Update: the giveaway has now ended! Grab my free sample library buyer's guide for all my sample recommendations: www.christophersiu.com/best-cinematic-orchestral-libraries
Orchestral tools have to be one of the most inspiring sample library companies there is. Everything they put out is inspiringly beautiful. Cheers Chris
Very funny you talked about the piano being amazing. As soon as I got a notification about the release, I listened through various elements and instantly purchased the piano.
It is snowing and freezing here. That and this libraries’ solo strings and solo voices inspire me to write an intimate, glassy, icy, winter theme. That’s what I‘d do!
Thank you Chris for presenting Salu. Sounds great, fits for cinematic music. It would be nice for me for next scoring - mostly string and choirs and of course atmospheric effects.
Such a fantastic sounding library! I will be scoring a movie in early 2023, and this would be perfect for the soundtrack. That intimate piano, with some textures underneath, will fit just perfectly
I am soooo excited with this new library from OT, thank you very much for sharing the video!! I am working on the project to dedicate music video to those who are under pressure, taking care of family mostly, and needing support for sleep and relaxation, and I want to be using this library as this sounds wonderful for nuanced and underscore music. 😊😊😊
Salu looks like a useful addition to my template. Currently working on another nordic/ winter themed album, especially the textures of the quartet strings could be very useful for that!
Thanks for the demo! I like the more sombre sounds anyhow, so this is a perfect addition to my arsenal both for scoring and some more organic/melodic techno stuff maybe? I think sounds unique but also versatile being recorded quite dry.
This is such a beautiful library! I love how intimately this was recorded and all of the beautiful textures you get with each section. I think I especially love the Piano, Harp and Kannel and the processed patches are absolutely stunning as well. Thanks for your review Chris!
Love the special articulations! Especially the irregulars for the strings. Very interested in how subtle and detailed it can be. and OHW that sound at 19:15 is hauntingly beautiful!
Thanks for the great overview! What a great library. Based on your overview and the walkthroughs, this would be a great addition when thinking about my cinematic and ambient songs.
I love the selection of sounds. I think it's suitable for drama underscores, but I would like to use it for Olafur Arnalds style tracks as well😆 Thank you for taking the time to show us the beautiful library, Chris!
I really like what orchestral tools have been doing over the years... and keep on expanding with their never ending selection of great soundscapes and pallets to choose from, thanks for a great video Chris. This is definately going on my wishlist... i would use this library when i make trailer music as well as folk
Thanks for another great review Chris! Lots of great sounds in this library! The viola is beautiful and the sound design patches are really nice. I do like some of the chorale textures as well. Very cool library and one I would love to experiment with.
Lots of nice sounds in this library - really like the Kannel, Piano and Harp - I can see them getting good usage. Nicely done presentation in a short time frame Christopher
Nice review! Especially the solo strings sound very interesting. I think they would work great on any part that is either quirky or very delicate and melancholic!
The choir and vocal instruments sound wonderful. I like how it looks like you are singing when you play them! I would use the male vocalists and percussion instruments in the fantasy inspired album I'm making. Do you think the vocal instruments would go well with the children's choir from Ark2?
Great walkthrough Christopher! Checked out a few of OT’s videos on Salu, and it does seem “one of a kind”! Salu would definitely lend itself to scoring contemplative pieces, and also, music requiring tension!
What a beautiful Library. I really love the intimate but warm sound of the strings, especially the Vibrato. I will for sure use them on an experimental jazz and soul song I am working on currently.
Great video! This library seems ideal for intimate scores and a beautiful addition to any orchestral template. The soundscape possibilities are endless with a library such as this.
Thanks for doing this, Chris! The sounds from Salu are beautiful, and most importantly add a unique level of closeness and intimacy to the music. I look forward to using Salu in my works with live Chinese instruments to explore a new soundscape. The special articulations in Salu are also inspiring and spark new ideas in the writing process.
Wow this sounds wonderful, especially that cello! I have been needing a slow strings library for a while now and this would work perfectly. Great video as always!
Great demo of a lovely sounding library. I'd love to use this for ambient/orchestral underscore to go with my footage of Norfolk Landscapes and wildlife.
I love the viola and cello - a quite delicate sound. I could imagine using that for more moody passages. And the processed sound also sound very inspiring.
Thank you, Chris. This does seem like a very ambient extension of Tallinn which I love and use a great deal. I've been writing some experimental choral pieces recently and I can imagine this augmenting my existing choirs.
