Great sound elevates great cinema. Images tell the story, but music helps us to feel it. Modern film composers have almost limitless ways to shape cinematic sound. Thanks to sampling platforms such as Native Instruments’ Kontakt 7, anyone can write music for grandiose orchestras, celestial choirs, rustic folk ensembles, and bold new hybrid instruments. Cinematic VST plugins capture these vivid soundworlds as sample libraries for easy use in your DAW.

The question is: which cinematic plugin is right for you? Whether you’re looking for a lush orchestral sound, crafting cinematic sound design, or dreaming up wild new effects, Native Instruments has the right VST plugin for the project at hand.

Which cinematic libraries and samples are right for you?

When choosing a cinematic library, consider what sounds will best serve the story you’re telling. It’s always handy to have some conventional scoring sounds on tap, and a top-quality strings library like Session Strings Pro will be useful in many contexts. When a more futuristic sound palette is needed, try the Light Trilogy, a bundle of powerful granular synthesizers tailor-made for scoring.

What is cinematic sound?

Cinematic sound is whatever serves the story best. Sure, there are tried-and-tested cinematic genres, and skilled composers can dial these in when needed. But the best cinematic composers respond creatively to the story, and make sure to have the right tools for the job. If you’re scoring a tense scene, consider picking up Sequis, an “acoustic sequencer” that’s great for building tension through loops and rhythms. If your story is set in a far-flung place or time, a cinematic library like Lores or Fables can help you capture the mood with rustic instruments and ethereal textures. If you want to channel the emotive power of the human voice, try a creative vocal plugin like Vocal Colors. Having a broad range of VST plugins in your toolbox will keep your scores fresh and well-suited to the narrative on screen.

Atmospheric soundscapes: Orchestral VST plugins to consider

There’s a reason why Orchestral VST plugins are a staple of cinematic sound. Nothing beats the drama and grand scale of an orchestral library. Orchestral plugins come in countless forms. Pretty much every composer should have the basics, like a choir plug-in (Choir: Omnia is a great all-rounder). Other orchestral VST plugins excel at specific scoring tasks. Working on a chase scene? Use Action Strings to craft driving cues that heighten the adrenaline. What about a horror movie? Try Low End Strings for crushingly deep drones, pads, and impacts.

Which is the best orchestral library?

The best orchestral library depends on your needs and the project you’re scoring. If you’re just starting to build your VST plugins collection, consider getting a versatile orchestral plug-in that will work in many contexts, such as Session Strings Pro. For more intimate scenes, try smaller-scale ensembles. The Cremona Quartet captures four of the best-sounding string instruments ever made, while Valves Pro reproduces a brass quintet in exquisite detail – perfect for bold fanfares and gentle pads.

Movie sound design: the best cinematic VST plugins

Modern film scoring isn’t just about writing memorable tunes. Composers use cinematic sound to frame and heighten the narrative. Sometimes we might not even perceive these sounds as “music.” If you want to try your hand at this specialized craft, a movie sound design VST plugins like Arkhis will help you to make effective drones, atmospheres, and other sound design elements.

What is sound design in filmmaking?

Sound design is the art of shaping audio towards a desired goal. Cinematic sound design means creating sounds that serve the story – whether it’s evocative atmospheres, dramatic impacts, or suspenseful drones. Native Instruments offers many powerful sound design VST plugins. Ashlight is a granular synthesis-based scoring library that is great for immersive atmospheres and pads. When the story requires dread and doom, try Schema: Dark, a “cinematic pulse engine” that excels at throbbing electronic sounds.

Start using cinematic & Orchestral VST plugins in your compositions

Now you have an overview of the cinematic VST plugins available from Native Instruments, it’s time to start using them in your own compositions. If you’re building your toolbox from scratch, consider picking up all-rounder orchestral and sound design plugins such as Session Strings 2 or Arkhis. On the hunt for fresh sounds? Explore more specialized cinematic VST plugins from Native Instruments such as Cremona Quartet and Light Trilogy. And if inspiration’s running dry, try Playbox, a unique tool for generating inspiring ideas.