Virtual Harp: ethereal sounds for modern music creation
The harp is one of the most magical instruments ever created. Its shimmering resonance and delicate expressiveness have made it a staple of orchestral music for centuries—but in the digital era, it’s also become a favorite among ambient composers, cinematic creators, and lo-fi producers.
Thanks to virtual harp plugins, you can now bring this enchanting sound into your DAW or composition software, even without access to a physical instrument.
A virtual harp offers instant access to a wide range of articulations—from soft glissandos to delicate plucked notes—without the complexity of recording a real one. Whether you’re working on soundtracks, meditation apps, or indie pop songs, the virtual harp blends beautifully into many genres.
Etherealwinds Harp II CE – Versilian Studios
https://vis.versilstudios.com/etherealwinds-harp.html
A Celtic harp with character. Includes vocals and various articulations. Available as SFZ and VST/AU. Great option for folk and fantasy-inspired compositions.
Sonatina Harp – Bigcat Instruments
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2313/
Part of the Sonatina Orchestra free collection. Simple but effective for orchestral layering. Available as Kontakt, VSTi, and SFZ.
DSK World StringZ II – DSK Music
https://www.dskmusic.com/dsk-world-stringz-updated
Includes several ethnic plucked instruments, including harp sounds. Lightweight and usable in many experimental or hybrid contexts. Available in VST/VST3/AU formats for both Windows and macOS.
Crystal Harp – SampleScience
https://samplescience.gumroad.com/l/crystalharp
An ambient-inspired digital harp with a soft, crystalline tone. Available on a pay-what-you-want basis (from $1). Supports VST, VST3, AU, and Decent Sampler. Great for ambient and new age.
Closet Harp – Pianobook
https://www.pianobook.co.uk/packs/closet-harp
A warm and expressive harp captured with 3 dynamic layers and 3 round robins per note. Available for Kontakt. Ideal for emotional scoring and soft folk textures.
12 String Harp – Pianobook
https://www.pianobook.co.uk/packs/12-string-harp
A tiny Celtic harp with a lo-fi character. Recorded dry and available for Decent Sampler. Great for indie productions, soft pop and experimentation.
Glass Harp – Pianobook
https://www.pianobook.co.uk/packs/glass-harp
A unique sound derived from a wine glass, designed to emulate harp-like tones. Beautiful for ambient, cinematic or hybrid scoring. Available for Decent Sampler.
Elysium Harp – Soundiron
https://soundiron.com/products/elysium-harp
A deeply sampled concert harp with glissando builder, mic options, and powerful performance controls. Requires Kontakt Full. Ideal for scoring.
Cinematic Harp – Cinematique Instruments
https://www.cinematique-instruments.com/inst_harp.php
Detailed sampling with natural tone and close mics. Great for indie scores and soft arrangements. Also Kontakt-based.
Use them inside ONE Instrument®
With ONE Instrument®, you can organize all your harp libraries in one clean interface. Whether you’re using an SFZ player, a Kontakt library, or a standalone AU plugin, you can launch them from a single panel, tag them for easy recall, and layer harp sounds with other textures—like pads, strings, or subtle percussive elements.
This makes it easier to explore creative combinations and sketch ideas with our built-in recorder, all without switching software or losing focus.