Waves Audio Grand Rhapsody Piano User Guide
GRAND RHAPSODY PIANO
USER GUIDE
Rhapsody!Grand!Piano!/!User!Guide
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 2!
Acknowledgement .............................................................................................................................................. 2!
1.1 Product Overview ........................................................................................................................................ 3!
1.2 Concepts and Terminology ......................................................................................................................... 4!
1.3 Components ................................................................................................................................................ 5!
1.4 Functional Block/Flow Diagram ................................................................................................................... 5!
CHAPTER 2 QUICK START GUIDE ................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 3 INTERFACE AND CONTROLS ..................................................................... 7
3.1 Interface ...................................................................................................................................................... 7!
Expanded View ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7!
Collapsed View ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8!
3.2 Controls ....................................................................................................................................................... 8!
3.2.1 Keyboard Control .................................................................................................................................................. 8!
Keys Section ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9!
Mix Section .................................................................................................................................................................................... 11!
EQ Section .................................................................................................................................................................................... 13!
Reverb Section .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15!
CHAPTER 4 Grand Rhapsody Piano Standalone Application .......................................... 17
Rhapsody!Grand!Piano!/!User!Guide
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Thank you for choosing Waves! In order to get the most out of your Waves instrument, please take some time to read
through this user guide. We also suggest that you become familiar with www.waves.com/support. There you will find an
extensive answer base, the latest tech specs, detailed installation guides, new software updates, and current information
on licensing and registration.
Sign up at the support site and you will receive personalized information about your registered products, reminders when
updates are available, and information on your authorization status.
Acknowledgement
The Grand Rhapsody Piano samples library was recorded and produced by Yoad Nevo at Metropolis Sound Studios in
London.
To contact Metropolis Studios, visit http://www.thisismetropolis.com/
To contact Yoad Nevo, visit: http://www.yoadnevo.com
Important Note
To play Grand Rhapsody, you must download at least one of these sample libraries in addition to
the plugin itself.
Rhapsody!Grand!Piano!/!User!Guide
1.1 Product Overview
For more than three centuries, the piano has played a huge role in music. Once introduced, it quickly gained popularity
over contemporary keyboard instruments, primarily because it provided more volume and greater dynamic control. Over
time it has become a staple sound in almost all musical genres, including contemporary pop.
A piano’s sound is created when a key is pressed; this activates a hammer that strikes a string. The resulting vibration is
enhanced in tone and volume by the piano’s soundboard and acoustic enclosure. These, along with the position of the
piano’s cover and cover flap, influence how the piano vibrates, and therefore how its sound travels through a space (be it
a room, a concert hall, or a studio). The sound of a grand piano is purely mechanical and acoustic, with no artificial
reinforcement. In concert situations, microphones can be used to capture the instrument’s vibrations.
Waves Grand Rhapsody Piano is based on a library sampled from a famous Fazioli 228 grand piano in Studio A at
London’s Metropolis Studios. This library provides a full array of velocity and alternative samples for each key. Waves
also developed a method to recreate the ethereal sound produced by the sympathetic resonances introduced by idle
strings when the sustain pedal is pressed and the string dampers lift to release the string. The played strings are
accompanied by the light resonance of the undamped strings through acoustic excitation and the resonance correlated to
the sympathetic strings. This adds nuance and realism.
There are controls for velocity curve and formant. Beyond this, Waves has added studio-grade effects, including a
compressor, EQ, and a high-quality digital reverb.
Rhapsody!Grand!Piano!/!User!Guide
1.2 Concepts and Terminology
The term “grand piano” refers to a piano whose strings are horizontal (i.e. parallel to the floor). Its essential parts
consist of:
• an action, which transfers energy from the keys to the hammers that strike the strings, and includes pedals
that dampen or sustain string vibrations
• a frame and soundboard
• a case that forms an acoustic chamber
• a bridge for the strings
• roughly 200 strings
Waves Grand Rhapsody Piano is powered by the Waves Sampler Engine (WSE), a state-of-the-art multi-sample
engine designed to deliver solid, high-quality performance.
Rhapsody!Grand!Piano!/!User!Guide
1.3 Components
The Waves Grand Rhapsody Piano has one component: Grand Rhapsody Piano Stereo.
This is a virtual instrument plugin and will appear under the related selection menus for virtual instruments in all
supported DAW host applications.
Waves Grand Rhapsody Piano also has a standalone application. It uses ASIO (Windows) or Core Audio (Mac) drivers
to enable play through any audio device of choice. Grand Rhapsody Piano receives MIDI data to trigger notes and to
control changes.
1.4 Functional Block/Flow Diagram
Formant
Vel Curve
Delay 1
Delay 2
Sustain
Resonance
Compressor Equalizer
Delay 3
Reverb
Volu me
Limiter
Mic 1 Samples
Mic 2 Samples
Mic 3 Samples
Key Up Samples
Pedal Noise
Samples
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