
Ambient Samples
In the last few decades, ambient music has become very popular with music producers, as it allows you to get incredibly creative with very few limitations.
Ambient music can be categorised by slow, evolving pads and organic, lush textures. Any drums or percussion is usually subtle and grainy or expansive and reverberating. It is a very broad, far-reaching, experimental genre, and includes genres such as chill and downtempo sub-genres.
Many ambient samples and textures can also be used in cinematic media such as TV, film and video games.
If you’re an ambient music producer, or looking to get started creating ambient tracks, you’re going to need some high-quality ambient samples.
Royalty Free Ambient Sample Packs
Thankfully, there are hundreds of incredible, professional sample packs out there in 2022, containing everything from meditative, hypnotic pads and synths to evolving, futuristic soundscapes.
We’ve been producing ambient and “chill” music for years, and have downloaded more sample packs than we can count. With that in mind, we have a good idea which ambient sample packs are worth downloading, and which just aren’t worth your time or money.
So without further ado, here is our list of the best royalty free ambient sample packs in 2022.
The 10 Best Royalty Free Ambient Sample Packs (2022) + Download Links
1. Other Worlds – Ambient Soundscapes
Ambient Soundscapes is an incredible collection of ambient samples and VST patches, overflowing with hundreds of inspiring, other-worldly sounds.
Whether you’re looking to create ethereal, ambient/down-tempo tracks, or beautiful cinematic textures for TV/film, this enormous sample pack has something for everyone.
Expect futuristic arps, blissful synths, gorgeous rhythmic textures, field recordings, endless atmospheric FX samples, and much, much more! Also included are 100 Rex2 Files, 123 Soft Sampler Patches (for NNXT, Halion, Kontakt, EXS24 and Sfz) and 7 Bonus Midi Files.
The content in this ambient sample pack is seriously inspiring, and it’s easy to get lost in the countless starter sounds, effects, loops and beautiful sonic environments. We recommend this sample pack to any ambient producer looking to add a unique, other-worldly vibe to their tracks.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total File Size: 3.6 GB | Total no. of files: 677
2. Ambient Waves
“Ambient Waves” is another example of an incredibly inspiring, highly creative sample pack that will level up your ambient production.
This ambient sample collection is jam-packed with lush sonic landscapes, including many unique, left-field sounds for adding texture to your tracks. Expect to find blissful keys and synths, soothing basses, evolving atmospheric loops and one-shots, natural percussion loops and more!
This is easily one of the most highly-recommended ambient sample packs out there, and for good reason. The sounds themselves are extremely high quality, as well as being highly diverse and covering a range of down-tempo, chill music genres.
So if you’re an ambient/downtempo producer, or you’re just looking to add some ethereal ambient textures to your music, this sample pack this definitely be on your radar.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total file size: 3.13 GB | Total no. of files: 439
3. Glacial Ambient
“Glacial Ambient” is a breathtaking, seriously impressive sample pack from Famous Audio.
This royalty free ambient sample pack has a beautiful “organic” tone, which is perfect for a range of ambient genres. Expect to find chilled, melodic sequences, grainy beats, hypnotic drones, icy FX and more!
The sounds in this pack are also ideal for cinematic soundtracks such as films, TV, documentaries or video games. The drones, atmospheres and FX are definitely the standout part of this sample pack, making it incredibly easy to create moody, celestial soundscapes from scratch.
All sounds are organised into Key and tempo-labelled folders for easy access, making it easy to discover inspiring sounds for any ambient track.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total File Size: 1.26GB | Total No. of Files: 397 Files
4. Ambient Cinematics
“Ambient Cinematics” is an absolutely stunning sample pack from Niche Audio, known for their incredible professional production kits for Maschine and Ableton Live.
In total, this ambient sample pack contains 14 Projects, 15 Groups and 240 unique samples for Maschine, as well as 14 Projects, 15 Drum Racks, 23 Instrument Racks and 240 samples for Ableton.
Sample packs arranged in this way can be incredibly useful for curing creative block and providing immediate inspiration for your next project. Within the samples expect to find deep, evolving strings, lush, organic textures, ethereal pads and synth one-shots, and much more.
