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 another SoundFont based on a D-274, 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.
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)