What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Here is an example in a Britney Spears song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CduA0TULnow

This sound is the first thing that kicks off the music. It starts around the 0:37 mark or so.

I'm assuming it must be layers of differing things (besides just pianos; some sort of prepared pianos might just be a small part of it). What would the steps be to make this, and are there maybe Kontakt libraries with this kind of stuff sampled?

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Whoops, seem to have posted twice.

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Probably a Yamaha C3 or C7; if you have Kontakt 5 Alicia's Keys which has a C3 should do the trick. A lot of rock and pop is done with a Yamaha piano because those things tend to be very bright sounding.

Also keep in mind that all kinds of tricks are done in a recording studio so I doubt you're hearing the piano plain; probably eq'd and compressed to the nines.

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Here is another similar example from NSYNC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQMlWwIXg3M

You here it around the 0:07 mark.

This seem to have more piano-ness than the Britney example (I prefer that Britney sound and the way it was used). The sound used for the "piano hits" in the NSYNC example is also used for the melody, but the Britney one is more intense, and probably better suited just for those hit sounds than to be used in a melody (just as it was used in her song).

As I mentioned in another comment, I think the Britney example has more stuff layered with it, but I am having trouble figuring out exactly what.

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

@musicman391 is right, that can be done with almost any piano, maybe even layering a cp and a grand. What you are hearing has been heavily filtered and compressed but I bet you can use Mini Grand and nobody will get mad (btw, @benoni did a comparison between Mini Grand and A. Keys with very favourable results for Mini Grand imho).

reFX Nexus used to bring a lot of presets with all the work done for you but those are nothing that can not be recreated with the stock Pro Tools plugs and a bit of work and ear.

Cheers

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Nexus2 has lots of presets like that. Also sounds like there is a kick playing together with the piano.
You might need to shorten the decay time to get it staccato like in those examples.

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

My one issue with Nexus is that the samples are done in 16-bit (I confirmed this with ReFx), but I like to stick to 24 bit. Seem to be a cool tompler though!

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

I've heard of that library. I'll check it out!

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

That piano is from a Yamaha TG-500 rack double with strings Roland 1080 with orchestra expansion card. Cheiron used those combos and some drumsamples underneath for a lot of their 90's and mid 2000's popsongs.

The orchestral "hit" one shot is also from TG-500 which is beautifully mixed in on those piano hits.

Re: What samplers/instruments can I use to get that "big (piano?) hit" sound?
 

Great insight. Thank you!

Yes, it seems like a lot of the stuff coming out of Sweden (in the pop realm) had similar sounds those days. Also, did you mean that the piano from the Yamaha was doubled along with a string hit, or is that the name of the specific patch?

Also, just to be clear, when you mentioned the orchestral hit on your last paragraph, you are referring to the Britney example I initially posted, correct? That this is layered with a piano also from the Yamaha?