How to download
A new and improved version of our ProjectSAM Downloader application will be available in the coming weeks. Until then, please download your purchase through your browser by following the steps below.
#1 – Where to find your download?
A full download of the latest version of the library is made available to you after:
- purchasing a downloadable library on our website
- registering a downloadable challenge code on our website
To find your download, log in to your ProjectSAM account, then go to Your downloads.
#2 – Downloading & unzipping
Scenario 1: Single ZIP file
Our smaller libraries (< 20 GB) are offered as a single ZIP file download. This ZIP file can be unzipped using your operating system’s native software, so you don’t need any additional tools.
Example of a single file download (1 ZIP file)
Download the ZIP file by clicking on the purple button. This button also shows you the download size. Although it is not required, we recommend using a download manager plug-in for your browser, which will give you more control over the download process. By default, you’re offered 5 downloads per file. If you need additional downloads, please contact us.
After downloading the single ZIP file, open it by double-clicking it. Depending on your operating system, the ZIP file will now either automatically unzip (uncompress), or require you to start this action by clicking an Unzip/Extract button or drag the ZIP file’s content onto a different window.
(scroll down to continue)
Scenario 2: Split ZIP files
Our larger libraries (> 20 GB) have been split up into multiple ZIP files to keep the download manageable. To unzip these split files and merge their content into one complete folder, the third-party tool WinZip (Download for Windows or Mac) is required.
Example of a split file download (3 ZIP files)
Download all listed ZIP files related to the library by clicking on the purple buttons. This button also shows you the download size. Although it is not required, we recommend using a download manager plug-in for your browser, which will give you more control over the download process. By default, you’re offered 5 downloads per file. If you need additional downloads, please contact us.
Note that one of the files ends at “.ZIP”. This is the first ZIP file of the set. The other files end at “.Z01”, “.Z02” and so forth.
Your operating system’s standard unzipping tool will not be able to merge the split ZIP files back together. This is why we are going to use a third-party tool to do this called WinZip.
Launch WinZip and open the downloaded file ending at “.ZIP”.
Example of the Lumina ZIP file opened in the third-party tool WinZip
Click the Unzip (Mac) or Extract To (Windows) option and select a destination of choice for the unzipped Library folder. WinZip will start extracting the files inside the first “.ZIP” archive and then automatically move on to the other, numbered ZIP files automatically. The result will be merged into one single Library folder.
#3 – The Library folder
You now have a product folder ending with “Library”. For example, the product folder for Symphobia 1 is named “Symphobia 1 Library”. If you haven’t done so earlier, feel free to move this folder to a location of choice, eg. a dedicated solid-state drive that you use for sample libraries.
Screenshot of an unzipped Lumina Library folder. The Instruments folder has been opened, showing the Instrument subfolder tree inside.
Native Access and Kontakt will identify the Library folder using the “.nicnt” file (see screenshot above). It is important to leave this file in place and not to have multiple “.nicnt” files in the same folder. The Instruments and (optional) Multis folders contain the actual instrument presets that will appear in Kontakt’s browser after the library has been activated. The Samples folder contains the audio files for the library; the “sample pool”.
The files from the Instruments and Multis folders refer to the audio pool from the Samples folder. If you rename or move any of the folders, Kontakt won’t be able to automatically link the instruments to the samples and will ask you to locate the files.
#4 – Making a backup
It is important to make a safe backup of your purchase. While you get 5 downloads per library by default and are allowed to request additional downloads if needed, the fastest way to restore a Library installation is to have a local backup.
To make a backup, either copy the ZIP file(s) or the unzipped Library folder to a safe backup location, such as an external HD or network drive.
It is now time to install and activate the Library so that you can start using it in Kontakt.
