Nisui Upright Piano
by Battersea Audio · Keys · Lo-fi upright piano
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Nisui is an "experimental piano": a Yamaha U3 upright recorded through a vintage processing chain, with 25 variations from a clean upright to tape, VHS and chopped-up experimental patches.
It has noise layers, detune, chorus and phaser built in, supports NKS, and costs £40 on sale (about $53), normally £50.
Best for: Keys & Synths. Genres: Lo-Fi, Ambient & Cinematic, Hip-Hop & Trap.
Keywords: upright piano, lo-fi, experimental, vintage, clean, intimate, perpetual licence, cinematic, classic, film & game audio, standalone app, warm.
What it does
Nisui is Battersea Audio's "experimental piano": a Yamaha U3 upright recorded with a pair of AKG C414 microphones through a vintage processing chain, for a warm, close and detailed sound. The aim, the developer says, was to experiment while keeping a solid, usable piano that stays true to the U3. Native Instruments describes it as more like a well-recorded piano in a home than a studio grand.
- The piano: a classic Yamaha U3 upright, captured close with two C414s and run through vintage processing.
- 25 variations: collated patches from a clean upright to tape and VHS-style sounds and chopped-up experimental patches that treat the piano more like a synth.
- Noise and releases: optional POLYGRADE noise layers and release triggers add dusty imperfections, or can be left out for a cleaner tone.
- Ooze and Speed: two detune controls for a drifting, out-of-tune character.
- Spread: voice panning that spreads the notes across the stereo field.
- Dynamics and effects: dynamic controls plus a phaser and a rich chorus for wider, more synth-like sounds.
- NKS: full NKS support (Battersea is an NI NKS partner) and full MIDI automation.
Nisui first came out in 2025 and has since been re-issued as Battersea's own plugin, which also runs standalone. It has a perpetual license with lifetime updates and is sold alone or in the Complete Battersea Bundle.
Source: Battersea Audio product page
When to use it
Nisui is a character piano, not a realistic one: one upright with the lo-fi treatment built in, and presets that move from a clean upright into tape and VHS textures and synth-like patches. Compared with the Modern Upright in Addictive Keys, it gives up microphone mixing and deep editing for ready-made dusty, detuned tones. Spitfire's Originals Felt Piano covers a similar soft, intimate mood but stays cleaner, while Nisui adds noise layers, Ooze/Speed detune, chorus and phaser. For a clean, expressive studio or concert piano, Pianoteq 9 or Keyscape go far deeper.
- Best for: lo-fi and beat-tape piano parts, intimate piano for film and ambient music, and wobbly, tape-worn chords that sit behind a vocal.
- Genres: lo-fi hip-hop, ambient and cinematic, indie and bedroom pop.
- Look elsewhere if: you want a realistic, fully editable acoustic piano (Pianoteq 9, Keyscape, Addictive Keys) or a softer, cleaner felt piano (Originals Felt Piano).
Where to buy
- Battersea Audio: $40 (regular $50) (£40 converted to USD (ECB rate, 29 Sep 2026))
Tutorials and reviews
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