0:00 - Intro
4:36 - Plugin Walkthroughs
22:50 - Ivy Audio Grand
25:53 - Steinway Grand (Included with Logic)
29:17 - Yamaha Grand (included with Logic)
31:47 - Cinepiano
34:16 - Garritan CFX
36:54 - VSL Synchron Pianos CFX
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#Piano #VST #Plugin
Greetings! Welcome to the Merriam Pianos YouTube channel. We’re doubling back to our VST exploration series here and adding another entry. Specifically, we’re going to look at how some of the top free VST’s available out there compare to VST’s that cost money, and sometimes, quite a bit of money.
Specifically, we’ll compare three free sample-based plugins to three sample-based plugins of various price points, before laying down a MIDI track and hearing how the track sounds with each of the 6 plugins.
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Background
The challenge we encountered right away with trying to find some good free plugins to sample was a lack of compatibility with DAW software, which isn’t surprising given that these plugins are in fact free.
That said, after a bit of digging we were able to find some well-reviewed free plugins with good compatibility.
Free VST’s
Ivy Audio
This free VST offers controls over some effects, MIDI assignment controls, polyphony, tuning and transpose.
It’s obvious right away that this is an 88 note individually sampled sound engine given the differences in character from note to note (some notes aren’t even in tune.)
It’s quite authentic and realistic sounding - totally appropriate tonally for blues or rock playing. Now, it’s clear that there aren’t many sample layers here resulting in some clumsy sample stepping.
Usable? With some tweaking, for sure.
Steinway Grand (Logic Sample)
Right away, it seems as though this plugin only has a single sample layer - the character remains the same regardless of dynamic level.
There’s just not very much depth to the piano sound here, but, for a free sample, it’s certainly not a bad piano sound by any means.
Yamaha Grand (Logic Sample)
Definitely a better sample than the Steinway sample, but again, there’s very limited tonal variation as you move through different dynamic ranges.
Again, this sample is lacking in depth, but still usable, especially when you consider the fact that it’s free.
Paid VST’s
Cinepiano
This is an easy to use plugin that costs around $150 USD. There’s a fair bit of control of various parameters to help you in shaping the sound.
It’s apparent right away that this plugin is delivering a substantial upgrade in several areas over the free plugins. For one, the piano was recorded in a high-end studio, and the beautiful reverb and ambience really shine through to the sample.
The quality of the sample, number of sample layers, and overall fidelity of the sample is simply considerably better than the free plugins.
Garritan CFX
A step up from Cinepiano, the Garritan CFX runs $200 USD currently. Recorded in the UK’s legendary Abbey Road studios, the dynamic and tonal range of this sample is expansive.
The depth and richness here furthers the gap between the free VST’s and the paid ones.
Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron (Yamaha CFX)
VSL Synchron delivers what is probably the largest sample sets out there, and the price reflects this - even their basic package of a single piano starts over $300 USD.
The complexity and delacy of the detail is stunning, This is one of our favorite VST’s available.
Summary
The free samples might be giving everything you need, depending on your use case. But for many, the substantial depth of subtly and nuance the paid VST’s deliver, will be more than worth the cost, especially for major projects.
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