# Your top 25 libraries



## chillbot (Aug 1, 2019)

So I made a list. I thought it might make for fun discussion. Before I reveal my personal list, a couple notes.

I spent over a week fussing about this, it got on my brain and I couldn't let it go. This wasn't just thrown together, I spent a long time moving libraries up and down and into and out of the list. So many great ones didn't make the cut or barely missed the cut. If you make your own list it's interesting to think about which libraries you actually use the most, and factoring in whether it cost $500 or $50 or $5.

The criteria included price, value, quality, flexibility, ease of use, lifespan, but mostly just came down a simple equation of how much use have I gotten out of it roughly divided by cost.

For background, I have bought over 1,400 libraries/softsynths/patches/whatever. So to narrow down to my top 25 is a big deal for me. I arbitrarily decided to limit mine to sample libraries and softsynths, eliminating VST FX and patch libraries (i.e omni and zebra patch banks), but if you want to make your own list you can use whatever criteria you want.

A couple other notes. Komplete Ultimate would probably be #3 for value but I wasn't including bundles and I bought most of it separately through the years anyway. Liquid Grooves, Burning Grooves, Metamorphosis, and Retro Funk all should have made the list but I would never use those outside of Stylus so I'm considering them patch banks.

1 Spectrasonics Omnisphere
2 Spectrasonics Stylus
3 EWQLSO Gold
4 Spitfire Albion One
5 Project Sam Symphobia
6 Evolution Series World Percussion 2.0
7 u-he Zebra
8 Best Service Forest Kingdom II
9 In Session Audio Taiko Creator
10 Synthogy Ivory
11 Soundiron Emotional Piano
12 Spitfire HZ Percussion
13 Spectrasonics Trilogy
14 Spitfire Olafur Arnald’s Felt Piano
15 EWQL RA
16 NI Session Guitarist Strummed Acoustic & Electric Sunburst
17 Output Signal
18 Keepforest Evolution: Atlantica
19 Sonuscore Mallet Flux
20 Impact Soundworks Shou Drum
21 Spitfire Tundra
22 Heavyocity Forzo
23 Cinematique Instruments Ukulele Trio
24 Botdog Samples Lali Drums
25 Spectrasonics Keyscape Creative

EDIT: Keyscape Creative is technically a patch library, so let's just call it Keyscape. But the patch library is what bumped it into the list.

EDIT: [NOTE I have received free products from Botdog Samples.] [Wait, Lali Drums is free to everyone, nevermind.]


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## Alex Fraser (Aug 2, 2019)

Interesting to see Albion ONE so high on the list, considering it's marmite status around here. What do you find it most useful for?


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## zimm83 (Aug 2, 2019)

Very good libs. But no Orchestral Tools libs ? They are all number One for me ....
And you ? Didn't buy ?


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Aug 2, 2019)

I don’t wanna be too anal, but some of your instruments are not libraries, but rather synthesizers.


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## Polkasound (Aug 2, 2019)

I think a lot people consider a "library" as any software-based instrument, whether sampled, modeled, or synthesized.


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## gh0stwrit3r (Aug 2, 2019)

Interesting list. Some I never heard of. I'll check them out if they can be of any use to me.


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Aug 2, 2019)

Polkasound said:


> I think a lot people consider a "library" as any software-based instrument, whether sampled, modeled, or synthesized.


Fair enough, since, as Magritte wrote, “Ceci n’est pas une pipe”


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Alex Fraser said:


> Interesting to see Albion ONE so high on the list, considering it's marmite status around here. What do you find it most useful for?


I mostly use it for big wide dry shorts (still do). But considering the criteria I was grading by, it mostly scores big as a sort of "lifetime achievement" award.


zimm83 said:


> Very good libs. But no Orchestral Tools libs ? They are all number One for me ....


I have Ark 1 and Ark 3? I think you could tell by looking at my list I'm not really a big orchestral guy.


Ned Bouhalassa said:


> I don’t wanna be too anal, but some of your instruments are not libraries, but rather synthesizers.


Yeah yeah, my list my rules. I briefly considering titling it "your 25 best purchases" but couldn't be bothered.


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## Fox (Aug 2, 2019)

I picked up Botdog Samples Lali Drums.

Thank you for that tip!


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## Ashermusic (Aug 2, 2019)

*In alphabetical order only:*

1 Addictive Drums 2
2 Best Service Forest Kingdom II
3 Best Service Medieval Legends
4 Broadway Big Band1 Spectrasonics Omnisphere
5 B-5 Organ
6 Chocolate Audio 88 Series Pianos
7 CSS and CSSS
8 EW Hollywood Diamond Orchestra, including Hollywood Harp
9 EW Hollywood Choir
10 EWQL RA & Silk (tied)
11 EW Stormdrum 2
12 Fluffy Audio Woodwinds and Strings
13 Indiginus Guitars (all)
14 Indiginus Wurl-e
15 Indiginus Blue Street Brass
16 Kirk Hunter Virtuoso Ensembles
17 Metropolis Ark
18 Neo-Soul Keys Studio
19 Pettinhouse Guitars (all)
20 Realiivox- The Ladies
21 Scarbee Pre-Bass
22 Spectrasonics Trilogy
23 True Strike Percussion
24 u-he Repro-1 and Repro-5
25 Walker 1955 Steinway D


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> 8 EW Hollywood Diamond Orchestra, including Hollywood Harp


I can't believe this made your list.


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## Ashermusic (Aug 2, 2019)

chillbot said:


> I can't believe this made your list.



I can't believe it doesn't make yours. Still in my opinion the best sounding and most versatile collection.


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> I can't believe it doesn't make yours.


THAT WAS SARCASM JAY.

It kind of did make my list, at least the precursor did. I'm still using EWSO in Kontakt, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the existence of Play.


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Fox said:


> I picked up Botdog Samples Lali Drums.


Lookit @Jdiggity1 I made a sale!


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## Ashermusic (Aug 2, 2019)

chillbot said:


> THAT WAS SARCASM JAY.
> 
> It kind of did make my list, at least the precursor did. I'm still using EWSO in Kontakt, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the existence of Play.



