Propellerhead Software announced Wednesday Abbey Road Keyboards, a ReFill for Reason. The package is a collection of seven keyboards from the Apple Road studios that have been hypersampled using the original keyboards, amps, and mics in the recording studios where they have been used. According to Propellerhead, this includes equipment and space used by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and sound track recordings made during the last 30 years.
Hypersampling is Propellerheadis name for its method of sampling musical instruments. In this case, that specifically means that the samples, "were all recorded at multiple?velocity levels, from multiple angles, using multiple sets of?microphones through the original mics, preamps, consoles and outboard gear at Abbey Road." The company also said they worked with Abbey Road engineers who work with the equipment in the studio.
The seven keyboards included are: Steinway Vertegrand, Challen studio piano, Hammond RT-3 & Leslie Model 122, Mannborg Harmonium, Mellotron Model 400, Schiedmayer Celeste, and Premier Tubular Bells. You can find further details (link is to a frame, as it is not obvious how to find the page) at Propellerheadis Web site. The company also has a movie describing the product.
The collection is comprised of a two DVD set with both 16-bit and 24-bit versions of the sound library. The company said that the 16-bit version uses less CPU, and that the two libraries can be interchanged as needed, so that the 24-bit versions can be used for final mixing. The package also includes the Guide to Abbey Road Keyboards (a 40 page book).