Five best orchestral software for soundtracks

Not interested in creating an electronic score? We’ve rounded up our top 5 pieces of orchestral software for soundtracks that tap into the classic score ethos and are bound to give your tracks the epic touch. Don’t miss our massive Music for Picture feature!

Sonokinetic – Sotto

Price €302
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From a company famed for its orchestral software (including titles like Grosso) Sotto concentrates on the lighter side of orchestral composition with soft beds and patterns. We said: “Beautifully conceived phrase-based library suitable for film and game music, where light orchestral sounds are required.”

Spitfire Audio – Albion One

Price £383
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Want one library to do everything you need? This could well be the answer to your prayers. “When it comes to all-round cinematic orchestral sample libraries, few can match this. It provides lush strings, powerful brass and thunderous percussion along with a huge variety of organically derived loops and synth pads.”

Orchestral Tools – Metropolis Ark 1

Price €549 +VAT
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Orchestral Tools has set the market on fire with these three great collections designed for all sorts of dramatic soundtrack work. All three are great and on 1, we said: “A terrific library that contains just about everything for composing and producing loud, powerful and epic music. Epic!”

Garritan – Personal Orchestra 5

Price £99
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It may have been around longer than most other pieces of orchestra software, but the v5 update really put this collection back on top. We said: “This is a brilliant orchestral library. It’s packed with every orchestral instrument any composer, arranger or student might need to write classical music.”

IK Multimedia – Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE

Price €119
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700 instruments, spread over all four sections of the orchestra (strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion). It’s even older than Garritan PO, but still works orchestral wonders. “Value-wise, orchestral libraries don’t come better than this – a full orchestra, solo strings, ensembles plus mixing and editing features.”