Ah, that doesn't translate without a tone of voice or facial expression. 

But those are two _very_ different sounding orchestras and I prefer the dryer sounding HO. 

Also, btw, these days I much prefer Play to Kontakt, especially the Mixer. Granted, you cannot get under the hood, but at least things are big enough for these old eyes to see and if you move the library to a different drive it is not as big a PITA.


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## Apostate (Aug 2, 2019)

1 EW Hollywood Strings
2 Bernard Herrmann Orchestral Toolkit
3 Metropolis Ark 1
3 " " " Ark 2
4 Spitfire Uist
5 u-he Zebra/Dark
6 Spitfire Iceni
7 EW Hollywood Brass
8 U-he Diva
9 Spitfire Studio Woodwinds Pro
10 Chris Hein Orchestral Woodwinds
11 Chris Hein Solo Violin
12 Chris Hein Solo Viola
13 Damage
14 Waldorf Nave
15 Spitfire Evo 2
16 Apocalypse Elements
17 Spitfire Evo 3
18 Superior Drummer Toontrack
19 Spitfire EDNA
20 Garritan CFX Piano
21 The Gentleman
22 Massive
23 Waldorf Largo
23 Reaktor
24 PPG Wavemapper and 'Generator
25 Serum


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## bigcat1969 (Aug 2, 2019)

Oh I thought you meant libraries you made...


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## Jaap (Aug 2, 2019)

My list of favorite libraries (not in a particular order)

1 LA Scoring Strings
2 Cinematic Studio Strings
3 Hollywood Brass
4 Dark Era
5 Ancient Era Persia
6 Celtic Era
7 Medieval Era 2
8 Forest Kingdom 2
9 Strikeforce
10 Sonic Forest
11 Lunaris
12 Ether Fields (Falcon Expansion)
13 Metropolis ARK 1
14 Metropolis ARK 2
15 Metropolis ARK 3
16 Time Macro
17 Oceania
18 Alchemist 2 Cinematic Textures
19 VSL Woodwinds SE 1 + 2
20 Keyscape
21 Jaeger
22 Pulsor 1 + 2 for Zebra 2
23 Shevannai
24 NOVO
25 Straylight

Didn't add any synth like Omnisphere, Falcon, Zebra etc as it would be a complete list as well


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## wst3 (Aug 2, 2019)

I have nowhere near as many libraries or soft-synths, and yet I'd have a very difficult time picking 25 favorites from each category, let along 25 favorites from them all.

But it is an interesting question, so I will give it due thought.


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## CT (Aug 2, 2019)

I don't think I even own 25 different VI's. That said, I could probably do most of my own music (so, no all-purpose scoring needs considered) with:

1) Eric Whitacre Choir
2) Albion V
3) Piano in Blue
4) LCO Strings
5) Alternative Solo Strings
6) Union Chapel Organ
7) Zebra
8) Sculpture

I'd love some LCO Winds/Brass/Percussion... Textures looks great for some of that, but I want something playable.


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## StillLife (Aug 2, 2019)

In no particular order... 

1. British Drama Toolkit
2. Olafur Arnalds Chamber Evolutions
3. North 7 Keys
4. Spitfire Solo Strings
5. Spitfire Chamber Strings
6. Alicia Keys Piano
7. Soniccouture Broken Wurli
8. Soniccouture The Canterbury Suitcase
9. Superior Drummer 3
10. Session Horns Pro
11. Modwheel The Lowdown
12. Modwheel Bass Banjo
13. Orange Tree Evolution Dracus
14. Scarbee Rickenbacker
15. Sounddust modular chaos engines (1 - 4)
16. Sounddust string pool
17. Sounddust Infundibulum
18. Sounddust Dulcitone 1900
19. NI Vintage organs
20. NI The Gentleman
21. NI The Maverick
22. Spitfire Evo 3
23. Spitfire Bernard Hermann Composer Toolkit
24. Spitfire Labs Drums
25. Soniccouture Haunted Spaces

And I guess the Eric Whitacre Choir will earn its place in this list when I get to play with it next week (on holiday now).


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## Crowe (Aug 2, 2019)

So, keeping in mind I've only been collecting sample libraries for about a year now this is my rather limited but currently sufficient list.

01) Palette Sketchpad
02) Heavyocity Damage
03) Serum
04) Polyplex
05) NI Monark
06) NI Reaktor (to head off other Reaktor Synths)
07) Sonokinetic Woodwinds Ensemble
08) Sonokinetic Sotto
09) NI Symphony Series Percussion
10) NI Action Strikes
11) NI Thrill
12) NI Drumlab
13) NI Battery
14) NI Una Corda
15) Embertone Walker Steinway D Lite
16) Amadeus Symphonic Orchestra
17) Karanyi - Synths DX
18) NI Symphony Series Strings
19) NI Symphony Series Brass Ensemble
20) SAS Mountains
21) Aerkord
22) Rigid Audio Cinematrix
23) NI Analog Dreams
24) Frozen Plains Colourform
25) Aria Sounds Xiao or Bansuri (Can't choose)


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## AndyP (Aug 2, 2019)

Ashermusic said:


> I can't believe it doesn't make yours. Still in my opinion the best sounding and most versatile collection.


One of my favorites!


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## Mike Greene (Aug 2, 2019)

miket said:


> I don't think I even own 25 different VI's ...


I hear you on that - that's a bunch! So to all the people who do own enough libraries to fill out this list, on behalf of all developers, thank you! 

Seriously, this is something we really do talk about from time to time, how appreciative we are that there are so many people who support what we do.


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## AndyP (Aug 2, 2019)

Sometimes this ranking changes a little, but not too much.

