# Free choir samples

> Free choir samples: sustained choral notes, chants, ahh and ooh pads and real choirs for cinematic, ambient and gospel-tinged tracks, with licences.

32 samples from 3 sources (Openverse 14, Wikimedia Commons 12, Orange Free Sounds 6), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=choir&category=vocals.choir
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=choir&category=vocals.choir"`
- Details, files and the credit line: `GET https://sound.shep.bot/v1/samples/{id}` with an id from the table below.
- Licence verdicts: "Commercial use OK" (with or without credit) is cleared for a release; anything else must be checked or is non-commercial. See https://sound.shep.bot/docs/licences.md

## Many voices at once

A choir adds size and emotion that a single voice can't: a held "ahh" under a drop, a chant in a film cue, a gospel stab in house music. Choir samples come in two kinds. Sustained notes and vowels, often multisampled, let you play your own chords. Recorded passages of real choirs give you a performance to chop, stretch or reverse.

## Getting a natural sound

Choirs are recorded in large rooms, and the reverb is part of the sound. Use a matching space for the rest of your arrangement, or shorten tails with a gate. Layering a choir pad an octave below a string section is a classic cinematic trick.

Recordings of old choral works can be confusing licence-wise: the composition may be public domain while the recording is not. Each card's verdict is about the recording, which is the part you need cleared.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Choir of Voices - Single Chord](https://freesound.org/people/bone666138/sounds/274121) | `openverse:f985da86-d8bb-4a4f-8ddc-248abd7a1dfd` | Choir, One-shot, 6.3 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Difficult Decision Choir 01](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Difficult_Decision_Choir_01.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Difficult_Decision_Choir_01.ogg` | Choir, 19 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [choir HALLELUJAH.wav](https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/189961) | `openverse:661f9894-50a3-4632-925f-e2209e5098e9` | Choir, 10 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Dark Magical Choir Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/dark-magical-choir-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:54465` | Choir, Phrase, 30 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Choir Test](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Choir_Test.wav) | `wikimediacommons:Choir_Test.wav` | Choir, 1:05 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dramatic Impact: Suspenseful Piano & Dark Choir Swell Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/dramatic-impact-suspenseful-piano-dark-choir-swell-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:55940` | Choir, Phrase, 8.0 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [choir a.wav](https://freesound.org/people/ERH/sounds/29593) | `openverse:94b09deb-eaa4-4cb1-9766-c5f67ad7cc34` | Choir, 11 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Radio Choir of RA- Miss my homeland](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Radio_Choir_of_RA-_Miss_my_homeland.wav) | `wikimediacommons:Radio_Choir_of_RA-_Miss_my_homeland.wav` | Choir, 2:56 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Dramatic Mystical Choir Music With Old Clock Ticking Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/dramatic-mystical-choir-music-with-old-clock-ticking-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:42915` | Choir, Phrase, 43 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Choir glissando crescendo reverb.wav](https://freesound.org/people/Timbre/sounds/76327) | `openverse:80c422a5-424b-4079-badf-d9e4ac35ddb8` | Choir, 31 s | Openverse | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Soldier's Chorus - Choir](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soldier%27s_Chorus_-_Choir.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Soldier's_Chorus_-_Choir.ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Ethereal Mysterious Choir Ambience Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/ethereal-mysterious-choir-ambience-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:53732` | Choir, Phrase, 1:21 | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Spooky Singing Choir](https://freesound.org/people/xSylviaMoonx/sounds/147881) | `openverse:0c754cb4-bcb6-4f40-9449-77adc7b1765a` | Choir, 4.7 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Soldier's Chorus - Rhos Orpheus Male Voice Choir](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Soldier%27s_Chorus_-_Rhos_Orpheus_Male_Voice_Choir.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Soldier's_Chorus_-_Rhos_Orpheus_Male_Voice_Choir.ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Mystical Choir](https://orangefreesounds.com/mystical-choir/) | `orangefreesounds:30860` | Choir, Phrase, 1:03 | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Dark Choir Singing](https://freesound.org/people/BrainClaim/sounds/273804) | `openverse:a59aa1e2-78f2-4d0e-9ac2-8ecd81e4e28a` | Choir, 2:37 | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Gwahoddiad - The Phoenix (Male Choir)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gwahoddiad_-_The_Phoenix_(Male_Choir).ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Gwahoddiad_-_The_Phoenix_(Male_Choir).ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Suspenseful Impact Dramatic Piano Choir Sound Effect](https://orangefreesounds.com/suspenseful-impact-dramatic-piano-choir-sound-effect/) | `orangefreesounds:50605` | Choir, Phrase, 12 s | Orange Free Sounds | CC BY-NC 4.0 | Non-commercial only | yes |
| [Dark Choir 01.wav](https://freesound.org/people/Exsomniel/sounds/207809) | `openverse:b11a1763-8fc4-47ff-bf32-4807b9395432` | Choir, 4.2 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [The Soldiers Chorus - London Welsh Male Voice Choir](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Soldiers_Chorus_-_London_Welsh_Male_Voice_Choir.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:The_Soldiers_Chorus_-_London_Welsh_Male_Voice_Choir.ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Choir One-Shot](https://freesound.org/people/majoranman/sounds/240745) | `openverse:2ac4de97-ff1a-4916-a1c0-324af330d0d4` | Choir, One-shot, 1.7 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Cwm Rhondda - The Phoenix (Male Choir)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cwm_Rhondda_-_The_Phoenix_(Male_Choir).ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Cwm_Rhondda_-_The_Phoenix_(Male_Choir).ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [20110409.choir.01.wav](https://freesound.org/people/dobroide/sounds/117891) | `openverse:da4042ae-6e2e-4758-81fb-28fac6083e22` | Choir, 22 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Gwahoddiad - Pendyrus Choir/cory Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gwahoddiad_-_Pendyrus_Choir-cory_Band.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Gwahoddiad_-_Pendyrus_Choir-cory_Band.ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Choir](https://freesound.org/people/giuseppeaceto/sounds/498712) | `openverse:1cd54885-18d4-407a-8906-36f176872197` | Choir, 3:26 | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Radio Choir of RA-Shorora](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Radio_Choir_of_RA-Shorora.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Radio_Choir_of_RA-Shorora.ogg` | Choir, 1:26 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [choir SALVE REGINA.wav](https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/191285) | `openverse:947d153f-7d6e-417d-bd8f-25af2d5ef0ea` | Choir, 9.9 s | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Simple Gifts - Pendyrus Choir/cory Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Simple_Gifts_-_Pendyrus_Choir-cory_Band.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Simple_Gifts_-_Pendyrus_Choir-cory_Band.ogg` | Choir, 30 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [Church choir](https://freesound.org/people/kirmm/sounds/503504) | `openverse:cebfc930-fd33-4e53-8c8e-b81171852fdf` | Choir, 43 s | Openverse | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Choral Compline 29 May 2016](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Choral_Compline_29_May_2016.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Choral_Compline_29_May_2016.ogg` | Choir, 18:18 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Choir singing Christe adoramus te 140928_0418.wav](https://freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/sounds/251252) | `openverse:8fdbfde6-13f0-469b-876d-fc0d85644087` | Choir, 2:41 | Openverse | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Supernova Choir 1.wav](https://freesound.org/people/InSintesi/sounds/348352) | `openverse:01c5def8-2cbd-402d-9b75-07bec4dcbfff` | Choir, 32 s | Openverse | CC BY 3.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |

