Pianoverse Hamburg Grand S274 concert grand piano plugin interface by IK Multimedia

Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274: Concert Grand Piano Virtual Instrument by IK Multimedia

Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274 is a concert grand piano virtual instrument plugin by IK Multimedia, built from robot-assisted sampling of a 1958 Steinway & Sons Hamburg D-274 and available as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274 models a 9-foot Hamburg D-274 concert grand, a model that Steinway & Sons built in Germany. The sampling was done in Milan using a pair of DPA 4011 close mics and a pair of Coles 4038 mics in a Blumlein setup, so the room's acoustics are part of the sound. IK Multimedia recorded the instrument without EQ or compression, and the plugin includes lid position, pedal noise and harp resonance controls to shape the performance.

Best for

Classical piano recording
Solo piano arrangements
Film score piano
Pop and singer-songwriter piano
Piano comparison sessions

Developer: IK Multimedia
Category: Virtual Instruments
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Concert grand piano sampled from a 1958 Hamburg D-274
Robot-assisted sampling for precise, consistent multisamples
New sound engine with redesigned round robin and voice management
Continuous pedal control for half- and catch-pedaling
Lid position, harp resonance and mallet noise controls
Multiple instrument and room microphone options
Built-in EQ, compression, limiting and stereo width
30 generative sound Spaces and 12 cinematic effects
Resizable interface with MIDI learn support
Native Apple M1 support and standalone mode

03In depth

Sound and Character of the Hamburg Steinway

IK Multimedia says the Hamburg Steinways were designed as a substitute for the orchestra, aimed at smaller halls with good acoustics rather than the bell-like projection of the New York models. The developer describes the tonal character as a gradual shift in timbre from bass to treble, with an articulate, round voicing in the tenor and mid-treble registers.

The sampling captures the room as well as the instrument. The developer points to the singing voice of the piano and the more prominent impact of the pedals as key parts of the recording.

Engine, Controls and Workflow

The plugin uses a new sound engine with redesigned round robin and voice management. Continuous pedal control supports half-pedaling and catch-pedaling, and the advanced controls cover lid position, harp resonance, and pedal and piano mallet noise.

Multiple instrument and room microphone options are included, along with studio-style EQ, compression, limiting and stereo width. MIDI control with MIDI learn is supported, and the interface is resizable.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	IK Multimedia
Type	Plugin
Category	Virtual Instruments
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274?

It is a concert grand piano virtual instrument from IK Multimedia, based on robot-assisted sampling of a 1958 Hamburg D-274 recorded in Milan.

What formats and operating systems does it support?

It is available as VST3, VST2, AU and AAX on macOS, and as VST3, VST2 and AAX on Windows. Both platforms require 64-bit systems.

What do I need to use Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274?

On macOS you need 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo or later (Core i5 suggested), 8 GB of RAM (32 GB suggested) and macOS 10.13 or later. On Windows you need Windows 7 or later, an ASIO-compatible sound card and 8 GB of RAM (32 GB suggested). Both need 30 GB of disk space per piano title and an OpenGL 2 compatible graphics adapter.