Awesome Piano: Delving into the World of Detuned Harmonies
In a world where perfection often becomes dull, instruments that break the rules emerge. Awesome Piano from Digital Systemic Emulations is precisely such an instrument – it’s not just a sampled piano; it’s a portal into a dimension of detuned harmonies and unique sound textures. Forget about the crystal-clear sounds of standard grand pianos. Prepare to encounter an instrument with a soul, a history, and an inherent imperfection that becomes its main advantage.
The History and Sound of a “Broken” Pleyel
At the heart of Awesome Piano lies a library of samples from a vintage Pleyel piano. But this isn’t a perfectly restored concert grand. It’s an instrument that has weathered time, acquired characteristic “wounds” – slight defects, noises, uneven sustain, and most importantly, natural dissonance. The developers at Digital Systemic Emulations meticulously recorded 1855 unique samples of this instrument, capturing every nuance of its unconventional sound. Each key press can produce a slightly different shade, creating a vibrant, unpredictable soundscape.
Dissonance as a Musical Element
The key feature of Awesome Piano is its dissonant nature. The strings of this piano are not perfectly tuned according to modern equal temperament. This means that even simple chords will sound unusual, with a slight tension arising from the consonance of uneven frequencies. The developers made a bold move: they slightly “aligned” the overall tuning to make the plugin usable with other instruments in a mix without creating complete chaos, but at the same time, they preserved the very charm of dissonance that makes it unique. This controlled disorder provides composers with a powerful tool for creating atmospheric, tense, or simply unusual music.
Technical Specifications and Availability
Technically, Awesome Piano is an efficient tool. The sample library is about 30 MB in .wav format (48 Khz, 16 bits), making it extremely lightweight compared to many other sampled pianos, which can take up gigabytes of disk space. This allows the plugin to load quickly and efficiently use computer resources, even in complex projects.
The plugin is available in the most popular formats:
- VST (for Windows 32/64-bit and macOS)
- AU (for macOS)
This ensures wide compatibility with most modern digital audio workstations (DAWs).
Areas of Application and Inspiration
Awesome Piano is an ideal choice for:
- Composers of film and game music, especially for scenes that require tension, mystery, or melancholy.
- Musicians working in the genres of ambient, dark ambient, noise, experimental electronics, and lo-fi.
- Producers looking for unique textures to add to their tracks, regardless of genre.
- Sound designers who need authentic, “live” sounds of an old piano.
Using Awesome Piano can be the starting point for entirely new musical ideas. Try playing simple melodies – the dissonance will add unexpected depth to them. Apply reverb – and you’ll get eerie atmospheric pads. Combine it with other instruments – and you’ll discover new sound worlds.
Conclusion
Awesome Piano is more than just a plugin. It’s character, it’s history, it’s a challenge to the ordinary. If you’re ready to go beyond the standard piano sound and add something truly unique and atmospheric to your music, this instrument will be a valuable addition to your collection of VST instruments.
