Soundiron, a developer of sample libraries for the Native Instruments Kontakt platform, offers several free sample libraries that are compatible with the free Kontakt Player plugin. These libraries provide musicians, producers, and composers with access to high-quality, playable instruments and sound design elements at no cost. The available libraries include "Rainsong," a library based on natural rain ambiences, and "Desk Bell," a library featuring the sounds of a brass table bell. Both libraries are fully licensed for use with the free Kontakt Player, ensuring they function without time limitations. Additionally, registering these free libraries can make users eligible for discounts on the full version of Kontakt.
Free Rainsong Sample Library
Soundiron’s "Rainsong" is a free sample library created from natural rain ambiences and raindrop sound effects. It has been enhanced to work with Kontakt 7 Player and NKS (Native Kontrol Standard). The library transforms raw field recordings into playable musical elements, including synths, pads, atmospheric soundscapes, and percussive sound effects. It is designed for use in video games, animation, film scoring, and songwriting.
The source material for Rainsong consists of wide stereo field recordings. These recordings capture sounds of rain hitting various surfaces such as car hoods and downspouts, as well as thunderstorms, bird calls in the forest, and traffic. The library also includes a series of one-shot drips and impacts that can be used to create aqua percussion or wet sound effects. Soundiron utilized this raw content to design 58 ambient pads, atmospheres, drones, and environments. These presets can be played independently as synth pads, leads, and plucks, or they can be blended with the field recordings and sound effects. The library features a flexible four-layer GUI, allowing users to layer custom electric soundscapes and perform water-based synthesis.
In a review of the library, it was noted that Rainsong is a "novel instrument" that repurposes mundane sounds into playable tonal instruments. The sounds possess an organic quality, and the drones and environments blend well together for film scoring. The pads and synths are suitable for various genres, including chillout and ambient works. The library is available for free to users who own the freeware Kontakt Player plugin.
Free Desk Bell Sample Library
Soundiron offers "Desk Bell," a free sample library based on the sounds of a brass table bell found in hotel or doctor's reception areas. The library is available as a free download for owners of Native Instruments Kontakt 5.5 or above. While the library requires the full version of Kontakt to play without limitations, it is fully compatible with the free Kontakt Player, though it may run in demo mode in the latter depending on the specific version and licensing terms.
The Desk Bell library is built from a luxurious sampling process. The instrument is sampled from a 3-inch polished brass bell. The library includes a single ding articulation with ten round-robin layers and nine velocity layers. Additionally, there are five velocities corresponding to the different acoustics of a real cathedral where the recording took place.
Beyond the raw bell sounds, Soundiron has utilized the samples for sound design. The library includes 20 soundscapes, pads, and other textures created from the sampled bell. Users can access a playable and morphable Kontakt patch that allows for chromatic play via MIDI keyboard or controller. The customized Kontakt interface enables users to transform the basic bell sound into wispy pads or organs. The instrument also includes LFO modulators for creating unique sounds and an FX rack containing reverbs, phasers, flangers, delays, and an arpeggiator with control over swing, timing, and groove.
Eligibility for Kontakt Full Version Discounts
Users who register free licensed Kontakt player libraries, such as those from Soundiron, become eligible for discounts on the full version of Kontakt. According to information provided, if a user owns and has registered at least one licensed Kontakt player library, they are eligible to receive a discount on the full version of Kontakt. To check eligibility, users should log into their account on the Native Instruments website to view their personal price for the full version of Kontakt. This discount applies even if the registered library is a freebie from developers like Soundiron, Project Sam, SonicCouture, SonoKinetic, Strezov Sampling, Heavyocity, Embertone, or Native Instruments. Native Instruments also runs promotional offers throughout the year where Kontakt and other products are discounted.
Soundiron Creator Challenge
Soundiron has hosted promotional events utilizing their free libraries, such as the "Soundiron Creator Challenge - Downpour Edition." This challenge required participants to create a new original score for a provided video using the free "Rainsong" library (though the use of other virtual instruments was permitted, points were awarded for using Rainsong as much as possible). Participants were asked to upload their video to YouTube with the hashtag #soundironcreatorchallenge. The challenge offered store credit prizes: $250 for first place and $50 for two runners-up. Entries were judged based on creativity, originality, sound design, and overall production value. The deadline for this specific challenge was January 6th, 2023.
Conclusion
Soundiron provides valuable resources for U.S. consumers and music creators through its free sample libraries, Rainsong and Desk Bell. These libraries offer distinct sonic palettes—ranging from atmospheric rain textures to unique bell timbres—and are fully compatible with the free Kontakt Player, making them accessible to a wide audience. Furthermore, registering these free libraries unlocks a pathway to purchasing the full version of Kontakt at a discounted rate. While the Desk Bell library requires the full version of Kontakt for unlimited playability, it remains a free download that showcases Soundiron's sampling capabilities.