Are sample libraries too expensive?

When you think about all the resources needed to produce a quality sample library, they are not all that expensive. Also, they are certainly more affordable than hiring real alternatives. However, not all sample libraries are good investments or justifiable expenses. Not everyone has equal opportunities for capitalizing on their own work nor does everyone actually need every library that comes out. Furthermore, newer doesn't necessarily mean better, even when it comes to software. In the frenzy of new releases, we often tend to forget all that we already gave. Not to mention the scene of free or affordable titles that is stronger than ever. There are fewer and fewer reasons for whining about expensive music software. After all, great music was made using far more modest and inferior technical means that are widely available today (incl. completely free resources). IMO, music and creativity always transcend the tools themselves.

Epic Adam said:

Broke home composers will never value or understand the fact that these sample libraries were recorded by hiring expensive musicians and maybe that's wh

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Very cogent comment until this random sweeping statement lol, I pretty much agree otherwise

Hansu Heya said:

Counter question: do YouTubers always look so depressed in order to catch the attention of the audience?

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That's how youtube thumbnails work!

Anyway, libraries aren't too expensive anymore because CC/Musio exist and all of the free instruments. Stuff like PS/CSSeries/Infinite is too expensive if you aren't sure you want to get into this, and unfortunately it's also more expensive for people living in countries with currencies valued where they're paying twice as much for the same product relative to income/cost of living etc.

jvsax said:

VIs are cheap in comparison to acoustic instruments!

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Even more cheaper in comparison to arranger keyboards. I had a Yamaha Genos when I was live performing. I bought it for $5.5K and sold it for $4K! However, I covered its high cost in 2 months before selling it. And that was the benefit of live performing! you really cover costs quickly when you have 3 gigs / week or 12 gigs a month. But in cinematic composing the industry is pretty slow to see any ROI from your libraries investment.

Elliot A said:

That's how youtube thumbnails work!

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Yes, unfortunately -I know! But don't you think it is regrettable or do you think one should accept all kind of ridiculous stuff just because "that is how it works"? Give me a reason why it is good as it is, otherwise I cannot follow your reasoning ...

Hansu Heya said:

Yes, unfortunately -I know! But don't you think it is regrettable or do you think one should accept all kind of ridiculous stuff just because "that is how it works"? Give me a reason why it is good as it is, otherwise I cannot follow your reasoning ...

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Stats show that people are more likely to click on your video in a YouTube search if you have a goofy, eye-catching thumbnail. If you're trying to get views from the lowest common denominator (aka the general public), you make goofy YouTube thumbnails for the search page.

Trash Panda said:

Stats show that people are more likely to click on your video in a YouTube search if you have a goofy, eye-catching thumbnail. If you're trying to get views from the lowest common denominator (aka the general public), you make goofy YouTube thumbnails for the search page.

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I can believe that. Though there's always the possibility that certain potential viewers will deliberately stay away from certain videos and not click on them if the thumbnail is too ridiculous or click baity looking. I know that I fall into that category. So they might lose a few viewers, but they probably gain more overall, and in the end I guess that's what counts for them, as it's all about the views, no matter where they come from.

I think overall libraries are not too expensive. SOME ARE however..especially considering their age (and thus old recording/scripting techniques, still offering it for near the same price as back then).
Not naming them.. but i think we all can think of which they are...
I am talking about the MSRP, not sales.

As for libraries, no , overall I do not think that most are too expensive. They were some years back, but things have changed and music making has never been more affordable or accessible than it is today. That applies to libraries, plugins, software, hardware, everything really.

About the thumbnail debate, I really find these expressions more realistic for that question. Are Sample Libraries Too Expensive?

Still ape brain thumbnails. You can be a discerning intellectual all you want, but in the end, we all have ape brain. Thumbnails are just a thing we get to love to hate and hate to love

Your content can go far without that kind of thumbnail, but you'd better bring it so hard for so many people that engagement is either by word of mouth/sharing, and from people who keep coming back over and over. Only the most legendary boomer-style thumbnails survive the gauntlet of youtube, where wide eyes and gaping mouths reign

I can't think of any more convenient way to make your music come to life than with sample libraries. The hassle of getting access to a quality studio, personel, musicians etc and getting all those people into the same room at the same time to record far outways the cost of any sample library as far as I'm concerned. I rather spend $10k on samples than have all the stress of organizing a recording session.