This pack is the perfect choice for any ambient, downtempo or chill producers looking to add another dimension of dark, immersive feeling to their music.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Specifications: Maschine: 14 Projects, 15 Groups, 240 samples | Ableton: 14 Projects, 15 Drum Racks, 23 Instrument Racks, 240 samples
5. Ambient Panoramas 2
“Ambient Panoramas 2” is an inspiring sample pack from Production Master, and contains an interesting mix of chill, professional-sounding samples and Xfer Serum Presets.
Serum is a insanely popular, highly acclaimed wavetable synthesizer with a staggering level of features and creative control. If you’re not already a Serum user, we highly recommend checking out this powerful, timeless virtual synthesizer.
101 Xfer Serum presets included in this sample pack are suitable for a wide range of genres, including ambient, new age, chill out, downtempo, chillwave, chill step, liquid dubstep, liquid dnb and more. Presets are a fantastic way to expand your sonic palette as well as discovering highly customizable sounds.
Within the audio sample collection, expect to find deep bass one-shots and loops, meditative percussive loops, mysterious FX, intriguing pads and keys, the list goes on!
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total no. of Files: 480 samples and 101 Serum presets
6. Ambient Keys for Xfer Serum
“Ambient Keys” is another ideal ambient sample pack for any Serum users out there, as this pack contains exclusively chill, ambient-style presets.
Serum is definitely a top choice for producers in any genre, but these presets in particular provide countless expertly-designed sounds for ambient and downtempo styles of production. The best part about using presets in your tracks is being able to edit and finetune the individual patches to your hearts content.
Expect meditation keys and synth sounds, ethereal pads, nostalgic, cinematic soundscapes and reverberating plucks, and much more.
The sounds included are inspired by ambient/electronic artists such as Bonobo, Tangerine Dream, Tycho, Odesza and Gold Panda, while containing sonic influences from cinematic composers such as legendary Hans Zimmer.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Specifications: 102 Serum Presets
7. Zen Ambient
“Zen Ambient” is an epic sample pack from Loopmasters that offers sound and effects not usually found in ambient sample collections.
One of the most important aspects of music production is learning to incorporate sounds and styles that are outside your comfort zone. Zen Ambient features an ethereal, unique collection of sounds such as Tibetan Singing Bowls, Crystal Bowls, Chimes, Bells, Gongs, Frame Drums, Melodic Tank Drum (metal tongue drum), Sansula (thumb piano), Piano, Field Recordings and a touch of chilled vocals.
It’s fairly safe to say you won’t find a selection of sounds this diverse and eclectic in any other ambient sample pack.
This is a mesmerising, niche selection of world sounds that will greatly enhance your sonic arsenal in 2022.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total File Size: 1.89GB | Total No. of Files: 64 Loops and 189 One Shot Samples

8. Dreamy Ambient
Ambient music is characterised by dreamy, sentimental, atmospheric sounds and textures, usually relying on lush, relaxing pads and synths to create a meditative sonic effect.
“Dreamy Ambient” is another royalty free sample pack by Famous Audio overflowing with sounds perfect for creating dreamy ambient tracks.
While the sound quality of the sounds in this pack is outstanding, there’s not as much content included compared to some of the other sample packs on this list. However, it’s still an incredible choice if you’re looking to create beautiful chilled and relaxing ambient music.
This is definitely one of the best royalty free ambient sample packs in 2022.
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Specifications: Total File Size: 1.52GB | Total no. of Files: 181 Files
9. Gloomy Ambient
“Gloomy Ambient” by Freaky Loops is in quite the contrast to the dreamy sounds included in other ambient sample packs.
This royalty free sample pack has a dark, suspenseful tone that is perfect for adding a brooding atmosphere to your music. Expect grainy, broken beats, frantic percussion, trembling soundscapes, dark, haunting pads, shimmering chords and pulsating basslines.
Every sound in this pack has a dark, gloomy, melancholic vibe which is perfect not only for ambient genres but many electronic styles such as dubstep, trap, future bass and liquid dnb.
