Boz Digital Labs offers the New York L 1926 Lite piano plugin as a free download this month.
If, like me, all you ever wanted for Christmas is a Steinway baby grand piano, lovingly built in the city that played home to clubs like Minton’s Playhouse that were the platform for giants of the Bebop era like Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Dizzy, and Bird, you’re in luck.
Boz Digital Labs is doing what a very unreasonable Santa Clause never did by giving me (us) that piano, albeit in plugin form.
The developer who previously gave us Panipulator 3 is celebrating the release of The New York L Lite Bundle with a freebie and some tempting deals.
The bundle features two Steinway Model L pianos, one built in 1926 and the other in 1991.
As part of an introductory offer, the New York L 1991 Lite is available for $10 (usually $19), and the star of this post, the New York L 1926 Lite, is available to download for free throughout December 2023.
The piano used to create the NYL 1926 Lite is a stunning example, showcasing the original hammers, strings, and soundboard.
Having lived through several defining eras, musically, socially, and historically, in NYC, a hotbed for talent in Jazz and Classical music, this meticulously cared-for piano has undoubtedly hosted some absolute monster players.
The history of the piano adds a little romance to the plugin, much like LABS Glass Piano, the personal piano of composer Philip Glass.
Even if you don’t buy into the romance aspect of the piano, the age of the instrument means it has a particular character that only comes with time.
Sometimes, when we get a Lite version of an instrument, I prefer that they have a specific character (like old age) because it’s easier to focus on that character rather than compare every detail to more in-depth and expensive products.
Despite some downgrades for the Lite version, such as fewer mic positions and EQ bands and not sampling every note, it sounds lovely, especially for an instrument taking only 50MB from your hard drive.
If you fancy going for the full version, the 1926 and 1991 models are $19 for a limited time (usually $79).
NYL 1926 Lite is available in AU, VST, and VST3 formats for macOS (10.13 upwards) and Windows (7 upwards).
Find more alternatives in our free piano plugins article. You can also check out the free Upright Piano plugin by 99Sounds.
Download: New York L 1926 Lite (FREE during December)
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