Ableton Upright Piano (Spitfire)

Upright Piano is a fantastic, fun-to-play and beautiful-sounding sampled piano instrument.  Its that simple.  If you already have a great library, this one is still worth a look due to it’s modern sound that still retains the traditional depth and richness that makes piano suitable for every production from haunting to playful, pop to hip hop.  The tone controls, adjustable pedal and hammer noises and integration with custom made max for live patches adds up to a stunning addition.  I’d say Upright Piano makes Ableton 11 worth the price of admission – especially if you’re looking for a new piano.

I loved assembling the MIDI clips to form whole tracks.  These clips are highly musical and offer a broad range of emotional contexts that any serious composer for film and TV will find helpful.  If you’re an amateur pianist (like me) then you can get up and running fast with compelling, expressive performances.  Add on the sound shaping macros in these instrument racks and you’ve got a recipe for inspiration and *probably* a great finished track.