Freaky Loops claim that “this is an essential sample pack for the dark ambient connoisseur” and we would have to agree!
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Specifications: Total File Size: 1.42GB | Total number of sounds: 440
10. Ambient Panoramas
This royalty free ambient sample pack is the first installment of the “Ambient Panoramas” sample pack series.
While the second installment is definitely more comprehensive, and even includes 100+ Serum presets, this pack is still a fantastic choice for enhancing your ambient sample collection.
Just like the second installment, expect to find deep bass one-shots and loops, meditative percussive loops, mysterious FX, intriguing pads and keys, the list goes on!
Sound Quality
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Variety
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Value for Money
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Specifications: 204 Total Files

10 Best Ambient Sample Packs 2022: Similar Articles
Best Lofi Hip Hop Sample Packs (2022) | 100% Royalty Free!
Output Arcade | An HONEST Review (2022)
FabFilter Volcano 3 | HONEST Review (2022)
10 Music Production Tips + Tricks you NEED to know in 2022
FAQs
Are free sample packs royalty free? ›
The short answer is yes for most sample packs. Some are royalty free until you sell/stream a certain amount (around one million). Or if you release on a major label. In that case you have to pay royalties.
Where can I find royalty free samples? ›- SampleRadar. MusicRadar offers you nearly 70,000 samples of all kinds of genres for free. ...
- TriSamples. TriSamples offers really great free sound and preset packs. ...
- Newloops. ...
- 99Sounds. ...
- Free Beats & Samples. ...
- Alonso Sound. ...
- Soundpacks.com. ...
- SoundMajorz.
Drum kits, or Drum Sample Packs are super popular for Hip Hop producers. The reason is because they are pretty versatile. They include lots of drums, one shots, fx, and samples.
Is it OK to sample royalty free music? ›Using royalty-free samples
Copyright is obviously not an issue when you record musical instruments or make your own field recordings, but what about when you use existing material? You would usually need to get the owner's permission to use their audio, usually in the form of a license.
Anyone who creates original musical material – whether that's whole songs, backing loops, or even just one-second samples for other people to use – owns the copyright for everything they make, meaning that you can't use it without permission.
What is the best royalty free website? ›- Unsplash (Editors Choice #1)
- Pexels.com (Editors Choice #2)
- Pikwizard.
- Death to the Stock Photo.
- Freerange.
- StockSnap.io.
- New Old Stock.
- Pixabay.
Do you have to pay for royalty free and copyright free music? While "free" might be in their names, royalty free and copyright free music isn't actually free. However, when you license this type of music, you're cutting out the costs of paying royalties and excess licensing fees.
How do you get high quality samples? ›...
The best websites to download samples, presets & loops
- 10 Best websites to download samples, presets, & loops:
- Splice. ...
- Loopmasters. ...
- Monosounds Studio. ...
- Loopcloud. ...
- ADSR. ...
- Looperman.
Almost every producer uses samples. However there is a difference between what kind of samples are being used. For instance, some producers use full melodic loops. Professional producers normally try to keep away from these to maintain originality.
Do big producers use loops? ›Famous producers don't generally use full loops. There are producers who chop up loops in order to get the sound they're looking for. Though most famous producers try to steer clear drom using loops.
Do sample packs make money? ›
Sample and preset packs can be one of the most lucrative projects in your music production career. In my opinion, it's something every producer should at least attempt once.
Can producers sell beats with samples? ›Using unlicensed samples in their beats can result in copyright lawsuits. Additionally, beat producers should be careful about how they select and integrate samples into their beats to avoid infringing on the rights of others.
Are free samples worth it? ›Free samples have been proven to boost sales by as much as 2,000%. You can use free product samples to: Introduce your product to new audiences unfamiliar with your brand. Foster relationships and inspire loyalty with existing customers.
Do professional musicians use samples? ›It's a personal and artistic choice but using samples and loops is pretty much standard-practice, especially in dance music, hip-hop, EDM and other electronic music genres. So, yes, many, if not most, top professionals use them although they may use it differently than a beginner would.
