Concert Grand, 300 Grand & Production Grand 2 are so large because they have 9 & 8 microphone perspectives with Concert Grand and Production Grand 2 also having three different sample rates.

The average user may want to have a smaller piano library. Production Voices has plenty of options if you need a smaller piano library including Estate Grand, Studio Grand Piano LE, Production Grand Compact and Concert Grand Compact.

They may be using modelling technology, lossy compression on their samples or other audio tricks to reduce the file size.

Think of samples like car horsepower: There is no replacement for displacement. All things being equal (and they almost never are), larger libraries will capture more of the sound and nuances of an instrument. Much of this does depend on sampling technique and good programming.

Students and Faculty with valid ID can receive up to 50% off! Check out the Educational Discounts link in the Support menu for details.

Other than educational discounts, our only other discounts are from periodic sales. Sign up for our newsletter to be informed of sales. Please do not ask to be a sponsored artist or for a free version for educational research etc.

Educational institutions can contact us for rates.

Kontakt is paid software used to load sample libraries, not included with Production Voices libraries. Kontakt can be purchased from Native Instruments separately from Production Voices sample libraries. The following Production Voices libraries require the FULL paid version of Kontakt  (not included with Production Voices libraries):

• Concert Grand
• Production Grand 2
• Death Piano
• The Halfling
• Estate Grand
• Studio Grand Piano LE

The libraries above are also available in compact versions for the free Plogue Sforzando player.

Kontakt Player is the free version of Kontakt that is included with Kontakt Player libraries. Kontakt Player Libraries require no additional sample player to work. Production Voices currently only has one library that is licensed for Kontakt Player:

• 300 Grand

Both Kontakt and Sforzando are sample players that are platforms for creating and using sample libraries.

Kontakt is considered by many professionals to be the standard for sample library creation. Kontakt is a paid commercial product that requires the user to own Kontakt before purchasing Kontakt formatted libraries. All of Production Voices premium piano sample libraries are formatted for Kontakt.

Sforzando is a FREE sample player made by Plogue. It uses the Aria Engine that the Garritan instruments are built on. Sforzando uses an open source SFZ programming language to build the instruments and adds some proprietary controls. The sample playback is based on GigaSampler, a formerly popular sampler used by professionals before Kontakt became the standard. Sforzando sounds every bit as good as Kontakt but does not have advanced scripting or effects. At Production Voices, we LOVE Sforzando. It is a pleasure to use and program for. Many of Production Voices libraries that are Kontakt compatible also have Sforzando versions. This allows users to use the libraries without paying for the expensive full version of Kontakt.

Production Voices sample libraries that have both sforzando and Kontakt versions share much of the same samples. 

Which library format is better for Production Voices libraries, Kontakt or Sforzando? If you already own the full version of Kontakt, purchase the Kontakt version. If you don’t have the full version of Kontakt, purchase the sforzando version. All sforzando versions are upgradable to their Kontakt versions. Both formats are great. Kontakt libraries generally have more controls and presets. However, we love sforzando so much that we release some libraries in sforzando formats before their Kontakt versions. Electric V is only available in sforzando format as it works well as a sforzando formatted instrument.

What is up with Kontakt Player? Kontakt Player is a free version of Kontakt that works with Kontakt Player libraries. Kontakt Player will NOT load standard Kontakt Libraries for more than a few minutes before displaying DEMO. We know that this is confusing for some users! Production Voices has one sample library that is formatted for Kontakt Player: 300 Grand.

No! Our payment system is through PayPal, but in most countries you do not need a PayPal account to purchase, just enter your credit card information. Some countries do require an account.

Yes! We will ship and sell all around the world. Digital downloads get a download code for immediate download. We rarely ship hard drives with sample libraries, but can by request/purchase.

Products shipped by hard drive may be subject to duties and customs. You may be responsible for taxes as well.

For digital downloadable products, only Canadian residents are charged tax at check out.

Most of our products use either Pulse or Native Access to download.

Some products give you the option to download as ZIP.

Larger Piano Sample Libraries, such as Production Grand 2, use the Pulse Downloader that, once installed, will download and install the library for you. Email instructions will have links to the installer and notes on how to get started.

Smaller virtual piano products, such as Death Piano and Estate Grand, are delivered as ZIP files or Pulse libraries.

