Find Your Way Through The Maze!
- Sample Libraries
By Dave Stewart
Published March 2022
Ensembles
Under the careful stewardship of composer Andrew Kerestzes, Audiobro have been apermanent fixture in the ‘Best Orchestral Libraries’ lists since releasing LA Scoring Strings in 2009. The large‑scale Modern Scoring Strings and Modern Scoring Brass libraries perpetuate LASS’s flexible divisi sections and automated rhythm tools, while LA Drama Drums provides thunderousaccompaniment.
Flagship Collection: Modern Scoring Strings Complete.
Budget Solution: LA Scoring Strings 3 Lite.
Impact Soundworks were founded in 2008 by Andrew Aversa and Will Roget, II. This Maryland‑based outfit’s current pride and joy is the 84GB Tokyo Scoring Strings library, featuring an eminent 25‑piece Japanese string ensemble led by Koichiro Muroya and benefitting from atight, focused sound and large articulation menu. Also available are Bravura Scoring Brass and Rhapsody OrchestralPercussion.
Flagship Collection: Tokyo ScoringStrings.
Budget Solution: Furia Staccato Strings.
Operating under the Performance Samples banner, Jasper Blunk has built adedicated online following who eagerly await his upcoming Pacific full orchestra. In the meantime, Vista chamber strings, the fortissimo Angry Brass and Angry Woodwinds, two solo violins and the Perfperc percussion range offer anear‑complete orchestral sound set.
Flagship Collection: Vista chamber strings.
Budget Solution: Fluid Shorts II chamber strings.
Oliver Codd’s Audio Ollie have two large orchestral libraries in their eclectic product line: Nashville Scoring Strings features a23‑piece ensemble with all articulations recorded twice for divisi writing and layering, while LA Modern Percussion is acinematic drums collection, with abuilt‑in groove engine, recorded by Alan Meyerson at Warner Bros Eastwood Scoring Stage.
Flagship Collection: Nashville Scoring Strings,LA Modern Percussion.
Budget Solution: Taste multi‑product preview.
Since Mike Peaslee founded the company in 2011, Soundiron have issued over 150 products, predominantly choirs and exotic solo instruments. The company’s orchestral range lives on: Apocalypse Percussion Ensemble continues to unleash hell, while the newly released Hyperion Brass Micro and its Hyperion Strings counterpart are affordable entry‑level products.
Flagship Collections: Apocalypse Percussion Ensemble.
Budget Solution: Hyperion Strings Micro.
Like many of the above-mentioned composers, Aaron Saap started Musical Sampling as asideline and ended up running asample company. The product names attest to their nature: Soaring Strings, Adventure Brass and Trailer Strings are all optimised for soundtrack, game and trailer music creators, and well received by the sample community.
Flagship Collections: All of the above.
Budget Solution: Sasaki Trumpet.
Heavyocity’s Symphonic Destruction, Novo Modern Strings, Forzo Modern Brass and Vento Modern Woodwinds mangle orchestral samples with visceral sound design, creating aggressive hybrid textures. All include acreative loop designer, while the last three provide clean ‘traditional’ ensembles alongside the processed samples. Definitely not for purists, but maybe asignpost to the future.
Flagship Collections: Novo Modern Strings, Forzo Modern Brass.
Budget Solutions: Forzo Essentials, Vento Essentials.
Recorded in amodern Sydney concert hall, Alex Wallbank’s debut Cinematic Strings library has remained popular since its release in 2009. The Cinematic Studio Series from Cinematic Samplesnow includes aslightly smaller ensemble in Cinematic Studio Strings. This retains the original’s symphonic sound, and its Studio Brass and Woodwinds companions provide asatisfyingly complete instrumentation.
Flagship Collections: Cinematic Studio Strings, Brass and Woodwinds.
Budget Solution: Cinematic Strings 2.
Concert pianist Dorian Marko’s London‑based Auddict company have been hard at work in recent years, courting orchestral sample users with the 23‑piece Master Brass ensemble, Angel Strings Vols 1 & 2 and the explosive Drums Of The Deep. Symphonic connoisseurs should also check out the superlative legato mode of Auddict’s Master Solo Woodwinds collection.
Flagship Collection: Angel Strings Vol 1.
Budget Solution: Virtuosic Violin.
While Sonokinetic’s phrase‑based libraries create immediate symphonic action, founder Son Thomsen hasn’t forgotten those who program their own musical material. Star turn of the company’s multisampled Orchestral Series is the lavish Orchestral Strings (97GB), featuring 56 players recorded in two divisi sections in amodern concert hall, auto‑divisi, and aruns engine. The series also includes woodwind ensembles and muted sordino strings.
Flagship Collection: Orchestral Strings.
Budget Solution: Da Capo.
Despite so far having released only one half of his much‑anticipated full orchestra, Aaron Venture does not do things by halves. This enigmatic individualist’s deep‑sampled Infinite Brass and Woodwinds libraries achieve exemplary professional standards; both have ahuge instrumentation, agreat sound and ahigh degree of performance control.
Flagship Collections: Infinite Brass, Infinite Woodwinds 2.0.
Flying the flag for Eastern Europe is George Strezov’s Strezov Sampling. Famed for his choirs, the cheerful Bulgarian maestro’s product range also includes Afflatus Chapter IStrings, comprising four solo instruments and flexible section sizes ranging from two to 50 players. The comprehensive Orchestral Percussion X3M collection is also worth alisten.
Flagship Collection: Afflatus Chapter IStrings.
Budget Solution: Orchestral Percussion X3M.
Fluffy Audio celebrate Italy’s musical heritage with asuite of elegant orchestral products. Cream of the crop is the 27‑piece Venice Modern Strings. Solo woodwinds are also available, while the Trio Broz siblings contribute solo violin, viola and cello libraries.
Flagship Collection: Venice Modern Strings.
Budget Solution: Simple Violin &Cello.
Freebie: Simple Flute.
In addition to their drum kits, Toontrack created the 65GB Orchestral Percussion Superior Drummer expansion. Containing over 120 percussion instruments recorded at Galaxy Studios, Belgium, the library runs exclusively on SD3 software, which you have to buy separately.
Flagship Collection: Orchestral PercussionSDX.
Based in Ireland, Light & Sound were founded by Paul Stapley and Jack Everitt in 2015. Their debut was an 18‑piece chamber strings ensemble recorded in adry acoustic which reveals great timbral detail. The revamped library is undergoing amajor update and should be available along with new chamber brass and woodwinds by the time you read this.
Flagship Collection & Budget Solution: Light & Sound Chamber Strings.
Project SAM’s Symphobia was one of the first to offer blended orchestral sections, wild musical effects and sound‑design textures, while Symphobia2 increased the ensemble power. Both have been updated and expanded. The series continued with the fantasy‑themed Symphobia 3: Lumina and Symphobia 4: Pandora, optimised for action, sci‑fi and horror scores.
Flagship Collection: Symphobia 4: Pandora.
Freebie: The Free Orchestra.
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