BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano

Name: BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano
Price: 99 USD
Author: Spitfire Audio

by Spitfire Audio · Keys · Sampled concert grand piano

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BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano by Spitfire Audio

A Steinway Model D recorded at Maida Vale Studios, home of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, played by Elizabeth Burley and placed in concerto position to blend with an orchestra.

Core has one mix for $99; Professional adds two mixes and 15 signals for $189.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Acoustic Instruments. Genres: Ambient & Cinematic, Jazz, Acoustic & Classical.

Keywords: grand piano, sample-based, bright, film & game audio, cinematic, round-robin, simple, smooth, tight.

What it does

BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano is a Steinway Model D recorded in concerto position at Maida Vale Studios, the BBC Symphony Orchestra's home since 1934, and played by the orchestra's pianist Elizabeth Burley. The mic positions match the BBC Symphony Orchestra library, so the piano blends with it, but it also works on its own.

Sampling: six dynamic layers and four round robins per note, plus dedicated pedal-up and pedal-down performances.
Controls: reverb, tightness, hammer and pedal noise volume, and velocity curves with several shapes. With dynamics compression on, the mod wheel adjusts sensitivity.
Core edition: one curated mix (Mix 1).
Professional edition: two mixes and 15 signals in all, including close and hammer mics and ribbons, with a stereo width control for the close mics and either the full mixer or a simple close-far slider.
Mode switching: projects open across editions, so a session made in one edition loads in another.
Interface: a plugin interface designed by ustwo, the studio behind Monument Valley.

It is NKS ready. Students and educators get 40% off.

Source: Spitfire Audio product page

When to use it

BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano is the one to choose when the piano has to sit inside an orchestra, above all alongside BBC Symphony Orchestra, since it was recorded in the same hall with the same mic positions. Compared with Keyscape and Pianoteq 9, it is a single concert grand rather than a collection of models, and Pianoteq's modelling gives far more control over the instrument itself. Next to Originals Felt Piano it is a full, bright concert sound rather than a soft, close felt tone. Sound On Sound found it bright and open enough for pop as well as classical work, but the Core edition's single mix is limited, and the Professional edition is needed for close, dry sounds.

Best for: concerto-style and orchestral piano parts in film, TV and classical writing.
Genres: cinematic, classical and orchestral pop.
Look elsewhere if: you want many pianos or keyboards (Keyscape), deep editing of the instrument (Pianoteq 9) or an intimate felt sound (Originals Felt Piano).
Tip: several users say Core plays back quietly, so plan to add gain when balancing it against other instruments.

What producers say

Critics rate it highly for its smooth, natural sound, while some Core buyers find it quiet and too limited.

Sound On Sound gave it 5 out of 5, praising "imperceptible transitions" between its six dynamic layers and a bright, open tone that softens nicely at low velocity.
Trustpilot buyers rate Core 4.0 out of 5 from 32 reviews, praising the sound and its fit with BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Criticisms: buyers report a very quiet output level, soft playing that changes little from medium dynamics, reverb that remains with the control at zero, and a Core edition one user called "more like a demo version".

Where to buy

Spitfire Audio: $99 (Core edition: one curated mix, about 2.8GB)
Spitfire Audio: $99 (Professional edition: two mixes and 15 signals, about 35GB)

Tutorials and reviews

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