Best Celesta Sample LibrariesAre you looking for great sounding celesta sample libraries for your music composer toolkit?

This is my top list of recommendations of celesta libraries, as well as mallet percussion libraries that include a great sounding celesta:

5 Best Celesta VST Libraries

  1. Keyscape
  2. Pianoteq Celesta
  3. Sonokinetic Celesta
  4. VSL Mallets
  5. BBCSO

The Power of Celesta in Music

Celesta is actually french for “divine”, and the name for this instrument was chosen because of the light heavenly and soft sound of the celesta. The tone itself is very similar to the glockenspiel, but softer and with more range since it is a keyboard instrument o around 5 octaves.

The main things to consider for a celesta sample library or VST plugin are:

  • Range (how many notes are covered)
  • Dynamic Range (velocity layers)
  • Round Robins (variation layers)
  • Microphones (ambience flexibility)
  • Tones (ex: Sustained, Damped)
  • Extended Articulations (ex: glissandi)