## Questions

**How do I turn choir samples into a playable instrument?**

Map sustained notes across a keyboard in a sampler, one sample per few semitones, and set loop points in the steady part so notes can be held. Free multisampled choirs exist for exactly this, often as SFZ instruments.

**Are recordings of public-domain choral music free to use?**

The music may be in the public domain, but a recording of it has its own copyright. Use recordings whose performers or archive released them under a licence that allows commercial use.

## Related collections

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- [Free synth pad samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-synth-pad-samples.md): Free synth pad samples: warm analogue pads, evolving textures and ambient chords for ambient, synthwave, trap and cinematic tracks, with licences.
- [Free acapellas](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-acapellas.md): Free a cappella vocals for remixes and new tracks, mostly from Creative Commons remix communities, with tempo and key where known and a licence verdict on each.
- [Free vocal chops](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-vocal-chops.md): Free vocal chop samples for house, future bass and pop: short sung syllables, cuts and stutters with BPM and key where known, and a licence verdict on each.
- [Free spoken word samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-spoken-word-samples.md): Free spoken word and voice samples: narration, speeches, radio chatter and public-domain recordings for intros and breakdowns, with a licence verdict on each.
- [Free vocal shouts and ad-libs](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-vocal-shouts.md): Free vocal shouts, chants, hype phrases and ad-libs for drops, hooks and transitions in dance and hip hop, each with a preview and a commercial-use verdict.

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Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-choir-samples