1. EWHO + QL Symph Choir (all time beloved lib)
2. Performance Samples Oceania
3. Trailer Brass / Strings
4. LS Chamber Strings
5. VSL Synchron-ized SE Bundle
6. Adventure / Soarings Strings / Adventure Brass
7. Symphobia 1-3
8. Prague Solo Strings
9. Evolution Atlantica
10. Trillian
11. The Orchestra (complete)
12. Shreddage 2 and Ministry of Rock 2 and Ruby Drums (hard to decide)
13. Celtic Era
14. UJAM VG-Iron
15. Vikings Guitar Expansion
16. NPO Rhythmic Textures
17. Requiem light
18. Apocalypse Percussion
19. Holy Ambiences
20. Sonospheres 1 + 2
21. Steven Slate Drums 4
22. Scoring Guitars 1 + 2
23. Ethera Gold
24. Ethera EVI 2.0
25. Hyperion Strings Elements (quite new, not bad - need to find a place for them)


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Jaap said:


> 10 Sonic Forest
> 11 Lunaris
> 23 Shevannai



What is?? Who makes?


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## Jdiggity1 (Aug 2, 2019)

Shiirai said:


> So, keeping in mind I've only been collecting sample libraries for about a year now this is my rather limited but currently sufficient list...


I like how you just openly say "collecting".

You've taken the first step. We're here for you.


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## ZeeCount (Aug 2, 2019)

Aaron Venture Infinite Brass
Aaron Venture Infinite Woodwind
Audiobro Genesis Choir
Embertone Joshua Bell Violin
Musical Sampling Adventure Strings
Musical Sampling Soaring Strings
Orchestral Tools Berlin Woodwind Expansion B
Sample Modelling Brass
Spitfire Chamber Strings
Spitfire Solo Strings
Spitfire Symphonic Strings
Spitfire Symphonic Brass
Spitfire Symphonic Woodwind
Spitfire Percussion Redux
Spitfire Eric Whitacre Choir
VSL Woodwind 1


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

I dig all these lists. Though I think some of you are missing out by not ranking them in order from 1-25. But... your lists your rules.

Continuing with more lists:

CHILLBOT'S TOP 10 PIECES OF STUDIO GEAR

1. Coffee machine
2. Stream Deck
3. Cozy foot stool
4. Walkie talkies
5. Yamaha C3 piano
6. Wireless cell phone charging pad
7. Direct TV remote
8. The Swopper™ 
9. Vinyl record player
10. Snoozerphones


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## Crowe (Aug 2, 2019)

Jdiggity1 said:


> I like how you just openly say "collecting".
> 
> You've taken the first step. We're here for you.



I knew what I was getting into when I started. I like to think I'm a realist.



You should see my video game collection \m/


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## MillsMixx (Aug 2, 2019)

Not in any order.

1) Piano In Blue
2) Olafur Arnolds Composer Toolkit
3) Seattle Symphonic Strings Evolutions
4) LCO Textures
5) LCO Strings
6) Omnisphere
7) Keyscape
8) Zebra
9) The Orchestra
10) Afflatus Strings
11) Solid State Symphony
12) Forzo
13) Time Macro
14) Albion Tundra
15) Metropolis Ark 2
16) Tina Guo Cello
17) Falcon
18) Insolidus
19) Ensemblia
20) Spitfire Labs
21) Balkin Ethnic Orchestra
22) Orchestral Essentials 
23) Spitfire Alternative Solo Strings
24) Cinebrass 
25) Cinematic Keys (SampleLogic)


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## JoelS (Aug 2, 2019)

01 Afflatus Strings
02 Majestic Horn
03 Century Brass
04 Bohemian Violin
05 Emotional Cello
06 Metropolis Ark 4
07 Keyscape
08 Superior Drummer 3
09 Rinascimento
10 Sable Strings
11 Adagio Strings
12 Joshua Bell Violin
13 SWAM Solo Woodwinds
14 Dominus
15 Ample Guitar M
16 Prominy Hummingbird
17 Metropolis Ark 1
18 Hollywoodwinds
19 Eurobass II
20 Oceania
21 Realivox Ladies
22 Evolution Atlantica
23 Audiowarp Retcon
24 1928 Legacy Steinway (8Dio)
25 Super Audio Cart

...and top ten synths

01 Diva
02 Hive
03 Massive
04 Serum
05 Arturia CS-80 V
06 Phonec
07 ANA 2
08 Repro
09 Omnisphere
10 Razor


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## Gerbil (Aug 2, 2019)

No particular order:

MS Soaring/Adventure/Trailer Strings
PS Con Moto Strings
PS Solo violin
8dio Anthology 1.3
Hollywood Strings
BHCT
Garritan CFX
8dio Century Strings
8dio Century Brass
Cinematic Studio Strings
Cinematic Studio Brass
Cinebrass
Spitfire Studio Orchestra
8dio Clair Alto Flute
8dio Insolidus
PS Oceania
PS Caspian Brass
Spitfire Burgess Percussion
Cinewinds
Spitfire Symphonic Winds
Spitfire Skalia Harp
Efimov Guitar
Soundiron Olympus
Sonicouture Conservatoire Collection
Cinepiano


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## AmbientMile (Aug 2, 2019)

chillbot said:


> What is?? Who makes?


Sonic Forest is from Impact Soundworks
https://impactsoundworks.com/product/sonic-forest/

Lunaris is from Luftrum
https://www.luftrum.com/lunaris/

Shevannai is from Best Service
https://www.bestservice.com/shevannai.html


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## chillbot (Aug 2, 2019)

Thanks!



AmbientMile said:


> Sonic Forest is from Impact Soundworks
> https://impactsoundworks.com/product/sonic-forest/


Oh, duh, I own this.



AmbientMile said:


> Lunaris is from Luftrum
> https://www.luftrum.com/lunaris/


$159 seems steep for pads. @Jaap is it really that good?



AmbientMile said:


> Shevannai is from Best Service
> https://www.bestservice.com/shevannai.html


Don't need this.


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## Blake Ewing (Aug 2, 2019)

AndyP said:


> Sometimes this ranking changes a little, but not too much.
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


Hey thanks!


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## Thomas Kallweit (Aug 2, 2019)

1. My guitar (no library, sorry)
With it I can express myself the most + in combination with any fx this can be real heaven.

