Yamaha C7 Platinum piano virtual instrument interface by EastWest Sounds

Yamaha C7 Platinum: Sampled Grand Piano Virtual Instrument by EastWest Sounds

Yamaha C7 Platinum is a sampled grand piano virtual instrument by EastWest Sounds. It is available as a VST2, AU and AAX plugin for Windows and macOS, with articulations for sustain, repetitions, soft pedal, staccato and release.

VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

Yamaha C7 Platinum models a Yamaha C7 concert grand through a detailed multisample library. The developer describes its tone as smooth and warm, with a light brightness in the top register. It is aimed at producers who want a convincing acoustic piano sound for blues, folk, ragtime and stride styles, and it also handles orchestral writing. The library is organized around articulation switching and a streaming engine built for high polyphony.

Best for

Blues piano parts
Folk and americana
Ragtime and stride
Jazzy piano ornaments
Orchestral piano writing

Developer: EastWest Sounds
Category: Virtual Instruments
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Sustain samples across 10 to 18 velocities per note
Repetition samples recorded from 180 BPM performances
Software detection of true repetitions
Pedal resonance recorded at multiple velocities
Soft pedal and soft pedal with sustain articulations
16-velocity staccato on every piano
Release samples with software envelope follower
Mic position mixing and stereo swap in software
Lid position simulation
Articulation matrix for fast loading
Streaming engine with high polyphony counts

03In depth

Sound and Articulations of the Yamaha C7 Piano

The instrument is built from multiple articulations on each piano: sustain, sustain with pedal, repetitions, repetitions with pedal, soft pedal, soft pedal with sustain pedal, staccato and release trails. Sustain notes are sampled across 10 to 18 velocity layers, and repetitions across 8 to 12 layers, giving more control over dynamics.

Repetition samples were recorded from performances at 180 BPM, so fast repeated notes are captured as true repetitions rather than simple alternate takes. The software detects these true repetitions during playback. Pedal resonance is recorded for every note at multiple velocities, including with the soft pedal down.

Recording Setup and Mixing Controls

The samples were recorded in a piano room using vintage Neumann microphones, Meitner AD converters and a vintage 8078 Neve console. Inside the plugin you can mix microphone positions, swap the stereo image, and simulate different lid positions.

An articulation matrix makes loading and switching articulations quick and direct. Release samples use a software envelope follower to shape the decay.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	EastWest Sounds
Type	Plugin
Category	Virtual Instruments
Formats	VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does Yamaha C7 Platinum support?

Yamaha C7 Platinum is available in VST2, AU and AAX formats.

Which operating systems does Yamaha C7 Platinum run on?

It runs on Windows and macOS. On macOS it requires OS X 10.7 or later and an Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.1GHz or higher, with PPC not supported. On Windows it requires Windows 7 or later with ASIO sound drivers and at least 8 GB of memory.

What do I need to use Yamaha C7 Platinum?

You need a host that supports VST2, AU or AAX, at least 8 GB of memory, and a processor that meets the listed minimum for your operating system.

What kind of music is Yamaha C7 Platinum suited for?

The developer describes it as well suited to blues and folksy music, especially older American classics, and to stride and ragtime. It is also suitable for orchestral writing.