Virtual Clarinet: expressive woodwind sounds at your fingertips
The clarinet is a remarkably versatile instrument—its tone can be warm and woody, bright and joyful, or rich and melancholic. It’s found in classical orchestras, jazz bands, klezmer ensembles, film scores, and even experimental electronic music. And thanks to the evolution of digital sound design, you can now access the full emotional range of a clarinet with a virtual clarinet on your computer.
In this post, we explore some of the best free and professional virtual clarinet libraries available, and how ONE Instrument® can help you manage and shape clarinet sounds in your creative workflow.
What is a virtual clarinet?
A virtual clarinet is a software instrument designed to replicate the sound and performance behavior of a real-world clarinet. These instruments can be sample-based—built from high-quality recordings of a live clarinetist—or physically modeled to simulate the acoustic and mechanical behavior of the instrument in real time.
Virtual clarinets typically include multiple articulations such as legato, staccato, trill, vibrato, and dynamic layers to capture nuances of breath and fingerwork. Whether you’re producing orchestral pieces, crafting ambient textures, or designing cinematic atmospheres, a well-designed virtual clarinet can add life and character to your arrangement.
Free virtual clarinet libraries worth trying
There are several high-quality free options to help you explore the clarinet soundscape:
VSCO2 Clarinet by Bigcat Instruments – Part of the Versilian Studios Community Edition, this is a straightforward orchestral clarinet with multiple articulations. Available in SFZ and VST/AU formats:
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/2543LABS Clarinet Textures by Spitfire Audio – A free, artistic take on clarinet sounds, with subtle noise, breath and texture layers perfect for cinematic or ambient compositions:
https://labs.spitfireaudio.com/clarinet-texturesMonster Woodwind by MonsterDAW – A versatile woodwind plugin that includes clarinet sounds among its presets. Lightweight and easy to use:
https://monsterdaw.com/monster-woodwind-vst/Sonatina Clarinet (SCC) – A basic solo clarinet from the Sonatina Symphonic Orchestra library, available for use with SFZ players like Sforzando:
https://musical-artifacts.com/artifacts/9
These can all be integrated into ONE Instrument® and managed within a single workspace.
How to use virtual clarinets inside ONE Instrument®
ONE Instrument® is the ideal space to host and organize your virtual clarinet libraries—whether they’re sample-based or plugin-driven. It allows you to scan your instrument collection, preview sounds instantly, and switch between clarinet tones without leaving your creative flow.
You can also layer clarinet sounds with pads, strings, or synths to create hybrid textures, ideal for film scoring or atmospheric music. Clarinet + ambient piano? Clarinet + granular textures? All possible and easy to build directly inside ONE Instrument®.
And since ONE Instrument® is compatible with AU plugins and supports multitrack setups, you can even build expressive sections by stacking multiple articulations or different clarinet libraries together.
Professional virtual clarinet libraries for deeper expression
If you’re aiming for realism and nuance, here are some industry-standard libraries worth considering:
SWAM Clarinet by Audio Modeling – A physically modeled clarinet with incredibly expressive control over pitch, dynamics, and timbre:
https://audiomodeling.com/swam-engine/swam-clarinet/VSL Clarinet by Vienna Symphonic Library – Recorded with incredible depth and detail, great for orchestral work:
https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Woodwinds/ClarinetClarinets by EastWest (Hollywood Orchestral Woodwinds) – A classic library used in many film scores:
https://www.soundsonline.com/hollywood-orchestral-woodwindsChris Hein Clarinet – A solo clarinet library known for its dynamic realism and playability:
https://www.bestservice.com/chris_hein_orchestral_woodwinds.html
All of them can be loaded into your DAW and controlled through ONE Instrument®, making it easier to blend different styles and articulations.
Bringing woodwinds to life in your music
Virtual clarinets bring depth, human nuance, and an organic touch to your digital compositions. Whether you’re building full orchestral pieces or experimenting with minimal sound design, the clarinet remains a powerful and flexible voice.
With ONE Instrument®, you can bring these voices together—manage, play, and shape your virtual woodwinds with ease and creativity.