Montclarion Grand Piano

The Montclarion Hall Grand Piano is a classic Steinway 1926 parlor grand that resides in a renowned recording hall. Captured in wide stereo from three distinct microphone distances (internal, external/mid, and far/hall), this piano allows for custom and surround mixing, offering different ambient flavors. It has a crisp, solid tone ideal for classical composing, yet it works equally well for soul, jazz, rock, and pop. This 7+ GB library extends beyond a simple classical grand piano library by including a wide selection of extended "prepared piano" and creative FX articulations, such as percussive pounds, slams, string scrapes, steel guitar slides, mallet and pick glisses, sweeps, plucks, and more.

Originally released in 2010, the Montclarion Hall Piano was recorded in a steep A-framed long hall in the hills above Oakland, CA. It's a place that truly resonates with us, having captured Mars, Venus, Mercury, and the Apocalypse Percussion Ensemble, along with a whole host of former Tonehammer epic percussion and choral libraries in this space. The hall offers lush, rich, clear, well-defined, and balanced natural acoustic reflections. The combination of this magical room and the piano creates a holistic balance where the true instrument is both the piano and the hall together as one.

We recorded in wide stereo from three distances. The close microphone pair is ideal for more intimate scoring, the mid microphone is great for a larger acoustic live feel, and the far microphone has an incredibly dreamy texture. Additionally, we included a selection of live SFX ambiences, abstract atmospheres, and evolving soundscapes to accompany the piano in real-time, providing added inspiration.

We recorded sustains and release samples, as well as pedal SFX, bench, lid, and sheet music sounds. We then captured a variety of sweeps, scrapes, glisses, rumbles, and other effects. The piano was also "prepared" for special treatment, capturing three buzzy, resonant, and raw tuned string percussion sets. Finally, we engaged in a bare-handed 3-man ensemble percussion session at the piano's expense.

Key Features:

• Microphone Positions: Three distinct positions for custom and surround mixing (internal, external/mid, far/hall).
• Versatile Sound: Ideal for classical, soul, jazz, rock, and pop genres.
• Creative FX Articulations: Percussive pounds, slams, string scrapes, steel guitar slides, mallet and pick glisses, sweeps, plucks, and more.
• Advanced User Interface: Flexible controls with LFO, filter, glide, and arpeggiator.
• Custom Sound-Designed Presets: Includes ambiences, drones, special FX presets, and custom convolution reverb impulses.