Piano Reviews: Native Instruments’ Alicia’s Keys Virtual Piano

Striking the perfect balance between soul and R&B, a new music software is about to change the way you think about computer audio and music software.

Created together with award winning artist Alicia Key, Native Instruments’ Alicia’s Keys Piano brings Alicia Keys’ very own sound much closer. This new software recreates Keys’ personal Yamaha C3 Neo grand piano. The creation of the music software is a partnership between popular keyboard software developer Thomas Scarbee and Alicia Keys herself. . Finishing the project within two years, Native Instrument has finally captured the unique Alicia Keys sound.

Using nothing but the best vintage microphones and high-end outboard studio gear, this new sampled grand is not an everyday instrument. But despite that, it has several strong features as well as a great tone with everything at a very affordable price.

This new music software utilizes 17GB of high resolution samples paired with 12 discrete velocity layers per note. It has sophisticated emulation of crucial sonic aspects like key release, pedal sustain functionality and sympathetic resonance.

This virtual piano’s user interface has a complete control over the sound in order to let you adjust the software into a specific musical preference and playing style. On top of that, it also includes studio-quality convolution reverb that gives you several authentic room ambience from small piano chamber to a large concert hall.

The actual Alicia Keys piano is a Yamaha C3, a member of the Neo limited edition series. The C3 is a six-foot grand, which means that its low register is less full and deep than on a nine-foot concert grand. Yamaha pianos are well known for their bright and in-your-face, the same characteristic is preserved in Alicia’s Keys.

The first time you try it, you will be greatly impressed with the realistic features of this particular music software. Its velocity response makes it very playable even when you are not as good as Alicia Keys thanks to its keyboard that responds well as it should.

Aside from its built-in convolution reverb, it also has a standard DSP reverb that gives you the option if you are running on a slower computer. But even without the reverb, the pianos’ natural ambience is remarkable. Perhaps because it underwent meticulous tuning each unison has the right amount of microscopic tuning, making the tone of the choruses flawless, just like a real piano.

Alicia’s Keys is ideal for a pop ballad sound, richer and more up-front than the Yamaha C7 or the German Steinway. It is by far the most inviting to play and the most flexible to use compared to any other piano samples and virtual pianos.

With Alicia’s Keys, you can make music out of sheer inspiration. Evoke deep emotions with every note. Get Native Instrument’s Alicia’s Keys Virtual Piano today!

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