Hi Everyone and Happy New Year! Just wondering what some of your favourite realistic-sounding Piano VSTs are? My go-to in trailer tracks is the Felt Piano from Spitfire's Olafur Arnalds Toolkit, but I need something a little less soft for a project I'm working on. I've been using Addictive Keys from XLN Audio for years in personal projects, but I'm not sure it quite has the realism I want/need for this professional project. Though interested if anyone disagrees! Let me know your thoughts! I'm hoping not to break the bank on another piano, but I'd love to have something that sounds super realistic to slot into my wider instrument collection (Nucleus, Metropolis Ark, Damage 2, Gravity etc) Thanks all!

Hi! Before the end of 2025, I thought I would take the opportunity to make some shoutouts when it comes to people in this community that helped me out on my journey when it comes to applying but also get accepted into two trailer libraries earlier this fall. First off, big thanks to @Andrew Hand who gave me great feedback on my early showreel version that I started to build and create during the summer. Thanks, Andrew :) But Andrew also got me into contact with @Matt McDonnell who offered me 1v1 sessions, when it comes to improving my cues even further, and also very valuable feedback when it comes to my upcoming showreel, and important things to have in mind when sending those application mails to the libraries. Besides that, we've also had great conversations about music and life in general :) Thanks Matt for taking the time, listening to different versions of my cues and giving valuable feedback, but also the support during the whole phase of "putting it all together". And last but not least; thanks to @Alex Pfeffer even though we've never spoken, since he's the man behind this community. Thanks to him I've gotten new knowledge but also inspiration. I wouldn't have found this group of fellow composers in the first place if it wasn't for his YT channel :) Thanks, Alex! I'm now in the work of finishing my first album (horror music), with one of the libraries. Twelve tracks were completed before Christmas, but I'll now go back and start making some revisions and changes here and there due to feedback, and then it's time to deliver those stems(!) Looking forward to what 2026 has to offer, and with that I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! Kind regards, Roger Bergström

Hi Everyone! Last week I purchased Heavyocity's new plugin, Ostinato Textures, and I wanted to talk a little about how I've found it so far. It does exactly what it says on the tin, providing you with instant string ostinato inspiration across simple, complex and triplet rhythms. First thing's first: it sounds great. You're given four mic presets to choose from for each ostinato category (Simple, Complex, Triplet) across each instrument (Violin, Viola, Cello). Each of the four mic presets (Close, Default, Full Mix, Wet) gives you a slightly different starting point that you can then tweak to your preferences as needed. The Ostinato patterns themselves are all really unique and wide-ranging - you'd be hard-pushed not to find some kind of spark of inspiration from any of them. What's more, they play in really nicely without any noticeable delay, and dynamics automation is easy thanks to the intuitive UI and CC mapping options. Additionally, you have the Texture Designer, which allows you to combine and blend up to three solo articulations to create unique, evolving textures. I've yet to really deep-dive into this feature yet, but it looks like a really powerful option to have across a variety of genres. I'm someone who finds themselves going back to their 'go-to' ostinato patterns too often, so this plugin is perfect for getting me to stray further afield, particularly when working on projects that are a little different than the traditional 'Epic Hybrid' cues. If you want to learn more about Ostinato Textures, check out the video below from The Sampleist, and if you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to reach out and I'll be happy to share more of my thoughts! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWvxKaAwTfM

Congratulations to the founder of this group for welcoming Lientje Elowen into this world! Your pedagogy, patience & thoughtfulness will ensure that this tiny new human will be a wonderful addition to your family & the world!

Every once in a while, someone in our community shares a journey that perfectly captures what this whole thing is about. That’s exactly what happened when I sat down with Matt, who just a couple of years ago was stuck — struggling to break into the trailer music world, doubting himself, and unsure where to go next. In his words: “I had the music... but no plan. No idea where to send it, who to talk to, or how to even approach people. It felt like shouting into the void.” But things did change. Matt went from working completely alone to: - Signing with three trailer music libraries (including ones doing Marvel and AAA placements) - Releasing a full trailer album - Writing custom tracks that are now being pitched to major campaigns - Finally getting to work on trailerized pop song arrangements — a dream of his from the start - All of this happened once he stopped working in isolation and started building a real strategy, accountability, and support system around his music career. 🎥 In this video, Matt talks about: - The moment everything began to shift - How real feedback, live calls, and step-by-step planning helped - And why the echo chamber so many composers are trapped in is the real creativity killer - Watch the full interview in the attached video. If you’re curious about the program Matt is talking about — the one that gave him the tools, clarity, and support to finally break through — you can check it out here: 👉 Learn more about the Audio Artist Rise Program There’s no magic bullet. But there is a clear path forward — and a group of people who have your back. ✌️ Alex