GRANDIOSO YAMAHA C7 - Post Musical Instruments

GRANDIOSO YAMAHA C7
CREDITS
Produced by: Post Musical Instruments
Recording engineer: Michiel Post
Piano technician: Dolf van den Assem
Samples & Giga programming: Michiel Post
Artwork: Michiel Post
Thanks to all the wonderful people who so kindly helped me making this library! Just to
name a few:
Bruce Richardson, Bruce Mitchell, Chris Nicolaides, SCARBEE, Kip McGinnis, Nick Phoenix,
Doug Rogers, Worra, Hans Adamson, Gary Garritan, Garth Garje, Martin Jann, Zahir Manhir, John Thomas, John Thomas temps, John Grant, Henri Lantsheer, Philip Hartog, Danielle van Kesteren, PapaChalk, Wendy Carlos, Jan Panis, Howland Auchincloss, Jan Vayne,
Ivo Jansen, and the 2many others I forget!
About the YAMAHA C7 CONSERVATORY Grand Piano
The YAMAHA C7 is appearing on famous concert stages, international competitions and
prestigious music events throughout the concert world.
The Yamaha C Series grand piano is by far the most popular piano that is versatile
enough for pop, jazz and rock recording, yet is arguably expressive enough for successful traditional and classical recordings. The 7-foot, 4-inch model is my favorite pop
piano, with a bright tone, strong overtones and a moderately strong bass. You come
across a lot of these pianos in recording studios around the world and you will find them
to be very consistent. A well-maintained Yamaha C7 almost always produces satisfying
recording and performing results.
This library provides the greatest possible control during the softest pianissimo,
through crescendos to the reserves of power needed for the loudest fortissimo. Utilizing
new technology to optimise the mechanical performance of the action, Post Musical
Instruments has created a product which leaves the pianist in total control of dynamic
response, timbre and touch. This library gives you the control over the exact position of
the microphone perspective. You have both Close and Ambient mic’s and have the option to mix them to match the sound you want to create.
The 7' 6" Concert Collection Grand Piano
Permanent Crown Solid Soundboard
Yamaha utilizes a process that creates a permanent crown in the soundboard and at the
same time minimizes soundboard cracking.
Solid Spruce Soundboard
Solid spruce, rather than laminated spruce or poplar, is used for the best amplification of
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sound, best tone and sustain.
Full length Ribs
Yamaha reinforces the crown in its soundboards by using ribs that continue to the edge
of the soundboard, and are glued into the notched liner (or inner rim on the grand piano).
V-Pro Plate
Yamaha uses V-Pro (Vacuum Shield Mold Process) in casting the
iron frame (plate).
Balanced Action
Each key of a Yamaha piano is individually tested and measured
for the corrections needed to obtain uniform "down weight" pressure.
Uniform Key Travel
Yamaha designs all grand and vertical pianos to have the same
key travel.
Spruce Keys
Yamaha uses Spruce for the keys. Spruce is very light and possesses a very high ratio of strength to weight.
Specifications:
Depth: (Length) 7'6" (227 cm)
Height: 40 inches (102 cm)
Width: 61 inches (155 cm)
Net Weight: 873 lbs (397 kg)
Soundboard: 2666 square inches
Speaking length of #1 bass string:
66.2 inches
Number of backposts: 4
White Keys: Ivorite
Black keys: WPC (Wood Composite)
Duplex Scaling: YES
Tone Collector: YES
Middle pedal function: Sostenuto
"Soft-Close" Fallboard: YES
Recording concepts
When we planned this library we faced the next concept:
- Choice of close and distant micing. We wanted to record a grand piano with both techniques to satisfy both camps and ensure that the sample would have enough brilliance
or natural ambience for its specific application.
- As many velocity levels as possible. In order to achieve a smooth response over the
whole keyboard we wanted as many velocity layers as possible.
- Pedal down and pedal up samples.
- Reverberating release samples – if possible we wanted to record the piano in a concert
hall.
