Piano in Blue vs True Keys American Grand

The most significant difference between Piano in Blue and True Keys American Grand lies in their sampling depth and historical context, despite both being Steinway Model D virtual instruments. Piano in Blue focuses on replicating a specific, historically significant instrument from Columbia Records, noted for its use on iconic jazz and classical recordings, aiming for a "warm" and "characterful" sound. True Keys American Grand, while also a sampled Model D, emphasizes a "clean" and "modern" character with greater sampling detail.

True Keys American Grand features considerably more velocity layers and total samples than Piano in Blue, offering 14 velocity layers and 14,000 samples compared to Piano in Blue's 8 velocity layers and 9,300 samples. This translates to potentially finer dynamic control and tonal nuances with True Keys. Conversely, Piano in Blue has a larger library size at 11 GB, suggesting fewer compressed samples or more extensive per-sample data, despite fewer overall samples, and includes three mic positions versus True Keys' four.

Choose Piano in Blue if you prioritize an instrument with a specific historical sound profile, particularly if you are seeking the character of the Model D used in renowned classic recordings. Choose True Keys American Grand if your primary concern is maximum dynamic fidelity, a modern character, and a broader range of mic positions for mixing flexibility.

Products Compared

Insights from Real-World Use

Piano in Blue

  • Default mic positions create a warm, open, and good-sounding signal.
  • Denoised samples create a cleaner sound while preserving crucial character and life.
  • Detailed script improvements make the piano naturally playable and fun for all skill levels.
  • Piano in Blue sounds good in higher octaves and mid-range, but also a bit muted.
  • Now that they have denoised the close- up samples, this is THE piano. No other VST comes close to the sombre, antique tone of this one. I mix it with Maverick from NI to give it slightly more body. Co

True Keys American Grand

  • For its size and price, True Keys American Grand is a very good instrument with great playability that is a joy to play.
  • The reverbs in True Keys American Grand are well-implemented and provide a good sound, excelling over dedicated plugins.
  • The True Keys American Grand piano has a warm tone with a good attack.
  • Exactly! I found True Keys to be already beautiful enough, but then when I listen to Modern D... boom!💥 It's mind-blowing, whole another level🥺.
  • Exactly! I found True Keys to be already beautiful enough, but then when I listen to Modern D... boom!💥 It's mind-blowing, whole another level🥺.

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