Can you get sued for sampling? ›The process of obtaining permission from the owners of the sampled music is referred to as "sample clearance." Failure to obtain the proper permission could lead to serious consequences, including lawsuits for money damages or the inability to distribute your music to the public.
How to sample without getting sued? ›- Creative Commons. Creative Commons is a licensing organisation that fosters the fair use of artistic work for other artists to use. ...
- Search The Public Domain. ...
- Flip Your Sample and Make It Unrecognisable. ...
- Use Sample Sites And Royalty-Free Sample Packs. ...
- Clear Your Sample.
Copyrighted, unlicensed music samples must be short in comparison to the original song. As a rule of thumb, samples should not exceed 30 seconds or 10% of the length of the original song, whichever is shorter.
How much does it cost to clear a sample? ›On the master side the clearance fee will likely range somewhere between $2,000 to $10,000. Additionally, the owner of the master will likely require some sort of split on the new master in the 3% to 10% royalty range. Remember, if you have less money to offer be flexible in regards to giving up a share of the royalty.
Can I sell beats with Cymatics samples? ›All Cymatics sample packs and soundbanks are 100% royalty free. However, redistribution and repackaging are strictly prohibited! Rendering the project files and releasing the exact songs as your own original content is prohibited.
Can you make money from royalty free? ›Royalty-free music simply refers to a single license giving you permission to use a track. This means artists can earn money from selling royalty-free licenses. But they can also earn royalties in other ways from the same songs.
Where can I get high quality royalty free images? ›
- Vecteezy.
- Freepik.
- Morguefile.
- Pixabay.
- Stockvault.
- Pexels.
- Picjumbo.
- Rawpixel.
People often mistakenly confuse royalty-free music for non-copyrighted music. But, the two are not the same thing. Royalty-free does not mean non-copyright, and it is not free. Royalty-free music is a type of licensing in which a piece of music is bought only once and used for as long as one wishes.
What does 100 percent royalty free mean? ›In a nutshell Royalty Free Music refers to a type of music licensing that allows the purchaser to pay for the music license only once and to use the music for as long as desired.
Is Spotify royalty free? ›Contrary to what you might have heard, Spotify does not pay artist royalties according to a per-play or per-stream rate; the royalty payments that artists receive might vary according to differences in how their music is streamed or the agreements they have with labels or distributors.
Is it illegal to download royalty free music? ›Most songs and movies that appear on download or file–sharing websites are copyrighted. It is illegal to download any music or movies that are copyrighted. Downloading or file-sharing a copyrighted song or movie could expose you to a lawsuit for money damages that could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
What happens if sample rate is too high? ›Drawbacks of High Sample Rates
In theory, a higher sample rate will only capture frequencies at extremely high and low ends of the spectrum where listeners can't even hear them. This means you're spending more and using more space for music that doesn't have a noticeable improvement in sound.
Sampling without permission can breach the copyright of the original sound recording, of the composition and lyrics, and of the performances, such as a rhythm or guitar riff. The moral rights of the original artist may also be breached if they are not credited or object to the sampling.
Where can I find the best samples? ›- Looperman.
- Production Music Live.
- W.A. Production.
- NASA Audio Collection.
- Freesound.
- SampleSwap.
- Cymatics.
- SampleSound.
Using Splice is not cheating. Splice has a huge library of royalty free samples you can use. The reason why someone could think using Splice is cheating is if someone uses loops from Splice and just drop them in their project without any alterations.
Do real producers use Splice? ›Splice its a very popular music platform that is used by a lot of producers. Splice offers a huge database of royalties free samples that can be used in music production. Next to having a great sample database, it's also possible to get rent-to-own plugins on Splice and even start collaborations with other artists.
What sample rate do professional producers use? ›
If you're working in the movie industry, then the best sample rate is 48 kHz, as it's the industry standard. In terms of audio quality, there's no difference between these two sample rates.
