# Free string samples

> Free string samples: violin, viola, cello and double bass notes, ensemble sustains, pizzicato and staccato for orchestral and pop tracks, with licences.

28 samples from 2 sources (Strudel sample banks 14, Wikimedia Commons 14), updated 2026-10-23. Picked from a live search and refreshed daily.

- Same search in the browser: https://sound.shep.bot/search?q=strings&category=strings
- Same search over the API: `curl "https://sound.shep.bot/v1/search?q=strings&category=strings"`
- 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

## Solo instruments and sections

String samples come as solo instruments, violin, viola, cello and double bass, or as sections playing together. Each can be played with different techniques: sustained bowing (arco), short strokes (staccato or spiccato), plucked (pizzicato), tremolo and harmonics. A complete free orchestral library may include several of these for every instrument.

## Building a believable part

Write as if for real players: violins on the melody, violas and cellos on harmony, basses doubling the cellos an octave down. Keep each line within the instrument's range. Most free multisamples are recorded dry or with a little room, so add a hall reverb to the whole section rather than to each instrument.

Orchestral sample projects often release their work as CC0 or under permissive licences, which makes strings one of the safest categories for commercial use. The verdict on each card confirms it.

## Samples

| Sample | id | What | Source | Licence | Commercial use | Direct download |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Inleiding Festival Strings Lucerne (audio)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Inleiding_Festival_Strings_Lucerne_(audio).mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Inleiding_Festival_Strings_Lucerne_(audio).mp3` | Strings, 31:53 | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 4.0 | Commercial use OK with credit | yes |
| [Canon (2004) - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canon_(2004)_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Canon_(2004)_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 3:49 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp A2 · 0](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_A2_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/0` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Amazing Grace (2004) - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amazing_Grace_(2004)_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Amazing_Grace_(2004)_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 2:05 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Serenade for Strings -mvt-1- Elgar](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Serenade_for_Strings_-mvt-1-_Elgar.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Serenade_for_Strings_-mvt-1-_Elgar.ogg` | Strings, 12:37 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp A4 · 1](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_A4_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/1` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Allegro in C Major - Air Force Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allegro_in_C_Major_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Allegro_in_C_Major_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 6:53 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp A6 · 2](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_A6_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/2` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| ['Rule, Britannia!' (United States Army Strings)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%27Rule,_Britannia!%27_(United_States_Army_Strings).oga) | `wikimediacommons:'Rule,_Britannia!'_(United_States_Army_Strings).oga` | Strings, 1:17 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp B1 · 3](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_B1_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/3` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Miserlou - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Miserlou_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Miserlou_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 2:25 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp B3 · 4](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_B3_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/4` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Espana - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Espana_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Espana_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 2:55 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp B5 · 5](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_B5_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/5` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [La Danza - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Danza_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:La_Danza_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 2:51 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp B6 · 6](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_B6_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/6` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Tarantella - Air Force Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tarantella_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Tarantella_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 1:42 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp C3 · 7](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_C3_mf3.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/7` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Strings G-Major Scale](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Strings_G-Major_Scale.ogg) | `wikimediacommons:Strings_G-Major_Scale.ogg` | Strings, 8.6 s | Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 4.0 | Restricted: read the conditions | yes |
| [VCSL · harp C5 · 8](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_C5_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/8` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Air - Air Force Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Air_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Air_-_Air_Force_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 3:03 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp D2 · 9](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_D2_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/9` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Flight of the Bumblebee - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flight_of_the_Bumblebee_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Flight_of_the_Bumblebee_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 1:22 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp D4 · 10](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_D4_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/10` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [Invention No. 8 - Strolling Strings - United States Air Force Band](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Invention_No._8_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3) | `wikimediacommons:Invention_No._8_-_Strolling_Strings_-_United_States_Air_Force_Band.mp3` | Strings, 1:02 | Wikimedia Commons | Public domain | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp D6 · 11](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_D6_mf1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/11` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp D7 · 12](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_D7_p1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/12` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |
| [VCSL · harp E1 · 13](https://github.com/sgossner/VCSL/blob/master/Chordophones/Composite%20Chordophones/Concert%20Harp/KSHarp_E1_f1.wav) | `strudel:vcsl/harp/13` | Strings, One-shot | Strudel sample banks | CC0 1.0 | Commercial use OK | yes |

## Questions

**Where do free orchestral string samples come from?**

Mostly from open sample library projects and institutions, such as the CC0 Versilian Community Sample Library, VSCO 2 Community Edition and university instrument archives, which recorded each note of each instrument for others to use.

**Why do my string samples sound fake?**

Real strings change over time: notes swell, players vary their bowing, and lines connect with legato. Use expression (CC11) or volume automation, vary attack times, and overlap notes slightly for smoother lines.

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