Chicago Upright 1927

Let’s just get this out of the way. This is no concert grand. It never was and never will be. But it’s no honky-tonk piano either. What this is is a piano with character, and lots of it. That character is more likely to be wearing a flannel shirt than a tuxedo.

Real Character

Though well preserved, this piano has aged like a bottle of fine… vinegar. The low end is tubby and dark. The mid range is warm and cozy. The high end resonant and clear with the growly overtones you get from old strings. You will want to use this piano whenever you need that gritty, vintage feel, or any time you need an intimate, real sound.

Something magic happens when you mic up a less-than-perfect piano with great microphones in a room that allows it to breath. The imperfections of the piano matched with the painstaking sampling process gives the listener a real sense of being in the room with a real piano.

Technicalities

As the name suggests, this piano is a 48″ Baldwin Monarch upright built in Chicago in 1927. It has all its original parts and strings. Its history is uncertain, but based on the condition, it’s clearly been very well cared for and maintained for the past 96 years. It was sampled in a large open living room with 5 stereo microphone positions, carefully placed to get the most out of the piano and the room.

Hear It in Action

Below are a few samples of songs played through the Chicago Upright 1927. In order to let you hear exactly what the piano sounds like, we have removed all reverb and effects so that you can hear the raw sound of the piano.