The story
ANALOGUE BENTLEY – Version 1.1
29-11-2022
Kontakt 6.7.1
RELEASE NOTES: I have updated the release trigger counter time to work better with multiple sustained notes. I have all but silenced the release triggers when held for more than 3 seconds as this makes the instrument generally more playable.
I started sampling my Bentley upright months ago but never finished. In the process I made a basic sample pack. I decided that it wasn’t very good and I would have to start again, but I ran out of time. Recently, I had another look at what I had done and it wasn’t quite as terrible as I remember. I thought some kind of treatment to the samples would help take it from blah to usable, so I ran them through a couple of tape plugins. I liked what I heard and the result seemed to make the instrument much more appealing.
I only sampled the 3 octaves starting at C2, as they are the best sounding and most in tune. I have stretched the bottom sample down to C1 and it seems to sound ok. Round Robins and velocity layers are only 2 as this was essentially a test sample pack. I have added rudimentary reverb and delay knobs. I imagine most people prefer to add their own FX (I know I do).
I’ve included 2 patches and sample folders, as I could not decide between the treatments I liked. As the names suggest, ‘Analogue Bentley – More Analog’ is a more saturated and ‘analogue’ version, with some more noise and tape wear. I’ve included both the American and UK/NZ spelling in the name to make everyone feel better. They’re both legitimate as far as I’m concerned. Lol.
Nga Mihi (thank you)
Scott.
Interface
Reviews for Analogue Bentley
Leave a review to let others know what you thought of the instrument!
Character and a pleasing softness
This is a "tape" piano, but I think the use of saturation on these samples has added the character, warmth, and subtlety of analogue, without it crossing over into being an "effect".
That means this instrument has usage outside of a "lofi" track, and I could see these tones in just about anything that calls for a little bit of soft piano without going full felt or lofi.
I see in the release notes that this is many ways a "proof of concept" instrument, and as such it was sampled rather quickly. It is remarkably playable and musical given that approach, but I think it would really benefit from additional velocity layers. The saturation and mellow nature of this instrument begs for some really soft playing, but I've repeatedly found myself not getting that softer hammer strike that I'm aching to hear.
The piano is a little out of tune with itself (it goes a little flat as we approach the higher notes), which is also mentioned in the release notes, but I think the approach to this instrument was a success, in that the effects render moot any concerns about intonation for me.
I enjoyed playing this instrument.
