FREEZE: Air Piano – Kontakt Upright Piano Instrument by KLANG

Air Piano takes its sound from an upright piano played with damped strings and the sustain pedal engaged. Damping the strings changes the attack and body of each note, while the sustain pedal lets the tones ring and blend together. The result is a piano that feels more like a held texture than a conventional acoustic performance.

KLANG describes the technique as well established in contemporary music, but states that the aim here was a sound better suited to modern pop and hip-hop. That makes the instrument a practical choice for producers who want a piano with a softer, more diffuse character in a beat or arrangement.

Because the instrument is built from sustained piano tones, it works well for chord beds, pads and melodic lines that need space around them. Its sustained character lends itself to layering under vocals or sitting behind drums in a beat.

Air Piano is a Kontakt instrument, so it fits into a sample-based workflow. Producers working in Kontakt can load it and build parts around its sustained, damped-string voice.