To install the ZIP files for Kontakt libraries:

1. Simply download the files (Three or less files at a time if there are multiple download files)
2. Unzip the files. Mac users can double-click the files to extract. PC users may require a ZIP utility program.
3. Most products have the first file as a folder that contains a samples folder and your instrument files. The remaining download files are samples. Place these sample folders within the first folder or create a new parent folder and put all the folders in it.
4. If using a Kontakt version, launch the sampled piano by dragging the .nki file into Kontakt.
5. The first time you launch a Production Voices’ sample library in Kontakt, Kontakt will ask you where the files are. Simply choose ”Browse for Folder” and select the parent folder where the samples are. Kontakt will find the samples and load the instrument.
6. To avoid having Kontakt search for the samples every time you load, save the preset using ”File/Save” at the top menu of Kontakt. Choose just ”preset” and overwrite your preset.
7. To resave all presets to stop Kontakt from searching for missing files, choose ”Batch re-save” from Kontakt’s file menu and choose the parent library folder and click Open. This may take a while for Death Piano.
8. Enjoy!

To install sforzando libraries:
1. Simply download the files (Three or less files at a time if there are multiple download files)
2. Unzip the files. Mac users can double-click the files to extract. PC users may require a ZIP utility program.
3. Download sforzando from plogue.com
4. Follow the email instructions to either load the .sfz file or drag the .xml bank file into sforzando to register your product.

To instal SFZ Piano Bundle:

Kontakt doesn’t know where the samples are until you save over your preset.

To avoid having Kontakt search for the samples every time you load, save the preset using ”File/Save” at the top menu of Kontakt. Choose just ”preset” and overwrite your preset.

To make all presets work without searching for the samples, simply choose ”Batch re-save” from Kontakt’s file menu and select the library folder that you wish to relink the samples for.

This short video shows how to do a Batch re-save:

Native Instruments allows developers to develop for Kontakt without a license, but to license Kontakt and have a library show up in Kontakt’s Library list requires licensing and a lot of money! Most 3rd party sample libraries for Kontakt share the same fate of needing Kontakt, but not showing up in the Library.

300 Grand is currently our only product that is licensed for Kontakt Player and will show up Kontakt’s Library Tab.

Once you check out and pay with Paypal, an email receipt will be issued with your download codes.

The downloads could either be ZIP or our custom downloader for larger libraries.
Within a few minutes of purchase, (but it in rare cases it may take up to 24 hours), you will receive email instructions with your registered (personalized and serialized) download links.

If you ordered Production Grand 2 or Concert Grand on hard drive, your hard drive will ship the next business day depending on availability.

This video shows how to get all the presets working properly for Death Piano:

Good Question!

The easiest answer is flexibility.

Microphone perspectives are like lenses on a camera. More is not better, just more flexible.

With multiple microphone perspectives you can dial in the perfect piano tone for your use.

If, for example, you are playing a hard rock or pop song, the hammer mics will give you great attack and presence.

If you are playing Jazz, the tube microphones or ribbon room mics on their own or combined might just be the perfect sound for your project!

For those creative players, sound designers and engineers, Production Grand 2 can morph tones in realtime depending on the microphone perspective volume levels. You could change the sound in the chorus to have more attack by increasing the hammer microphone volume! There are plenty of creative options with multi-microphone sample libraries!

Yes! All or our sample libraries will function on modern laptops with i5 and i7 or better processors and 8 GB of RAM or better. They work well on Apple Silicon M1 and M2 processors as well.

The speed of your hard drive and your RAM size are the biggest factors. Solid State Drives (SSD) out perform other drives.

General Recommendations:

Any modern MAC or PC should work.

Production Voices sample libraries require fast computers with 8 GB of RAM or more. 16 GB RAM or more is recommended.

Solid State drives are recommended.

***NOTE*** See individual library product pages for exact system requirements.

Sample libraries formatted for Kontakt (full version not Kontakt Player) 

While some libraries are compatible with earlier versions of Kontakt, the full version of NI Kontakt 5.8, Kontakt 6 or greater (not included) is recommended.

A computer that meets the minimum Kontakt requirements.
8 GB RAM

Production Grand 2:
210 GB for full install. (Note: files are compressed from 437.5 GB using Kontakt’s lossless compression format.)

Production Grand 2 Gold:
60 GB free hard drive space.

Production Grand 2 LE:
26 GB free hard drive space.

Solid State Drive recommended.

Note: Compatible with the full version of Kontakt. Not for use with Kontakt Player.