Can you get sued for using drum samples? ›Yes! It doesn't matter if you want to use a beat, acapella or musical loop, using another person's original sound recording without prior permission constitutes copyright infringement. Sampling without permission infringes copyright in several ways. Firstly, it is a breach of copyright in the original sound recording.
Why do so many producers use FL Studio? ›FL Studio is a professional DAW and is capable of music production and mixing and mastering of the production. FL Studio offers native plugins that'll help mixing and mastering your tracks. FL Studio is also capable of hosting plugins from third parties which can take your mixing and mastering to the next level.
Do artists get paid when their song is sampled? ›A song that incorporates a sample will typically give credit and pay royalties to songwriters of the song being sampled.
Can I make money selling beats? ›One of the most common streams of income for aspiring producers is selling beats online. In fact, some make up to six figures a year just selling their beats. If you want to take the beats you've made to the online marketplace, there are a few things you have to understand: pricing, branding, and consistency.
Can I sell beats with splice samples? ›Q: Can I use sounds from Splice Sounds for commercial use? A: Yes. The license for sounds you download from Splice Sounds permits use for commercial and non-commercial purposes so long as you remain in compliance with our Terms of Use.
Is it hard to sell beats? ›There's a huge demand for beats online, and producers generate revenues in tens of millions every year. It's not going to be easy to enter the market because there's a lot of competition, but if you're consistent in your efforts, you can succeed.
Where do most producers get their samples? ›Rank | Site | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
1 | Splice | Best Paid |
2 | Converse | Best Free |
3 | Cymatics | Runner-Up Paid |
4 | Looperman | Runner-Up Free |
According to Urban Masterclass, “The beat selling industry generates at least $30 million a year. If you can get 0.1 percent of that, you'll be able to make $30,000 a year.” So, what are you waiting for? There's no need for a team to get started (like a manager or booking agent).
How many samples is good enough? ›A good maximum sample size is usually 10% as long as it does not exceed 1000. A good maximum sample size is usually around 10% of the population, as long as this does not exceed 1000. For example, in a population of 5000, 10% would be 500. In a population of 200,000, 10% would be 20,000.
How can I get free samples without paying? ›
- Fr.ee. This site has been around since 2013 and offers baby freebies, pet freebies, beauty freebies and more.
- Freeflys. ...
- Free Stuff. ...
- Free Stuff Times. ...
- I Love Free Things. ...
- Internet Steals and Deals. ...
- My Free Product Samples. ...
- PINCHme.
To get companies to send you free stuff, including samples and coupons, you can take a direct approach by simply asking. You can also try signing up for newsletters, as well as complaining when a product is bad. Most companies want to keep their customers happy, so they'll often send you products if you just ask.
How do artists get away with samples? ›Once a song has had its first release, anyone can cover that song without asking permission. As long as you credit the writers and don't change the song, you're in the clear. But incorporating part of someone else's melody into your own composition requires permission.
Do you need a license to sample music? ›If someone wants to sample a sound recording, he or she must obtain the permission from both the copyright owner of the song (the music publisher(s)) and the copyright owner of the particular recording of that song (the record label) to avoid copyright infringement.
Can music producers use sample packs? ›Short answer: Mostly yes. Some people are however puritans and may frown upon the use of samples and loops in music production. It's a personal and artistic choice but using samples and loops is pretty much standard-practice, especially in dance music, hip-hop, EDM and other electronic music genres.
Are sample focus samples royalty free? ›All audio tracks on Sample Focus are premade as samples, which means all material is royalty-free.
Can you make money selling sample packs? ›Selling sample packs
There's an ever-growing marketplace for royalty-free samples. If you're a music producer who likes to do sound design or create custom samples, making a sample pack is a great way to earn some extra income and spread your name.
The "15 Second" or "8 Bar" Rule
The reality is that there is no legal protection in copyright law for these types of use. If you use a piece of a composition or sound recording that is copyrighted, you will need a license.
Sampling Music – What's the Bottom Line? Despite popular belief and practice, sampling someone else's songs without their permission is illegal. This is an act that can have serious consequences for those who do not obey the law. By sampling music illegally, you ultimately risk being charged a significant fine.