2. Broadway Lites (always wanted to have some good jazzy horns)

3. APE (nearly all Epicussion I need)

4. Some Strings (like 8Dio ones and Vienna SE)

5. Shimmer Shake Strike (all for the higher Percussion)

6. Synths (always changing)

7. Drums (can also change)

8. Bass (my own E-Bass or some of the Upright ones like an old soundfont one or the Manytone one or the Straight Ahead Bass)

9. Kirk Hunter Virtuoso Ensembles

10. Lira Korbowa Hurdy Gurdy

11. Alphorn Sonokinetik

12. Some Piano (can change)

13. Some Steel guitar (Wavelore or the actual one by Indiginus)

14. left open


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## paularthur (Aug 2, 2019)

Here's a go at it.

O1. CSS = got it when I started writing not hybrid stuff, game changer.
damage
ALBION ONE = still my first love
Drums of War
Cinebrass 12fhorn

Oceania
Soundiron olympus micro = I know, I need to upgrade.
Spitfire labs soft piano = free
Spitfire labs ollie Walton drums = free
1O. 8dio epic room

8dio claire alto flute
the giant piano
G-town Ens Snares = free
true strike 1 = the dual mapped timpani <3
wave runner kat = practically free

action strikes
the gentlemen piano
una corda
hollywoodwinds
2O. tina guo cello

8dio claire piccolo
8dio epic taiko
8dio epic dhol
shire whistle
cinesamples modal drum = free

Honorable mention: the Kontakt factory library.


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## Robo Rivard (Aug 2, 2019)

Maybe not necessarily in that order, but these libraries are getting my blessing.

01 Best Service ERA II
02 Best Service DARK ERA
03 Best Service Ancient ERA Persia
04 Best Service Codex ERA
05 Best Service Celtic ERA
06 Fluffy Audio Rinascimento
07 Cinesamples CinePerc
08 Cinesamples Tina Guo
09 Cinesamples Viola Da Gamba
10 Cinesamples Dulcimer& Zither
11 Toontrack Superior Drummer 3
12 Cinematic Studio Strings
13 Cinematic Studio Solo Strings
14 Cinematic Studio Brass
15 Auddict Angel Strings Vol.1
16 Auddict Drums of the Deep Vol.1 & 2
17 8DIO Century Brass Ensemble
18 Fluffy Audio Solo Woodwinds Bundle
19 Modwheel Humdrum
20 Modwheel Timphonia
21 NI Thrill
22 Sonokinetic Toll
23 Sonokinetic Tutti Vox
24 Sonixinema Superball
25 Soniccouture Nickelharpa

For synths:

01 u-he Diva
02 u-he Repro 1 & 5
03 Soundiron Theremin+

I left vocal libraries out, because the good ones are the ones that fit the piece you are working on at a particular moment.


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## Jaap (Aug 2, 2019)

chillbot said:


> What is?? Who makes?



Sonic Forest is from Impact Soundworks: https://impactsoundworks.com/product/sonic-forest/
Lunaris is from Luftrum: https://www.luftrum.com/lunaris/
Shevannai is from Eduardo Tarilonte: https://www.bestservice.com/shevannai.html

Edit: sorry didn't see that @AmbientMile already posted it!

Edit 2: didn't see your question either  (it's early and the coffee needs to kick in)



chillbot said:


> @Jaap is it really that good?



In regards to Lunaris: yes in my opinion, though it goes on sale for for 99 euro often and think that is a good and fair pricing for it. It has a lot of character and usable sounds, highly tweakable and for me it's a good quick tool in adding some colour and layering to a project.


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## AndyP (Aug 2, 2019)

Blake Ewing said:


> Hey thanks!


I love to use them for the intimate moments and nordic noir style.


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## Sears Poncho (Aug 3, 2019)

1 New York Public Library
2 Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County 
3 Cleveland Public Library 
4 Boston Public Library 
5 Los Angeles Public Library 
6 Chicago Public Library Chicago, Illinois 
7 County of Los Angeles Public Library 
8 Queens Borough Public Library 
9 San Diego Public Library 
10 Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 
11 Dallas Public Library 
12 Hennepin County Library 
13 Dayton Metro Library 
14 Detroit Public Library 
15 King County Library System 
16 Cuyahoga County Public Library 
17 Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn, 
18 Miami-Dade Public Library System 
19 Allen County Public Library 
20 Hawaii State Public Library System 
21 City of St. Louis Municipal Library District 
22 Broward County Libraries Division 
23 San Francisco Public Library 
24 Houston Public Library 
25 Las Vegas-Clark County Library District


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## wst3 (Aug 3, 2019)

As it turns out I've been on a mission to clear out the clutter on my DAW, so I actually do know which software synths I use, and I was surprised, no shocked when I counted them.

I don't recall the original number, but earlier this year I thinned the list to 98. Yup, I still have 98 software synth plugins installed. Now from that list I have less than half instantiated in my basic template. Which is still a lot, and there is very little duplication (do you really need more than one Arp 2600, especially when you have the real deal within arm's reach?)

Let me answer that, because I think it goes to the root of my obsession...

First, the Arturia 2600 is ok, I really should remove it from the list because I almost always turn to the Wayoutware TimewARP 2600, which is about as close as one can get to the hardware, or at least the hardware in my studio.

But since I have a hardware version why use the software at all? Because it is easier, because I can record multiple tracks without worrying about changing something later, and to be completely candid, because sometimes my hardware doesn't work right, and I have to repair it, and that doesn't always happen overnight.

The same applies to the handful of other duplicates in my list because they aren't really duplicates. They are different takes on specific instruments.

Of course the real problem is that I am a sound junkie - I love different sounds, I love listening to them, I love recording them, I love creating them, and while samplers are extremely cool, synthesizers are cooler. I've been a synth junkie since I was able to afford my first synthesizer (a Korg MS-20), and actually, it started before that, I just couldn't afford the Arp 2600 in the local mall music store.

The upside of all these choices is that I have, for all intents and purposes, an infinite palette with which to work.

