Editor's picks
The Best Free Piano VSTs
The free pianos worth your hard drive space, and what each one can't do. Picked for sound and practical use, not download counts.
How we choose
| Character | Does it sound like a particular piano in a particular room, or like every other piano? |
|---|---|
| Dynamic response | Does it get softer and darker as you play quieter, or just quieter? |
| Mic positions | Can you move between close and intimate, and wide and roomy? |
| Mechanical noise | Can you keep, or remove, the pedal and hammer sounds? |
| Practicality | The size of the download, the player it needs, and whether an account is required. |
| Limits | Where it falls short, and what to use instead. |
The picks
Want the opinionated version? Richard's personal favourites on richardpryn.com. Ready to pay for more? See the paid grands composers recommend.
Free download
The Piano Pattern Pack
Eight chord progressions with arpeggio patterns in 3, 4 and 6, as MIDI. Drop them onto any free piano on this site and you have a cinematic sketch in minutes. You also get a one-page sheet on the three-step method behind them.
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