Best Glockenspiel Sample LibraryAre you looking for great sounding glockenspiel sample libraries for your music composer toolkit?

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

5 Best Glockenspiel VST Sample Libraries

  1. VSL Mallets
  2. Ricotti Mallets
  3. Sonokinetic Mallets
  4. Mallet Flux
  5. Pianoteq Glockenspiel

The Power of Glockenspiel in Music

Glockenspiel is a german word that basically means “set of bells”. And the sound of this instrument is indeed very much like a bell, even though it is made up of a set of metal plates that resonant when hit with a mallet. You can also alter the sound with various types of mallets. The sound of the glockenspiel is very light, airy and “dreamlike”, and it is excellent for layering to emphasize melodic notes in the mix.

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

  • Range (usually 2.5 to 3 octaves)
  • Dynamic Range (velocity layers)
  • Round Robins (variation layers)
  • Microphones (ambience flexibility)
  • Mallets (ex: metal, plastic, rubber)
  • Extended Articulations (ex: glissandi, tremolo, rolls)