Q Up Arts California Keys [Exciting, Deep] Review

Q Up Arts California Keys [Exciting, Deep] Review

Q Up Arts is not one of the most renowned companies within the sphere of digital sampling – well, not in comparison to prolific names like OrangeTreeSamples, Cinesamples, SonicCouture and their ilk.  However, Douglas Morton and his small Q Up team have been active in the field for the better part of two decades now.  Mr. Morton’s work might be familiar to you without your even realizing it.  For example, Rhythmic Robot’s celebrated “Emulator II OMI” sample library(s) is the result of a close collaboration between Rhythmic Robot and Q Up Arts.

​It could be said that Q Up Arts has been known more for producing top notch loop libraries, than for compiling VI (Virtual Instrument) sample libraries.  As such, the release of “California Keys” came as somewhat of a surprise to me.  And it’s a large surprise – close to 40 Gigabytes’ worth, as a matter of fact.  The lion’s share of said 40 gigabytes is owned by the pride’s leader – a punctiliously-sampled 10 ft’ Fazioli grand piano.  Q Up Arts claims that it is one of the most expressive piano libraries available – specifically for soft emotive playing and ambient textures.  I tend to agree.

California Keys is not a single instrument.  In addition to the acoustic grand piano – which was sampled in configurations ranging from stereo all the way through to 7.1 surround – Q Up Arts has stuffed in a collection of beloved, vintage organs and e-pianos.  Albeit, Q Up’s take on some of the instruments is a little off-the-beaten-track, the “Cali Keys” bundle has quite a lot to offer.

The MSRP is a rather ambitious figure of $499 (USD), but the bundle is offered on sale occasionally, and Douglas Morton is conscious of making Q Up products available to students for amiable rates.  Quite frankly, this helps Doug and his company stand out from the crowd; well-deserving to be duly commended.

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