Sample Libraries

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. These affordable mini‑libraries provide users with the immediately recognisable and colourful instrumental combinations frequently heard in classic movie scores.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars. This 3GB of sample content is aimed at the more raucous end of the drumming scale; think rock, garage, punk and grunge.

Toontrack add a fine and upstanding acoustic expansion for EZbass.

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

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.

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

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.

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.