Boz Digital Labs has released Ningbo Felt 2021, a new piano, powered by their Master Keys piano plugin, available now in Lite and Pro versions.
Boz Digital Labs says Ningbo Felt 2021 offers a quiet, expressive voice shaped by felted strings and a naturally intimate recording space. The tone is soft and subdued, with gentle attacks and a warm, muted resonance that invites slower playing and subtle dynamics. It’s a piano built for restraint, ideal for cinematic scoring, ambient textures, and moments that need to feel personal.
Sampled from the same upright as Ningbo Upright 2021, this version was recorded with the felt engaged across all registers. Five stereo microphone positions capture its full character, from close and focused to spacious and atmospheric, giving you control over how the piano sits in your mix without losing its quiet charm.
The Piano
This piano speaks in hushed tones. With the felt engaged, each note emerges gently, softened at the edges and wrapped in warmth. The attack is subdued, the resonance quiet, and the overtones held back just enough to let the silence between notes carry weight.
It’s a sound built for restraint. The felt dampens not just volume, but urgency, creating a space where the music feels personal and unforced. It invites slower tempos, sparse voicings, and moments where the performance is more about presence than projection.
Whether you’re scoring for film, writing late at night, or simply chasing a quieter mood, this piano offers a voice that stays close to the listener. It doesn’t demand attention. It earns it.
Instrument Specs
- Hailun H‑1P upright, built in 2021.
- Height: 48 inches.
- Nearly new condition, minimal play wear.
- Felt engaged across all registers during sampling.
Recording Environment
- Small living room, naturally controlled ambience.
- Mic positioning chosen for a balanced, realistic stereo image.
Sound Profile
- Soft, muted tone with gentle attack.
- Reduced brightness and minimal overtones.
- Ideal for cinematic scoring, ambient textures, and intimate arrangements.
Microphone Positions
- Front Under: A pair of Omni-directional condenser mics underneath the keyboard facing the bridge. Provides a close, intimate sound with very light hammer action noise.
- Behind Close: A pair of cardioid microphones near the soundboard behind the piano. This gives that woody characteristic sound of an upright piano while still being close and wide.
- Behind Spaced: Pulled back a couple feet from the back side of the soundboard. This gives a more spacious and natural sound, with a bright crisp tone.
- Front Over: A wide pair of microphones aiming at the hammers. Despite what you may expect, this position gives a dark, distant, but wide tone.
- Room: A pair of spaced omni-directional microphones about 6 feet away from the piano. These capture the entire piano and the room. This position gives a more distant sound and works best blended with the other microphone positions.
Pro vs Lite
Whether you’re after the full depth and flexibility of the Pro edition or the streamlined efficiency of the Lite version, you can choose the one that matches your workflow, budget, and system requirements.
Pro:
- 5 Stereo Mic positions.
- All Keys Sampled.
- True Release Samples.
- Resonance Samples.
- Pedal Noise.
- Sustain Control.
- Hard Drive Space: 6GB.
Lite:
- 1 Stereo Mic position (Behind Close).
- True Release Samples.
- Key Stretching (Every 3rd key sampled).
- Resonance Samples.
- Hard Drive Space: 45MB.
- Free Trial Available.
Pricing & Availability
Ningbo Felt 2021 Pro is available for the introductory price of $39 (Reg. $79), whilst the Lite version is $10.
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