VSL Synchron Bösendorfer Imperial (Standard Library)

• Full 8 octaves in tonal range – 97 keys (with bass extension)

• Warm, orchestral sound, rich in depth and tone color with powerful bass

• Six pre-configured Main Presets: Concert, Intimate, Player, Pop, Ambience, Mighty

• Proprietary Vienna Synchron Pianos engine with adjustable sympathetic resonances, pedal noise, key noise and so much more

• Recorded at Stage A of Vienna Synchron Stage

As with all the instruments of our Synchron Pianos series, this Bösendorfer 290 Imperial enjoys a permanent, climate-controlled residency at Synchron Stage Vienna, whose main hall is characterized by its particularly warm and natural ambience. The 540 m2 Stage A has lent its acoustic signature to numerous international productions, from classical chamber music to international, large-scale orchestral film scores, from piano recordings to choir works.

This particular piano has many aspects that make it stand out. Nine additional sub-bass notes extend the instrument’s key range downward to the low C – for a total range of eight octaves. The extra bass strings create additional harmonic resonance with every key you strike, providing warmth, richness and depth across the entire instrument. The massive soundboard projects an unusually broad frequency range, evoking a sonorous, orchestral timbre. The Imperial’s magically unfolding tonal character is especially apparent in the pianissimo to mezzoforte range. Its massive brilliant warmth makes imperial grandeur be felt in every note that is played.

To digitalize this instrument with all its subtleties, our engineers deployed a highly precise motion-control system based on a solenoid that controls a noise-free “robot finger”. The micro-controller moves the finger with super-human precision, providing flexible curvatures for down-strokes and release movements, the latter corresponding with the preceding note length and various release speeds.

To guarantee a consistent sound over all keys, velocities and note lengths, the total recording production time was scheduled as tightly as possible to minimize even the slightest changes in the instrument’s sonic behaviour. A dedicated block of time was secured at Synchron Stage, and despite recording nearly 24 hours a day, it still took several weeks to capture the Bösendorfer 290 Imperial in its entirety. The effort was well worth it: with over 4,000 samples per key and nearly 20,000 samples per microphone position, our version of the Bösendorfer Imperial delivers breathtaking authenticity and realism.