Ezkeys Grand Piano Free Download PORTABLE
Roxann Monier
Raw Tweaks:
A true bypass preset that represents what the piano sounded like from the raw recording. Also, in this preset, you can adjust the level of hammer, sustain pedal and releases as well as detune the piano
This first EZkeys release focuses exclusively on the grand piano - specifically, a 600MB sampled version of the much-loved Steinway Model D. It also comes with a sizeable collection of MIDI files, plus a player that you can load these (and your own MIDI files) into. That, in a nutshell, is it, but the software does have some rather clever tricks up its sleeve.
No-one's going to choose this piano over the gazillion others on the market on the strength of its tone: the software will stand or fall on the quality and flexibility of its MIDI file content. Fortunately, EZkeys scores pretty well in this area.
While the parts are well-played and reasonably diverse, they're heavily 'songwriter' orientated - great if you're working on material for Adele's next album, but probably not for you if you're looking for the next iconic house piano riff.
These files can be dragged and dropped into the timeline-style Song Track at the bottom of the display, so it's possible to string together a complete piano track (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, outro) in double-quick time. Phrases can be copied/pasted, split and merged in standard sequencer fashion, and completed tracks can be exported or dragged into your DAW.
You can transpose song parts, too, though there's no piano roll for note-by-note editing. Your own MIDI files can also be imported by adding folders to EZkeys' browser, enabling you to adjust the key in a similar way.
In many respects, EZkeys feels slick and polished, though in these days of intelligent, time-saving file searching, the strictly hierarchical MIDI browser does feel a little old-hat (you often sense that you're taking a click or two more than you should to get to where you want). What's more, we're a little disappointed that all you get is a grand piano: if an electric piano, Clavinet and organ (plus suitable MIDI files) were included as well, it'd be easier to justify EZkeys' price tag.
When it comes to top-notch virtual drum instruments, Toontrack's Superior Drummer 2.0 is right up there, and offers a wide variety of both drum-kit expansion packs and MIDI performance packs in a range of different musical styles. If you can afford the price of entry, you have all the tools you need to create first-class drum tracks. More recently, Toontrack have been branching out from their drum-based roots, and the latest offering is EZKeys, a virtual piano instrument for both Mac and PC. Given just how good SD 2.0 is, EZKeys has a lot to live up to. Does it hit the right note?
Like SD 2.0, you can purchase the EZKeys engine with one set of sounds and then add further sounds as expansion packs at a reduced price. For the purposes of the review, I was supplied with the two options currently available: a Grand piano and an Upright. I suspect that Toontrack will add to these possibilities over time. I installed both from downloads (each at just over 420MB), and the online authorisation was very straightforward.
While the graphics change to reflect whether a Grand or Upright sound is selected, the key elements of the user interface remain the same. You can pick which library/preset combination you require from the drop-down menus located at the top of the window and, if required, audition notes from the graphical keyboard (at different velocities depending upon where on the key you click). Aside from conventional piano sounds, the presets also include a few more weird and wonderful variants, courtesy of the built-in effects, so, for example, the Upright's 'Filter Sweep' preset is almost synth-like, demonstrating that the instrument is capable of more than just conventional piano sounds.
The graphics of both piano surfaces feature flip-top sections to access dynamics and tuning controls. These allow you to adjust the instrument's response to MIDI velocity, to suit your MIDI keyboard or playing style, and to adjust the global tuning. Three footpedals are supported, namely Sustain, Sostenuto and Soft, for those with a full complement. My humble sustain pedal worked just fine via my master MIDI keyboard.
As ought to be the case, the Grand and Upright have distinctly different sounds, so there is clearly value in having both. And, even exposed in a sparse mix, the quality of the sounds stands up to very close inspection. I'd have absolutely no reservations about using either piano in a commercial context. And while the world is not short of excellent virtual pianos, both EZKeys instruments strike me as being worth the price of entry just for the sampled piano sounds.
I suspect that competent piano players might not feel the need for these compositional tools but, if like me, piano is not your first instrument, EZKeys has a lot of potential. Just as SD 2.0 can with drum performances, EZKeys will allow you to create utterly convincing song-based piano parts with a minimum of fuss. This is the most fun I've had with a virtual instrument in years.
I'm not sure there is anything that quite matches the feature set of EZKeys, but if you want top-notch sampled pianos, the Steinway Concert Grand, NI's various Concert Grands (all for Kontakt), the Synthology Ivory series and VSL Instruments Imperial series provide alternatives at a range of prices.
A wide range of exceptionally expressive and realistic piano and keyboard sounds will appeal to players of any caliber. Whether you want a songwriting assistant or a flexible piano instrument that can adapt to your personal workflow, EZkeys software is a powerful solution.
EZkeys is a revolutionary plugin and stand alone instrument that combines a world-class piano player, songwriting partner, arranger and a meticulously sampled instrument - all in one package! Aside from breathtakingly rich tonal qualities, EZkeys allows the user unlimited creativity through its groundbreaking functionality.
Timeless sounds - EZkeys Grand Piano comes with a Steinway and Sons model D grand piano, sampled to perfection in a world-class recording studio using only the best of the best in vintage and modern recording gear. The model D grand piano is the undisputed industry standard among performers and producers worldwide and has over the past century and half had an overwhelming amount of musical history and heritage created on it. The sounds were mixed to sit perfectly in a production environment without any additional tweaking. There is also a selection of ready-made and user controllable presets available, making your sound options seem almost endless.
Cinematic Grand is available as a first purchase, with the EZkeys player included, or as an Expansion Pack for anyone who already has the EZkeys player from another bundle. It makes a great bedfellow with other EZkeys titles, which are what you might call more traditionally pianistic or electric-piano in character.
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