Late last year, Native Instruments released Claire, a virtual instrument for Kontakt 8 that captured the sounds of a Fazioli F308, a 10-foot Italian concert grand that also happens to be the world's largest grand piano currently in production. We spent some time with Claire following its release, and we're big fans of the instrument's expansive sound and versatility.
This week, Native Instruments has announced Claire: Avant, a new "avant-garde" instrument also featuring the sounds of the F308, but with a more experimental spin. Designed to be "as expressive as it is unconventional", Claire: Avant is said to explore a variety of unorthodox articulations and preparations that reveal unexpected resonances, overtones and percussive textures in the piano.
