Sample Libraries

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. As a type of tuned percussion, Hang Drum's roots in the steel drums of the Caribbean are obvious but, in the right hands, the sound can be both beautiful and hypnotic.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. Zero G’s Elements is a Wavetable Hybrid Synth aimed at those working on creating contemporary soundtracks and sound design...

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Nova is a sample‑based virtual instrument built around a collection of textures, pads and soundscapes.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Looking for great layering options or want to create an orchestral mix using instruments which are different and folk‑like? Solstice delivers a surprising array of choices...

For their latest SD3 expansion, Toontrack made a pilgrimage to the hallowed ground of Rockfield Studios in Wales.

Orchestral Tools’ Baroque collection shines a modern light on a historic sound.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. If your next musical project needs to create the authentic sound of an old‑school, late‑night jazz club, Ueberschall’s Jazz Works series might make a great place to start.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Bold is a sound library with a colourful user interface that features sampled drums, effects/Foley, keys and bass sounds.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. This loop‑based instrument uses threerhythmic layers plus processing to create rhythm loops, sequencer‑like riffs, pulses, grooves and even shifting textures.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. These cinematic libraries focus on bowed guitar and bowed piano textures.

Spitfire’s blockbuster percussion library makes a big impact.

Rating: 5/5 Stars. This deep-sampled, pristine sound library focuses on more traditional tuned percussion: tubular bells, crotales and glockenspiel.

Rating: 5/5 Stars. Saxophone Explorations is not your traditional instrumental sample library, but an eclectic and diverse set of samples, which take the instrument to the outer edges of its technical and tonal capabilities.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. This library leans more towards percussion but there are still plenty of drum sounds included to provide a complete sound palette for creating ethnic rhythms.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. Based on evocative female vocal sounds performed by soprano Roksana Korban, this vocal library is more about texture and ambience than creating realistic lead melodies.

Slate + Ash take a different approach to the orchestral sample library.

VSL’s new hall‑recorded brass collection aims for maximum grandeur.

Rating: 4/5 Stars. As the title suggests, the main instrument is a very decent Musser M250 concert marimba sampled at multiple dynamics over its full A2‑C7 range.

Rating: 4/5 Stars. Emerge is a huge collection of overtly processed sounds divided into categories and then subcategories for use in contemporary soundtrack composition.

Rating: 4/5 Stars. If you need keyboard‑based parts but don’t have keyboard‑based skills (or a budget to hire them), EZkeys is a seriously good tool.

Soniccouture’s new library steps into a strange new world of sci‑fi and horror.