pianobook.co.uk

What is Pianobook?

Pianobook is a community-run sample library site where musicians share free instrument sample packs and the stories behind them. It is built around the idea that "every sound tells a story," and the catalogue spans pianos, strings, guitars and synths, with packs available in formats including Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live and SFZ.

It suits hobbyists, composers and producers who want free, characterful instruments rather than polished commercial libraries, and who are willing to browse a large, uneven collection. The community angle matters: creators upload and describe their own recordings, and the site highlights stories and vlogs alongside the packs.

A practical next step is to filter the sample packs by format before downloading, so the library matches the sampler you already use. If you work mainly in Kontakt, for example, start there; if you prefer a lightweight free player, look for Decent Sampler versions first.

How do I download free sample packs from Pianobook?

You don't need an account to download from Pianobook. The site presents free sample packs as its main offering, and the page evidence shows a large catalogue with formats including Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live and SFZ.

How to get a pack

1. Go to Pianobook and use Search or browse Sample Packs.
2. Narrow the list with the filters: Only show Sample Packs with Reviews, Videos or Demos if you want to hear or read about a pack before committing.
3. Open a pack's page. Check its format and player requirements first — this matters more than the download itself.
4. Download the pack files and any accompanying samples or instruments.
5. Load the instrument in the matching player or DAW.

Choose by format, not just by sound

A practical next step

Pick one pack that has a demo or video, download it in a format you already own, and test it in a short project before building a larger library. If you use Logic, start with EXS24 packs; if you use Ableton, start with Live packs; if you want the simplest free path, look for Decent Sampler versions.

The catalogue is community-driven, so quality and documentation vary between creators. Reviews and demos are the quickest way to judge whether a pack is worth the download.

Which formats are the sample packs available in, such as Decent Sampler, Kontakt, or Ableton Live?

Pianobook sample packs are distributed across several sampler and DAW formats rather than a single proprietary one. According to the site's own filter list, the available formats are Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live, and SFZ.

What that means in practice

• Decent Sampler — free, cross-platform player, so packs in this format are the easiest entry point if you don't own paid sampler software.
• Kontakt — requires Native Instruments Kontakt (full version for many third-party libraries); the choice for people already working inside that ecosystem.
• EXS24 — Apple's legacy sampler format, now handled by Logic Pro's Sampler; relevant mainly to Logic users.
• Ableton Live — packaged for Live's own instrument racks/devices, so no extra sampler needed if Live is your DAW.
• SFZ — an open, text-based format supported by free players such as Sforzando, useful for tinkerers and Linux users.

How to choose

The filter on Pianobook lets you narrow packs by format, which is the fastest way to avoid downloading something your setup can't open. If you use Logic, filter for EXS24; if you use Live, filter for Ableton Live; if you have no sampler at all, start with Decent Sampler or SFZ. Note that a given pack may not exist in every format, so check the individual pack page before committing to a large download.

How can I submit my own sample pack as a creator on Pianobook?

Pianobook is a community sample-library site where creators share instrument sample packs, mostly free, for samplers such as Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live and SFZ. To submit your own pack, the practical route is to create a free user account, then look for a contributor or upload area once signed in — the public homepage shows the catalogue, filters and community statistics rather than the submission form itself.

What to prepare before you upload

• A finished, playable sample pack in one or more of the formats the site lists: Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live or SFZ.
• Clear naming and folder structure so downloaders can install it without guessing.
• A short description of the instrument or sound source and how it was recorded.
• A demo or video if you have one — the site's filter includes options to show only packs with reviews, videos or demos, so this can affect how easily people find your work.
• Your own rights to the recordings and any samples used.

A realistic first-time scenario

Suppose you have recorded a detuned upright piano and built a Decent Sampler instrument. You sign in, find the creator submission option, upload the pack, write a plain description, and add a demo. Your pack then sits alongside the thousands already listed, so the description and demo do more work than the upload itself.

Decision criteria

For the exact submission steps and any requirements, check the site directly: Pianobook.

What are the most popular sample packs and how are they ranked on Pianobook?

Pianobook doesn't publish a ranked chart of its most popular sample packs. Its homepage surfaces a "Popular Sample packs" section, but that appears to be an editorial or algorithmic selection rather than a numbered ranking, and the site's own counters — 1,762 free packs, 683 creators, over 4 million downloads — describe the library as a whole, not the order of individual titles.

How you can judge popularity yourself

• Reviews and demos. The search filter offers toggles for packs with reviews, videos and demos, so community write-ups and audio examples are the closest thing to a popularity signal.
• Download and user counts. These are reported at library level rather than per pack, so they won't tell you which individual instrument is favoured.
• Recency and stories. The "Latest stories" and vlog entries highlight what the community is currently talking about, which shifts over time.

A practical way to choose

If you're a composer looking for a free instrument, start with the format filter, since that determines whether a pack will actually load in your setup. The library lists Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live and SFZ as sample pack formats. Decent Sampler runs as a free standalone player, so it's the lowest-friction option if you don't already own Kontakt; Kontakt packs suit people who have the full version, and EXS24 and Ableton Live packs are aimed at Logic and Live users respectively.

Then shortlist two or three packs in your format that have a demo or review, listen to the demos, and download rather than trying to identify an official "top" pack. For background on the project and its community ethos, see Pianobook.

How does Pianobook's community-driven model differ from commercial sample libraries?

Pianobook is a community-contributed sample-library site: creators upload instruments and sample packs, and visitors browse, download and review them. That contrasts with commercial libraries, where a company commissions sounds, controls the catalogue, sets prices and sells licences.

Where the difference shows up

• Who makes the sounds. On Pianobook, the catalogue comes from many individual creators rather than one in-house team. Commercial libraries usually have a smaller, curated roster of sound designers and a consistent house style.
• What you pay for. The site's own figures describe a free catalogue, with a large number of packs and downloads. Commercial libraries charge per product or in bundles, and the price often reflects recording quality, scripting, documentation and support.
• Curation and consistency. Community catalogues win on breadth and surprise; commercial catalogues win on predictable quality control, polished interfaces and clear versioning.
• Formats and compatibility. Pianobook's filter list includes Decent Sampler, Kontakt, EXS24, Ableton Live and SFZ, so a pack may suit one sampler and not another. Commercial libraries usually state a single supported platform and test it thoroughly.
• Support and licensing. A commercial purchase typically comes with a licence, updates and a support channel. A community upload may have simpler terms and depend on the creator's goodwill.

A practical way to choose

If you need a specific, road-tested orchestral section with articulations, keyswitches and documentation, a commercial library is usually the safer buy. If you want characterful, unusual or low-cost textures — a prepared piano, a worn tape choir, a homemade percussion set — a community catalogue is often the better first stop.

Example scenario

Suppose you are scoring a short film and need a soft, imperfect choir texture. You could search Pianobook for choir packs, check the format against your sampler, read any reviews or demos, and download one that fits. For the same project's main strings, you might prefer a commercial library with consistent articulation mapping.

Decision criteria

1. Format match. Confirm the pack works in your sampler before downloading.
2. Reviews and demos. The site lets you filter packs that have reviews, videos or demos — use that when quality matters.
3. Licence and updates. Check whether the creator permits commercial use and whether the pack is maintained.
4. Time budget. Free sounds can cost more time in testing and troubleshooting than a paid library costs in money.

A useful next step is to compare one specific need — say, a felt piano — across both worlds: search Pianobook for a free option, then price a commercial equivalent. The gap in polish, support and licence clarity will tell you which trade-off suits the project. For broader context on sample-library ecosystems, see Spitfire Audio and Native Instruments.