4.9/5 stars (20 reviews) • Instruments / Kontakt Instrument

Product Summary

CHROMA – Grand Piano by Sonuscore is a flagship Kontakt instrument built around meticulous recordings of a Yamaha C3 grand piano. It captures the acoustic richness of the original instrument while expanding into creative territory with a unique core engine that generates abstract soundscapes. You get over 23 velocity layers and 8 round robins for mechanical sounds, delivering realistic playability that responds naturally to your performance. The library includes multiple articulations beyond standard playing—brushes, mallets, palm mutes, e-bow, and chains—all adjustable and combinable inside the instrument. Four freely adjustable microphone positions (A/B, X/Y, ORTF, and submic) let you shape the spatial character, while an adjustable velocity curve matches dynamics to any keyboard. The interface is split into intuitive pages: Main for articulation mixing and mechanics, Engine for sound design expansion, Mix for mic blending and response tuning, and a Preset Browser with over 90 ready-to-go naturalistic and cinematic presets. It works with the free Kontakt Player 6.7.1 or higher, making it accessible without requiring the full Kontakt license.

To see how CHROMA compares with other pianos under $150, read our best budget piano plugins guide.

Key Features

Visual / Sound Design
– Create evolving abstract soundscapes using the unique core engine with full mod wheel support, inspired by TIME TEXTURES
– Access over 90 ready-to-go presets spanning naturalistic piano tones to cinematic ensemble textures

Control / Expression
– Shape dynamics precisely with an adjustable velocity curve that matches any keyboard’s response
– Blend four freely adjustable microphone positions (A/B, X/Y, ORTF, submic) for custom spatial character
– Control mechanical details like Note On, Note Off, and Pedal sounds for enhanced realism

Processing / Articulation
– Combine multiple articulations—traditional playing, brushes, mallets, palm mutes, e-bow, and chains—all adjustable within the instrument
– Leverage over 23 velocity layers and 8 round robins for nuanced, human-like playback

Workflow / Usability
– Navigate an intuitive interface with dedicated Main, Engine, Mix, and Preset Browser pages
– Filter and save presets quickly; create and store your own custom sounds

System Compatibility

– Works with the FREE KONTAKT PLAYER
– KONTAKT Version 6.7.1 or higher
– macOS 10.14 or higher
– Windows 10 or higher
– 8GB RAM (more recommended)
– At least 11 GB of free hard disk space. SSD hard disk recommended.
– Be advised that some presets of CHROMA need a fast CPU to run smoothly and require an Intel i7 processor or higher.