Ravel by Universal Audio

by Universal Audio · $49

Overview

Ravel gives you the breathtaking sound of a Steinway Model B grand piano, using UA's industry-leading physical modeling techniques to achieve unprecedented realism.

Key Features

  • Includes reversed piano sound samples
  • Uses physical modeling techniques
  • Models sympathetic string resonance
  • Mix close and room microphones
  • Emulates Steinway Model B piano
  • Volume control
  • Tone control
  • Close/Room microphone slider
  • Reverse playback feature
  • Generates atmospheric piano sounds
  • Real-time reverse audio effects

Technical Specifications

Mic Positions
3 pairs of hand-chosen vintage mics
Plugin Formats
VST3, AU, AAX
Standalone
Yes

Ideal Use Cases

  • Film composers needing a highly expressive and dynamic grand piano for their scores.
  • Music students and educators practicing and teaching piano with a realistic instrument.
  • Songwriters and producers requiring an authentic grand piano sound for their compositions and arrangements.
  • Professional pianists who need a consistent and responsive virtual instrument for practice and recording.
  • Game audio designers integrating a high-fidelity piano into their interactive soundscapes.

Review Snippets

  • I simply love Ravel's tone, specially the higher notes. The Bad: There's a really ANNOYING noise in D6, that get's amplified when mixed and compressed. It
  • I tried them both now and Ravel is the best piano I've played and my go-to. The most realistic, has sympathetic resonances, repedaling, half-pedaling, while Keyscape has none of that and sounds plastic.
  • The good: it sounds just like one of the pianos at my university! It's even slightly detuned, but not too uncomfortable like the Walker 1955 Concert D. The over
  • i loved it, until it stopped working and ua connect doesnt work anymore. so gutted, trying to find new alternatives. i honestly spent hours trying to get this to work again (purchased), sent tech help etc. not working well with windows 11 and cubase i can confirm that
  • RAVEL sound more real open on the stereo field, Keyscaped sound more lifeless and flat, I feel that it would lead to use more plugins to get that type of results it dependes of what are you looking for to be honest, With drums on top Ravel will give you more room and translated because you already g
  • As someone who adores a classical real acoustic piano sound, that bass is astonishing
  • It’s great to have allocated dsp but I feel the sound is way too roomy no matter how you set the controls. If you’re looking for that roomy lounge sound - fine - but I end up using Spectrasonics Keyscape instead.
  • Honestly, besides the “KeyScape” craze that’s been going on for nearly a decade, i gotta say i like the sound of the piano, like the bass and the high sections are well captured. Dynamics too space in a wide range, so yeah i’m not afraid to admit that this time they did better than keyscape.
  • Definitely feels amazing to play, very underrated!
  • My top 3 choices were Ravel, Keyscape and Pianoteq8 but eventually went with the Ravel..Definitely Pianoteq8 has that close to real piano samples which is great, but Ravel just has that warm, lushful sound right out of the box, don't even need to add any effects for it to be great...Pianoteq8 on the
  • The Ravel piano excels at capturing extreme ranges, a difficult feat for VSTs.
  • I've just purchased Ravel piano but am really disappointed. From about C4 upwards the volume of the piano just gets quieter. I wish I'd paid the extra and gone for Keyscape.
  • Definitely feels amazing to play, very underrated!
  • The Ravel piano excels at capturing extreme ranges, a difficult feat for VSTs.
  • It’s great to have allocated dsp but I feel the sound is way too roomy no matter how you set the controls. If you’re looking for that roomy lounge sound - fine - but I end up using Spectrasonics Keyscape instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of piano does this plugin emulate?
It emulates the breathtaking sound of a Steinway Model B grand piano, using physical modeling techniques for realism.
Does Ravel require a specific host application like Kontakt?
No, it is a standalone instrument and does not require a host application. It runs natively on your macOS or Windows computer.
What platforms are supported?
It supports both macOS and Windows operating systems.
What are the key features of Ravel?
Key features include physical modeling, sympathetic string resonance, the ability to mix close and room microphones, and real-time reverse audio effects for atmospheric sounds.
How does Ravel handle microphone placement?
You can mix between expertly placed close and room microphones using a Close/Room microphone slider.
What kind of license management does it use?
An iLok account is required for managing your native plug-in licenses. iLok USB keys are supported for portability, but are not required.

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