The downside is sometimes it gets a little crowded. And then there is the investment, which for software can only be recovered by finding paying gigs. Realistically I make far more with sample libraries than I do with synths - I have not yet discovered the demand for electronic music<G>!

So my top 25 software synth plugins (and I've included samplers because Kontakt remains #1 in terms of use):

Native Instruments Kontakt 6
u-He Zebra 2
Camel Audio Alchemy
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
u-He Diva
Wayoutware TimewARP 2600
Korg MS-20
u-He Repro 1
u-He Repro 5
gForce Oddity
Plugin-Alliance bx_oberhausen
Arturia Matrix-12 V2
gForce MiniMonsta
Softube Modular
Arturia Prophet V3
gForce Mtron
AAS Tassman 4.1
AAS Ultra Analog 1.1
CableGuys Curve2
Native Instruments FM8

Because I still like emulations of old keyboards:

Native Instruments B4 II
Arturia Clavinet V
AAS Lounge Lizard

And percussion deserves a spot, since I use it a LOT:

Toontrack Superior Drummer 3
Rayzoon JAMSTIX 3

Honorable mentions - cool emulations that I seldom use, but I do love playing with them:
Arturia Synclavier V
Arturia CMI V
UVI UVIWorkstation (specifically for the Waveframe library)


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## playz123 (Aug 3, 2019)

1. Spitfire Chamber Strings
2. Spitfire Percussion
3. Omnisphere
4. QL Steinway piano
5. Spitfire Symphonic Brass
6. Orchestral Tools Berlin Woodwinds
7. Ethera Libraries
8. Spitfire’s Whitacre Choir
9. Superior Drummer 3
10. Soundiron Venus Womens Choir
11. Project Sam Symphobia libraries
12. Soundiron Elysium Harp
13. Heavyocity Master Sessions
14. Chris Hein Horns
15. Ample Sound Acoustic Guitars
16. Orange Tree Evolution Roundwound Bass
17. Emotional Cello
18. Shreddage 3 Archtop
19 Bohemian Violin
20. Tarilonte libraries
21. Efimov guitars
22. Pettinhouse guitars
23. Premier Acoustic Bass 2
24. CineBrass
25. Piano In Blue

…and many many more


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## Leon Portelance (Aug 3, 2019)

LASS 2.5 & LASS Legato Sordino
Hollywood Strings Diamond
Cinematic Studio Strings
Cinematic Studio Solo Strings
Berlin Woodwinds Revive, Legacy, Exp A, Exp B, Exp C
Sample Modelling Brass
Hollywood Brass Diamond
Auddict Master Brass:
Orange Tree Evolution Roundwound Bass
Omnisphere 2.5
Wavesfactory Mercury Piano
Wavesfactory Canterbury Suitcase
Ample Sound AG12
8Dio Lacrimosa Choir
Embertone Intimate Strings
Joshua Bell Violin 
8Dio Anthology Strings
Broadway Lites
Shreddag3 Stratus
Altiverb 7
Ozone 8 Advanced


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## Polkasound (Aug 3, 2019)

Fractured Accordions
Hurdy Gurdy Atmospheres
Suspended Banjos
Plinko Machine Hits 2.0
JB (Jack Benny) Violin
Cinematic Flagellation
Fox Trot Creator
Prepared Panflutes
Ambient Vocal Fry Textures
SWAM Claves


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## bigcat1969 (Aug 3, 2019)

Oh I love the Jack Benny violin!


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## novaburst (Aug 4, 2019)

I am finding this quite difficult because i am running out of my whole stock, 25 favorite library's is quite a bit because it suggest your using them all the time, if they are just sitting on your SSD they cant be your favorites.


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## wst3 (Aug 4, 2019)

Sadly I find I use more than 25 libraries regularly. I'm not sure how I got myself into this spot! (Who am I kidding?)

On the one hand, it is absolutely lovely to be able to choose from multiple sonic choices for almost any given instrument. If one is not sitting quite right another may.

On the other hand, a single library that covered all the bases would be awfully handy!!!


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## chillbot (Aug 4, 2019)

wst3 said:


> Sadly I find I use more than 25 libraries regularly. I'm not sure how I got myself into this spot! (Who am I kidding?)
> 
> On the one hand, it is absolutely lovely to be able to choose from multiple sonic choices for almost any given instrument. If one is not sitting quite right another may.
> 
> On the other hand, a single library that covered all the bases would be awfully handy!!!


Same spot. My template is pretty streamlined, absolutely nothing in there that I don't use regularly. Hovers around roughly 275 tracks but 20 of those are audio and 16 of them are hardware synths so call it around 240 tracks for VSTs and libraries. I just counted.... 127 different libraries/VSTs. Really 122 different libraries.. because there are only a handful of VSTs that live there (Kontakt, Engine, Omni, Stylus, and Zebra). I guess I'm a "mix-and-match" kind of person.

This is also why it was really hard for me to narrow it down to top 25... I'd actually like to expand it to my top 50.


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## Bluemount Score (Aug 4, 2019)

JoelS said:


> 02 Majestic Horn


2 dollars well spend!


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## Land of Missing Parts (Aug 4, 2019)

Polkasound said:


> Fractured Accordions
> Hurdy Gurdy Atmospheres
> Suspended Banjos
> Plinko Machine Hits 2.0
> ...


By sheer coincidence, these are the exact libraries I suggested Spitfire should develop in their Win Everything survey.


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## Mucusman (Aug 5, 2019)

I limited my list to 15. These are the libraries I own that I find I turn to repeatedly for my pieces, or inspiration. Added a very short commentary on each, in parentheses. Listed alphabetically.

