Hi Everyone and Happy New Year! Just wondering what some of your favourite realistic-sounding Piano VSTs are? My go-to in trailer tracks is the Felt Piano from Spitfire's Olafur Arnalds Toolkit, but I need something a little less soft for a project I'm working on. I've been using Addictive Keys from XLN Audio for years in personal projects, but I'm not sure it quite has the realism I want/need for this professional project. Though interested if anyone disagrees! Let me know your thoughts! I'm hoping not to break the bank on another piano, but I'd love to have something that sounds super realistic to slot into my wider instrument collection (Nucleus, Metropolis Ark, Damage 2, Gravity etc) Thanks all!

Hi! Before the end of 2025, I thought I would take the opportunity to make some shoutouts when it comes to people in this community that helped me out on my journey when it comes to applying but also get accepted into two trailer libraries earlier this fall. First off, big thanks to @Andrew Hand who gave me great feedback on my early showreel version that I started to build and create during the summer. Thanks, Andrew :) But Andrew also got me into contact with @Matt McDonnell who offered me 1v1 sessions, when it comes to improving my cues even further, and also very valuable feedback when it comes to my upcoming showreel, and important things to have in mind when sending those application mails to the libraries. Besides that, we've also had great conversations about music and life in general :) Thanks Matt for taking the time, listening to different versions of my cues and giving valuable feedback, but also the support during the whole phase of "putting it all together". And last but not least; thanks to @Alex Pfeffer even though we've never spoken, since he's the man behind this community. Thanks to him I've gotten new knowledge but also inspiration. I wouldn't have found this group of fellow composers in the first place if it wasn't for his YT channel :) Thanks, Alex! I'm now in the work of finishing my first album (horror music), with one of the libraries. Twelve tracks were completed before Christmas, but I'll now go back and start making some revisions and changes here and there due to feedback, and then it's time to deliver those stems(!) Looking forward to what 2026 has to offer, and with that I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Kind regards, Roger Bergström

Hey everyone! 👋 Hope you all had an amazing Christmas and are getting ready for an incredible 2026! As we close out this year, I wanted to share a quick update about some changes coming in the new year. Starting January 1st, 2026: Courses are going subscription-only Right now you can still grab individual courses or get the full bundle, but from January 1st onwards, courses will only be available through a $27/month subscription. No more one-time purchases. If you've been thinking about picking up any courses, now's the time. I've also put together an all-access bundle at $497 - that's all 11 courses, lifetime access, one payment. (For context, that's 18 months of the subscription price, but you own everything forever.) Audio Artist Rise pricing update for NEW members Current members, you're locked in at your rate forever (nothing changes for you!). But for anyone joining fresh in 2026, the monthly rate will be $197/month instead of the current $97/month. Again, if you're already in Rise - you're good. Your price never changes. This is just for new folks coming in. No pressure, just a heads up! I wanted to make sure the community knew about these changes before they happen. If you want to lock anything in at 2025 pricing, you've got until December 31st. Here's to an amazing 2026 for all of us. Let's make it a breakthrough year! 🚀 Drop a comment and let me know - what's your #1 music goal for 2026?

Hey Audio Artist Academy fam, I need to talk to you about something that's been on my mind. When I introduced the monthly cash prizes for our top members, my intention was to reward your dedication and activity. But honestly? It backfired. I've noticed the energy shift. It feels like some of you have been chasing the money rather than genuinely connecting and helping each other grow. It got to a point where some members even created fake accounts to reward their own posts and climb the rankings faster. That's a huge red flag and completely goes against what we're building here. (Yes, I have proof for this!) I've also seen members leave, and I can't help but think the competitive prize structure and this kind of behavior played a role in that. That's not what this community is about, and I take responsibility for creating a system that encouraged the wrong kind of engagement. So we're making a change - effective immediately. The money prizes are gone. Instead, here's the new monthly recognition for our top 3 most active members: 🥇 1st Place: 30-minute 1-on-1 call with me (feedback session, Q&A, whatever you need) 🥈 2nd Place: Written feedback or voice note on one of your tracks 🥉 3rd Place: Community spotlight - I'll feature your work in a Skool post here and give you some exposure These rewards are about learning, growth, and visibility - not cash. I want this to feel like recognition, not a competition that divides us. Thanks for understanding, and let's get back to what matters: supporting each other and making great music together.

Hi friends, I have no doubt that you would know such a legend from the gaming-music industry, and I don’t mean anyone other than Akira Yamaoka. Since I don’t have time for games anymore and I played Silent Hill 2 when the sequel came out back in 2001, and I absolutely fell in love with the game. I played through it about ten times and saw all the endings. And that music really resonated with me back then too. Only now that the remake from Polish studio Bloober Team came out recently, I got my hands on the completely reworked soundtrack with 93 tracks. Well, it ended up with me having to order the 6LP version, which will be released in the fall. What do you think about the soundtrack? It’s available in full on YouTube. https://youtu.be/Q47veZhrMW8