- Above all, a full bodied, consistent, well maintained instrument. One of the biggest
strengths with any sampled grand piano is the regularity across the keyboard, the absolute right tuning and the level of maintenance.
We wanted a crystal clear recording. … a highly accurate reproduction of the sound of
the more distant air (where the overtones "mingle") and vibrating wood that create much
of the timbre.
About the recording
A concert grand piano is among the largest and most versatile acoustical instruments in
the world. Capturing the natural timbre and the full dynamics of such an instrument is
very complicated. Furthermore, the grand piano interacts with the room in which it is
placed and the recording method requires independent consideration in each situation
and each location. Even how it is played will influence the choice of microphone techni4
que.
The room acoustics are such an important factor when recording a concert grand piano,
that it is important to assess whether the room will do justice to the instrument or not. A
concert grand piano is build for playing in concert halls where the reverberation times
normally are acoustically tuned between 0,9 seconds to 1,3 seconds at 500 Hz and the
room volume is minimum10.000 cubic meters. Concert halls specially designed for playing Wagner can even have reverberation times around 2 seconds. With the lid open, the
concert grand piano is capable of giving a full musical experience to the audience
throughout the hall. This must be taken into account when recording in a recording
studio. Finding a good location with a well tuned grand piano is the first thing to do and the hardest. When you listen to a piano in a concert setting the hearing distance is
much larger and the overall reflections of the concert hall have added up and summed
the individual frequence radiations to a certain mixed sound picture. This is mainly a
positive picture. Listening to famous concert halls learns that each hall has its own characteristics in frequency response and total impression. When you place a microphone in
a typical concert hall position (12 meters or more from the source) the signal to noise
ratio will become un-usable for sampling.
The choice of recording method also depends on the repertoire to be played. Classical
piano music deserves a natural blend of ambience, but different composers all have their
own characteristics which leave more or less space for the ambience to influence the
music. Many a record producer and sound engineer has added his own interpretation of
the grand masters' notes while immortalizing their compositions through a pair of microphones. Rhythmic music and jazz traditionally are played in different types of locations. Therefore the listener's expectations of the timbre and the ambiance are somewhat different. In many cases, it was the composer's intention that his work be replayed
on a hi-fi system in the home environment. The room acoustic of the location in which
the jazz piano has been recorded is therefore judged by different and possibly less critical criteria, but, to give the grand piano its unique timbre, the recording still needs to
convey a sense of location. This will furthermore give the listener a sensation that will
bring him to the edge of his chair, so to speak.
Classical piano music and A-B stereo
When recording classical piano music, the finest results come out of two omnidirectional
microphones in an A-B stereo setup in front of the grand piano. The A-B stereo pair is
placed on the side of the piano to give the listener an illusion of being a part of the audience. By adjusting the distance to the piano and the exact placement next to the piano, the amount of ambience and the timbre of the instrument can be tuned. Placements
around the mid of the piano 1 to 2 meters away are often preferred. The microphones
are normally spaced between 40 to 60 cm and the stereo image is adjusted, so the pianist is to the left, of course. The height of the stereo boom is quite low, 1.2 m to 1.5 m
above the boundary on which the piano is placed. By pointing the microphones to the
open lid of the piano, the sound reflecting on the inner side of the lid will be brightened
up and a beautiful depth will be added to the recording.
Classical piano and X-Y stereo
When recording classical piano music, the second best
method is the use of two directional microphones in an
YX-Y stereo setup in front of the grand piano. The X-Y
stereo pair is placed on the side of the piano and gives the
listener an illusion of the piano nearby. Again, by adjusting the distance to the piano and the exact placement
next to the piano, the amount of ambience and the timbre
of the instrument can be tuned. Placements around the
mid of the piano closer than 1 meter to the instrument are
often preferred. By pointing the microphones to the open
lid of the piano, the sound reflecting on the inner side of
the lid will be brightened up and a beautiful depth will be
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added to the recording.
Please note that the sound pressure level inside a concert
grand piano can exceed 130 dB SPL peak 20 cm over the
strings. So special care is needed when choosing microphone types.