1. Art Vista Virtual Grand Piano 3 (Sounds and feels right)
2. Audiobro Genesis Children's Choir (Soothing and soaring sounds)
3. Cinesamples Tina Guo Legato (Sounds great, though has high pitched squealing, always req' EQ aid)
4. Embertone Joshua Bell Violin (Very playable, still learning this)
5. Embertone Walker D Piano (A delight to play)
6. Fluffy Audio Dominus Choir (Great UI, great results)
7. Orchestral Tools Ark 1 (Always reliable when needed, though often it's too much for what I write)
8. Orchestral Tools Ark 2 (I've been using this one more than 1, lovely tones, reliable results)
9. Orchestral Tools Glory Days - Big Band Horns (Some quirks, but great sounds)
10. Spitfire Albion V - Tundra (Strings sound great, highly usable)
11. Spitfire Chamber Strings (Workhorse library, so much on offer)
12. Strezov Sampling Afflatus I - Strings (Intriguing, but haven't used much yet)
13. Toontrack Superior Drummer 3 (So deep, great expansions, find grooves function is gold)
14. Virharmonic Bohemian Violin (A piece of art)
15. XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2 (Sometimes has what Superior Drummer 3 lacks)


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## Garry (Aug 5, 2019)

Started this thinking, 'I'm not sure I have 25 libraries, but here goes', then went through painful realization of how many I DO have! 

In order of use:

1 - Albion One (Spitfire)
2 - Tundra (Spitfire)
3 - British Drama Toolkit (Spitfire)
4 - The Maverick (NI)
5 - Audio Modeling Saxes
6 - Audio Modeling Flutes
7 - Olafur Arnolds Chamber Evolutions (Spitfire)
8 - Solo Strings (Spitfire)
9 - Dominus (Fluffy Audio)
10 - Genesis (Audiobro)
11 - CoreBass Pear (Orange Tree Samples)
12 - Renaxxance (Indiginus)
13 - Renegade Acoustic Guitar (Indiginus)
14 - French Horn & Tuba (Sample Modeling)
15 - The Trombone (Sample Modeling)
16 - The Trumpet (Sample Modeling)
17 - Earth (Spitfire)
18 - Majestic Horn (Performance Samples)
19 - Duduk (Ilya Efimov)
20 - Action Strikes (NI)
21 - Damage (NI)
22 - Studio Drummer (NI)
23 - Songwriter (Orange Tree Samples)
24 - Scarbee Basses (NI)
25 - Session Guitarist - Strummed Acoustic 2 (NI)


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Aug 5, 2019)

I'll bite:

1. Piano in Blue
2. Symphobia 1+ 2
3. Albion V Tundra
4. 8Dio Adagio
5. LASS Sordino
6. Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
7. OA Chamber Evos
8. LASS 2
9. Cinebrass Core
10. 8Dio Adagietto
11. Spitfire Percussion
12. Albion 3 Iceni
13. OT TIME Macro
14. OA Evolutions
15. Spectrasonics Keyscape
16. Claire Alto Flute
17. Spitfire Solo Strings
18. Midnight Grand
19. Blakus Solo Cello
20. Soniccouture Broken Wurli
21. Embertone Herring Clarinet
22. NI Una Corda
23. Soniccouture Box of Tricks
24. PERC+
25. Soniccouture Xtended Piano

* if I considered synths like Omnisphere and Zebra, they would be in my top 5.


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## Craig Sharmat (Aug 5, 2019)

It was depressing to think I have about everything On Chillbot's list...the only one that made my top 25 off that list was

24 Botdog Samples Lali Drums


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## JonSolo (Aug 5, 2019)

This is hard, so I think I will go with what I believe to be my most used libraries (in no order):

1. Noire
2. Genesis
3. Metropolis Ark II
4. Time Macro
5. Evolution Strawberry
6. Evolution Jumbo 12
7. Studio Sopranos
8. Caspian
9. Rhodope 2
10. Ethera 2
11. Ancient Era Persia
12. Celtic Era
13. Forest Kingdom II
14. Hollywood Strings
15. Kong Audio Chinee Orchestra
16. RA
17. Lacrimosa
18. Passion Flute
19. Berlin Woodwinds
20. Adventure Brass
21. Sotto
22. Chris Hein Solo Strings
23. Vital Series Mallets
24. Taiko Creator
25. Albion V Tundra

I also use many synths outside of this, but that was not the topic. Still I would be lost without:

Trilian
Chromaphone 2 (just so versatile)
M-Tron Pro
Synthmaster
Spire
Diva
Addictive Drums 2


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## Murafaire (Aug 5, 2019)

I don't even own 25 

But out of the ones I do have, my top ones are

1. Era Medieval Legends 
2. Cinematic Strings
3. This free drumkit
4. This free bass guitar
5. This free acoustic guitar
6. Cinewinds

and that's almost all I even have.


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## GtrString (Aug 5, 2019)

I’ll play, Im mostly a songwriter/guitarist (pop/rock, indie, singer/ songwriter, roots) that dabbles with writing for audiovisual media production, so my guitars, bass, amps, percussion, piano and other stringed instruments gets the most use, but my list looks like this. Especially the top 12 gets used all the time..

1) Spectrasonics Omnisphere
2) Native Instruments Kontakt 6
3) Spectrasonics Keyscape
4) Toontrack Superior Drummer 3
5) Toontrack EZ Keys
6) Spectrasonics Trillian
7) Spectrasonics Stylus RMX
8) Native Instruments Studio Drummer
9) Native Instruments Session Strings Pro 2
10) ProjectSam Swing
11) ProjectSam Swing More
12) ProjectSam Symphobia 1-3
13) Heavyocity Damage
14) Native Instruments Action Strikes
15) Native Instruments Session Horns Pro
16) Native Instruments Una Corda
17) Soundiron Tuned Micro Percussion
18) Indiginus Blue Street Brass
19) Cinematic Strings 2
20) Sonokinetic Mallets
21) Soundiron Sonespheres 1+2
22) UVI Meteor
23) NI Symphony Essentials solo brass and ww
24) Indiginus The Resonator
25) Realitone Realibanjo

Numbers are not really representative of quality, and depending on projects not even of frequency of use, also may have forgotten a couple, so grain of salt here. Next purchases for me in the fall will be ProjectSam Symphobia 4 Pandora and the Impact Soundworks Pedal Steel gtr. Probably not much else this year apart from the occasional plugin for mixing. Still on the fence for good solo strings, solo brass and solo ww libraries.

