MY FAVOURITE SAMPLE LIBRARIES FOR

CREATING

CINEMATIC ORCHESTRAL MUSIC

A BUYER'S GUIDE

CHRISTOPHER SIU
Sample libraries. There are so many out there vying for
our cash. So we must be selective. How do we know
which ones are the best for what we want to
accomplish?

In this guide, I'll list and describe my favourite sample

libraries in order to create convincing & realistic
cinematic orchestral music. Libraries that sound lush,
full, and authentic, without much tweaking needed to
make them sound good. Please keep in mind that all
my suggestions are subjective choices, and that you
should trust your own instincts when listening to
demos and watching walkthroughs.

Without further ado, let's jump in.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
ALL-IN-ONE PACKAGES: pp 4 - 9

STRINGS: pp 10 - 13

WOODWINDS: pp 14 - 17

BRASS: pp 18 - 21

PERCUSSION: pp 22 - 24

CHOIR: pp 25 - 27

SOUND DESIGN: pp 28
 ALL-IN-ONES
FEATURING ALL ORCHESTRAL SECTIONS
IN ONE CONVENIENT PACKAGE

ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Berlin Orchestra Inspire

399€

This package features selected ensembles and solo

instruments from OT's renowned Berlin series. With full
orchestra, string, woodwind, brass, and percussion
patches featuring fantastic tone, this is a perfect library
for those who want a taste of OT's full offering at an
affordable price. It contains 18gb of samples (9.3gb
compressed) and can run on a laptop with 8gb RAM.
 SPITFIRE AUDIO: Albion ONE
$449

This library, recorded in AIR Studios in London, features

all sections of the orchestra in ensemble form. In
addition, booming percussion and custom-made loops
makes this package an enticing choice for those
interested in sound design. It is a larger library (87gb of
samples), so ensure you have the hard drive space to
download smoothly.

The subsequent Albion offerings are more niche,

specializing in various styles of film scoring.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Metropolis Ark 1
549€

Similar to the Albion series, OT's Metropolis Arks

represent the very essence of the 'epic orchestra'.
However, the sound is even more aggressive, upfront,
and is captured with extreme detail and nuance. MA1 in
particular is designed with LOUD in mind. It's even
larger than Albion ONE (160gb of samples), and for
good reason.

It contains legato, orchestrated sections, and unique

instrument combinations (4 contrabassoons, 3 bass
trombones, and 3 tubas, to name a few).
 CINESAMPLES: CineSymphony LITE
$399

CineSymphony LITE is known for it's beautiful

Hollywood tone, being quite intuitive and user-friendly,
while clocking in at 2gb in size. Seriously! Dedicated
towards students and professionals using mobile rigs,
this library is a powerful sketching tool that will inspire
you straight away.

Check out Cinesamples' live composition video on

YouTube using this library when you have a moment.
You'll see how effective it really is.
 AUDIO IMPERIA: NUCLEUS
$449

The new kid on the block, Nucleus features the typical

orchestral sections & choir, with corresponding soloists
for strings, woodwinds, and brass. The solo oboe is
something special.

It ships with a classic mix and a modern mix: the classic

lends itself well to more traditional scoring, while the
modern mix introduces some higher frequencies and
caters itself well to hybrid/trailer music.
 SONUSCORE: THE ORCHESTRA
299€

Perfect for driving, rhythmic, and upbeat music,

Sonuscore's offering features anything from practical
instrument pairings to fully orchestrated patterns for
quick and easy arranging.

The tone is slightly darker in nature compared to the

above libraries, is quite lightweight (10gb), and is
seriously innovative. Check this out if you need some
driving rhythms to give your music a lift.
 STRINGS
THE MEAT AND POTATOES OF
CLASSICAL FILM MUSIC

CINEMATIC SERIES: Cinematic Studio Strings

$399

This is one of the most popular string libraries on the

market today, and for good reason. For years,
composers have been searching for a lush, soaring, and
affordable string library that handles John Williams-
style melodies with ease, and this delivers in spades.
The legato system is seriously impressive, although it
does feature some delay. Make sure you adjust this in
your DAW before or after recording your lines.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Berlin Strings
840€

Yep, your eyes are not tricking you. This beast of a

library boasts a price tag to match, but oh boy do I like
it. The tone of the Teldex Scoring Stage is beautiful, the
smaller section sizes allow for a detailed sound while
pulling off the traditional symphonic string sound
without difficulty, and the number of articulations is
quite astounding.

