Strawberry Studios' signature 1901 Steinway B piano, echoed in renowned albums by Elton John, David Bowie, and Fleetwood Mac, is now captured in Spitfire Audio's latest instrument release.
In the heart of Northern France, nestled within the historic Château d'Hérouville, lies a legendary recording space known as Strawberry Studios. This iconic studio, once a creative haven for artists such as Elton John, David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd, and The Bee Gees, has now been meticulously sampled to create Spitfire Audio's Château Piano.
The instrument at the centre of this digital treasure is a 1901 Steinway B grand piano, which once belonged to film composer Michel Magne and became a key instrument at the Château. Elton John's albums like Honky Château, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road were notably connected to this piano's unique sound.
The sampling process was carried out with great care, using a collection of vintage valve and condenser microphones, including classic Neumann U67s, positioned identically to those used on famous Elton John recordings. The microphones were placed in the same position as the original recordings, capturing the piano's distinct character from the studio's restored "George Sand" live room.
Château Piano offers more than just a sampled piano. It is a historic instrument’s voice preserved in digital form, providing a direct connection to the golden era of 70s rock and pop. The plugin features 8 microphone signals, recorded with meticulous attention, enabling blending for a wide sonic palette.
Built-in effects include reverb, chorus, flanger, high- and low-pass filters, tape saturation, punchy compression, chorused and distorted signals for shaping the sound from pure and natural to richly processed vintage textures. The instrument comes with 37 presets organized in six categories: Natural, Cinematic, 70s, 80s, Songwriter, and Rock, reflecting the piano's versatility across genres and eras.
The sound spans from a bright, punchy attack suitable for pop and rock styles to a surprisingly delicate, intimate tone perfect for cinematic scoring and songwriting. An onboard mixer allows for detailed tonal shaping, enabling users to recreate the iconic sound heard on classic records while also adapting it creatively.
After closing in 1985, Strawberry Studios was purchased in 2015 by musicians and sound engineers Jean Taxis and Thierry Garacino and reopened in 2020. The studio, often referred to as "France's Abbey Road", is now open for business once again, allowing Spitfire Audio to capture the piano’s classic tone in its authentic acoustic environment.
Spitfire Audio's Château Piano is now available and priced at an introductory discount of £103/$127. For more information, visit Spitfire Audio's website.
[1] Spitfire Audio's Château Piano Official Website [2] Elton John's Honky Château Album Page [3] Strawberry Studios History [4] Neumann U67 Microphone
- The unique sound of the piano featured in Spitfire Audio's Château Piano, a digital treasure inspired by the legendary Strawberry Studios in France, was notably connected to Elton John's albums like Honky Château, Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player, and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
- To create Château Piano, Spitfire Audio used a collection of vintage valve and condenser microphones, including classic Neumann U67s, positioning them identically to those used on famous Elton John recordings, meticulously capturing the piano's distinct character in the restored live room of Strawberry Studios.