Thanks, Chris (also for your courses)! A wonderful library by Orchestral Tools inspired by our brother or sister nation, the Estonians. (I myself am a Finn). Kannel is a beautiful instrument, here in Finland it's Kantele (basically the same instrument). Really like how OT sampled Kannel. Also XPerimenta has had Kantele VST sampled. These kind of samples can really picture the Scandinavian or the Nordic quiet and serene winter spirit! I'd imagine also Canadian..?
The Kannel sounds absolutely amazing. Such a beautiful and unique sound. Currently working on a soundtrack for a video game and I would definitely use it there. Along with the Solo Viola and the vocal ensembles. Agreed that the piano sounds very nice as well. The sound designed vocals I think may be a hidden gem.
Thank you for sharing with us this walkthrough) I would like to use this library for my travel film - it was a wonderful trip to Georgia, full of spiritual and tasty things, so Salu will be perfect for creating a stunning musical ideas for it 👍🏻
I know that I need to have solo instruments in some of the projects I'm working on. The viola sounds like it would be a good addition to my pallet . The percussion selection is a definite idea nursery. I could use some tympany and tubular chimes with the saxophone quintet I'm working on. Lastly, Christopher your right, that piano's tone comfortably warm. I would love to wrap myself up in it.
Hey Chris!! It all sounded great and I would use it all, but to answer your question, I always start my composition with piano, and right now I just have a free one which sounds okay for now but that piano sounded a lot better. So that would be one thing. The other would be the processed sounds. I like adding hints of ambient sounds in my music when I can so this is perfect. Thanks for going through the library. Hope you're having a wonderful day.
Thank you for this, Chris! I‘m not entirely certain how well it will work together with Tallinn though. The sound in the church has a very specific character.
Very inspiring library. I'm writing a series of albums that blends early music instruments with modern synths and sounds. This library would be a great bridge between two soundscapes. Especially emphasizing the quite, intimate parts. Thank you for the run through.
Really nice sound from the strings, piano, and processed patches. I would use it for minimalistic moody music or maybe for those emotional film score scenes
Thanks for another clear video Chris. I entered the giveaway competition. If I’d win the library I would try and approach it like its own little concise composer toolkit, and try and make music exclusively using the instruments and sound design from the library. I like the very up-close intimate approach OT took here. Very nice combination of instruments and one can definitely hear Arvo Pärt’s legacy shining through in it. ❤
Thanks for the giveaway Chris and Orchestral Tools. I will use this VST for scoring and some ambient. The sound is sweet and mellow but give a certain feeling that can't be had in many of the libraries I own. Thanks again. Great showcase.
Hi Christopher and everyone in comments! I have a question: I finally got my dream job about a month ago as Web Developer and making real money. However, my passion even if it takes years of not making any income is in music and there are several niches I have in mind where I can put my music in display. But after work I’ve been lacking motivation on working in my music and so I go to the gym and after that I’m too tired to do anything. So, I want to ask how do you find motivation after your regular work and if anyone has had this kind of experience!? More context: I’ve gone crazy on libraries since 2 years ago. I’m pretty sure I own half of Orchestral Tool libraries and almost all of the Spitfire Audio libraries. All of the Native Instruments libraries and many other companies in total 10 external hard drives of 1TB each. Now I feel as if I’m a collector but haven’t touched any of my libraries. Any advise I’d appreciate it so much!!!!
Hi Christopher...Thanks for your great work, as always! :-) I love the sonics, the sound and the intimacy of SALU and I'm sure it would be a great fit in my sound arsenal for some romantic or soft, intimate scoring.
Some of the alternative articulations have really great textures. I think the library would be a great bed to build some intimate folk performances on top of. Would be great for some slow brooding underscoring like some of the Nordic crime shows have.
I'd definitely use it for intimate and emotive, maybe even experimental compositions. There is a multitude amount of articulations, which is always a good thing. Thanks for review, Christopher.
Very beautiful and inspiring library, sounds perfect for intimate and slow music which I would use it for! Thanks for the giveaway and good luck to everyone!
Such a beautiful library. You're right about the sweet sounds and the piano. This style of playing is just what I've been looking for. My most current libraries are Trailer music libraries. My regular orchestral library is like 13 years old. Besides, Spitfire Discover, Big Bang, etc. This would be a great improvement for my sound. Thanks for sharing and good luck to all!
I would like this library because I would use the special articulations in the choirs for texture. The Irregular Drops 5ths also sound really useful to me in the right circumstance. Thanks for doing this giveaway Christopher and OT.
Love the sound of this library. Even more intimate than Tallinn. I want to use this for creating intimate textures accompanying some poignant melody. Thank you!
