Loopy Pro: Create music, your way.
What is Loopy Pro? — Loopy Pro is a powerful, flexible, and intuitive live looper, sampler, clip launcher and DAW for iPhone and iPad. At its core, it allows you to record and layer sounds in real-time to create complex musical arrangements. But it doesn’t stop there—Loopy Pro offers advanced tools to customize your workflow, build dynamic performance setups, and create a seamless connection between instruments, effects, and external gear.
Use it for live looping, sequencing, arranging, mixing, and much more. Whether you're a live performer, a producer, or just experimenting with sound, Loopy Pro helps you take control of your creative process.
Download on the App StoreLoopy Pro is your all-in-one musical toolkit. Try it for free today.
Soundfont Piano for Bs-16i
Hi all,
I play keyboards in several bands and as such I must have access to bread and butter sounds.
Since I had my first iPad 8 years ago, I recognized its potential as a capable sound module. One app caught my attention in particular: bs-16i can load soundfonts, therefore opening the doors for a lot of free timbres.
Thing is, there is not a single free piano soundfont that is usable. At least when loaded into bs-16i. I absolutely don't get the rave about many of them: they range from mediocre to garbage (uneven keys, noisy samples, wonky release). The ones contained in the 4mb GM soundfont from Creative outperform the ones over 1GB, at least from a live setting perspective.
For example, I can't stand the Salamander samples, they just sound off to me.
Did you have any luck into finding an usable free piano soundfont? Is it because I'm trying to stuff them into bs-16i? I don't have the hi-res IAP yet, is it a game changer in terms of audio quality?
Disclaimer: I had several years of piano training. I understand weighted feel, and that the particular keybed feel and velocity affects the sound perception. Also, the iPad is connected into the Focusrite iTrack Dock interface, so to bypass the internal DAC. And I listened with two pairs of headphones and a pair of studio monitors. Maybe this will be seen as a rant, but I am really frustrated about it, everytime I download the next piano soundfont hoping for the miracle, I always end up with something barely workable.
Comments
Have you reviewed the pianos at Soundfonts4U? They are at least the most up-to-date, especially the
Nice-Steinway-v3.8.For a bread and butter piano, have you looked at Pure Piano? I have also been exploring the iPad as a bread and butter sound module recently, including with soundfonts, but also other apps. For a basic piano, Pure Piano feels special to me.
Yes. Digital Pianos are very personal experiences. Is there a Digital Piano (hardware) that you like? That might help.
It's pretty easy to go through the free pianos quickly and come up empty if they don't touch you as being "real. People have such reactions to physical pianos as well... contrasting the brightness of the Yamaha against the classic dark toned German models.
Many here own a dozen different products and all the free ones that get good press. But we differ on which is the perfect piano sound and which "feels" like a piano. There isn't a single answer but a tray of tools to select from.
For Live, I'd go Ravenscoft 275 or Korg Module with the American D Model (Steinway). Good sound for my tastes and controls for Reverb and EQ handy.
BS-16i is a general MIDI hardware emulator and has many features I just don't need but the Salamander Yamaha's are good solid free sample sets based upon recordings of a really good Yamaha C5. They have been out there for many years. For the real purist there's a massive "Piano in 180" that I sought out and loaded into Auria Pro but it was just a slightly different sounding recording and huge in size.
Hopefully, we will see Modard's Pianoteq "Physical Model" products on IOS this year. Really expensive but very light on the storage side and with great live features, IMHO. Lots of Piano models have been created.
I’m looking to buy one of the standalone piano apps. Which of those 2 do you prefer? So far I think I like the sound of pure piano the best. I have keys of the 70s, module, etc, but they don’t seem to quite have the same realness of what those 2 do.
In case you haven't seen these already:
Best Grand Piano? Piano shoot-out update
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/39388/best-grand-piano-piano-shoot-out-update
Piano World Cup, Resume
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/27342/piano-world-cup-resume
The Piano poll
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/20334/the-piano-poll)
The Piano Poll - part 2 (with new samples)
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/26407/the-piano-poll-part-2-with-new-samples
App Auv3 with the best piano sounds?
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/38764/app-auv3-with-the-best-piano-sounds
Both are great. If you prefer the sound of Pure Piano then go for it!
Yes, I tried all of them.
I also tried all the ones listed in this video:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=DR1W0VIPiPo
I had high hopes from the one sampled from the P120, but it sounded dull (needs more mids) and worst of all it keeps sustaining!
I don't necessarily need a lot of layers and nuances from a piano, as it will sit behind other instruments. If the free ones aren't cutting it, then I will delve into one of those!
The piano in Pure Synth Platinum sounds good too, but it comes with loads of features that I don't need. Also I already have Neo Soul Keys Studio (the first version), and in there many samples are still off...
You are absolutely right. There is not a best piano. I always used Roland romplers (RD300, DS88), and those piano sounds never sounded right to me.
There IS however a free piano soundfont that I dig, but just wish came in higher quality:
https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php
That said, I'm also waiting for the Pianoteq release. They made huge leaps forward, and the modeled approach elegantly solves the multiple piano flavors conundrum.
Thanks for listing those threads. Will have a look!
TL;DR: GS GeneralUser 1.44V soundfont contains the most usable piano patch for me. Still lagging behind commercial options. There seems to be no other adequate free piano soundfont around. I'm sure that Pianoteq will release its AUv3 after I purchase one of the current sampled pianos.
@moccij In my opinion the Hi-Res engine in BS-16 is NOT a game changer. There may be some added dimension to the sound but it’s subtle and likely imagined. Problem is it’s very difficult to do an A/B comparison as a restart of the app is needed when the Hi-Res switch is toggled.
What exactly are you looking for in a piano for live use?
https://sites.google.com/site/soundfonts4u/
Is a good source
That is a good suggestion. I have always found it to sound quite nice in a mix.
Just get Ravenscroft 275 and be done with it.
If the price puts you off it goes on sale half price every few months.
That’s what I needed! Thank you!
My favorites are ravenscroft and purepiano. And one more... Hardly ever gets mentioned, but the grand piano 1 that comes with the the “keys” add on for iSymphonic is very good. Sounds very intimate.