Native Instruments Releases Vertikal Piano Library
The Kontakt 8 library samples Nils Frahm's 4.5-meter vertical concert grand, recorded in his Berlin studio.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Classical
Native Instruments has released Vertikal, a Kontakt 8 piano library recorded from Nils Frahm's vertical concert grand. The library was made by Galaxy Instruments and ships with Particles 2.0, an updated version of the generative engine from Noire.
Why it matters
Vertikal gives musicians access to a rare instrument that Frahm has said few people will ever play in person. Its recording setup places the room's acoustics directly into the sampled sound.
The vertical concert grand stands 4.5 meters tall, with strings running up to 3.9 meters long. Pricing and independent sound evaluations were not included in the release details.
The players
Nils Frahm
Nils Frahm is a German pianist and composer known for his piano-centered recordings and his Berlin studio work.
Native Instruments
Native Instruments is a German company that produces music software and sample libraries, including the Kontakt platform.
Galaxy Instruments
Galaxy Instruments is the sample developer that made Vertikal, The Giant, Una Corda, and Noire.
The details
Vertikal was recorded in Saal 3, Frahm's studio inside Berlin's Funkhaus complex, so the room's acoustics are built into the samples. The library comes in pure, felt, and felt-plus-cotton versions, echoing Frahm's 2011 album Felt, which used felt laid over the piano strings.
Timeline
2011: Frahm released the album Felt, using felt on piano strings.
2015: Frahm founded Piano Day, held on the 88th day of each year.
2016: Frahm took over Saal 3 as his personal studio.
November 6, 2026: Native Instruments' Vertikal library release was reported.
Big Picture
Vertikal's felt versions extend the sound experiments Frahm first presented on his 2011 album Felt. The library moves that approach from a single recording into a tool musicians can load into their own productions.
Musicians and producers can load Vertikal into Kontakt 8 to use the piano sounds in their own work. Those without access to a 4.5-meter concert grand can use the library's pure, felt, or felt-plus-cotton versions as a sampled alternative.
The takeaway
Sample libraries can now carry the acoustics of a specific room, not just a specific instrument. Vertikal shows how a recording space becomes part of the sound a producer can use.
Further reading
Explore more classical music coverage for context on instruments and recordings like this one.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The FADER.
