Review: 1955 Walker D Lite by Embertone

Simply put, Embertone’s 1955 Walker D Lite delivers amazing sound at a very reasonable price. The sample library features a beautiful tone which is extremely rich, expressive and flexible, making it an excellent option for composers or producers looking for a great, budget piano.

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Review: 1955 Walker D Lite by Embertone

The 1955 Walker D is the flagship release from Embertone and features their first foray in piano sampling. After debuting in the industry over 7 years ago, Embertone has become a mainstay in many composer’s collections and gained a reputation for releasing highly expressive, playable libraries. Their ‘Lite’ version brings a unique, detailed and full sounding library for any composer looking to add piano to their next project at a reasonable cost.

1955 Walker D Lite sells for $39.00 from Embertone

Thoughts

Undoubtedly, sampled pianos can be an oversaturated market and one may immediately assume that another one may not be needed. That said, this is not one of those occasions and the Embertone 1955 Walker D is an innovative and fresh take on piano sampling and should be considered in a league of it’s own.

This level of forethought and detail is immediately noticeable when examining some of the libraries’ technical specifications which include recording over 150, 000 samples, 36 velocity layers per note and around 34gb of content for each of the 6 mic positions. While the Lite version is significantly smaller in size (7gb, 12-Velocities), this amount of sheer work gives you idea of how much attention, care and hard work went into creating this instrument.

As with other Embertone products, this library features a rather dry, studio sound making it great for mixing to your specific needs and taste. In addition to the several mic positions, there are a few built-in reverb presets which gives the user even more control when mixing their sound.

What stands out immediately, is the unique and warm character of the piano which, due to it’s size, has a very full, rich tone that almost seems like a cross between a Steinway and Yamaha grand. Moreover, there is an inherent musicality in the samples wherein one can truly hear the expressive approach in which this library was recorded. Take a listen to the numerous company and user demos to hear for yourself!

The Embertone Walker D Lite also contains a wholly original ‘Staccato’ mode which includes actual recordings of sharply detached notes over the entire range of the piano.

The Lite library contains a single patch with one mic position and was recorded in a private concert hall owned by music engineer, John Q. Walker in North Carolina.

The Performance Panel

1955_Walker_D_Lite_Performance_Panel

Upon loading the instrument via the Kontakt Player tab, you are immediately greeted with the simply, yet refined Performance Panel which consists of buttons to select Mode (Normal vs. Staccato), Velocity Layers and Controller Mapping.

The Color Panel

1955_Walker_D_Lite_Color_Panel

Moving on towards the Color Panel, one can quickly see even more options for changing the piano’s sound for your project. The Spread knob controls the overall stereo image, followed by the Flipped Perspective Switch for Player vs. Audience listening position. There are also a few different Sweetening switches to control a few different aspects of the output’s tone. A 3-channel EQ and Reverb knob round out the Color Panel and there are several beautiful, rich Impulse Responses from Halls, Studios, Arenas, etc. to choose from.

The Response Panel

1955_Walker_D_Lite_Response_Panel

The response panel is the final page with it’s own unique controls that help define different aspects such as; Dynamics, Volume Scale, Sample Start, Pedal Noise and Release volume. All of which are just a few more great tools that help you alter the sound in any way you see fit and there are quite a few really cool, diverse sounds you can achieve with some quick, simple changes.
Of note, Some commenters mentioned that the Sustain Pedal can be a bit loud, so it may be a good idea to reduce this before further altering the sound!

All in all, Embertone’s first step in the piano sampling world is a huge success and I’m sure the Walker Steinway D will become the, preeminent library for composers looking to add a rich, expressive and flexible library to their arsenal. The sound is unique, yet familiar while also being entirely warm and full. The added functionality and options for customizing the sound are just another fantastic option when looking for a little something ‘extra’ or just something wholly distinctive. Above all, this library does what great libraries do. Inspire.

A must for any composer toolbox!

Facts

The Steinway D Lite is a 7 GB download, is a single NKI patch, and requires Kontakt Player or Full 5.7 or later. There is also a very helpful comparison chart between the Lite and Full versions of the library at Embertone – 1955 Walker D

1955 Walker D Lite sells for $39.00 from Embertone

Demos of 1955 Walker D Lite by Embertone

Videos of 1955 Walker D Lite by Embertone

Contributor BenG reviews 1955 Walker D Lite by Embertone
“Simply put, Embertone’s 1955 Walker D Lite delivers amazing sound at a very reasonable price. The sample library features a beautiful tone which is extremely rich, expressive and flexible, making it an excellent option for composers or producers looking for a great, budget piano.”