Sample Libraries

Spitfire’s blockbuster percussion library makes a big impact.

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: 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: **** 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. 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.

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.

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

A top‑tier film composer shares his coveted percussion collection. Is this the best cinematic drums library ever?

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Whether you are a busy media composer or producer of song‑based music, this library is great for designing complex evolving pad/drone‑type sounds.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars.  This lovely little library blends beautifully with the rest of the Big Bang Orchestra range.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. CAT's suite of six libraries is designed to provide sounds that fit in with cinematic soundtrack compositions, though there are applications in other musical genres such as chill, EDM and ambient.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. This Stefano Maccarelli production with vocals provided by the hugely versatile Clara Sorace, includes five multisampled Kontakt instruments, all with a Middle Eastern flavour.

Orange Tree Sample’s Famous E may be the best virtual Rhodes you can buy.

Sounds of voices and strings rise from the chilly shores of the Baltic.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Scoring Acoustic Guitars is most likely to appeal to media composers or more experimental musicians. The quality of the sounds is most certainly big budget, but the price of access is not.

Rating: **** 4.5/5 Stars. A mouthwatering library of samples from reputedly the largest modular setup in Europe, owned by media composer Lester Barnes.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Electric Vintage has been created around samples and performances from a vintage ’50s Fender Telecaster.