Spitfire Audio has recently unveiled the LABS Intimate Grand Piano, a completely free piano sound library designed for their LABS platform.
This free library is accessible to everyone, with no subscription required to download or use it.
It draws from Spitfire Audio’s previous release, the Originals Intimate Grand Piano, so you’ll notice a lot of similarities. However, the LABS version does come with some limitations, such as fewer presets and more simplified controls.
Upon first hearing Intimate Grand Piano, I was genuinely impressed—it’s amazing how LABS continues to deliver top-tier, professional-quality sound libraries for free. The level of polish and richness in this library rivals those of premium, five-star paid alternatives.
The library features seven presets: Ambient, Direct, Dynamic, Intimate, Reverberant Ribbons, Soft Drama, and Subdued.
As usual with Spitfire, the “Subdued” and “Soft Drama” presets stand out, embodying the signature style they’re known for. The piano has a cinematic quality, but rather than being grandiose, it leans towards a softer, more introspective tone, perfect for reflective moments or melancholic pop and country music.
The sound comes from a beautifully sampled vintage Steinway Model A grand piano.
The interface sticks to the familiar LABS format. By clicking the center of the large dial, you can tweak four key parameters: Reverb, Hammers, Tightness, and Pedal.
The Hammers control lets you adjust the level of key release noise, while Tightness determines the piano’s responsiveness by trimming the start of the samples. The Pedal control adds or removes pedal noise. These settings, along with the reverb, allow you to shape the piano’s sound and bring out its natural character.
While LABS continues to excel in delivering high-quality libraries, users have raised complaints in the past, specifically about the lack of an offline mode. Although LABS has since introduced offline functionality, you still need to connect online at least once every 30 days to keep using it, which may not fully satisfy everyone.
Finally, the introduction of a paid subscription model for some LABS offerings has altered the perception of what was once a universally loved free platform. It remains to be seen if this will win back all the users who were previously loyal to the brand.
Additionally, if you want Free Upright Piano Sounds you can check the latest Free Kontakt Player Library – Dust Piano.