Next year, I consider switching to a UA Apollo soundcard with plugins, for ease. Im not too fond of having to research a thousand vendors to find what I like and need, so I tend to gravitate towards a few big companies and stick with what they offer. There is a lot of good stuff from small developers, though.


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## LudovicVDP (Aug 6, 2019)

Not sure I already own 25 libraries...

But I can definitely make a top 25 of the products on my wish list 
Maybe a new discussion waiting to be started here  


But to play the game I would say, in no particular order:
Oceania - Albion One - Cinematic Strings 2 - Gravity - Tina Guo - Hollywood Brass Diamond - Spitfire Symphonic Woodwinds - Rob Papen Raw when things get dirty - Ava Instinct - Fluid Shorts - Drum Fury - Mallet Flux ...


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## bryla (Aug 6, 2019)

No particular order:

1: Heavyocity FORVO
2: ProjectSAM Symphobias 1,2,3
3: CineHarpsichord
4: NI Symphony Series String Ensemble
5: AudioBro LADD
6: ProjectSAM Swing! + Swing! More
7: Alicia's Keys
8: NI Action Strikes
9: NI Rise & Hit
10: NI Damage
11: ProjectSAM Animator
12: ProjectSAM Orchestrator
13: NI Symphony Series Brass Ensemble
14: VSL SE 1
15: VSL Celesta
16: Adventure Brass
17: IronGuitars
18: Glissando Concert Harp
19: Spitfire Orchestral Grand
20: Rhapsody Orchestral Percussion
21: SAGA

OMG?! Couldn't make it to 25!!


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## stixman (Aug 6, 2019)

Just working on my top 100 libraries list..might be a while


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## Maxime Luft (Aug 6, 2019)

JoelS said:


> 02 Majestic Horn





Meetyhtan said:


> 2 dollars well spend!



Couldn't agree more
Quite impressive how many people got it since its release!


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## pawelmorytko (Aug 6, 2019)

Maxime Luft said:


> Couldn't agree more
> Quite impressive how many people got it since its release!



I love it, I know there's not much to it, but for what it is and the price, it's amazing. The sound is great and gives me WW2/Band of Brothers vibes and whatnot, just very army/military tone to it which I love.


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## pmountford (Aug 6, 2019)

Interesting topic as the libraries kind of imply the sort of music we write. 

It's also forced me to look through the libraries and realise that even once I've bought so many over the years, there's a core of them that I just use over and over with the others are just there to add a little extra for the right occasional (who am I kidding, that I've spent far too much on libraries I'm never gonna use...)

Anyhow, enough waffle. For me in order of use/value:


u-he Zebra
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Synthogy Ivory
Stylus RMX
SF Chamber Strings
SF Brass
Heavyocity Damage
Heavyocity Gravity
SF HZ Perc
VSL Woodwinds
SF LCO
VSL Percussion
Spectrasonics Trilogy
Heavyocity Evolve
Heavyocity DM307
8DIO Adagietto Strings
NI Massive
SF Albion One
EW Hollywood Orchestra
8DIO CAGE Strings/WW/Brass
OT Ark1
u-he Diva
SAM True Strike 1
NI Una Corda
Realitone Banjo (OK, so it doesn't get that much use, but when I do need it, it rocks...or could I just be trying to get extra brownie points on this forum )


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## visiblenoise (Aug 6, 2019)

1. Spitfire Studio Orchestra
2. Albion ONE
3. Does EZDrummer count?
4. How about Harmor?

- clueless metalhead


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## NYC Composer (Aug 6, 2019)

No order:

1. Omnisphere
2. Omnisphere 
3. Omnisphere (ok, I guess it’s time to move on.)
4. Stylus RMX
5. Trilian
6. Art Vista Virtual Grand 2
7. LASS 2.5 Full with legato sordino
8. EWHO Gold Brass
9. Sample Modeling brass and saxes (all)*
10. Komplete 12 U (recent upgrade from K8-Damage, Reaktor and others still gets a lot of use and I’m looking forward to learning Thrill, Session Horns Pro and other new to me stuff)
11. VSL SE Winds
12. EWHO Gold Strings
13. EW Silk
14. SampleFuel Poly and Pad Motion
15. Cinematic Studios Cinematic Strings 2.1
16. Chris Hein Horns Vol 2
17. EZ Drummer
18. PSF Acoustic bass Premier
19. Spitfire SCS
20. EWQLSO Percussion
21. Soundiron Apocalypse Percussion
22. Garritan Stradivarius solo violin
23. Bolder Sounds mandolin
24. Hybrid Two Project Alpha
25. Realivox Blue (honorary mention, RealiBanjo)

*SampleModeling’s “The Trumpet” is my favorite VI to play. I’ve had it for years and am still waiting for it to be displaced.


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## Diablo IV (Aug 6, 2019)

JoelS said:


> 02 Majestic Horn



Bought! Thanks.


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## constaneum (Aug 7, 2019)

I'm hearing lots of praise for Spitfire Chamber Strings....However, i wonder which one are you guys praising on ? The normal edition or professional edition?


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## AndyP (Aug 7, 2019)

Murafaire said:


> 3. This free drumkit


Excellent free drumkit! Used it a lot before Ruby came in ...


