when I played a single note very quickly, I did not notice any machine gunning. I think this is my clear favorite free piano and I have dozens. 

And a short related note. There was a thread at VI Control a few years ago where I made a post to the developer behind VSL and suggested that while I wasn't arguing his use of a dongle requirement for his paid libraries, I had argued that the dongle requirement for FREE libraries, like this one, was a misttake, because, as it's free there should be no concern of anti-piracy measures and it's very unlikely that a prospective customer would purchase a VSL dongle merely to try out their freebies. The guy responded very rudely and arrogantly. So I always thought, this isn't someone I would ever want to deal with. But years passed, VSL stopped requiring the use of a paid dongle for their freebies and Guy Bacos, who I'm connected to on FB, had done a demo and video for VSL and I thought I'd give them a shot in spite of the bad behavior of VSL's owner. However, the app wouldn't load libraries  until the update last night. So, yeah, a few years after my bad experience with the dev, I can get over it and I would be okay buying a VSL library, especially after using this freebie piano. 

There are several other free orchestral free libraries, but I thought piano would appeal to most of us here. I'll update this thread a bit later with recommendations for other recommendation worthy free pianos that run in free players  and invite others to share their favorites. 

https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Product_Overview/Free_Instruments

Thanks for making me aware of this. I had no idea they had "undongled" their freebies. I'll give it a try. Not to derail, but I've also seen Spitfire also act churlish to those who dared give constructive feedback. Nevertheless, they have good libraries and I still own some of them, so VSL isn't the only one. If devs want an example of how they should act towards customers, they should observe Paalo from Fluffy Audio. I've seen him take some very harsh criticism with complete grace. I'm always impressed with how humble he is.

[PavlovsCat]

1 hour ago, Patrick Derbidge said:

Thanks for making me aware of this. I had no idea they had "undongled" their freebies. I'll give it a try. Not to derail, but I've also seen Spitfire also act churlish to those who dared give constructive feedback. Nevertheless, they have good libraries and I still own some of them, so VSL isn't the only one. If devs want an example of how they should act towards customers, they should observe Paalo from Fluffy Audio. I've seen him take some very harsh criticism with complete grace. I'm always impressed with how humble he is.

It's funny you mentioned  Spitfire, as I was holding back from sharing a similar story about them. Your observations are spot on, in my experience. I've made friends with a bunch of developers over the years, learned which are arrogant and which are decent human beings and also learned  about some flat out unethical developers (no names, of course and I'm certainly not saying  VSL or Spitfire are anything beyond arrogant). All of it makes me more grateful for the ethical, decent  and kind developers, as you pointed out with Paalo,  who I don't really know, but I'm a customer and observed how graciously he's handled criticism over at VI Control and have been impressed by his humility. 

Edited October 29, 2022 by PavlovsCat

[PavlovsCat]

4 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

I presume you have MSoundFactory Player and Monastery Grand. I'd have to say that it's my favorite free piano. I too have tried many free pianos.

Not my favorite piano period, that honor must go to the Meldway Grand that comes with MSoundFactory(LE).

Soundpaint comes with a cool sampled Steinway. Check it out if you haven't already.

I had MSoundFactory Player but deleted it. I'll download it again and give it another try. I do have SoundPaint and a bunch of their libraries, as they're so inexpensive, it was easy to give them a shot. But to be frank, I am not blown away by any of their libraries, but I'm having fun making my own SoundPaint patches/programs. 

[Simeon Amburgey]

I’ll just leave this here 🤓

Let's Play The FREE Soft Imperial From Vienna Symphonic Library

 

[PavlovsCat]

26 minutes ago, Simeon Amburgey said:

I’ll just leave this here 🤓

Let's Play The FREE Soft Imperial From Vienna Symphonic Library

 

Thanks, It's now very apparent  that my copy of the library came with a terrible pianist and yours came with a talented one. Sad.  Haha! 

[Christian Jones]

32 minutes ago, Simeon Amburgey said:

I’ll just leave this here 🤓

Let's Play The FREE Soft Imperial From Vienna Symphonic Library

 

Simeon, remember way back when I asked you--pressed you--for what your favorite piano vst was/is? You wouldn't budge. I even said what if someone had a gun to your head to choose a favorite and you.. well you responded with this emoticon 💥 lol. But since you're here figured I'd try you again. What's that favorite piano vst over there bud? I know one popped up in your mind when you read this🤔

Edited October 29, 2022 by Christian Jones
?

[PavlovsCat]

I promised to update this thread with other completely free piano libraries with free players that I love.  The Hammersmith Free is really nice grand piano.  I seem to recall Simeon doing a video for it soon after its release. If anyone doesn't already have this one, get it! 

https://www.soniccouture.com/en/products/p322-hammersmith-free/

Edited October 29, 2022 by PavlovsCat

[PavlovsCat]

The Heavyocity Foundations series of free instruments all in the free KONTAKT Player are all wonderful and absolutely worth having. Their soft piano  has a lot of character. I love playing it. 

https://heavyocity.com/product/foundations-piano/
 

[Simeon Amburgey]

8 hours ago, Christian Jones said:

Simeon, remember way back when I asked you--pressed you--for what your favorite piano vst was/is? You wouldn't budge. I even said what if someone had a gun to your head to choose a favorite and you.. well you responded with this emoticon 💥 lol. But since you're here figured I'd try you again. What's that favorite piano vst over there bud? I know one popped up in your mind when you read this🤔

Good morning Christian,
I am still trying to get that definitive list together but each time I do someone releases another piano 😂 I think piano libraries are so subjective as what inspires me might not do the same for others or I might not like something that others are raving about.

Not to go off topic too much but I usually pull up Keyscape many times when first starting an arrangement if it is more upbeat, jazzy, etc. It seems to sit right in the mix without having to do a lot up front. I am not a fan however of their approach to key releases, the sound sort of gets cut off, I need to look into this more.

Now back to VSL, I find that I go to the 280VC, the Steinway 274, or the Imperial when working more orchestrally as they have the spacious, larger than life sound. The 280vc is drier which works well. Sometimes, however the 280vc can sound harsh at times so you have to be mindful of mic positions, EQ, and such.

The Free Soft Imperial is very specific in that it plays like a cloud without the need to include the higher velocity layers to achieve a characteristic sound. This is similar to Spitfire’s approach with Intimate Grand Piano, not focused on the FFF but rather the emotional ppp. This approach was to create an alternative to all of the “felted” pianos out there.

So, we are getting closer. 🤓
 

The countdown continues.
Joyfully,
Simeon

 

[Peter Hintze]

I also realized a couple of weeks ago, that the VSL free piano is the best and most playable free piano i know!  even better than the paid ones i have.

There are also a some nice pianos on Pianobook, if you take the time to browse throught all of them..

"Sol's Piano" is a nice one for eample, or the "Woodland Piano".

Edited October 29, 2022 by Peter Hintze