Vertikal
$149.00
Vertikal

Vertikal

by Native Instruments

Play Nils Frahm’s monumental vertical piano, alongside powerful creative features.
$149.00
Download: available immediately

The sound of Nils Frahm's monumental piano

  • Play one of the tallest pianos ever built, recorded in Saal 3 studio at the historic Funkhaus
  • Move between Felt and Pure – two distinctive instruments in one library
  • Powered by generative engine Particles 2.0 for evolving musical layers and creative sound design options

Vertikal audio demos Vertikal Walkthrough

Resonance and intimacy

Vertikal captures this one-of-a-kind 4.5-meter (14.7 ft) vertical piano’s extraordinary dynamic range, alongside the room’s outstanding acoustic character. Explore its natural sound in all its depth and power or Frahm’s own softer, more intimate playing style.

Captured in Frahm's Berlin studio in Saal 3 in the Funkhaus complex.
The 4.5 meter (14.7ft) piano is played on a balcony right at the top of the room.
Everything inside was handcrafted by expert builders.
The 3.9 meter (12.7 ft) strings offer unusually extended resonance and bass response.
The vintage gear used for these detailed, faithful recordings.
Vertikal captures Saal 3’s unique acoustic architecture for a rich, enveloping sound.

In collaboration with Nils Frahm

Explore a library shaped with one of the most influential modern piano and ambient-electronic artists. Vertikal channels a unique instrument alongside Frahm’s signature style for you to take in your own direction.

[play type="Video" url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKTNZdpGmSE" label="Nils Frahm on Vertikal"]

Physical height. Emotional depth.

Designed by a renowned piano builder, this colossal instrument is not about huge sound; in fact, it's at its best when played softly. The 3.9-meter (12.7 ft) strings offer unusually extended resonance and bass response. Simple playing feels larger, deeper, and more emotionally charged.

Rich, detailed sampling

Vertikal was recorded in Saal 3 within the historic Funkhaus complex – a room with a special history and acoustic character. The sampling captures an enveloping sound in exquisite detail.

Two sides of the same piano

Move between distinct sounds without reaching for another instrument.

Pure

Pure

A warm, clear and expressive sound with a wide dynamic range, deep bass, natural resonance and a defined attack.

Felt

Felt

A softer, slightly muted, intimate and mellow piano sound with a gentler felt attack and a darker, more atmospheric tone.

Particles 2.0

The Particles engine turns your performances into evolving layers of sound. As you play, it adds notes that shift by chance within set ranges of pitch, timing, dynamics, and stereo position, so every performance becomes a continuously changing cloud of notes. It’s the successor to the Noire engine, with a host of new features.

Explore different modes

Explore different modes

Rhythm Mode introduces reproducible, tempo-synched patterns with an adjustable number of steps and individual step velocities. Play Mode makes the Particles sound sources directly playable from the keyboard, opening up new possibilities for expressive performance and sound design.

Effects that evolve

Effects that evolve

Get four assignable slots, a wide selection of presets, and individual parameters. Combined with Motion, effects become an integral part of your evolving sound – from subtle spatial enhancements to complex sonic transformation.

Shape as you play

Shape as you play

A new Motion system adds LFOs and performance modulation via mod wheel and polyphonic aftertouch, bringing continuous movement and real-time expression to almost every part of the engine.

Different sound sources

Different sound sources

Choose from a range of tonal, percussive, and textural sound sources, from delicate piano textures to experimental soundscapes. Each of the two sources now has its own Pan and Timbre controls, so you can place and shape them independently.


Created in collaboration with Galaxy Instruments

Created in collaboration with Galaxy Instruments

Vertikal was produced in collaboration with Galaxy Instruments. Founder Uli Baronowsky and his team have previously partnered in the creation of critically acclaimed virtual piano instruments Claire, Noire, Piano Colors, The Giant, Una Corda, and The Definitive Piano Collection, as well as Alicia's Electric Keys, Vocal Colors, Mysteria, and many more.

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Vertikal
Vertikal

Vertikal

Play Nils Frahm’s monumental vertical piano, alongside powerful creative features.

$149.00

Download: available immediately

Vertikal at a glance

Product type: Kontakt instrument
For use with: Free Kontakt Player or Kontakt (version 8.13.1 and higher)
Number of sounds: 2 NKIs (Vertikal Pure and Vertikal Felt)
Number of snapshots: 150+ snapshots, 100+ Particles presets
Sound category: Upright Piano and Prepared Upright Piano
Download size: 29 GB
User Manual online: Online manual
User manual: Download manual

System Requirements

Kontakt system requirements
  • Free Kontakt Player or Kontakt
  • Windows 10 or 11 (latest Service Pack)
  • macOS 13, 14 and 15 (latest update)
  • Intel Core i5 or equivalent CPU, or Apple Silicon, 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended)
  • Graphics hardware support for Direct 3D 11.1 (Feature Level 11_0) or higher
  • Supports ASIO, Core Audio, and WASAPI

*As of Kontakt 8.8, macOS 13 is no longer supported. Future updates may prevent installation below macOS 14.

An internet connection is required to download, install, and activate Kontakt Player or Kontakt, and this product (please see the Native Access system requirements). Once installed, all products can be used offline. Certain products may require additional free downloads.

Supported interfaces

  • macOS (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST3, AU, AAX
  • Windows (64-bit only): Stand-alone, VST3, AAX

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