You have the ability to morph and crossfade between

different articulations, apply true legato to any long
articulation, and more using the CAPSULE system. Be
warned however: this library uses a lot of system
resources.
 SPITFIRE AUDIO:
Symphonic / Chamber Strings
$799 / $699

Spitfire Symphonic Strings features the best players in

London, recorded in AIR Studios, in traditional film
score section sizes. This results in a large, wide,
cinematic sound that sounds great for foundational
work and anything requiring a big full sound. Comes
with a load of articulations as well.

Spitfire Chamber Strings is the most sought-after

library for chamber strings. It's detailed, nimble, and
layers well to create larger section sizes.
 CINESAMPLES: CineStrings CORE
$499

Recorded at Sony in Los Angeles, this Hollywood-

flavoured library features crisp short notes and
passionate sustains. The legato system was recently
updated, adapting to your playing speed in order to
create convincing melodic lines.

While the tone is fabulous, you may find that the

sustains are not as flowing and romantic as you'd like.
In any case, the library is super simple to use and
delivers 'that' sound.
 WOODWINDS
UNDERAPPRECIATED,
BUT SO BEAUTIFUL

ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Berlin Woodwinds Revive

649€
This library is my absolute go-to woodwinds library. It
truly set the standard of how woodwinds should be
captured for detailed part writing. It ships with piccolo,
3 flutes, alto flute, 2 oboes, english horn, 2 clarinets,
and 2 bassoons. With legato, runs (recorded/playable),
and a host of other common articulations, you'll more
than likely find everything you need to create detailed
woodwind orchestrations right in here.
 SPITFIRE AUDIO: Symphonic Woodwinds
$599

A rival library to Berlin Woodwinds, this package

contains soloists and ensembles of 2 players, so you
can easily create your own sections by layering them
together. This library also contains some extra
woodwinds not found in BWW, including bass flute,
bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, and contrabassoon.

The sound is naturally very wet (being recorded in AIR),

so you may want to bring in the close mic for more
detail. In any case, Spitfire have done a wonderful job
in putting together a collection of colourful-sounding
woodwinds.
 CINESAMPLES: CineWinds CORE
$349

Another soloist-featured library in CineWinds, these

players have been captured beautifully once again at
Sony, so if you're looking for soloist-sounding
woodwinds that will have no trouble taking the
spotlight, this may be the library for you. It's warm, full,
and very characteristic.

The PRO expansion contains doublers, as well as ethnic

winds for additional colours.
 CINESAMPLES: Hollywoodwinds
$199

At this price, this library is an absolute steal. From its

launch a decade ago, HWW has been heard in feature
films, jingles, and everything in between. Its most
notable features are the tempo-synced runs in various
modes, textural patches, and FX. No other library
captures the tone of John Williams woodwinds quite
like this library.
 BRASS
FROM THE WHISPER QUIET
TO THE ROARING LOUD

CINESAMPLES: CineBrass CORE & PRO

$399 each

One of the first libraries to establish the sound of bold

cinematic brass, CineBrass has become a staple in
nearly every composer's toolkit. The room is really the
standout feature here: the Sony stage adds this filmic
gloss to the brass that elevates it in a gorgeous way.

If you asked me what library you should choose to

recreate the Star Wars theme, I would point you to this
one, without a doubt.
 CINEMATIC SERIES: Cinematic Studio Brass
$399

Following the highly successful CSS, Alex Wallbank's

return features a set of orchestral brass samples
highlighting buttery-smooth legato, extreme
playability, and immense dynamic range. Recorded
with multiple dynamic layers, the crossfading is
relatively seamless, enabling you to create your own
swells with ease.

You won't find every articulation under the sun in this

library, rather, you're equipped with the most
commonly used one to get you up and running. For
classic cinematic scoring, you can't go wrong with this.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Berlin Brass
799€

You probably see the pattern here. Orchestral Tools

make libraries at top-shelf prices. However, I'm not
listing their products in this guide to show you the most
expensive options; I genuinely love the sound of the
brass in this library. The legatos are smooth, the Teldex
scoring stage works beautifully for brass, and once
again, multiple instruments per section were recorded
for flexible part writing. Most brass libraries feature one
solo french horn, Berlin Brass has 4.

