EastWest have announced the launch of a new sample library that captures world-renowned recording artist Saulius Petreikis playing a rare selection of wind instruments from around the world. Produced by Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, Ancient Kingdom promises to “transport your music into a dimension where the past meets the future and the spirits of lost worlds come to life with every note”.
The library features an intuitive interface that comes packed with tools for shaping and fine-tuning the included sounds. A Mood section offers Soft, Classic and Epic modes that use the built-in mic mixer and effects to offer three distinct sound characters, while a Performance panel provides Portamento, Legato, True Legato and Repetition playing modes. Sensitivity, MIDI Control and Envelope sections then allow users to adjust the library’s playing response. A Stereo Double effect is joined by a built-in Reverb section, and those who prefer to perfect their own mix will enjoy full control over the library’s four microphone signals.
Alongside Ancient Kingdom’s core samples, EastWest have included a collection of four additional signals that offer some alternative takes on the default, pristine sounds. The signal paths employ a range of techniques, with the original samples processed and re-recorded using amplifiers, megaphones, valve gear, rotating speakers and more. The extra sounds offer some significant tonal variation, and can be used for everything from adding some ‘edge’ to a traditional composition to creating experimental soundscapes.
What’s Included?
Armenian Duduk (Available in A, C & G)
The Armenian duduk is an ancient double-reed woodwind instrument known for its warm, soulful and deeply expressive sound with haunting depth — ideal for crafting emotive melodies in cinematic or world music scores.
Bansuri
The bansuri is a traditional Indian bamboo flute known for its warm, airy timbre, and produces a serene sound that’s ideal for melodic or meditative layers in both solo and ensemble settings.
Birbyne (Available In A & Db)
The birbyne is a traditional Lithuanian woodwind instrument, typically made of wood, with a pure, nasal timbre producing a bright, folk-like sound — ideal for lively or rustic themes in Baltic or historical compositions.
Dambrelis
The dambrelis is a traditional Lithuanian jaw harp made from metal or bamboo, which produces sound by plucking a flexible tongue while holding the frame against the teeth or lips. The player's mouth acts as a resonator, shaping the tone and pitch, creating a distinctive twanging, rhythmic sound.
Double Shepherd Flute
- The double shepherd flute is a traditional Slavic double flute, made from wood and consisting of two parallel pipes, creating a rich, dual-layered sound with a warm, harmonious timbre and a bright upper range well-suited for pastoral or emotive themes.
Flugelhorn
- The flugelhorn is a brass instrument with origins in Germany, known for its smooth, lyrical sound and rich timbre, bridging the gap between the trumpet and French horn. Its warm, mellow sound makes it ideal for majestic yet intimate themes.
Fujara (Available in High & Large)
- The fujara is a large Slovakian overtone flute made from wood, producing a deep, resonant timbre with natural overtones, delivering a bold, earthy sound that’s perfect for dramatic or meditative melodies in folk or cinematic scores.
Goat Horn Amber
- The goathorn is a traditional Lithuanian wind instrument featuring a simple design with a few finger holes. It is made from a real goat horn, sometimes adorned with amber, and produces a raw, earthy timbre ideal for adding intensity to battle themes or creating visceral ceremonial cues.
Goat Horn Ebony
- The ebony goathorn is a modern variation of the traditional goathorn, crafted from dense, dark ebony wood instead of animal horn. While retaining the classic shape and playing technique, this version offers a richer, more refined tone with improved durability and resonance. It typically features a few finger holes and is used in folk and contemporary interpretations of Baltic music.
Hulusi (Available in High & Low)
- The hulusi is a traditional Chinese free-reed wind instrument featuring a gourd wind chamber and bamboo pipes, including one main melody pipe and often one or two drone pipes. It produces a smooth, mellow, and haunting sound reminiscent of a clarinet, making it well-suited for lyrical melodies or atmospheric layers in world or cinematic music.
Irish Whistle (Available in Regular & High)
- The Irish whistle is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument that produces a bright, clear tone, capable of expressive ornamentation and fast, intricate melodies by a skilled player.
Labanoro Duda
- The Labanoro duda is a unique and rare Lithuanian bagpipe traditionally associated with the Labanoras region. It features a single drone with a melody pipe (chanter), typically made from wood and animal hide, which produces a robust, droning timbre with driving rhythmic energy.
Native American Cedar Flute (Available in Flute And Piccolo)
- The Native American flute is a traditional wind instrument used by Indigenous peoples of North America, known for its breathy, warm timbre and haunting, deeply emotive sound.
Persian Ney Flute
- The Persian ney is an ancient end-blown flute made from a hollow reed with six finger holes, producing a breathy, intimate timbre and poignant, emotional sound ideal as a solo melodic voice.
Shakuhachi
- The shakuhachi is a traditional Japanese end-blown bamboo flute with five finger holes that creates a rich, breathy timbre, capable of producing a wide range of expressive sounds through subtle breath control and finger techniques.
Skuduciai Pipes
- Skuduciai pipes are traditional Lithuanian panpipe-like instruments made from wood or reed, producing a delicate, airy quality with a woody timbre that adds subtle, organic textures.
Viking Lur
- The Viking lur is an ancient Scandinavian and Baltic wind instrument made from bronze or wood and shaped in a long, curved form resembling an animal horn. With no finger holes, it plays natural harmonics that gives it a bold, brassy timbre with a haunting, resonant tone ideal for epic fanfares and battle themes.
Viking Voices
- Viking voices produce a raw, guttural timbre with primal expressions, taking the form of chanting as part of rituals, rhythmic recitation, mythic storytelling and melodic forms rooted in oral tradition.
Viking War Horn
The Viking war horn is a traditional Nordic signalling instrument, typically carved from animal horn or wood, which produces a deep, commanding sound whose power belies its simple design.
Take a look at EastWest’s official walkthrough video to hear what Ancient Kingdom has to offer.
Compatibility
Ancient Kingdom runs in EastWest’s Opus 1.5.6, which is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or above, and Macs running macOS 10.15 and later. VST2, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in versions are available.
Pricing & Availability
Ancient Kingdom is available now, and is being offered at an introductory price of $199 until 30 May 2025, when it will increase to its full cost of $299. It is also included in the company’s ComposerCloud+ subscription bundle.
