Sample Libraries

Is it a loop librarian? Is it a sample library? Is it a drum-sample playback engine? No - it's all of these, and it brings along its own roster of hyper-famous drummers too...

This new software instrument majors on lively and evocative loops and phrases that can be flexibly combined to create convincing world-music atmospheres.

• Sample Magic Funky House Grooves

• Sample Logic Ambience Impacts Rhythms

• VSL Percussion & Harps

• Soundlabel Piano Attack

• VSL Woodwinds II, Brass I & Brass II • Ilio Skippy's Big Bad Beats, Skippy's Noizbox, Stark Raving Beats & Ethno Techno • Ueberschall Urban Jointz

Five new evocative sampled Chinese instruments in virtual instrument form at a seriously low price.

Our monthly round-up and evaluation of what tickled our fancy from the newest Sample Library releases.

We find out how well Steinberg's new take on the virtual orchestra conducts itself...

• Soniccouture Abstrakt: Konkrete • Tekniks Drumm EAR • AMG Kick-ass Brass • Bela D Media Lyrical Distortion: Volumes 1 & 2

Four hot Sample Collections get the SOS Sample Shop review treatment: • Big Fish Audio Chill • Best Service Chris Hein Horns Volume 1 • M-Audio Premium Electric Pianos • Loopmasters Soulful House Sessions

Working with musical loops is now a well-established part of the musical mainstream. Could you do with One more tool to get the job done?

Project SAM Organ Mystique • Best Service Peter Siedlaczek String Essentials • Big Fish Audio Roots Of South America Vol.2 • Big Fish Audio Soundscapes For Cinema

The Vienna Symphonic Library are well known for their amazingly detailed collections of orchestral sounds, and now they're providing them as virtual instruments. Will this take the VSL concept to a new audience, or is it a step too far?

East West and Quantum Leap's Symphonic Orchestra was one of the largest orchestral libraries ever released, at 19 DVDs for the full edition. However, it still wasn't enough for some people — so East West have released this 18-disc expander set...

It should be simple, but nowhere can I find a General MIDI (XG/GS) software sound module for VST. Can you help? A freeware...

• Sony Sound Series: Trance NRG2 • Big Fish Elements: Traditional Jazz • Big Fish Raging Guitars

Zero G Nostalgia: Kompakt Instrument • Big Fish Audio Soul City: Multi-format • Zero G Vocal Forge: Intakt Instrument

Do you like AAS's Tassman but are a bit baffled when it comes to programming? Check out some of Harm Visser's ready-made instruments...

Could you please explain what construction kits are? I've come across them on sample CDs but don't know how they differ from normal loops...

• Big Fish Audio Hip-Hop High: Multi-format • Garritan Jazz & Big Band: Kontakt Instrument • Sample Lab Broken Beats: WAV+REX+Apple Loops • Sonic Implants Symphonic Harp: Gigastudio

The addition of woodwind and percussion libraries rounds out Sonic Implants' Complete Symphonic Collection, bringing their three-year symphonic project to a close.

While the sampling world has warmly embraced the drive towards superb sonics, Dagenham-based Worsesounds have made their mark with cheap-but-cheerless sound libraries aimed at the undiscerning...