Photo credit: Westwood Instruments
I work out of a small bedroom recording studio. But if I want a grand piano in my song, I can have one. If I want an 80s-style electric piano, I can have that too. And if I want an upright felt piano sound, I can have it. That’s the beauty of today’s music technology. So as an indie artist and music producer, here are four of my favorite piano plugins. I highly recommend you check them all out.
(Note: neither I nor Digital Music News are getting any kickbacks for mentioning these companies or plugins. These are simply just my favorite piano plugins).
Spitfire Labs Soft Piano (Free)
The Spitfire people recorded a felt piano with two Schoeps MK 4 microphones (cardioid condensers). Then they turned it into a free plugin called Soft Piano.
And it’s gorgeous.
I love a soft, felty piano sound, so this plugin is one of my most used pianos.
And the best thing is, you can get it for free here.
Westwood Instruments Upright Felt Piano (Free)
Speaking of felt piano, Westwood Instruments has made an absolutely beautiful felt piano plugin.
They recorded the sounds on a “piano handed down through three generations” with Coles microphones through Neve preamps.
The result is an intimate piano sound where you can hear the hammers hitting the strings.
XLN Audio Addictive Keys
Here’s why I like Addictive Keys…
It includes dozens of piano sounds. They all sound so good. And you can tweak the settings of each sound to your liking, even the mic placement.
But if that feels overwhelming, the default sounds will do just fine.
You can grab your choice of Addictive Keys package here.
Arturia Analog Lab V
This plugin is not strictly a piano plugin. In fact, it has tons of sounds, most of which are not piano.
It has a bunch of different styles of synths, strings, bass, drums, and other unique sounds.
Within the huge library are some nice piano sounds. Overall, definitely a great buy for home producers.