BBC Symphony Orchestra Core
BBC Symphony Orchestra Core is the gold standard in orchestral sampling, featuring essential instruments, one mix signal and the full range of articulations.
The broadcast standard
In partnership with BBC Studios and the world-famous BBC Symphony Orchestra, Spitfire Audio has captured what no other sample library has before: the musical synergy of a family of astoundingly accomplished players with a 90-year heritage of performances and recordings, expertly recorded at London’s famous Maida Vale Studios — home of the BBCSO, and host to The Beatles, Hendrix and Bowie. Our most expansive and ambitious project to date, this landmark library is the stuff of composing dreams: strings, brass, woodwind and percussion, presented in our award-winning dedicated plugin.
Core has been curated to offer a streamlined package, featuring essential instruments and the full range of articulations, with one mix signal — fully interchangeable with our Discover and Professional editions.
In this page:
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Spitfire Audio App required
44 instruments
344 techniques
Dedicated plugin
Listen to BBC Symphony Orchestra Core
The new standard in orchestra sampling
Orchestral samples have become an essential component of modern scoring, and the range of libraries available is vast. But what if a single product could become the universal starting point for a generation of composers? We’ve taken over a decade of sampling experience to give you this comprehensive orchestral library of epic proportions — comprising over 200 hours of recordings, sounding exactly as they would if you had the orchestra in the room. Core features 44 different instrument presets captured on world-class Millennia preamps, and 344 techniques including legatos for each melodic instrument.
With a beautiful, modern design by ustwo (Monument Valley, DICE), BBC Symphony Orchestra is housed in our award-winning standalone plugin (VST2, VST3, AU, AAX & NKS ready) developed primarily for composers, by composers — easy to use, intuitive and inspiring.
Mode Switching
It’s now easier than ever to share and collaborate with fellow composers, collaborators and directors — whatever edition of BBCSO you own. Our groundbreaking mode switching technology makes each edition of BBC Symphony Orchestra interchangeable, so you can mock up your scores quickly and with ease.
For example, start writing a piece of music using Discover, and finish it in the Core or Professional edition, with a fuller range of instruments, capabilities and versatility. It also works the other way around: write a piece in the Professional edition and a collaborator can open it in Discover, play what you’ve written (with the sounds intelligently substituted), and add to it. When you reopen their edited version, you will hear their additions alongside your original composition – with your full selection of instruments, articulations and signals.
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Educational resources
Access our knowledge base of how-to videos, key features and more for BBC Symphony Orchestra.
What's included
Instruments
Strings
Violins 1 (16)
- Legato (Portamento & Slurred)
- Long
- Long CS
- Long Flautando
- Short Spiccato
- Short Staccato
- Short Pizzicato
- Short Col Legno
- Tremolo
- Trill (Major 2nd)
- Trill (Minor 2nd)
- Long Sul Tasto
- Long Harmonics
- Short Harmonics
- Short Pizzicato Bartok
- Long Marcato Attack
- Tremolo Sul Pont
- Tremolo CS
- Long Sul Pont
- Short Spiccato CS
Violins 2 (14)
- Legato (Portamento & Slurred)
- Long
- Long CS
- Long Flautando
- Spiccato
- Staccato
- Pizzicato
- Col Legno
- Tremolo
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long Sul Tasto
- Long Harmonics
- Short Harmonics
- Bartok Pizzicato
- Long Marcato Attack
- Tremolo Sul Pont
- Tremolo CS
- Long Sul Pont
- Spiccato CS
Violas (12)
- Legato (Portamento & Slurred)
- Long
- Long CS
- Long Flautando
- Spiccato
- Staccato
- Pizzicato
- Col Legno
- Tremolo
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long Sul Tasto
- Long Harmonics
- Short Harmonics
- Bartok Pizzicato
- Long Marcato Attack
- Tremolo Sul Pont
- Tremolo CS
- Long Sul Pont
- Spiccato CS
Celli (10)
- Legato (Portamento & Slurred)
- Long
- Long CS
- Long Flautando
- Spiccato
- Staccato
- Pizzicato
- Col Legno
- Tremolo