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## Monkberry (Aug 7, 2019)

1: NI Grandeur
2: Ivory II
3: Una Corda
4: Omnisphere
5: Keyscape
6: Trillian
7: Stylus RMX
8: Superior Drummer 3
9: Addictive Drums 2
10: Discovery Series India
11: Damage
12: Action Strikes
13: Modwheel Tymphobia
14: Stormdrum 2
15: NI Scarbee Basses (all)
16: Zebra 2
17: Reveal Sound Spire
18: Camel Audio Alchemy
19: Spitfire Symphonic Strings
20: Spitfire Studio Strings Pro
21: Cinematic Studio Strings
22: Cinematic Studio Brass
23: OT Woodwinds with all expansions
24: Audio Modeling SWAM Saxes
25: Ample Sounds M & L Acoustic Guitars


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## bfreepro (Aug 7, 2019)

1-4. Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra and Percussion
5.Afflatus Strings
6.FORZO
7. TIME macro
8. Output Signal
9. 8dio Century Strings
10. EW silk
11. NI Rise and hit
12. Albion One
13. NI Noire piano 
14. Audio Imperia Jaeger
15. Tina Guo Cello 1
16. 8dio Century Brass
17. Joshua Bell Violin 
18. Strike Force (sample logic)
19. Keepforest Aizerx sfx toolkit 
20. EW Hollywood Choirs 
21.8dio 66 tubas
22. NI studio drummer
23. Spitfire Solo Strings
24. Shreddage 2
25. Damage 

Top synths: 
1. Omnisphere 
2. VPS avenger 
3. Synthmaster 
4. Spire
5. Serum


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## kessel (Aug 8, 2019)

For me it's this:

1. Sonica Instruments Koto
2. Sonica Instruments Shamisen
3. Sonica Instruments Shakuhachi
4. LA Scoring Strings
5. Fxpansion BDF3 + Expansions
6. Output Substance
7. Xfer Serum
8. Taiko Creator by InSession Audio
9. Aparillo
10. Imperfect Samples White Baby Grand Piano
11. Super Audio Cart
12. NI Maschine Expansions (specially for drums)
13. EW Hollywood Choirs
14. Resonans (Reason Rack Extension)
15. EW Voices of Soul 
16. Plugin Alliance Byome/Triad
17. FAW SubLab
18. Scarbee Rickenbacker Bass
19. Loopmasters Cinerobotic
20. Twisted Tools Elements
21. Melda MRhythmizerMB
22. UVI Nagoya Harp
23. Orange Tree Slide Lap Steel
24. SonicCouture Skiddaw Stones
25. Vocaloid

I have put some VST effects as I don't own many more libraries or I don't like them and use them as much as those FX...


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## frontline (Aug 9, 2019)

1Spectrasonics Stylus RMX2XLN Audio Addictive Drums 23Spitfire Symphonic Orchestra4Spitfire Percussion5Orchestral Tools BWW & Exp A6ProjectSAM Symphobia 1-27Audiobro LADD8Spitfire Bernard Hermann Composer Toolkit9Orchestral Tools Metropolis Ark 1-210Premier Sound Factory Acoustic Bass Premier 211IK Multimedia MODO Bass12Ample Sound Ample Bass Yinyang III13Spectrasonics Omnisphere 214Art Vista Malmsjo Acoustic Grand15Best Service Galaxy Vintage D16Soniccouture Canterbury Suitcase17Vengeance VPS Avenger18Fxpansion BFD319Cinematic Samples Cinematic Studio Series20ProjectSAM Swing! & Swing! MORE21Musical Sampling Adventure Strings & Adventure Brass22Xsample Acoustic Instruments Library & Extended Edition Instruments23loops de la creme Bell Empire Deluxe Edition24Strezov Sampling Freyja25Impact Soundworks Pedal Steel


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## Scalms (Aug 13, 2019)

I really like this thread, cool to see what other composer's value, especially lesser known libraries. let me enter the fray! Don't have a ton of libraries (yet anyway) here's my short list, top 12:

1. Cinematic Strings 2
2. Cinematic Studio Strings
3. NI Symphony Brass Ensemble
4. Garritan CFX
5. Sample Tank 3 Pipe Organs
6. Spitfire Tundra
7. Spitfire HZ Percussion Professional
8. Emotional Cello
9. Spitfire Labs Soft Piano
10. Soundiron Olympus Choir
11. Heavyocity Natural Forces
12. Izotope Iris 2


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## chillbot (Aug 13, 2019)

constaneum said:


> I'm hearing lots of praise for Spitfire Chamber Strings....However, i wonder which one are you guys praising on ? The normal edition or professional edition?


I just have the normal edition. Love the sound, though that might be personal preference.


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## Scalms (Aug 13, 2019)

Let me add something I put together. Here's a list of the top30 libraries that are a consensus of what members posted in this thread. The number to the right is how many times they were listed. No real surprises here but cool to see nevertheless!


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## constaneum (Aug 13, 2019)

Scalms said:


> Let me add something I put together. Here's a list of the top30 libraries that are a consensus of what members posted in this thread. The number to the right is how many times they were listed. No real surprises here but cool to see nevertheless!



I'm surprised that Hollywood Winds are on top of Berlin Woodwinds and VSL Woodwinds.


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## Land of Missing Parts (Aug 13, 2019)

constaneum said:


> I'm surprised that Hollywood Winds are on top of Berlin Woodwinds and VSL Woodwinds.


Seems like they only got that because their name comes earlier in the alphabet. Each of those libraries has five mentions, and I think all mentions are weighted equally in this list, meaning that someone's 25th choice counts the same as their first choice. 

All that said...it's _still_ a little odd. I imagine few if any people would actually rank Hollywood Winds above Berlin or VSL if asked directly.


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## constaneum (Aug 13, 2019)

Land of Missing Parts said:


> Seems like they only got that because their name comes earlier in the alphabet. Each of those libraries has five mentions, and I think all mentions are weighted equally in this list, meaning that someone's 25th choice counts the same as their first choice.
> 
> All that said...it's _still_ a little odd. I imagine few if any people would actually rank Hollywood Winds above Berlin or VSL if asked directly.



actually, the top listing is very vague as well. Top as in sound / tone , quality of the samples, amount of contents offered as such price? base on what ?


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## Scalms (Aug 14, 2019)

constaneum said:


> actually, the top listing is very vague as well. Top as in sound / tone , quality of the samples, amount of contents offered as such price? base on what ?



Yeah I agree. But I would just take this consensus list with a grain of salt. The list is just a representation of how many times members valued (for whatever parameters they chose) a given library in their own respective top25 list. Some members ranked them 1 through 25, others didn't. Plus it's a small sample set (~20-ish members). Maybe some of them only had EW winds, and not Berlin WW, for example. So this isn't a scientific poll but just an interesting exercise (and perhaps meaningless!)


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