This Yamaha C7 grand piano has been recorded in a typical pop recording studio with
both techniques. The sound recorded with the A-B stereo technique has a stronger
sense of location which can be perfect for some kinds of music but very disturbing for
others. The sound recorded with the X-Y stereo technique is very dry and is perfect for
in situations where you want an intimate piano sound. The best of both worlds!
The recording
All microphones were connected to a Digidesign PRE
and and sampled at 96 kHz to ensure a clear sound
path. The recording took place on a ProTools HD system. All microphones were kept on separate tracks.
The microphones used were B&K 4000’s series. Processing included WAVES effect processors.
About the tuning of the Piano: Inharmonicity
Acoustically, a note perceived to have a distinct pitch contains frequency components
that are integer multiples of f0 usually known as harmonics. Each harmonic is a sine
wave and since the hearing system analyses sounds in terms of their frequency components it turns out to be highly instructive in terms of understanding how to analyse and
synthesise periodic sounds, as well as being central to the development of Western musical harmony to consider the musical relationship between the individual harmonics
themselves. The frequency ratios of the harmonic series are known (see Table 1) and
their equivalent musical intervals, frequency ratios and staff notation in the key of C are
shown in the table below for the first ten harmonics. The musical intervals (apart from
the octave) are only approximated on a modern keyboard due to the tuning system
used.
Table 1 The relationship between overtone series, harmonic series and fundamental frequency for the
first ten components of a period waveform.
The musical intervals of adjacent harmonics in the natural harmonic series starting with
the fundamental or first harmonic, illustrated on a musical stave and as notes on a keyboard in Table 2, are: octave (2:1), perfect fifth (3:2), perfect fourth (4:3), major third
(5:4), minor third (6:5), flat minor third (7:6), sharp major second (8:7), a major whole
tone (9:8), and a minor whole tone 00:9). The frequency ratios for intervals between
non- adjacent harmonics in the series can also be inferred from the figure. For example,
the musical interval between the fourth harmonic and the fundamental is two octaves
and the frequency ratio is 4:1, equivalent to a doubling for each octave. Similarly the
frequency ratio for three octaves is 8:1, and 6for a twelfth (octave and a fifth) is 3:1.
Intervals for other commonly used musical intervals can be found from these. To demonstrate this for a known result, the frequency ratio for a perfect fourth (4:3) can be
found from that for a perfect fifth (3:2) since together they make one octave (2:1): C to G
(perfect fifth) and G to C (perfect fourth). The perfect fifth has a frequency ratio 3:2 and
the octave a ratio of 2:1. Bearing in mind that musical intervals are ratios in terms of
their frequency relationships and that any mathematical manipulation must therefore be
carried out by means of division and multiplication, the ratio for a perfect fourth is that
for an octave divided by that for a perfect fifth, or up one octave and down a fifth.
Table 2 Frequency ratios and common musical intervals between the first ten harmonics of the natural
harmonic series of C3 against a musical stave and keyboard.
Sound source from a struck string
When a stringed instrument is struck such as in a piano, the same relationship exists
between the point at which the strike occurs and the modes that will be missing in the
sound source. There is, however, an additional effect that is particularly marked in the
piano to consider. Piano strings are very hard and they are under enormous tension
compared with the strings on plucked instruments. When a piano string is stuck, it behaves partly like a bar because it is not completely flexible since it has some stiffness.
This results in a slight raising in frequency of all the component modes with the effect
being greater for the higher modes, resulting in the modes no longer being exact integer
multiples of the fundamental mode. This effect, known as 'inharmonicity', varies as the
square of the component mode (n2), or harmonic number, and as the fourth power of
the string radius (R4). Thus for a particular string, the third mode is shifted nine times
(32) as much as the first, or fundamental, mode, and a doubling in string radius increases inharmonicity by a factor of sixteen (24). The effect would therefore be considerably
greater for bass strings if they were simply made thicker to give them greater mass, and
in many stringed instruments, including pianos, guitars and violins, the bass strings are
wrapped with wire to increase their mass without increasing their stiffness. The notes of
a piano are usually tuned to equal temperament and octaves are then tuned by minimising the beats between pairs of notes an octave apart. When tuning two notes an octave
apart, the components which give rise to the strongest sensation of beats are the first
harmonic of the upper note and the second harmonic of the lower note. These are tuned
in unison to minimise the beats between the notes. This results in the f0 of the lower
note being slightly lower than half the to of the higher note due to the inharmonicity
between the first and second components of the lower note.
