Cinesamples Free Kontakt Player Instruments: A Guide to Current and Legacy Offerings

Cinesamples, a provider of cinematic sample libraries, has made a selection of their instruments available as free downloads. These freebies are notable because several are compatible with the free Kontakt Player, which expands their accessibility to users who do not own the full version of Native Instruments Kontakt. The availability and compatibility of these offers have evolved over time, with some products being re-released or updated to work with the free player.

Current Free Kontakt Player Offerings

According to a December 2022 discussion on the Cinesamples forum, the company offered five free products that are compatible with the free Kontakt Player. This development was significant because three of these products were previously available only for the full version of Kontakt. The availability of these encoded freebies was made possible through a collaboration between Native Instruments and their partners.

The five free instruments include two new items and three reimagined products with updated interfaces and features:

Create Series Toy Xylo: A new addition to the free lineup.
Create Series Kalimba: Another new product in the Create Series.
Tongue Drum: This instrument was formerly known as Modal Drum. It has been updated with new features, including onboard effects and the option to re-map the instrument chromatically. It delivers the sound of an iron tongue drum tuned to a pentatonic scale.
Accent Pianos: Formerly known as Jerry's Pianos, this library features the sound of two orchestral pianos from the MGM Scoring Stage at Sony Studios. It is designed for attention-demanding, percussive, and rhythmic use.
Twisted Psaltry: Formerly known as Bowed Psaltery, this instrument provides metallic, uncomfortable sounds often used in horror movie scores.

A review of these libraries notes that the Tongue Drum is suitable for creating rhythmic melodies reminiscent of 80s or early 90s film scenes. The Twisted Psaltry is described as delivering a "sound of fear." The Accent Pianos are characterized as a sound that does not want to sit in the background, making them ideal for doubling rhythmic patterns or for more forceful orchestral writing.

Legacy and Historical Freebies

Cinesamples has a history of providing free instruments, some of which may still be available or have influenced the current offerings.

Jerry's Pianos (Accent Pianos)

Before being rebranded as Accent Pianos, this library was known as Jerry's Pianos. The original release description highlights its purpose for doubling rhythmic patterns in orchestral music. It was created by sampling two pianos playing in unison at the Sony Scoring Stage. The library focused on the lower range of the instruments and included sustains and staccatos. The description references its use in famous film scores, such as John Williams' use of two pianos for the Imperial Assault on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back.

Other Free Instrument Sets

An older set of freebies from Cinesamples included instruments for Kontakt and EXS24 formats. These were noted for being programmed with clever Kontakt scripting. The set included:

Triangles: Programmed with advanced Kontakt scripting by Greg Schlaepfer of Orange Tree Samples.
Jam Buckets: Samples of large plastic buckets, similar to those used by street performers.
Snaps & Claps: A library of snapping and clapping sounds.

It was specified that only the Kontakt format of these older freebies included the scripting features.

Accessing the Freebies

Information on accessing these free products can be found on the Cinesamples website and in community discussions. A forum post from July 2020 pointed to a specific URL on the Cinesamples site for freebies: cinesamples.com/productGroup/freebies. While some links mentioned in older discussions may be broken, the official Cinesamples website remains the primary source for current free product availability and download information. Users interested in these free instruments should visit the official site to find the most up-to-date links and ensure they are downloading the correct versions, particularly those compatible with the free Kontakt Player.

Conclusion

Cinesamples has provided a range of free instruments over the years, with a significant portion of their current offerings being compatible with the free Kontakt Player. This allows composers and producers to access high-quality cinematic sounds without a significant financial investment. The evolution of products like the Tongue Drum and Accent Pianos demonstrates an ongoing commitment to updating and refining their free offerings. For the most reliable and current information, consumers should always refer to the official Cinesamples website.