Native Instruments has introduced Vertikal, a Kontakt virtual piano instrument developed with composer and electronic musician Nils Frahm. It samples Frahm’s unusual 4.5-metre (14.7-foot) vertical piano, recorded at his Saal 3 studio in Berlin, and pairs two piano variations with an updated generative performance and sound-design engine.
The instrument is built around a piano whose strings measure approximately 3.9 metres (12.7 feet). That scale is intended to deliver extended resonance and a notably deep low-end response, while the recordings also capture the natural character of Frahm’s studio space. The release was reported by Synthtopia ↗ (opens in a new tab).
Key Takeaways
- Vertikal is a Kontakt instrument based on Nils Frahm’s 4.5-metre vertical piano, recorded in Berlin’s Saal 3.
- It includes separate Vertikal Pure and Vertikal Felt instruments, offering two treatments of the same source piano.
- Particles 2.0 adds generative note layers, tempo-synchronised rhythmic patterns and playable sound sources.
- The instrument is aimed at producers who want an acoustic piano foundation that can move into evolving, MIDI-controlled texture work.
A large vertical piano, captured with its room
Vertikal is not presented as a conventional clean, close-miked piano library. Its source is substantially taller than a typical upright and is played from a balcony near the top of the room where it is installed. According to the release information, its long strings contribute both to the instrument’s extended decay and bass response.
For producers, the useful distinction is the inclusion of the room as part of the instrument’s identity. Rather than starting with a neutral piano sample and building ambience entirely through processing, Vertikal captures a specific acoustic setting alongside the piano. That could suit sparse arrangements where the piano is expected to occupy foreground space, including ambient, modern classical, downtempo electronic and score-oriented work.
The library provides two separate Kontakt instruments. Vertikal Pure is described as the clearer, more direct option, with a defined attack, broad dynamic range, natural resonance and deep bass. Vertikal Felt offers a muted, softer alternative with a gentler onset and darker tone.
In practical arrangement terms, those two versions give users a choice between a piano part that needs to retain articulation among drums and synth layers, and one that can sit further back in a quieter mix. Felt piano timbres can be particularly useful for writing repeated chord figures or low-velocity motifs without introducing an overly percussive attack.
Particles 2.0 moves beyond standard piano playback
The more unusual part of Vertikal is Particles 2.0, an updated version of Native Instruments’ generative engine previously used in Noire. It creates extra layers from a played performance, varying parameters including pitch, timing, dynamics and stereo position. The result can range from relatively subtle supporting notes to denser, shifting note clouds.
This makes Vertikal relevant not only as a piano library, but as a compositional tool. A simple MIDI phrase can become a moving bed of tonal or percussive material without manually programming every additional event. Producers working with MIDI controllers can use this as a performance-oriented starting point, then edit or re-record the underlying part where needed. Those building a more expressive setup may also find Product London’s guide to MIDI controllers for sound designers useful when choosing hands-on control options.
Particles 2.0 adds a Rhythm Mode for repeatable, tempo-synchronised patterns, with adjustable step counts and individual step velocities. This is more structured than free-running generative behaviour: it should allow the added material to remain locked to a DAW project’s tempo while still deriving its character from the source performance.
A Play Mode makes the Particles sound sources directly playable from a MIDI keyboard, rather than requiring them to be generated only by the piano performance. The engine also includes two independently shaped sound sources, each with Pan and Timbre controls, plus four assignable effects slots.
Modulation and texture controls for sound-design sessions
Native Instruments has also included its Motion system, which provides LFO-based modulation alongside mod-wheel and polyphonic-aftertouch control. This is the part of the instrument likely to appeal most to electronic producers who want the source piano to become less recognisably pianistic over time.
Used conservatively, modulation and Particles layers could add movement beneath an otherwise natural piano recording. Pushed further, the same tools could create rhythmic tonal beds, processed percussive material or wider stereo textures for intros, transitions and breakdowns. Producers exploring that route may also want to revisit the fundamentals of creating ambient sounds through layering and sound design, particularly when deciding how much generated material a mix can support.
The source information does not provide pricing, availability details, system requirements or Kontakt version requirements. Producers interested in Vertikal should therefore check Native Instruments’ own purchase and compatibility information before planning it into an existing Kontakt template or live setup.
What to watch next
Vertikal’s strongest point on paper is the combination of a distinct acoustic recording and a generative engine with enough control to be used rhythmically rather than only atmospherically. The practical question for Kontakt users will be how deeply Particles 2.0 can be integrated into an existing MIDI workflow: as a subtle performance enhancer, a tempo-locked pattern generator, or a separate playable texture source.