UVI Soundbank EGP Falcon Expansion
Easily the most detailed and comprehensive electric grand piano instrument ever produced, EGP boasts 5 channels of audio including electric, L/R and M/S signals, 10 preparations, independent EQ, effects and dynamics for the electric and acoustic signals and over 100 professionally designed presets. An expressive and deeply customizable instrument, EGP gives you pristine imaging and a sonic range well beyond any electric piano you’ve tried before.
Our inspiration started with the Yamaha CP-70, the first and most successful portable electric grand piano. The CP-70 was developed for touring musicians in the 70’s, making use of electric amplification with per-string piezo pickups similar to a guitar. This approach allowed for a much smaller, modular construction perfect for the touring musician. It was, in essence, a 300lb plug-and-play grand piano. The CP-70 was introduced in the mid 70’s, seeing a positive reception and popularity for over a decade until it, along with its siblings the CP-60 and CP-80, were discontinued shortly after the advent of digital pianos. Most famously used by Peter Gabriel, the CP-70 was a favorite of many pop and prog rock icons including Stevie Wonder, Keith Emerson, Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, Boston, Journey, Asia and Genesis.
The aim of this project was to essentially deliver an entire hybrid piano studio. Great care was taken to capture the sound of the CP-70 in the most complete and detailed way possible, resulting in a core library of over 10,000 samples. 5 discrete channels were captured, including the electric output and instrument acoustics miked in L/R and M/S configurations. The raw electric signal of the CP-70 was captured with a Class A direct box with Vovox cable into a Prism converter for the utmost clarity and definition. For the acoustic section, a stereo pair of custom Bruel and Kjaer mics sit in a conventional L/R configuration while a Neumann U67 and Royer ribbon mic form the M/S signal.
10 unique preparations were recorded including classic, brush, bow, ebow, fingers, pick, stick and more. Each preparation was approached with the utmost attention to detail, capturing round robins, release samples, sympathetic resonance and pedal noise allowing for a truly expressive playing experience. Load the Pick preparation, turn on Wheel Strum and play a grand piano like a guitar, or try the Bow preparation with a bit of Sparkverb™—the possibilities are staggering. An exquisite tool for scoring, sound design and experimental music, EGP can achieve everything from expansive soundscapes to melodic percussion with ease.
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