Vienna Synchron Bluthner 1895 Full Library

Full Library    

• Sample Amount    124,464
• Download File Size    32.3 GB
• Installed File Size    98.6 GB

Key Features:

• Refurbished 193 cm (6-foot-4) grand piano with patented Aliquot stringing
• Glorious example of Bl¼thner's legendary "golden tone"
• Recorded at Stage B of Synchron Stage Vienna
• Advanced Release Sample Technology
• Multiple Microphone Positions " for a multitude of timbral variations
• Pre-configured Main Presets: "Concert", "Intimate", "Player", "Pop", "Ambience", "Vintage"
• FX Presets for enhanced, warped or mysterious piano sounds
• Soft (una corda), sostenuto, sustain pedals
• Half-pedalling and re-pedalling
• Sympathetic resonance
• Body resonance

 
This exceptional grand piano was built in 1895 by the famous Julius Bl¼thner Pianofortefabrik of Leipzig. It was acquired by Synchron Stage Vienna after having been lovingly restored by master piano builder Bernhard Balas from Vienna.

The 193 cm professional scale instrument is equipped with Bl¼thner's specially developed and patented Aliquot system that uses additional dampened strings positioned above the conventional strings of the treble register, which are not struck by the hammers but resonate sympathetically. This fourth set of strings enhances the overtones, providing a velvety, organic shimmer and giving the instrument a particularly lyrical 'singing" quality. In addition, the strings are unusually long and thin, stretched to an enormous string tension of 20 tons, which helps define the instrument's specific sound. In combination with its soft hammers the Bl¼thner grand produces a clear, yet warm and soft timbre that is superior to many modern instruments in its variety of tonal colors.

Composers such as Debussy, Brahms, Mahler, Bart³k, Liszt, Tchaikowsky, Shostakowitch and Rachmaninov created their works on a Bl¼thner grand. Famously, Paul McCartney played a Bl¼thner concert grand when recording "Let It Be" for the film of the same title in 1969.

Capturing the Golden Tone

Vienna Symphonic Library's Bl¼thner 1895 grand piano was recorded at Stage B of Synchron Stage Vienna. This beautiful 69 m² (739 sq ft.) live room with a 3.5 to 4.5 m (11.5 " 14.75 ft) height features a controlled acoustic environment with less ambience than the large main hall (Stage A).

While beautifully restored, this Bl¼thner 1895 was recorded "as is", with all the charm and peculiarities that give a seasoned instrument its character. Its virtual recreation is extremely versatile and well suited for soloists looking for a slightly different, personal piano sound. The Bl¼thner lends itself extremely well to song accompaniments and chamber music settings, as well as to pop songs and ballads where other concert grands sound too large and obtrusive. Presets like "Intimate" or "Vintage" bring out this special quality even more.

Sampling Precision

To capture the Bl¼thner 1895 with all its subtleties, our engineers developed a highly precise motion-control system based on a solenoid that controls a noise-free "robot finger". The micro-controller moves the finger with super-human precision, providing flexible curvatures for down-strokes and release movements, the latter corresponding with the preceding note length and various release speeds.

8 Microphone Positions

In order to capture this beauty, our recording engineers used multiple high-end microphone arrays, affording an abundance of options for creating your individual sound.