To Our Cinematic Alpha Community,
If you’ve been with us for a while, you’ve likely noticed something unusual: deeper discounts, more frequent sales, and a shift in how we communicate. This isn’t a marketing strategy—it’s a survival story that mirrors the turbulence across our industry.
I’ll be brutally honest: I never wanted to become “the discount guy.” I believed our sounds spoke for themselves—that their value warranted their price. But reality hit—not just my reality as an independent sound designer, but the economic reality affecting musicians and creators worldwide.
How did big and small reviewers behave?
First, gratitude. I want to personally thank The Sampleist, Sample Library Reviews, Udi Audio, Jade Starr, Virtual Orchestration IT, and Martin Heidenreich for their professionalism and friendship.
Many outlets charge for coverage—review/walkthrough fees can range from roughly $0–$50 for very small channels to $15,000 for major outlets, depending on audience, deliverables, and usage rights. These incentives often shape the order of coverage: larger companies, with bigger budgets and coordinated launches, secure earlier reviews, while smaller independent developers wait their turn.
For small teams, delays can be brutal. In my own case with Exoria, some reviews were pushed back six months; and one outlet—after five years of working together—chose to ignore my efforts entirely. On top of that, a few demos mishandled the instruments, failing to show proper use and making Cinematic Alpha products come across like Fisher-Price toys.
It’s already hard to explain why a product matters. Watching a reviewer bypass the instrument we built—paid for in sacrifice and sweat—makes you want to leave the planet.
The Numbers Don’t Lie—and They’re Terrifying
On paper, the industry “grew”: global recorded-music revenues reached $29.6bn in 2024 (+4.8% YoY), and ~752 million people now pay for music subscriptions. Streaming still leads the charge.
Yet that growth hasn’t made creators’ lives easier. Cost of living remains high compared to pre-2020 norms, squeezing discretionary purchases like music tools.
At the same time, the market is consolidating. Splice agreed to acquire Spitfire Audio (a reported ~$50m deal) and has launched a cloud-connected instrument platform—signaling a future where massive catalogs, assistive tech, and subscriptions blend into one experience (but it’s still rental: you pay for access, you don’t own the product).
Looking at World Bank/IMF data, the picture is stark: an average global income ~ $12,000/year is roughly €900/month before taxes. In today’s inflationary environment, after essentials, what’s left for creative tools?
For many musicians, the monthly budget for sample libraries is €0–€10.
The Fractured Market We Serve
- The Budget-Conscious Majority (≈70–80%) — €0–€5/month. Freeware, giveaways, and rare sale purchases. Payment plans aren’t convenience; they’re necessity.
- The Strategic Middle (≈15–20%) — €10–€50/month. Semi-pros and dedicated hobbyists who plan purchases, lean on subscriptions, and rarely pay full price.
- The Professional Elite (≈5%) — €100–€500+/month. Treat libraries as business investments and buy for quality, support, and speed.
Why I Broke My Promise About Discounts
I swore I’d never devalue our work with constant sales. But as pressures mounted—and as dozens of indie libraries emerged (often from composers who, like me, found traditional film-scoring paths unstable)—I faced a choice: adapt or disappear.
The Review Ecosystem: Visibility in a Crowded Market
Some reviewers are rock-solid. Others naturally gravitate to the brands with larger budgets and coordinated launches. That’s pushed us to innovate not only in sound design but in how we do business—embracing alternative sample players beyond the king, Kontakt, and building more direct lines to you.
The AI Earthquake—Opportunity or Existential Threat?
- For budget-constrained musicians, AI looks like a new “free tier”: endless ideas and stems at little or no cost.
- For developers, it risks devaluing painstakingly recorded, deeply programmed instruments.
- Our path: explore AI-assisted tools that enhance human creativity rather than replace it—keeping the premium on playability, character, and human curation.
Sound Designers, Big Solidarity—Join Forces, Don’t Chase a “Golden Statue”
The indie sample-library world doesn’t need lone heroes; it needs alliances. When small makers bad-mouth peers or chase vanity status, everyone loses: trust erodes, audiences fragment, and the category shrinks. The smarter play is mutual support—because discovery, credibility, and survival compound when we lift one another.
What support looks like: cross-promos, shared demo reels, mixed indie bundles with fair splits, pre-release peer reviews, aligned docs/install standards, and a simple non-disparagement pact. Compete on taste and execution, not on tearing others down.
How You Can Help (Small, human things)
Creativity is spontaneous—don’t force it. Take care of yourself first: when you feel good and enjoy your instruments, you make better music and naturally want to share what you used. That alone helps us breathe. That’s it—simple, joyful, and priceless for small makers.
Our Path Forward
Most users will never see the thousands of hours behind a professional library: the sessions, the meticulous editing, the late-night programming. This is our life’s work.
We don’t survive by appealing to everyone. We survive thanks to a dedicated minority who value the craft and use these tools to create extraordinary music. When we hear what you make, every late night is worth it.
We’ve been criticized for helping parents supporting families and people facing financial hardship who couldn’t afford our products. We did what we could—without diminishing the value or experience for any customer. Now we ask you to stand with small makers. Make your voice heard. Defend the work that helped you dream and feel—before it’s too late.
With sincere gratitude,
Andrew Fly
Founder, Cinematic Alpha