Sforzando Libraries

Production Voices Sforzando libraries use Plogue’s free Sforzando player. Your system must meet the minimum requirements for Sforzando. We recommend a modern computer (less than 5 years old) with 8 GB RAM or more and a solid state drive. Sforzando can run on older computers and operating systems, but support is not provided on older machines.

We believe our premium libraries (Production Grand 2, Concert Grand and 300 Grand) are the best values in piano sample libraries on the market!

They are premium piano sample libraries.

Where else will you find a piano library with 8 or 9 microphone perspectives at up to 96 kHz that are recorded in world-class facilities with top-notch microphones and preamps!

Production Voices also has other multi-microphone piano sample libraries for Kontakt at other price points including versions of Production Grand 2 starting from $99.

Yes!

All of our piano sample libraries perform well on modern laptops with at least 8 GB of RAM and solid state SSD drives.

Production Grand Version 2 – 2.1.0.12 Uses exact same samples as Production Grand Version 1. It is the interface and features that are updated.

Production Grand 2 update from Version 1 is available here: Production Grand 2 Update

The latest version of Production Grand Version 1 is v.1.1.16. All registered users can obtain the latest presets by using the contact form to request a download link.

Production Grand Version 1 Version History:

Version 1.1.16
– Ribbon mic panning 37L and release volume reduction (user request)

Version 1.1.15 Low Velocity Mechanical Noise workaround (Available by request)
March 9, 2014: These presets reduce the amount of mechanical noise on pedal down samples from F5 and above at the four lowest velocities. These samples where replaced with pedal up samples.

These presets were made at the request of users!

These presets are all generated from the v1_1_14 presets.

When to use these presets:

Use the v1_1_15 presets if you find the version 1_1_14 or other regular version of Production Grand presets to have too much mechanical noise in the high end pedal down samples at lower velocities (F5 and above with the sustain pedal down). The tradeoff is that the lowest four velocities are replaced with pedal up samples even when the pedal is down.

Version 1.1.14
– Vintage PZM noise fix.

Version 1.1.13
– Pre-Attack now buffered to respond correctly, but is no longer playable live (180ms latency).
– Sostenuto Added
– Soft Pedal Added
– Velocity mapping corrected.
– Switch added to fix C#4 mechanical noise.
– “Double triggered” notes A5, A#5 and B5 with pedal down samples tamed (additional updates required for complete fix).
– Authentic Pedalling adjusted to respond to all playing styles more evenly. Controls are listed in the manual.
– Keyup mechanical noises volumes adjusted resulting in more authentic sound.
– Pedal noises volumes adjusted over each microphone perspective.
– Velocity mapping curves updated and respond correctly (Inverse in version 1.0).

Many of our piano sample libraries have source sample sizes that are several hundred gigabytes in size.

We use lossless compression to reduce the file size.

Production Grand 2, for example, is over 430 GB uncompressed. Keep in mind that the actual install size for the full library with Kontakt’s lossless compression is 207 GB. Other versions of Production Grand 2 go down in size from there. Production Grand 2 LE is a very manageable 26 GB for the 16 bit 44.1kHz samples.

Generally, the more samples, the more accurate the instrument, the larger the instrument.

Our goal with our premium piano sample libraries is to accurately sample a piano. The large file size is a result of this.

Looking for a great piano sample library that is compact in size? Well… our Compact line of piano sample libraries provides a much smaller library that shares samples from our larger premium libraries.

We have done extensive testing that reveals that even on systems running at 24 bit 44.1 kHz, Production Grand Full and Concert Grand Full at 96 kHz sound amazing and noticeably better than the 44.1 kHz version! It is a High Definition HD recording of a piano!

Production Grand 2 sounds like an extremely well recorded studio grand piano.

Concert Grand sounds like an extremely well recorded concert grand piano in a large studio.

300 Grand sounds like an extremely well recorded performance grand piano recorded in a piano concert hall.

Some modelled pianos are nice and have a very small footprint, but some users find the sound to be a little sterile. This is a matter of taste and context. Both samples and modelling have their strengths and weaknesses. Sampling is like a high megapixel digital picture of an instrument. Modelling is a computer rendering based on algorithms. Think of Hollywood effects for movies. It is expensive and time consuming to create real explosion effects and to create elaborate battle scenes. Computer models can simulate these, yet the real thing done right looks right.