The best free VI series (part two)

In my opinion, one of the (rare) advantages of the time we're living in is the quantity of quality yet completely free resources for music production. I remember my beginnings in not so distant past when free software was usually just an attempt to drive you toward purchasing a paid one. Things have drastically changed since and thankfully for the better. Today, using free solutions is not a laughing matter, regardless of what various pros and evangelists tell you. Personally, if I were to start all over again, I would probably buy only about 30% of the software I was patiently investing in over the years, under always limited budget.

Perhaps the best example of quality yet free music software are various series of sample libraries behind which stand some of the most known and established commercial developers. I have written about the subject in the past, but in the meantime, some "new kids on the block" emerged. So, let's start.

Blueprints by Fracture Sounds

This is one of the most pleasant new surprises when talking about the free VI series. Fracture Sounds is a British studio specialising in libraries geared toward cinematic, ambient, and new age music. Their products are deeply sampled with above-average number of dynamic layers and RRs. They also feature characteristic background layers, made by manipulating the original samples using various production techniques and vintage gear. These backgrounds blend seamlessly with the principal sound, providing instant inspiration. The new series of free libraries called "Blueprint", has most of the traits that you would find in commercial titles by this studio. This includes a clean and elegant GUI. The series runs in the latest version of Kontakt and also the free Kontakt Player.

The Free Orchestra 2 by ProjectSAM

This is a sequel to the big hit by ProjectSAM, a company that primarily releases orchestral libraries aimed at cinematic music. Several years ago, they released a highly popular free package called "The Free Orchestra". It consists of twelve carefully picked instruments, taken from the celebrated commercial titles of the company. Those are mostly geared toward "epic" and "bombastic" styles of orchestral music, commonly heard in action and thriller movies. In late 2023., ProjectSAM began releasing the sequel of the first package, which is more oriented toward gentler sounds. As "The Free Orchestra", the package consists of twelve instruments that will be released at the end of each month until the whole package is completed. Like its predecessor, "The Free Orchestra 2" works in Kontakt and in Kontakt Player as well.

Foundations by Heavyocity

This is a relatively new programme of sample libraries behind which stands Heavyocity, a well-known developer of products suitable for producing cinematic music. The releases from this series are very simple at first glance, but they provide a quality sound out-of-the-box. They are also very straightforward to use. Every "Foundations" instrument comes with a principal sound and its "alter ego", derived by processing the original one with plenty of sought-after studio equipment and technique. The GUI features a powerful arpeggiator that can be a driving element of the music you're working on or a fantastic inspirational tool. The “Foundations” programme is made for Kontakt, but it also works in its free version, Kontakt Player.

Creative Toolbox by Strezov Sampling

This programme has been recently started by Strezov Sampling in the event of their 10th anniversary. The Bulgarian developer is best known for choir and ethnic libraries. For the time being, Creative Toolbox is centred on more common instruments such as piano and percussion, but which are rather meticulously sampled. So far, it is not clear whether will there be regular new updates to this series. But here is yet another (relatively) rare example of free Kontakt libraries that also run in Kontakt Player.

The Vaults by The Crow Hill Company

Christian Henson, one of the co-founders of legendary Spitfire Audio, is not a member and its frontman for a while now. He has also retired from projects such as Spitfire Labs and Piaobook, both of which are his brainchild. After a longer pause, Henson has started his own company called The Crow Hill, which amongst other activities also produces virtual instruments. One of the products of this company is a series of free VIs named The Vaults. The series features three instruments so far, running in a dedicated plugin that works on all major platforms. The GUI of the instruments is deceptively simple, allowing plenty of manipulations of the sound without being overcluttered with "unnecessary options". The samples themselves don't seem to be especially detailed, but they compensate for this with their fantastic character.