Verticale by Sonora Cinematic

The Heartwarming Piano

“Verticale” is what the Italians call an upright piano, and that’s exactly what this virtual instrument captures in detail: a beautiful, intimate upright meticulously recorded both natural and felted.

Developed for the free Kontakt Player 7, Verticale was recorded with four layers of felt – to our knowledge this is the only quadruple felt piano available today! The natural patch is pure and warm, the felt is rich and mellow, and, combined with the onboard features and effects, Verticale will take your music to new heights of cinematic emotion and lo-fi nostalgia.

"This upright is stunning. So good. I have 20+ pianos and this sits uniquely in that pack. Tons of vibe and indie attitude. Great job on this Sonora Cinematic." - Robert Allen Elliott, TV and Film Composer

The Mics

Three different mic positions offer complete control over the tonal character of the piano. All mics are stereo pairs – a room which is a pair of AKG C414 mics and two different spot mics – a pair of AEA N22 active ribbons and a pair of Neumann K184 small diaphragm condensers. Switch between mics in the GUI or route to different channels if you want to mix them separately in your DAW.

Inspire new ideas by mixing the cassette signal and the microphones, with enchanting and emotive results.

"It provides sonority, colour and pianistic personality in a perfect little package, which is a rare commodity in a sample suite. You can never have enough piano samples to call upon, and Verticale will deliver a perfect addition for any producer who regularly requires uprights. 9/10" - Computer Music magazine

Add Lo-Fi Lustre To Your Music

Verticale includes a unique “Cassette” signal, created by passing the samples to cassette through an old 4-track cassette recorder set to record at high speed and then playing back the tape at minimum speed. The result is a pitch-shifted and warped sound: a great way to add a lo-fi patina to your music.

"I was pleasantly surprised to find that this felt piano was actually one of the clearest ones I’ve heard yet. With three mic positions and simple sound-shaping controls, there’s room to tailor the sound to fit your need. All in all, Verticale is a lovely little library that should not be overlooked."
Sample Library Review

Built In FX

Verticale includes two sends to reverb and delay, both featuring multiple modes. You’ll also find a Color knob which works in a similar way to a tilt EQ – move it to the left for a darker sound with more body, or move to the right for a thinner, brighter sound. Meanwhile, use the Sync Toggle to switch between tempo sync musical values and milliseconds.

For a real nostalgic sound, explore the Cassette section with the Crunch control for some really juicy tape saturation, and Lo-Fi – a macro that controls Bit and Sample Rate reduction. Want your audio to sound REALLY vintage? Just select mono!

Finally, dial in some Deck to playback some of the authentic sound of the Portastudio’s belt – as you’ll hear, it needs replacing!

“I really like it, it’s probably one of the most intimate sounding pianos I have. An incredible sound that the team over at Sonora Cinematic have captured and I can see myself using this in some intimate projects, solo piano stuff, trailer stuff, minimal cues, lo-fi piano sound, hip hop, pop and R&B.”
The Sampleist

A pleasure to play and instantly useful, Verticale delivers a cool vintage vibe perfect for lo-fi ambient tracks and electronic, experimental music. This emotive and versatile instrument will also make an interesting addition to any composer’s palette, lending an alternative sound for captivating cinematic music.

“I’ve always loved upright pianos, probably more than grands. There’s something special about their familiarity, their intimacy and their power to inspire music. Verticale is my take on this wonderful instrument.” – Alessandro Mastroianni, Sonora Cinematic Founder - Alessandro Mastroianni, Sonora Cinematic

Sonora Cinematic Verticale works with the free Kontakt Player 7+ (available for download here).

"This is terrific! After a little experimentation with the mic options, color and dynamic range, I must say I'm extremely impressed. With that price tag, I'm doubly impressed. Definitely one of my favourite uprights! Both felted and otherwise! Great job!"
Verticale customer (quoted from Vi-Control.net)