Such beautiful sounds in this package! I can imagine hundreds of cases where this could be of use. Thanks to the dry acoustics you could blend it with both orchestra and hybrid pieces easily! My favorites are the choirs and the Kannel :) Thanks Chris
I’ve been intrigued by the sounds of this since the first few seconds of the trailer. Definitely think this takes you to a place from which you wouldn’t normally compose.
Absolutely enchanged by the Kannel. Collection as a whole sounds like the lovechild of Tallinn and Time so it's perfect for some nice underscoring in addition to the instruments playing in a traditional sense
Update: the giveaway has now ended! Grab my free sample library buyer's guide for all my sample recommendations: www.christophersiu.com/best-cinematic-orchestral-libraries
Orchestral tools have to be one of the most inspiring sample library companies there is. Everything they put out is inspiringly beautiful. Cheers Chris
The room sounds so good on that Viola part, not too big not too small; just right. Great vid as always!
Very funny you talked about the piano being amazing. As soon as I got a notification about the release, I listened through various elements and instantly purchased the piano.
Really inspiring library as is Tallinn. It can bring so much atmospheres.
Sounds perfect for making underscores.
It is snowing and freezing here. That and this libraries’ solo strings and solo voices inspire me to write an intimate, glassy, icy, winter theme. That’s what I‘d do!
Thank you Chris for presenting Salu. Sounds great, fits for cinematic music. It would be nice for me for next scoring - mostly string and choirs and of course atmospheric effects.
Such a fantastic sounding library! I will be scoring a movie in early 2023, and this would be perfect for the soundtrack. That intimate piano, with some textures underneath, will fit just perfectly
I am soooo excited with this new library from OT, thank you very much for sharing the video!! I am working on the project to dedicate music video to those who are under pressure, taking care of family mostly, and needing support for sleep and relaxation, and I want to be using this library as this sounds wonderful for nuanced and underscore music. 😊😊😊
Salu looks like a useful addition to my template. Currently working on another nordic/ winter themed album, especially the textures of the quartet strings could be very useful for that!
what a lovely library!
Thanks for the demo! I like the more sombre sounds anyhow, so this is a perfect addition to my arsenal both for scoring and some more organic/melodic techno stuff maybe? I think sounds unique but also versatile being recorded quite dry.
This sounds really great to make soft/intimate stuff! Thanks Chris :)
Thanks for the review! I would especially use the solo cello and viola for my D&D music haha!
Love OT approach to sampling. Always innovating!
More OT never hurt.
This is such a beautiful library! I love how intimately this was recorded and all of the beautiful textures you get with each section. I think I especially love the Piano, Harp and Kannel and the processed patches are absolutely stunning as well. Thanks for your review Chris!
Thank you, Chris. Lots of subtle beauty, and inspiring sounds here! Would be great for intimate compositions, especially string quartet.
Thanks for sharing. I really love the intimate sound you can get from this. The sound design sections also sound really beautiful and useful.
Love the special articulations! Especially the irregulars for the strings. Very interested in how subtle and detailed it can be. and OHW that sound at 19:15 is hauntingly beautiful!
Thanks for the great overview! What a great library. Based on your overview and the walkthroughs, this would be a great addition when thinking about my cinematic and ambient songs.
I love the selection of sounds. I think it's suitable for drama underscores, but I would like to use it for Olafur Arnalds style tracks as well😆
Thank you for taking the time to show us the beautiful library, Chris!
been eagerly waiting for review .
sounds fantastic :)
Lovely and inspiring sounds. I can definitely see myself using this in film scores for an intimate sound. Great demonstration as always!
This indeed steps on Solstice's toes
Loving the tone and the exotic articulation of solo cello and the other instruments
These soundscapes are just beautiful. Perfectly the texture I need for the new intimate emotional music album I've been working on for a while.
Such beautiful sounds in this package!
I use it for creating game music.
Thanks Chris!
Sounds beautiful!
I really like what orchestral tools have been doing over the years... and keep on expanding with their never ending selection of great soundscapes and pallets to choose from, thanks for a great video Chris. This is definately going on my wishlist... i would use this library when i make trailer music as well as folk
Thanks for another great review Chris! Lots of great sounds in this library! The viola is beautiful and the sound design patches are really nice. I do like some of the chorale textures as well. Very cool library and one I would love to experiment with.
Lots of nice sounds in this library - really like the Kannel, Piano and Harp - I can see them getting good usage. Nicely done presentation in a short time frame Christopher
Nice review! Especially the solo strings sound very interesting. I think they would work great on any part that is either quirky or very delicate and melancholic!
The choir and vocal instruments sound wonderful. I like how it looks like you are singing when you play them! I would use the male vocalists and percussion instruments in the fantasy inspired album I'm making. Do you think the vocal instruments would go well with the children's choir from Ark2?
