The Best Free Kontakt Piano Sample Libraries

[peter]

Finding free Kontakt sample libraries is easy. There are tons of them online. However, finding good to great Kontakt piano sample libraries is much more challenging. My goal is to make that process easy for you. This list represents Kontakt piano sample libraries that I’ve personally tested and reviewed that I find represent the absolute best, the highest quality free Kontakt piano instruments available. I invite you to discuss these sample libraries and add your own Kontakt piano recommendations. 

All Instruments on this list have been reviewed and are my personal recommendations.  

[This list will be updated regularly]

Grand Pianos

8Dio 1928 Scoring Grand (Available for Kontakt Full Version) 

There is no other sampled piano library of this quality and detail that’s free. It’s detail includes real sustain pedal samples and multiple mic positions. 8Dio took a piano library they had priced at $249 US (but I’ve seen it on sale for as low as $49 prior to their making it free). Normally commercial sample developers free pianos are cut down versions of one for sale. That’s not the case here. This library is available for Kontakt, but requires the full version, or SoundPaint, which is also free. If you download the Kontakt version, I’d strongly recommend doing a batch re-save, which will make it load much faster. 

SoundPaint Version: https://soundpaint.com/products/1928-vintage-grand-steinway

 

SonicCoture Hammersmith Free (KONTAKT Player) 

I find that SonicCoture’s Hammersmith Free Kontakt Player piano library is another must have. While it doesn’t have the same detail as 8Dio’s 1928 Scoring Grand, the Steinway Model D grand piano has a more pristine sound to it that is a worthy addition to your collection. The only reason not download and install this is if you own the paid version. But if you’re comparing this to other free sample libraries, expect for the 8Dio 1928 Scoring Grand, you’ll be hard pressed to match or beat it. It features 21 velocity layers, weighing in at 4.8 GB. It is superb.

The Experience NY S&S Model B

A beautiful, pristine Steinway New York Steinway Model B semi-concert grand piano with 7 velocity layers.

The Experience Yamaha S6 (Kontakt Full)

A beautiful sounding Yamaha S6 Grand Piano that was captured very well by Dore Mark. Seven velocity layers.

The Experience Fazoli f308 (Kontakt Full)

A Fazioli F308 is a concert grand with five velocity layers recorded with care and attention to detail by Dore Mark.

 

Dan Keen: The Gentle Grand (Kontakt Full)

Dan Keen, IMO, was one of the greatest finds at the original Pianobook and The Gentle Grand reflects why that is so. This is indeed a gorgeous sounding Yamaha S6 grand piano well suited for gentle playing.  Recorded using ribbon mics, there’s an organic, warm vibe to this library. It only has two velocity layers, so there’s not much in the way of dynamics (there are three round robins), but it does exactly what is says on the tine and it does so beautifully.

 

Pulse Audio: The Love Piano (Kontakt Playe)

The Love Piano is a sampled Yamaha C7 grand piano library with 12 velocity layers intended for soft to moderately loud piano playing. It has a sweet, pleasant sound that fits well for contemplative and ambient piano pieces.

 

Fracture Sound Blueprint: Epic Grand (Kontakt Player) 

A Steinway Model D Grand Piano recorded in octaves that truly sounds epic. This developer doesn’t put out mediocre freebies. Sure, their free libraries make them to entice you to buy the full versions of the related libraries, but you really can’t feel these libraries are insufficient, they’re superb. 

 

Upright Pianos 

Bluthner Style 6 (Kontakt Full Version)

A Bluethner Style 6 upright piano made in 1913 with a ton of character. It’s very warm and gentle. Every third note was sampled with 5 velocity layers, pedal up and down, and then sampled with the damper pedal engaged. It’s not a detailed library, but it’s just oozing with character and I find playing it inspiring.

Dan Keen: The King’s Upright (Kontakt Full Version)

The King’s Upright is a old warm, soft and gentle piano; a character piano that sounds almost felt-like. It only has two dynamic lawyers, so it’s dynamically limited, but I find it perfect for certain types of soft piano sounds. 

 

Felt Pianos

The Woodland (Kontakt Full Version)
This a beautiful gentle sounding Yamaha upright piano recorded with top notch equipment, including three Neumann KM184s, two Schoeps MK4, and two AKG C414 XL II, four articulations, normal, felt, muted, and plucked. Normal and felt feature four velocity layers and different mic positions. This piano just has a beautiful character that shows a great deal of care and attention was put into making this library.

Westwood Alt Piano Lite Edition (Kontakt Full Version)

This isn’t a detailed felt upright piano library that I find has a humble and beautiful sound. It weighs in at 240 MB. 

 

 

Sterzov Sampling: The Felt Seller Free Edition (Free Kontakt Player)

A gentle character felt piano. I love the reverse option on the library.

 

 

Sound Design Pianos

Heavyocity Foundations Piano (Kontakt Full Version)

Heavyocity’s Foundations Piano doesn’t make the list due to the piano sample library being the best. For a standard piano, it lacks the depth — the velocity layers — to be in the same league as 8Dio’s 1928 Scoring Grand or SonicCouture’s Hammersmith Free. Where this instrument shines is sound design and effects, those make this a must download, IMO.

Impact Soundworks 88E (Kontakt Player) 

The 88E stacks piano keys by octaves and reminds me a bit of the 80s orchestra hit you’d find on Roland other synths. IS sampled an upright piano to create a sample library with two mic positions, 30 dynamic layers and 29 snapshots.

Prepared Piano 

8Dio / SoundPaint Pluck & Hammer Grand Piano (Kontakt Full Version and SoundPaint)   

8Dio used to sell this library – I have a paid version for Kontakt – and one day decided to give it away free. Some people get upset over that. Not me. I love when developers make things more accessible. I didn’t pay much for the library anyhow and I find it a sonic joy to play. It’s a Kawaii Grand Piano recoded using guitar picks/plectrums and with a small metallic mini hammer. In SoundPaint’s words, it’s a “hybrid instrument that blends the characteristics of a harp, clavinet, guitar, lute, and harpsichord, with an added hammered dulcimer articulation.”  

SoundPaint Version: https://soundpaint.com/products/pluck-hammer-piano   

 

Preparato Piano Free (Kontakt Full Version)

This is an absolutely stunning prepared piano sample library that I am really surprised is free. It is a reduced version from the original, but if I had paid for a prepared sample library and this was the result, I would be extremely satisfied. It’s that good. 

   

Production Voices Death Piano LE (Kontakt Full Version)

Another superb prepared sample library. The reverse piano samples are a stand out. 

  

LinkedMusicians Founder. Your friend who keeps the beat.

Check out my music. 

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[peter]

I updated this thread to focus on the best free Kontakt piano libraries. I invite others to share their picks for the best free piano libraries for Kontakt. I will soon create similar topics for other Kontakt instruments and a separate series of topics focused on the best free instruments for free samplers. By goal is to create the best possible resource for anyone looking to find the best free sample libraries, so they won’t have to sift through mediocre and poor quality libraries to find the best. So, if you have your own recommended best piano library or a list of what you consider the best, please share it in this thread!

LinkedMusicians Founder. Your friend who keeps the beat.

Check out my music. 

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