Review: Kristiansand Concert Steinway – Free Piano Library

The piano library is available free of charge for NI Kontakt (full version) or in EXS24 format for Apple Logic Pro.
The Kristiansand Concert Steinway is sourced from the Pianobook community platform.
As with many piano libraries on Pianobook, the focus is on a distinctive tonal character. The Kristiansand grand piano has a soft, dreamy sound.

Pianobook Library: Kristiansand Free Piano Library — (Image Source: pianobook.co.uk)

At Pianobook, you’ll find a wide range of free piano libraries, including the Kristiansand Concert Steinway. But don’t let the price tag fool you—this mellow Steinway grand piano is anything but underwhelming.

The 250 MB piano library is available for download in two formats, EXS24 and Kontakt. However, since the latter requires the paid full version of NI Kontakt, this review focuses exclusively on the EXS24 version, which was loaded into the freeware sampler TX16Wx.

The sampled instrument is a 12-year-old Steinway concert grand piano located in a small theater in Norway. From a technical standpoint, the library consists solely of audio samples: There are no features such as string resonance or similar effects and details, nor are there any parameters for shaping the sound or its nuances.

Simple Download and Installation

Downloading the Kristiansand Concert Steinway is straightforward. Finding the right software to open it, however, can be a bit more challenging. With its EXS24 format, the library is primarily aimed at users of Apple Logic Pro, but other software samplers support this format as well. One such option is TX16Wx, which is also available as a free download. However, TX16Wx is a software recreation of the Yamaha TX16W hardware sampler and isn’t always particularly user-friendly. This can complicate the setup process, especially for beginners.

Free Sampler CWITEC TX16w — The free TX16w sampler supports the EXS24 format.

Sounds Good, but…

There’s little to criticize when it comes to the pure sound of the Kristiansand Concert Steinway. It’s a mellow, relatively dry grand piano, recorded up close and with a somewhat subdued tonal character. A touch more treble wouldn’t hurt, but the instrument clearly has its own unique voice. The library sounds remarkably natural and, compared to other piano VSTs, doesn’t require any additional processing.

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…Even Better with a Little Effects Processing

With just a touch of EQ, reverb, and compression, the library provides a solid sonic foundation. You can shape the sound in just a few steps, even using the built-in effects of a free DAW like Tracktion. Adding a bit of reverb, in particular, gives the sound greater depth.

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Conclusion: An Intimate Piano Sound with Charm

If you own the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt or use the EXS24 sampler in Apple Logic Pro, you can’t go wrong with the Kristiansand Concert Steinway. However, if you need to install additional software and have limited experience with effects such as reverb, you may find the setup a bit more challenging. While the grand piano offers a pleasantly soft and warm sound, beginners may find alternatives like Spitfire LABS Soft Piano easier to use.