Great walkthrough Christopher! Checked out a few of OT’s videos on Salu, and it does seem “one of a kind”! Salu would definitely lend itself to scoring contemplative pieces, and also, music requiring tension!
Thanks Chris. I look forward to using this library for its very intimate and lively sounds.
Perfect for adding unique flourish and cinematic patina to evolving textures and underscoring. Thanks for this brilliant overview, Chris!
What a beautiful Library. I really love the intimate but warm sound of the strings, especially the Vibrato.
I will for sure use them on an experimental jazz and soul song I am working on currently.
Great video! This library seems ideal for intimate scores and a beautiful addition to any orchestral template. The soundscape possibilities are endless with a library such as this.
I like so much the Kannel sound!Is looks like the Greek Sandur we have in Greece!Its magical for my orchestral music i make.Thank you!
Thanks for doing this, Chris! The sounds from Salu are beautiful, and most importantly add a unique level of closeness and intimacy to the music. I look forward to using Salu in my works with live Chinese instruments to explore a new soundscape. The special articulations in Salu are also inspiring and spark new ideas in the writing process.
Wow this sounds wonderful, especially that cello! I have been needing a slow strings library for a while now and this would work perfectly. Great video as always!
Can’t wait to try out these new sounds in to my tracks! Thanks for the video!
Seriously beautiful tones & textures... awesome demo/review as always Chris ! This would be perfect for my next ambient soundscape !!!
Great demo of a lovely sounding library. I'd love to use this for ambient/orchestral underscore to go with my footage of Norfolk Landscapes and wildlife.
I love the viola and cello - a quite delicate sound. I could imagine using that for more moody passages. And the processed sound also sound very inspiring.
Sounds wonderful! It's perfect for composing some of my more emotional songs!
The sound wonderful! Such a nice warmth
Thanks for the playthrough, Chris. I would want to use this library for quiet, contemplative music.
Thank you, Chris. This does seem like a very ambient extension of Tallinn which I love and use a great deal. I've been writing some experimental choral pieces recently and I can imagine this augmenting my existing choirs.
Thanks, Chris (also for your courses)! A wonderful library by Orchestral Tools inspired by our brother or sister nation, the Estonians. (I myself am a Finn). Kannel is a beautiful instrument, here in Finland it's Kantele (basically the same instrument). Really like how OT sampled Kannel. Also XPerimenta has had Kantele VST sampled. These kind of samples can really picture the Scandinavian or the Nordic quiet and serene winter spirit! I'd imagine also Canadian..?
Thanks for doing this. I have a very specific animation of landscapes I would use this for. Outstanding library!
The vibe here is really something different. On the edge of silence - love that
awesome review. beautiful sound, warm and intimist. it would sound amazing with the compositions im working on, chamber with those winter feels
Thanks for the walk thru. Some really interesting patches for more avant garde type stuff.
These Soundscapes are beautiful,Love the Piano too!
The Kannel sounds absolutely amazing. Such a beautiful and unique sound. Currently working on a soundtrack for a video game and I would definitely use it there. Along with the Solo Viola and the vocal ensembles. Agreed that the piano sounds very nice as well. The sound designed vocals I think may be a hidden gem.
What an inspiring library absolutely gorgeous sounding!
Thanks for the great review! Orchestral Tools is always doing great libraries! Canˋt wait to get my hands on
Amazing library, something new and fresh on the market! I love Orchestral Tools people!
Thank you for sharing with us this walkthrough) I would like to use this library for my travel film - it was a wonderful trip to Georgia, full of spiritual and tasty things, so Salu will be perfect for creating a stunning musical ideas for it 👍🏻
I know that I need to have solo instruments in some of the projects I'm working on. The viola sounds like it would be a good addition to my pallet . The percussion selection is a definite idea nursery. I could use some tympany and tubular chimes with the saxophone quintet I'm working on. Lastly, Christopher your right, that piano's tone comfortably warm. I would love to wrap myself up in it.
Hey Chris!! It all sounded great and I would use it all, but to answer your question, I always start my composition with piano, and right now I just have a free one which sounds okay for now but that piano sounded a lot better. So that would be one thing. The other would be the processed sounds. I like adding hints of ambient sounds in my music when I can so this is perfect. Thanks for going through the library. Hope you're having a wonderful day.
What an awesome library. I definitely would use it for an album I’m currently working on!!
Amazing. I love this library. Thanks, Chris for this review . It will be wonderful for my new theater music project :)
Love the sound of this library, absolutely gorgeous!
this library is so beautiful and delicate. I use this library to compose music for people who suffer for insomnia.