Sure, nothing compares to professional musicians recorded and mixed by other professionals, but let's face it: 95% of the people listening don't have a clue about the difference and if they do, probably don't give a flying rats ass about it. Also, the means they use to listen to your music (overly compressed social media or phone speakers) don't justify the effort of real recordings. And that's coming from someone who at least was partly dependant on being booked as one of those musicians or conductor getting hired for recordings/gigs.

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If you live anywhere but United States or within the EU and don't make your wages in their apparently superior currency then yeah, they're overpriced.

Depends on whether you could wait for discounted sale; they are not that expensive generally. Couple of points though:
- In view of the high inflationary environment, they are getting cheaper at real terms as a lot of them don’t increase their price.
- In the end, as Warren Buffet said, “Price is what you pay, value is what you get”. You could get way more value out of certain cheaper library than some hyped up library bought that are impulse- bought
- What makes them expensive are features that solely rely on “buy at your own risk“ theme (which seems to be a thing in sample industry): no trial, no refund policy, lame update/bug fix, no resell policy. Hence, many times, it’s easy to blow a few hundred $$ here, there. It will get expensive.
- New models such as Musio does change the game if they maintain the trajectory; have a comprehensive catalogue that allows to you trial and test, and also very affordable cost

Crevalation said:

- In view of the high inflationary environment, they are getting cheaper at real terms as a lot of them don’t increase their price.

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Inflation is not a one way road.
If their prices stayed stable over the course of X% of inflation, then they didn't get cheaper compared to the expendable income of the prospects. In fact if you approach it like that, they got more "expensive".

Price is always dictated by the marketplace. Whatever the price is, is likely the price that gets the most sales.

Therefore by definition the marketplace is self-correcting and the libraries cannot be over priced. In general.

However a particular library may be overpriced, or overpriced for you personally.

Denkii said:

Inflation is not a one way road.
If their prices stayed stable over the course of X% of inflation, then they didn't get cheaper compared to the expendable income of the prospects. In fact if you approach it like that, they got more "expensive".

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Sorry I don’t understand, if a library is $100 ten years ago when minimum wage is $10/hour, it’s equivalent to 10 hours of minimum wage. If because of inflation, minimum wage is now $20/hour and the library is still $100, it is now equivalent to 5 hours of minimum wage. Isn’t that cheaper?

Thundercat said:

Price is always dictated by the marketplace. Whatever the price is, is likely the price that gets the most sales.

Therefore by definition the marketplace is self-correcting and the libraries cannot be over priced. In general.

However a particular library may be overpriced, or overpriced for you personally.

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Agree generally. Though some marketplace can be “created” by hype and GAS induced crack addicts at launch, making it lucrative to make upfront cash. Then when the hype is over, offer it at a “rare” 50% discount/ one time only/ Black Friday not to be repeated/ glitched sale etc
Then create another product, rinse and repeat.

Denkii said:

Inflation is not a one way road.
If their prices stayed stable over the course of X% of inflation, then they didn't get cheaper compared to the expendable income of the prospects. In fact if you approach it like that, they got more "expensive".

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inflation - a persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the volume of money and resulting in the loss of value of currency

Are you saying this is the case if total income does not increase in proportion? I'm not aware of any implication that inflation also implies it is not possible for total income to keep pace by increasing in amount(pay raises, etc.) while not increasing in value. What if my rent or mortgage payment stays the same over the last six years? Does that make it more expensive? Of course not.

Lee Blaske said:

First, does anybody actually "Buy" an album for $9.99, anymore? I think most people would rather just subscribe to AppleMusic, and use it as they use Spotify.

It's hard to say music is "devalued," though. Music is a commodity, like anything else, and subject to supply and demand. 100,000 or so new tracks being added to Spotify every day means that recorded music isn't scarce. There aren't enough ears to listen to all of it, and the great stuff from yesteryear never goes away. Bob Denver did well, back in the day. Taylor Swift is raking it in, today. It's always been the case that only a few artists on top were really prospering.

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Ahhhhhh, yeah.....Bob Denver - AKA - Gilligan..... I don't think I missed one of his shows, even when he played alongside Dobie Gillis

Depends if you’ve got any money