A free sample library of a real Steinway B-211 from 1960.
Probably the only realistic sample library I've ever made.
Preview of the sample library available on SoundCloud:
I started developing this SoundFont in 2014 after I finished working on Keppy's Steinway Piano, since I wasn't really happy about how the latter turned out.
I wanted a SoundFont that felt like a real piano, with real dynamics and the classic earpiercing high keys, and while searching for a candidate to record key by key, I found an old B-211 from 1960 in a local store. I immediately fell in love with it.
I asked the seller if I could rent the piano for a few hours inside the store's soundproofed room, and he said he was okay with it.
Using my trustworthy TASCAM DR-40, I recorded each sample by hand, from first to last key (88 keys in total), and the job took me about 5 to 6 hours. It's been so long since I did that, so I don't how much it took exactly.
The first iterations of the presets weren't that great, it became VST-like only in version V2.0 and latter.
I just want a ready-to-use sample library, without having to add fancypants effects to it. Is this project good for me?
This soundfont has been made to give professional users a 360° field of view on B-211's sound, which they can tweak as they desire. The user has the ability to control their timbre by adding their own effects.
If you want something with pre-applied effects, I suggest you check out Steinway D-274
The SoundFont sounds muffled when playing Black MIDIs, how can I fix this?
If you're using Steinway B-211 V1.8 or older, then yes those aren't meant to play Black MIDIs. But V2.0 and newer have been tweaked carefully, and should be able to play them.
I really like your SoundFont! How can I share it with others?
It's really easy actually, here's a few examples of what you CAN do:
- Create a link which redirects to the project's (This) page.
- Embed the project's page as an IFRAME in your website.
Here's a few examples of what you CAN'T do:
- Share a direct download link in your page.
- Host the project in your own website without my permissions.
Can I create a modified SoundFont based on yours?
Sure you can, but there are some caveats.
- I am ALLOWED to take your project down at any given time. You MUST take it down once you receive the notice.
- You MUST credit me at all time in your version of my SoundFont.
- You MUST NOT remove my name from the original presets' comments, if you're going to use them.
- You MUST give me full read/write access to your project.
- Sampled from a real Steinway B-211 from 1960.
- High quality 16-bit WAV samples, with a bitrate of 1536kbps.
- 128 velocity layers, each with dynamic filtering system, to make it feel as real as possible.
- Can be easily edited with a text editor program, like Notepad++ or Visual Studio Code.
- If you want to publish it on your website, you can embed the page through an '<iframe>' tag or by inserting a direct link to this page. Please don't use direct download links.
- Please don't implement these samples in your personal soundfonts.
This project is beefy, and my puny website isn't able to host it, so I moved it to GitHub.
Have fun.
~ Keppy (BreezyAF)