Thank you for this, Chris! I‘m not entirely certain how well it will work together with Tallinn though. The sound in the church has a very specific character.
Very inspiring library. I'm writing a series of albums that blends early music instruments with modern synths and sounds. This library would be a great bridge between two soundscapes. Especially emphasizing the quite, intimate parts. Thank you for the run through.
Really nice sound from the strings, piano, and processed patches. I would use it for minimalistic moody music or maybe for those emotional film score scenes
Thanks for another clear video Chris. I entered the giveaway competition. If I’d win the library I would try and approach it like its own little concise composer toolkit, and try and make music exclusively using the instruments and sound design from the library. I like the very up-close intimate approach OT took here. Very nice combination of instruments and one can definitely hear Arvo Pärt’s legacy shining through in it. ❤
This sounds amazing, I love intimate sounding instruments like this
I am so excited about this library. I am certain it will take me to a new place creatively.
Would love to use this to experiment in lots of orchestral compositions!
Thank you for the review! Looks like a very interesting library. Would be great to use it for more intimate and minimalist compositions!
Thanks for the giveaway Chris and Orchestral Tools. I will use this VST for scoring and some ambient. The sound is sweet and mellow but give a certain feeling that can't be had in many of the libraries I own. Thanks again. Great showcase.
Thanks for the review. I would use the library for arrangements in combination with nylon string guitar.
Amazing textures and sounds
Hi Christopher and everyone in comments! I have a question:
I finally got my dream job about a month ago as Web Developer and making real money. However, my passion even if it takes years of not making any income is in music and there are several niches I have in mind where I can put my music in display. But after work I’ve been lacking motivation on working in my music and so I go to the gym and after that I’m too tired to do anything. So, I want to ask how do you find motivation after your regular work and if anyone has had this kind of experience!?
More context:
I’ve gone crazy on libraries since 2 years ago. I’m pretty sure I own half of Orchestral Tool libraries and almost all of the Spitfire Audio libraries. All of the Native Instruments libraries and many other companies in total 10 external hard drives of 1TB each. Now I feel as if I’m a collector but haven’t touched any of my libraries. Any advise I’d appreciate it so much!!!!
Hi Christopher...Thanks for your great work, as always! :-) I love the sonics, the sound and the intimacy of SALU and I'm sure it would be a great fit in my sound arsenal for some romantic or soft, intimate scoring.
I really like the soft sound of this, it would help me in my composing.
I especially love the piano in this library. I would use this library for solo piano and for film scores for sure!
Another great library from OT. The string quartet patches would be great for sketching ideas. Loving the moods this library provides.
The choir is quite nice! The piano also! I will have much pleasure using both!
Some of the alternative articulations have really great textures. I think the library would be a great bed to build some intimate folk performances on top of. Would be great for some slow brooding underscoring like some of the Nordic crime shows have.
I'd definitely use it for intimate and emotive, maybe even experimental compositions. There is a multitude amount of articulations, which is always a good thing. Thanks for review, Christopher.
Like the idea of sound design from a couple of the latest orchestral tools libraries
Very beautiful and inspiring library, sounds perfect for intimate and slow music which I would use it for! Thanks for the giveaway and good luck to everyone!
Such a beautiful library. You're right about the sweet sounds and the piano. This style of playing is just what I've been looking for. My most current libraries are Trailer music libraries. My regular orchestral library is like 13 years old. Besides, Spitfire Discover, Big Bang, etc. This would be a great improvement for my sound. Thanks for sharing and good luck to all!
Excellent stuff. Will be using it for movie scores.
So many amazing patches in this library!
Lovely sounds. Would use the library for some yummy underscore textures...
I would like this library because I would use the special articulations in the choirs for texture. The Irregular Drops 5ths also sound really useful to me in the right circumstance. Thanks for doing this giveaway Christopher and OT.
Love the sound of this library. Even more intimate than Tallinn. I want to use this for creating intimate textures accompanying some poignant melody. Thank you!
Such beautiful sounds in this package! I can imagine hundreds of cases where this could be of use. Thanks to the dry acoustics you could blend it with both orchestra and hybrid pieces easily! My favorites are the choirs and the Kannel :) Thanks Chris
I wish to use to library as the new project that I got recently. The natural texture and organic tone really fit the atmosphere
perfect for more introspective pieces/scores!
I’ve been intrigued by the sounds of this since the first few seconds of the trailer. Definitely think this takes you to a place from which you wouldn’t normally compose.
Absolutely enchanged by the Kannel. Collection as a whole sounds like the lovechild of Tallinn and Time so it's perfect for some nice underscoring in addition to the instruments playing in a traditional sense