Inharmonicity on a piano increases as the strings become shorter and therefore the
octave stretching effect increases with note pitch. The stretching effect is usually related
to middle C and it becomes greater the further away the note of interest is in pitch.
Figure 3 illustrates the effect in terms of the average deviation from equal-tempered
tuning across the keyboard of a small piano. Thus high and low notes on the piano are
7 would have been if all octaves were tuned
tuned sharp and flat respectively to what they
pure with a frequency ratio of 2:1. From the Figure it can be seen that this stretching
effect amounts to approximately 35 cents sharp at C8 and 35 cents flat at Cl with respect to middle C.
Figure 3 Approximate form of the average deviations from equal temperament due to inharmonicity in
a small piano. Middle C marked with a spot.
The tuning of the piano will also affect the tone of the instrument. If your sessions are
orchestral, then the piano will need to be “stretch-tuned” more than for pop, jazz or
rock sessions. In stretch-tuning, the lower notes are slightly flatter in relative pitch than
the higher, sharper notes. This tuning method leans more closely to purer intervals than
stricter “equal temperament” tuning. In equal temperament tuning, the intervals are less
pure but more equally spaced. This makes an equal-tempered piano more in-tune with
synths, samples, brass and woodwinds and is a more appropriate tuning method for
pop, jazz and rock styles. Stretch-tuning has a more open, brighter sound than equal
temperament, which somewhat compensates for the fact that pop pianos are typically
much brighter overall.
The piano was tuned according to the rules described in this section. The amount of
harmonics found in this sample set is partly caused by the tuning.
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INSTALLATION
CD + DVD
The files are compressed in WinRar format: To uncompress the files on a PC you can
simply double-click the PMI Yamaha C7.exe program. If you experience problems during
the installation please download WinRar; www.rarlab.com/ copy all the files from the
CD’s to a hard disk folder and open the files using WinRar.
On a Mac you need MacRAR: @ www.rarreg.com/download.php?op=getit&lid=6
or Stuffit Expander: www.stuffit.com
MAC users attention!
The files are all burned on a PC. If you insert the CD-ROM or DVD in your Mac, file
names may appear to be crippled (in the so-called 8.3 format) or files may be inaccessible.
The Joliet Volume Access extension is designed to solve these problems. Basically, this
System Extension enhances the way your Macintosh computer can read CD-ROM’s/DVD
media from other platforms, mainly Windows.
So please go to: www.tempel.org/joliet and download the Joliet Volume Access
(shareware).
After installation you should have the following files on your hard drive:
a folder labelled YAMAHA AMB 1, containing the Close version in Kontakt
format
a folder labelled YAMAHA CLOSE, containing the Close version in Kontakt
format
OR
the two GIG-files: yamaha close.gig & yamaha amb.gig and the ambient+close delay setting.gsp GigaStudio performance with the layered setup
GIGA: You will also need Maple and GRANDIOSO FX. Check if Maple and GRANDIOSO FX
are on your DVD or CD. If not please download:
http://stkitts.globat.com/~postpiano.com/maple/directory
The installation instructions are on-line.
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THE YAMAHA C7 PATCHES
The provided instruments can be divided into 3 categories: CLOSE, AMBIENT & MIXED.
The close and ambient samples were recorded in phase. You can freely mix these samples during playback or mixdown without any artefacts or phase cancellations. This gives
you absolute control over the exact amount of ambience. The option to create your own
balance between the two microphone perspectives is possible when both CLOSE and
AMBIENT programs are loaded in your sampler application.
CLOSE
CLOSE C7 + sustain - The basic close miked patch. It uses 8 velocity layers with
sustain pedal up and 8 velocity layers with the sustain pedal down. The samples
were recorded from a short distance and have more presence and “ringing” sound.
