This is my first attmept at sampling and was originally recorded way back in September 2019. However, with no access to Kontakt or EXS the project got put on the back burner until mid-way through the pandemic when I found out about Decent Sampler! How great it is to have a superb free sampler!

The Hohner Pianet T is a lesser-known Electromechanical Piano made in the late 70s. It’s fully passive and uses a small sticky suction pad that pulls off the metal tine causing it to vibrate and sound. This is what gives the piano its character, sort of like a blend between a Rhodes and a Wurli.

This particular Hohner Pianet T belongs to my good friend Joe. I was keen to try sampling and he suggested we try with his slightly rickety old Pianet T, lovingly named “Anne-Marie the Hohner T” to preserve it as a virtual instrument. Joe originally acquired the Pianet in 2005 after a teacher at his school left for a job abroad and gave away all of his musical gear. After his parents rejected the idea of squeezing a Hammond or Wurli into his bedroom, Joe was left with the closest thing to a Rhodes he could get, the Hohner Pianet T!

Since then it’s moved up to London with him and has been well loved. In Joe’s words, “It’s been through a few minor repairs over the years and could probably do with a new tine or two but it’s amazing rich sound, unique action and attack make it a joy to play.”

To record the samples, we DI’ed the Pianet and set up a pair of Beyerdynamic MCE530’s for the mechanical and trigger release sounds and recorded two dynamic layers. We then re-amped it into my Supro guitar amp mic’ed with an SE X1S condenser mic and an SM57 dynamic mic. I did some slight noise reduction in ProTools and added a little crunch on the 57 for some different character before writing up the code for Decent Sampler.

I’ve heard Christian in videos mention that magical moment when you first play an instrument you have sampled, it’s so true! I got the instrument working without the mechanical noise and release triggers at first and it was great, but as soon as I added those mechanical layers that’s when the magic happened! It was suddenly like playing Anne-Marie the Hohner T!

I hope you enjoy using it, I loved making it and after my first attempt at sampling I’m fully hooked!

Ollie