Colours: Animator — Free Download

Purpose and Concept

Colours: Animator by Project SAM is a sample library focused exclusively on comedic score elements. It is designed for scoring cartoons, animated features, light games, and sitcoms. The library pays homage to classic animation scoring, aiming to provide instantly playable material that supports the visual timing and comedic cues found in these media.

The core of the collection consists of ensemble recordings of instruments including clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, trombone, violin, contrabass, piano, harp, and percussion. These are arranged in short, snappy articulations, phrases, and special effects. The sounds are grouped by action labels like ‘Wink Wink’ or ‘Uh Oh’, so you can quickly locate a matching cue.

Key Capabilities

Arrangements are spread across the keyboard, offering different instrument combinations and voicings that are ready to play. Beyond the ensemble, a selection of solo articulations and effects is available for individual instruments, such as a laughing glissando performed by a single clarinet or trombone. This gives you both full ensemble bursts and more intimate solo moments.

The interface provides real-time mixing of three concert hall microphone positions. You can control pitch and speed independently, sync runs and phrases to your host tempo, and shift the instrument mapping on the fly. This makes it easier to adapt the material to your project’s timing and context without requiring extensive editing.

Workflow and Integration

For users of NI Komplete or Maschine, Animator supports the NKS standard, enabling easy sound browsing, Light Guide feedback, and hands-on parameter control. The library is built to be playable from the start, so scoring a quick comedic moment can be as simple as picking the right group and pressing a key.

The tempo-synced runs and phrases are a practical tool for alignment. Free time-stretch control is available for most instruments, letting you slow down or speed up a phrase without changing pitch. Octave shifting lets you nudge the instrument mapping left or right on the keyboard, which can be handy for transposing the whole arrangement to a different register.

Practical Applications

This library shines in projects that need quick, colourful musical gestures. For cartoon scoring, you can use ‘Wink Wink’ for a subtle eye movement or ‘Uh Oh’ for a moment of comic realization. In light games or sitcoms, these phrases can punctuate dialogue, physical comedy, or transitions without requiring complex sequencing.

Because the content is pre-arranged, you can audition many ideas rapidly and place them on a timeline with minimal editing. The inclusion of a small selection of material from Symphobia 3: Lumina adds extra variety for broader comedic or cinematic cues. For composers new to this style, having these ready-to-play effects can speed up the learning curve.

Key features

• Ensemble and solo articulations/effects for comedic scoring
• Action-based sound grouping (e.g., ‘Wink Wink’, ‘Oh Oh’)
• Three concert hall mic positions with real-time mixing
• Independent pitch and speed control, plus tempo sync for runs
• On-the-fly octave shifting to adjust instrument mapping
• NKS support for Komplete and Maschine integration
• Includes a small selection of Symphobia 3: Lumina material

Best for

Best for composers working on cartoons, animation, light games, or sitcoms who need instantly playable comedic phrases, ensemble effects, and solo gestures. Its action-based organization and real-time controls make it efficient for quick cue placement and adaptation to timing without heavy editing.