It might not guarantee you Adele’s level of ‘unit-shifting’, but Waves’ new Grand Rhapsody Piano will give you the sound of the piano used on the singer’s mega-hit Hello.
This is a sampled version of the Fazioli F228 grand piano that’s housed in London’s Metropolis Studios. Said to be akin to a “sleek Italian sports car,” the instrument is said to deliver deep bass, rich resonance and crystal clear tone, thanks in part to its red spruce body.
The sound of the piano was captured using eight different pairs of mics (B&K 4007, Shure SM57, Neumann U87, Royer R121, SE RN17, Coles 4038, Neumann KM84 and AKG C451) and run through high-end preamps and converters. The result is a tone that’s said to be suitable for everything from pop/rock songwriting to electronic productions and jazz performances.
As you’d expect, you’re given plenty of control over the sound. You can blend up to three mic pairs and choose their position; you have control over the level of pedal, key up and sympathetic resonance in your mix; and you can dial in a range of effects.
Waves Rhapsody Piano can be used standalone or as a plugin and costs $29. It runs on PC and Mac in VST/AU/AAX formats, and there’s also a demo.
