Electric Piano

[realmarco]

I have AAS Lounge Lizard but (unfortunately) no where close to AIR Velvet IMHO. I did gey it on sale for $29.00 however... a far cry from $149.00!!!

What are you talking about ?

Have you heard the Velvet demo songs...Velvet sounds like a cheap Old Rompler

[kbaccki]

For traditional EP? Like rhodes, wurli? For that stuff I'd take a serious look at http://www.genuinesoundware.com ... they're all modeled (as opposed to sampled)

* MrRay73 MarkII (Rhodes) http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=27
* EG70 (CP-70) http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=31
* MrTramp2 (Wurli) http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=40
* ZD6 (D6) http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=29

While you're there checkout the excellent VB3... http://www.genuinesoundware.com/?a=showproduct&b=24

Some of the best vintage modeled keys available, IMO.

On the sample-based side, http://www.acousticsamples.net does UVI engine libraries and has a MarkII, Wurli, and D9:

* http://www.acousticsamples.net/keys/mark79
* http://www.acousticsamples.net/keys/wurlie
* http://www.acousticsamples.net/keys/clavid9

I actually don't have the AS EPs because I have so many other quality options( ), but I DO own EVERY OTHER AS lib, and they do really really high quality work across the board. Pianos, guitars, basses, drums, etc.

Another UVI option from http://www.gospelmusicians.com ... Neo Soul Keys 5X http://store.gospelmusicians.com/Neo-Soul_Keys_UVI/ ...

GM originally did Neo Soul Keys as a Kontakt library (Neo Soul Keys 3X), which I think you can still get from GM directly or online retailers ... http://store.gospelmusicians.com/Neo-Soul_Keys/

Another sampled-based Kontakt option is the Scarbee Vintage Keys... I still use the pre-NI versions of these (aka, the "Vintage Keyboard Collection") ... http://www.native-instruments.com/en/pr ... tage-keys/

I know there are many other well respected options out there for vintage EPs, but those are the ones I use, and would recommend.

Ooh... and if it's digital EPs you're looking for (yamaha, roland, etc. digikeys), look no further than gospelmusicians... some of the tinkliest, tiniest digital key patches available... particularly the FM Tines, PureSynth Platinum, and the new TGX-85... http://store.gospelmusicians.com/UVI/

[Integratron]

I have AAS Lounge Lizard but (unfortunately) no where close to AIR Velvet IMHO. I did gey it on sale for $29.00 however... a far cry from $149.00!!!

What are you talking about ?

Have you heard the Velvet demo songs...Velvet sounds like a cheap Old Rompler

Perhaps to your ears - sorry

[kbaccki]

Another vote for Neo Soul Keys.
It's just so organic sounding!

which version is best though - steinberg's halion powered one or the uvi powered one gospelmusicians sell direct (presume the uvi one is the newest - is it better sound-wise?)

Do the UVI version, that is if you're OK with the UVI engine (PACE iLok or PACE C/R)... Neo Soul Keys 5X has the original MarkI, MarkII, Wurli of NSK 3X, plus Yamaha EX5 and a tinkly "Dyno-My-Piano". The Steinberg version is only MarkI? The 5X version will definitely be the most up to date in term of features, plus you can get NSK 5X now for $130USD with the current GM 35% sale... A pretty good deal.

While we're talking GM, check out the new TGX-85 release.. can grab that for $65USD with intro price + current sale... if you're in need of some old school AWM rompler textures.

[Michael L]

+1 for Lounge Lizard (onsalenow) mainly due to many factory & user presets & many knobs to tweak the sound to your taste: the benefit of physical modeling vs samples.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

My favorite Wurlitzer library is Sonic Culture's Broken Wurlitzer. The "broken" part is entirely optional, and it's actually an awesome, well recorded Wurli. For Rhodes, I either use my actual Mark 1, or the Scarbee library. The GSi stuff has gotten some use in the past too.

[thecontrolcentre]

There are also several freewares which are excellent. For examples:

• 4Front E-Piano Module
• 4Front Rhode
• EP-Station
• LazySnake
• MrTramp
• Ticky Clav

Seems Lazy Snake, Ticky Clav and EP-Station are no longer available ...

[BlackWinny]

Lazy Snake

Ticky Clav

EP-Station

I've just tested these three links. Their downloads work perfect.

[jancivil]

Depends what you're after. For a very familiar sound, for straight Rhodes, I think the most viable real-sounding thing I've heard is Neo-Soul. I haven't been attentive to their other pianos, but there's no reason they're not equally great. I doubt one engine vs the other would be that significant with it.

The Broken Wurli and 73 EP Deconstructed by SonicCouture are both excellent reproductions of the thing, and offer a LOT of new angles on it; supplying presets which exploit their ideas of filters, and release, 'key off'... and there's a pretty good saturation characteristic. So there's a diff between classic/vintage and a certain expectation vs a desire to get more novelty and a modern sound.

[thecontrolcentre]

Lazy Snake

Ticky Clav

EP-Station

I've just tested these three links. Their downloads work perfect.

Cool. I always liked Lazy Snake.

[BlackWinny]

Lazy Snake

Ticky Clav

EP-Station

I've just tested these three links. Their downloads work perfect.

Cool. I always liked Lazy Snake.

[Integratron]

There are also several freewares which are excellent. For examples:

• 4Front E-Piano Module
• 4Front Rhode
• EP-Station
• LazySnake
• MrTramp
• Ticky Clav

Seems Lazy Snake, Ticky Clav and EP-Station are no longer available ...

I really like Lazy Snake - seems it's been around forever - one included patch sounds identical to a sound Zep used on a tune.

[afcollett]

I'll second sonic coutures broken wurli, there EP 73 is gorgeous as well, they both have lost me endless hours and have ended a long expensive search for me.

[Monkberry]

Another vote for Lounge Lizard. So many options and great-sounding. That being said, I always go back to using Scarbee Rhodes Mark1 and Wurly 200A for most authentic.

[afcollett]

soniccouture just happen to be on sale now, 2 for 1 or 40% off for a single.

Get broken wurlie or EP73 or both. They are top of the pile IMO. As long as your taste are not along the smooth R&B or EDM Path I can't imagine disappointment.