Noire piano Kontakt instrument by Native Instruments artwork

Noire: Nils Frahm Concert Grand Piano Kontakt Instrument

Rated 4.8/5 on Plugin Boutique (28 ratings)

Noire is a Kontakt instrument from Native Instruments that offers a piano sound sampled from a concert grand played by composer and pianist Nils Frahm. It includes pure and felt-dampened versions and a particles engine.

REQUIRESKontaktHost player sold separately

Kontakt

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01Overview

Noire is built around a Yamaha CFX 9-foot grand piano that Nils Frahm handpicked and had custom intonated. The piano was recorded in Saal 3 of the Funkhaus in Berlin, giving the samples a room character that is part of the sound. Native Instruments developed the instrument with Galaxy Instruments, which sampled the piano over several weeks using vintage microphones and preamps. It runs inside Kontakt and is designed to integrate with Komplete Kontrol keyboards.

Best for

Solo piano composition
Film and game scoring
Ambient piano textures
Generative harmonic ideas
Atmospheric sound design

Developer: Native Instruments
Category: Kontakt Instruments
Requires: Kontakt
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Nils Frahm's concert grand piano, sampled in Saal 3 at Funkhaus Berlin
Pure version with a clear, unadulterated grand piano tone
Felt version recorded with a felt moderator for a gentler attack
Extensive sound shaping for attack, release, resonance and temperament
Particles engine generating harmonic clouds from your playing
Sound design options, sub bass and creative tone shifting
Designed for integration with Komplete Kontrol keyboards

03In depth

Piano Sound and Character

Noire includes two distinct piano sounds. The pure version is a clear, unadulterated grand piano tone. The felt version is a separate sample set recorded with a felt moderator between the hammers and strings, which gives a gentler tone with reduced attack.

Both versions can be shaped with controls for attack, release, resonance, overtones, velocity curve and temperament. The developer describes the instrument as raw material rather than an imitation of a single sound, with options for adding noises, sub bass and tone shifting.

Particles Engine and Workflow

The particles engine generates clouds of pulsating, swirling harmonic elements based on what you play. Native Instruments presents it as a way to add motion to playing and suggest new directions for solo compositions and scoring.

For mixing, the piano can be placed in a track with EQ, compression, reverb and delay. Noire is designed for integration with Komplete Kontrol keyboards, and the developer points to the Komplete Kontrol S88 with fully weighted hammer-action keys as the preferred controller.

04Specs