This library excels at the quieter dynamics. For my

higher dynamic brass lines, CSB and CineBrass fill in the
gaps that BB leave.
 SPITFIRE AUDIO: Symphonic Brass
$699

Like SSS and SSW, Spitfire Symphonic Brass was

recorded at AIR Studios, and features the same
cinematic sound found in major blockbuster film scores
recorded at AIR.

In addition to the traditional brass instruments, SSB

also contains bass trombones, contrabass trombone,
contrabass tuba, and cimbassi. This package is a solid
choice for those looking for some additional colours
and techniques in addition to regular brass.
 PERCUSSION
RHYTHMIC DRIVE,
IMAGINATIVE COLOURS

CINESAMPLES: CinePerc
$699 each

This behemoth of a library (formerly 4 separate

libraries) contains everything from traditional orchestral
percussion to epic hits, a drum kit, and much more.
You'll notice that this library is LOUD. Very bombastic,
and really fills in the frequency spectrum.

If you use this library, be sure to balance the patches

with your other instruments so they sit comfortably
with each other. You'll enjoy the results, I promise.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS:
Berlin Percussion & The Timpani
499€ / 125€
Another classical-oriented library in the spotlight here.
It's deep-sampled: 7 snare drums, 4 bass drums, and
more give you plenty of options to set up your own
percussion ensembles. The timpani are available as an
expansion pack, but they sound incredible, and are
recorded with a variety of different mallets for
maximum flexibility and choice.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Metropolis Ark 3
549€

Metropolis Ark 3 is a percussion-based library focused

on acoustic trailer music. As a result, large drum
ensembles were recorded, 3 timpani players, cymbal
ensembles, trash/metal percussion, and many more
were captured.

In addition, the other orchestral sections performed in

a percussive manner, resulting in various short
articulations, repetitions, and atonal clusters, ideal for
action/thriller film scoring.
 CHOIR
MANKIND'S MOST
PERSONAL INSTRUMENT

CINESAMPLES: Voxos
$499

This virtual choir library contains men, women, and a

boys choir, along with multiple recorded syllables so
you can create your own vocal phrases. The dynamic
range is quite impressive, and sonically ranks among
the best choir libraries out there. If you need a
workhorse epic choir library, this is a great choice for
you.
 ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Metropolis Ark 1/2/4
549€ / 599€ / 549€

Each of the listed Metropolis Arks contain beautifully

recorded choirs. MA1 features a full women choir and
men choir, with legato and staccato (triggering random
syllables). MA2 ups the ante with a children's choir,
which sounds heavenly. MA4 rounds things off with a
3-piece women and men choir, for more detail and
intimacy in your choir writing. There are a few choir
effects included here, but the primary intention is to
enhance your orchestral productions with the included
choir sections.
ORCHESTRAL TOOLS: Time Macro/Time Macro
349€ each

The standout feature of the choirs included in Time

Macro & Time Micro are the unique articulations
performed by these groups. Swells, clockwork noises,
zzh and nnh sustains, pitch slides, and many more are
to be found here.

While Time Macro contains larger ensembles of singers,

Time Micro has 3 women and 3 men, resulting in an
intimate and detailed sound.
 SOUND DESIGN
BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL

SONUSCORE: Elysion
229€

The companion library to The Orchestra, Elysion is a

sound design-focused library that was recorded in a
traditional way, by sampling electronic sounds like an
acoustic instrument. The result is very flexible, and uses
the same engine found in The Orchestra. You can stack
and manipulate multiple sounds together for fun and
inspiring results.
Well, that's it! These are all the sample libraries that I
trust will equip you with the necessary tools to create
beautiful orchestral music.

Let me sum this up:

If you are dabbling in the world of orchestral music and want

to explore your options without investing too heavily,
consider one of the all-in-one libraries.
If you are experienced in orchestration and want to be able to
write individual parts, look into the dedicated section libraries
(Berlin, Spitfire, and Cinesamples to name a few).
Your ear is your best judge. Listen to plenty of audio demos,
and decide what you really need for your own music.

That's all! I hope you learned something from this

guide. Please enjoy your lifelong music-making
journey!
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