Released in December 2025, the Low End Orchestra is the product of several outside the box concepts fused together with remarkable effect. One of the sample library’s hallmarks is its unconventional instrumentation. You won’t find many collections out there with 6 cellos and 12 basses playing together, or 4 bass trombones with 2 cimbassi. 

The contra-alto flute is possibly the rarest instrument in the collection—and we recorded 2 of them, playing together with 2 contrabass flutes. You’re unlikely to find this combination of instruments in any other sample library—in fact, you’re very unlikely to come across this combination of instruments pretty much anywhere. 

In a glorious twist of fate, Carla had actually lead a workshop at Carluke Primose Orchestral Flutes in 2024. When it concluded, she was made an honorary member, so the ensemble was willing to loan her the contra-alto flutes for our session. The only caveat: We would have to figure out how to transport them. Fully committed to sharing her passion for low flutes with others, Carla arranged to meet the group and personally pick up the instruments, only to turn around and bring them straight back to London.

Now that the instruments were in London, their rarity presented another problem: Despite specializing in low flutes, Carla and our other session performer, Helen Keen, had little previous experience actually playing these instruments. So they both practiced intensely to master them very quickly in preparation for our sampling session. 

What makes the contra-alto flute so special? Carla, whose career and musical life are centered around playing low flutes, explains it very well: “The contra-alto is maybe one of the most unusual of the low flutes; it’s an octave lower than the alto flute and pitched in G, so it’s between the bass and the contrabass. It’s a vertical flute, so you play standing up and there’s a rest at the bottom (a bit like a cello spike) to make contact with the floor. I love playing it—it’s got a beautiful mellow sound and lots of potential for expression.”

You can hear how these instruments sound paired with two contrabass flutes in the example below.

Orchestral Tools sample libraries are made from a combination of expertise, attention to detail, and a willingness to go the extra mile—in some cases, quite literally. While not always in the spotlight, dedicated and passionate contributors like Carla play a large role in helping us to capture the essence of these very special instruments. “It was quite an operation to get them to London for the session,” Carla says, “but absolutely brilliant to show a little bit of what these fabulous instruments can do! The effort to get them there was definitely worth it!”

At Orchestral Tools, we will always be extremely grateful for this extra effort and her role in bringing Low End Orchestra to life.