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long Sul Tasto
- Long Harmonics
- Short Harmonics
- Bartok Pizzicato
- Long Marcato Attack
- Tremolo Sul Pont
- Tremolo CS
- Long Sul Pont
- Spiccato CS
Basses (8)
- Legato (Portamento & Slurred)
- Long
- Long CS
- Long Flautando
- Spiccato
- Staccato
- Pizzicato
- Col Legno
- Tremolo
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long Sul Tasto
- Long Harmonics
- Short Harmonics
- Bartok Pizzicato
- Long Marcato Attack
- Tremolo Sul Pont
- Tremolo CS
- Long Sul Pont
- Short Spiccato CS
Woodwinds
Flute
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
Flutes A3 (3)
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
Piccolo
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Rips
- Falls
Oboe
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Multitongue
Oboes A3 (3)
- Legato
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Multitongue
Clarinet
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
Clarinets A3 (3)
- Legato
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
Bassoon
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
Bassoons A3 (3)
- Legato
- Long
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Staccatissimo
- Tenuto
- Marcato
- Long Flutter
Brass
Horn
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Horns A4 (4)
- Legato
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Trumpet
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Trumpets A3 (3)
- Legato
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Trill Major 2nd
- Trill Minor 2nd
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Tenor trombone
- Legato (Extended — Slurred & Fast Runs)
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Tenor trombones A3 (3)
- Legato
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Bass trombones A2 (2)
- Legato
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
- Long (Muted)
- Staccatissimo (Muted)
- Marcato (Muted)
Tuba
- Legato
- Long
- Staccatissimo
- Marcato
- Long Cuivre
- Long Sfz
- Long Flutter
- Multitongue
Percussion
Tuned
Celeste
- Sustained
- Damped
- Damped Medium
Harp
- Sustained
- Damped
- Damped Medium
- Bisbigliando Trem
- Gliss FX
Glockenspiel
- Hits
- Rolls
Timpani
- Hits
- Rolls
- Hits Soft
- Rolls Soft
- Hits Hotrods
- Long Rolls Hotrods
- Hits Damped
- Hits Super Damped
- Hotrods Hits Damped
- Hits Damped Soft
Xylophone
- Hits
- Rolls
Marimba
- Short Hits
- Long Rolls
Tubular bells
- Hits
- Rolls
- Hits Damped
Marimba
- Hits
Untuned
Anvil
- Hit
- Hit Choked
Bass drum 1
- Hit
- Hard Sticks
- Hit Damped
- Hand Muted Hit
- Roll Hard
- Roll Soft
Bass drum 2
- Hit
- Hit Damped
- Roll
- Super Ball
Cymbal
- Crash
- Crash Muted
- Crash Hard Stick
- Crash Hard Stick Muted
- Roll
- Bowed
- Crescendo
Military drum
- Hit
- Rimshot
- Short Ruff
- Side Stick Hit
- Roll
Piatti
- Choked Hit
- Clash Hit
- Short Roll
Snare 1
- Hit
- Rimshot
- Short Ruff
- Side Stick Hit
- Roll
Snare 2
- Hit
- Rimshot
- Short Ruff
- Side Stick Hit
- Roll
Tam tam
- Hit Damped
- Hit
- Roll
- Bowed
- Crescendo
Tambourine
- Hit
- Shake
- Roll
Tenor drum
- Hit
- Rimshot
- Short Ruff
- Side Stick Hit
- Roll
Toys
- Castanets
- Woodblock
- Vibraslap
- Cowbell
- Sleigh Bells
- Short Guiro
- Long Guiro
Triangle
- Open Hit
- Hit Muted
- Roll
FAQs
How does your dedicated plugin work?
Our dedicated plugin libraries open directly in your DAW, meaning that no serial number is provided and the authorisation process happens during your download. We provide an AU, VST2, VST3 and an AAX, so as long as your chosen DAW supports one of those plugin formats, you’re good to go.
If I own Core, will I receive Discover for free?
Yes, it will automatically appear in your Spitfire App.
Read more FAQs for this productTech specs
Mac system requirements
Mac OS X 10.15 to OS 13
Minimum: 2.8GHz i5 minimum (quad-core), 8GB RAM
Recommended: 2.8GHz I7 (six-core), 16GB RAM
Both Intel and Apple Silicon/ARM are supported
32-bit systems are not supported.
PC system requirements
Windows 10 or Windows 11 - (Latest Service Pack, 64-bit)
Minimum: Intel 2.8 GHz i5 (quad-core) or AMD Ryzen 5, 8GB RAM
Recommended: Intel Core i7 6th gen and later or AMD Ryzen 7, 16GB RAM
32-bit systems are not supported.
File size
28.2 GB download size
28.00 GB disk space required during install
Too large to download? Choose hard drive delivery at checkout