These samples may seem better for pop songs but in busy mixes with lots of instruments playing, they tend to get lost in the mix and the ambient samples are
known to “cut trough the mix” better no matter what first impression they offer.
That is because the CLOSE samples lack body and fundamentals. I suggest using
the CLOSE samples with care and add them to the ambient samples to add realism
and presence.
?? CLOSE C7 16 pedal up or down* Same as above but these patches only use one set
of sustain status samples. The are to intended to be used in situations where a full
sound (pedal down) or thin sound (pedal up) is preferred.
?? CLOSE C7 16 pedal up or down with release* Same as above patches but with the
release samples. These patches have the release samples layers built-in. They need
an extra stereo voice for the release triggered samples.
?? CLOSE C7 realtime sustain* Same as basic CLOSE C7 + sustain but with an additional sustain pedal controlled crossfade between the sustain pedal up and sustain
pedal down samples.
?? RELEASE The release samples patch. Can be used for overdubs or when layering
programs in multi-setup.
* You can use the modulation wheel on your master keyboard to control the level of the
release samples.
??
AMBIENT
AMBIENT C7 + sustain* Basic ambient patch. It uses 8 velocity layers with sustain
pedal up and 8 velocity layers with the sustain pedal down.
?? AMBIENT C7 + release (prog. Nr 2)* Same as parent patches but with release samples.
?? AMBIENT C7 (prog. Nr 3)* Wet patch which has both release samples and separate
sustain pedal up and down samples.
*modulation wheel controls release time
??
MIXED SETUPS
The mixed setups are different for Giga and Kontakt. Please refer to the section involved.
More programs will be announced with future updates.
UPDATES
Free updates are available for registered users on our company website
www.postpiano.com where a guide can be found explaining how to install the updates.
Your GRANDIOSO library will serve you for years, just like e real instrument. We will
10 or CD’s) when they become available at
supply major upgrades (which need new DVD’s
minimal costs.
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Mixed setup in Giga
You can load the GST performance file: ambient+close delay setting.gsp
In case it does not work:
Load the CLOSE YAM C7 +sus in port 1 (midi ch 1) and route the outputs to mixer
ch 1+2 (default).
Load the AMB C7 +Sus in port 2 (mid CH 1) and route the output to mixer ch 3+4
(see picture)
Optional: load the release program in port 3 (midi ch 1) and route to mixer ch 5+6
LINK the midi ports
You can now balance the two microphone perspectives in the GST mixer by simply using
the DSP mixer faders.
Additionally you can add a delay to the AMBient samples group, by inserting a NFX3
Delay/Pan plug-in and use the settings as shown in the next picture. A typical 15 to 33
ms delay (no feedback and no modulation) will make the perceived room much larger
and is very realistic!
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MAPLE + GRANDIOSO FX
To overcome the major shortcomings of GigaStudio
we have developed a program called GRANDIOSO FX
that works as a plug-in in a host software called
Maple, both programs are written by Jeff Hurchella. In
short they will add more dimensions to a Giga instrument enabling us to achieve more than the normal 32
dimensions.
In our case we made extra release layers that are
played when Grandioso FX is activated. We have a
patch called “ xxx Yam C7 realtime sustain Maple”
which behaves just like a real grand piano: when you
push the sustain pedal the resonance of the singing
strings will gently mix with those of the non-struck
resonating strings in the piano. Further we added the
noise of the pedal being pressed down and released.
All these effects can be switched off by using the
bypass button in Maple.
NOTE ON LEVELS IN GIGASTUDIO
When the piano is used in a Gigastudio set-up as a solo instrument special care should
be given to achieve the best possible level. The best level is the loudest possible level
without causing clipping and distortion to the signal(*). You can use the level indicators
in GigaStudio to see how your signal levels are. The PMI samples are recorded just -0.2
dB below 0 dBFS and will easily cause a system to clip when played at maximum velocity
and the DSP mixer fader above the -6dB position.
