Key Suite Acoustic by UVI Review

UVI published The Essential Acoustic Keys Collection. In today’s review, we want to find out how Key Suite Acoustic meets the goal. Suite Acoustic includes the samples and modeling resulting in a character sounds of 20 acoustic keyboard instrument. Included are grand pianos, uprights, plucked strings, and metallophones. UVI did send a review copy with no strings attached. If you did own the older old UVI piano collection this new and expanded collection is a big improvement, 15 included Pianos are unique and have not made available before by UVI, the Harpsichord is from AcousticSamples, the Blanchet Cembalo, The Compact and J-Celeste from Precision sounds, and the previous five UVI pianos have been optimized and enhanced.

Key Suite Acoustic includes 20 instruments in 4 groups:

• Grand: Model D, Italian F278, Japanese C7, Hybrid Custom, Baby Grand
• Upright: Grand Upright, German Upright, Tender Upright, The Compact, Tack Upright, Honky-Tonk Upright
• Plucked Strings: Harpsichord, Clavichord, Spinet, Blanchet Cembalo
• Metallophones: Celesta, Keyboard Glockenspiel, Papageno Bells, J-Celeste, Dulcitone

Installation

After purchasing and registering the UVI codes against your iLok ID you can download the package and use it with either of the UVI samplers. It runs in UVI Workstation version 3.0.5+, and Falcon version 1.6.6+.

Sound

All 20 Pianos have been professionally recorded by UVI or their partner. The newer version has additional options to use different microphones. All Pianos have effect settings: Envelopes, Filters, and Tone controls. As with other UVI products and based on the used sampler software you can use EQ’s, delay, modulation, and reverb.

There are 20 Pianos are sorted by four categories: Grand, Upright, Plucked Strings, and Metallophone.

GRAND PIANOS

• Model D: The renowned Steinway Concert Grand Model D, recorded in one of the finest studios in the world (Guillaume Tell in Paris) UVI utilized a number of microphones including the Neumann U67 to deliver a warm and majestic sound.
• Italian F278: The famous Italian Fazioli. After auditioning a number of models including the more commonly recorded F308, this particular F278 and room to have a singularly beautiful response and musicality.
• Japanese C7: The elegant yet forward Yamaha C7 Concert Grand Piano. An excellent choice for the gigging musician, it delivers the perfect tones for contemporary jazz, rock, and pop.
• Hybrid Custom: Exclusive to UVI, this custom piano was built utilizing parts from Yamaha, Steinway, and Bösendorfer to create a truly unique and powerful sound. Recorded with Royer, BK and Neumann mics.
• Baby Grand: A 1930’s Erard Baby Grand captured on location to preserve its unique warmth and history. A rare and fascinating piano its tones bring the past to life, imparting a sense of mystery and longing.

UPRIGHT PIANOS

• Grand Upright: A rare 100-year old Steinway Grand Upright, refurbished and recorded with a multi-mic configuration allowing for deep tonal control – an exquisite sound from a vintage gem.
• German Upright: The Seiler Upright Grand delivers an exacting and detailed sound yet retains the warmth and personal qualities you’d expect from an upright, a truly versatile instrument.
• Tender Upright: Recorded on-location in South Africa, this Blüthner resounds with a tender tone and unique sound uncommon to grands, great for intimate pop and soft passages.
• Tack Upright: An antique upright with well-worn strings and the hammers prepared with brass tacks, this piano offers a warm and charactered tone with a slightly percussive quality.
• Honky-Tonk Upright: The classic spaghetti western saloon upright complete with natural detune, recorded with vintage mics and preamps for an authentic and charactered sound.
• The Compact: The Ostlind Compact is a small 5-octave piano, full of charm and a slight natural detune. If you’re looking for the piano sound of a secluded back-alley club look no further.

PLUCKED STRINGS

• Harpsichord: Produced by our friends at AcousticSamples, this UVI-exclusive offers what may be the definitive virtual harpsichord, deeply sampled and expertly programmed for a wonderful sound.
• Clavichord: The ancestor of the clavinet, the Clavichord has a distinctly Baroque sound to it perfect for classical, a period-piece score or a haunting accompaniment.
• Spinet: The Spinet is a small, boutique piano. As such the tonal quality is narrow and the action is more audible. A charactered instrument with a distinct sound.
• Blanchet Cembalo: Built by Ferdinando Granziera in Milano, Italy the Blanchet Cembalo is a perfect reproduction of a Blanchet harpsichord, renowned instruments with a timeless quality.

METALLOPHONE

• Celesta: Perfect for classical, opera, and modern themes, this Celesta by Schiedmayer delivers a historic sound with brilliant charm and exacting detail.
• Keyboard Glockenspiel: A very rare Mustel keyboard Glockenspiel, this particular instrument was built to specification for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and can be heard in many of their recordings.
• Papageno Bells: A reproduction of the original from 1750 using original parts, the Papageno Bells deliver a clear and brilliant sound used most famously by Mozart.
• J-Celeste: This 3-octave road-cased JenCo Celesta was close-miked in mono for a charming and charactered take on the classic celeste sound.
• Dulcitone: Designed in the 1860s, the precursor to the Rhodes electric pianos produces sound by the striking of tuning forks with felted hammers – deeply-sampled and rich with detail.

User interface & Usability

The UVI is as easy to understand and use when playing all pianos are answering well to the diction of the performer. The included controls allow you to sculpt the sound and enter experimental sound design territories.

Rating:  Four out of five stars

Key Suite Acoustic all sound lovely and amazingly authentic. The included five Metallophones are hidden gems of this suite. Those Metallophones alone could be the reason alone to get this library. Hybrid & Upright Pianos embrace an enormous variety of style. I found that the Upright Pianos have a lovely, lush, intimate tone & timbre. It is an exceptional collection of acoustic keys.

Key Suite Acoustic provides a full palette of colors from modern, precision grand pianos to detuned saloon uprights and early classical designs. Overall a reliable, high-quality accumulation of Pianos and similar key instruments. A good foundation and expansion collection of 20 Pianos and Keys for any composer and producer.

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