Westwood Instruments released Untold Strings, a free viola sample library for Kontakt Player.
The library runs in both Kontakt and the free Kontakt Player, available 64-bit only for Windows and Mac. If you need orchestral strings, Untold Strings is among the best free Kontakt libraries you can download.
Westwood Instruments describes Untold Strings as “three violas transfigured into a mesmerizing wall of sound.”
The viola samples are from the developer’s Novella Origin library, which features a nine-piece string section designed for creating contemporary cinematic sounds.
There is an audio demo embedded in the product page, as well as a YouTube intro and demo that you can check out.
Untold Strings is the first release in a planned series of free sample libraries called Roots. Westwood Instruments states that the Roots instruments will be made from “experiments in sampling and our favorite sounds from past projects.”
Untold Strings, like all the Roots instruments, is designed to be simple and easy to use.
As the developer explained, “We believe that the overwhelming number of choices you have as a music maker can lead to decision paralysis and become the enemy of creation.”
Westwood Instruments describes Untold Strings as follows: “No confusing interfaces or complex layouts. Just 10 distraction-free controls in a unified design.”
Unfortunately, the process to get the free download of Untold Strings is a bit unwieldy.
You need to add it to your cart on the Westwood Instruments site, where they ask you to provide all your personal details as if it’s a physical purchase that’s getting delivered. After that, you’ll then get a serial key, which you can enter into Native Access 2 to get the download.
Untold Strings is compatible with Kontakt Player and Kontakt Full 7.6.0 or above. This means the release is available for Windows 10 or 11 (latest Service Pack) and macOS 12 or higher (Intel i5 or higher including M1 and M2).
Westwood Instruments is currently running another freebie at the moment, as when you sign up for their mailing list on the Untold Strings product page, you can get a free download of Alt Piano Lite Edition.
While Alt Piano Lite is free, it does however require the full paid version of Kontakt (6.6.1 or higher).
Alt Piano Lite features the “soft and intimate felted piano” from the full version of Alt Piano.
Download: Untold Strings (FREE – Kontakt and Kontakt Player required)
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12 Comments
Al
onThe ‘Pulse’ application they say you should use doesn’t seem to recognize the serial number! Anyone else had this issue? Any tips?
Al
onI’m a twat:
‘Download our free ROOTS libraries with Native Access.
Add the serial key (found in your purchase email) to Native Access to download and register the library in one step.
Do not attempt to download via Pulse – the serial key will not be recognised!’
Nick Hope
onYou’re not really a twat. For someone in a hurry, speed-reading the copious instructions, it looks like you’d need to download with Pulse. I might have done the same if I hadn’t read your comments.
Al
onAnd…
I’m a twat:
“Download our free ROOTS libraries with Native Access.
Add the serial key (found in your purchase email) to Native Access to download and register the library in one step.
Do not attempt to download via Pulse – the serial key will not be recognised!”
Mark
onThe download isn’t working.Westwood says it has no licenses to give. If course they let you know this AFTER they take all your contact information…
Momo
onSame here – “we have 0 License key(s) for this product”, maybe later…
gary openhill
oncorrect me if im wrong, but doesnt kontakt cost like 200 dollars? i think its a bit misleading to promote these free libraries if it only works with a sampler that is far from free.
Kirill R.
onIt works in free Kontakt Player, like lots of free libraries from big devs nowadays.
Entronix
onthere are two version. Kontakt Player and Full. The Full can load any library. The Player can use some library that are registered with NI
Dee
onFor those that are having trouble… Check your email receipt for the order and use the serial code provided directly in Native Access.
It even says on the website, that free products do not use their usual downloader and license keys aren’t available for free products.
Mark
onNo, it doesn’t get to the point where it even sends an email. You cannot complete the checkout.
Mark
onActually, today, it’s working. Obviously, they must have had some technical issues yesterday that have since been fixed.