* Note on the +6 dB
The Giga editor gives you the option to add 6 dB gain to an instrument: in this instrument it was switched off. Switching it on is a useful feature when playing solo works. It
works as following; the incoming velocity midi-data is augmented with 15 steps. So midi
velocity of 60 will produce a sound as if it were played at 75.
This may lead to unwanted side-effects:
- the upper midi values (112 and above) have no effect, the level will not become louder.
13 no effect, the level will stay equally soft.
- the lowest velocity range (0-14) will also have
When the piano samples are used in orchestral or pop arrangements with a lot of other
sampled instruments or when your situation calls for the use of the 0-15 and 112-127
values you are advised to turn of the +6 dB tab as it will easily lead to distorting the
output.
DYNAMICS
The main patches have been designed using Fatar TP30 weighted hammer action keyboard mechanics, found in the SL1100 master keyboard. We have chosen to make velocity switching points at the next values for all octaves:
PPPP
PPPP to PPP
PPP
PPP to PP
PP
PP to P
P
P to MF
MF
MF to F
F
F to FF
FF
FF to FFF
FFF
FFFF
16 layer
8 layer
4 layer
0
7
15
23
31
39
47
55
63
71
79
87
95
103
11
119
0
42
15
34
77
51
70
110
88
103
127
115
You may want to adjust your keyboards velocity response to match these values. When
you play melody lines around velocity value 70 to 80 they will sound at mf - f. If you
want to have mf sound when lower velocity values you must adjust the velocity curve of
the master keyboard to get a "softer" response. Alternatively you may want to open the
instrument editor and lower the upper velocity boundaries.
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NOTES
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Registration
Please visit www.postmusicalinstruments.com and register your product. Only registered
owners of this library will receive the updates and will be informed when they are available.
LICENSE AGREEMENT
IMPORTANT! Read the license before using the product.
The content of this library is licensed, not sold, to you by Post Musical Instruments for
use in your own music, film, television or multi-media production. You may use these
sounds in any commercial or non-commercial recording without any additional licensing
fees. You may not use these recorded samples in a non-melodic, solo-ed context in a
musical recording or music library. Post Musical Instruments reserves any other rights
not expressly granted to you. You own the Compact Discs or DVD on which the PMI
sound samples are sold, but PMI retains ownership of all the sound samples. Unlawful
copying, lending, trading, duplication, reselling, hiring, uploading or downloading to a
database, server or network or any other form of distribution of the samples in this
product is strictly forbidden.
These samples are embedded with a digital watermark. The watermark will survive DA
and DA re-sampling, severe eq and fx-processing and remains traceable even in full
mixes. Any un-licensed use of these samples will be prosecuted.
Copyright
Post Musical Instruments GRANDIOSO YAMAHA C7 was created by Michiel Post.
Copyright © 2003 by Post Musical Instruments, Rijnstraat 4, 1078 RA AMSTERDAM,
Netherlands.
E-mail: [email protected]
Make sure you check out our other GRANDIOSO releases:
Please visit www.postpiano.com for details and demos.
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World wide distribution
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US + AUSTRALIA
East West Communications, Inc.
9000 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 1550
West Hollywood, CA 90069
USA
Phone:
Fax:
GERMANY
Best Service
Hanauer Straße 91a
80993 Munich
Germany
1-800-833-8339 (Toll Free
from USA/Canada)
1-310-271-6969 (from other
countries)
Phone:
+49 (0)89 345 026
Fax:
+49 (0)89 38 38 84 84
Email:
[email protected]
1-310-271-6968
Website:
www.bestservice.de
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.soundsonline.com
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UK+ Europe
Time+Space
PO Box 4, Okehampton
Devon EX20 1UE
United Kingdom
Phone:
+44 (0)1837 55200
Fax:
+44 (0)1837 55400
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
http://www.timespace.com
JAPAN
Crypton Future Media, Inc.
Phone:
+81 (0)11 222 6655
Fax:
+81-(0)11 222 0707
17 Email:
Website:
[email protected]
www.crypton.co.jp
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