Hola Amigo!
Introducing El Mariachi, your all-access pass to the vibrant sounds of Mexico! Recorded right in the heart of Oaxaca, this sample library is bursting with rich and authentic instruments, ready to inspire.
Whether you’re spicing up a track or crafting a fiesta-ready masterpiece, El Mariachi has everything you need to infuse your music with that unmistakable Mexican charm. Get ready to take your productions on a musical adventure south of the border!
What is Mariachi?
Mariachi is a traditional Mexican music genre characterized by lively rhythms, rich harmonies, and vibrant instrumentation, typically featuring violins, trumpets, vihuela, guitar, and guitarrón.
Originating in the 18th century in the western regions of Mexico, particularly in Jalisco, mariachi has evolved from rural folk traditions into a popular and iconic cultural symbol of Mexico. Performers often wear elaborate “charro” outfits with wide-brimmed hats, enhancing the visual spectacle.
Mariachi music covers a range of emotions, from celebratory tunes like “sones” and “rancheras” to romantic ballads, and it is integral to celebrations, festivals, and cultural events.
El Mariachi focuses on capturing the specific techniques and articulations used by modern mariachi players, providing an authentic representation of the diverse sounds and expressions that characterize this musical tradition.
Listen to El Mariachi
What’s Included
Mariachi musicians often play different instruments depending on the song, allowing the ensemble to adapt its sound and style to suit various pieces. El Mariachi focuses on capturing the specific techniques and articulations used by modern mariachi players, providing an authentic representation of the diverse sounds and expressions that characterize this musical tradition.
The adaptive articulation, included with the violins and trumpets, intelligently responds to the your playing style, automatically triggering legato, trills, short notes, long notes, accents, and crescendos as needed. This allows for expressive performances using just a keyboard and a few controllers, making it easy to achieve a natural, organic sound.
Violins
Violins add rich harmonies and often lead the melody with expressive lines. They create a lush texture that complements the trumpets and rhythm section, enhancing the ensemble’s sound with their dynamic range and emotional depth.
El Mariachi features five violins, including three solo patches and one duet patch. All patches offer the same set of articulations: Adaptive, sustain, rebow, tremolo, staccato, staccatissimo, pizzicato, and ricochet.
Articulation | Description |
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Adaptive | Tailors the attack based on the note velocity, producing a softer attack at lower velocities and a sharper, punchier sound at higher velocities. It also responds to performance nuances, triggering legato transitions when needed, and allows for shorter notes by lifting the key sooner. Additionally, it features release trigger samples, adding further realism by accurately simulating the sound of the note’s decay. |
Sustain 3xRR | High-quality sustained notes across varying dynamic levels. Includes release trigger samples that activates once the note is released. |
Rebow | Recorded with the violinist rebowing the note. The samples have then been looped at the rebow points, enabling an indefinite note hold, simulating continuous bowing. Includes release trigger samples that activates once the note is released. |
Tremolo | Rapid, repeated bow strokes, creating a shimmering, sustained effect that enhances the emotional intensity and adds dramatic flair. Often used in slower, expressive sections or during climactic moments to heighten the tension. |
Staccato 9xRR | Short, sharp bow strokes that produce crisp, detached notes, often used for rhythmic drive, accentuation, and clarity in faster, lively sections of the music. |
Staccatissimo 9xRR | Very short, sharply articulated notes with a more pronounced separation than staccato, creating a highly energetic, percussive effect often used in fast, rhythmic passages to add intensity and emphasis. |
Pizzicato 9xRR | A bright, percussive sound often used for rhythmic accents or light, playful passages to add variety and texture to the ensemble. |
Ricochet 2xRR | A bouncing bow technique, where the bow is allowed to “bounce” on the strings, creating rapid, light, and spiccato-like notes that add a playful, energetic texture, often used for lively, fast-paced sections. |
Trumpets
The trumpet is a defining element in a mariachi band, known for its bright, penetrating tone that leads the melody and adds rhythmic emphasis. It engages in call-and-response with other instruments, creating dynamic contrast and excitement.
El Mariachi offers two solo trumpet patches featuring these articulations: Adaptive, sustain, staccato, staccatissimo, and doit. Additionally, there is a two trumpets duet patch with the same articulations, excluding the doit.
Articulation | Description |
---|---|
Adaptive | Tailors the attack based on the note velocity, producing a softer attack at lower velocities and a sharper, punchier sound at higher velocities. It also responds to performance nuances, triggering legato transitions when needed, and allows for shorter notes by lifting the key sooner. Additionally, it features release trigger samples, adding further realism by accurately simulating the sound of the note’s decay. |
Sustain 3xRR | Sustain samples at three phase-aligned dynamics, providing consistent, high-quality sustained notes across varying dynamic levels. |
Staccato 9xRR | Short, crisp notes with a sharp attack and quick release, capturing the characteristic detached style commonly used in mariachi music for rhythmic emphasis and clarity. |
Staccatissimo 9xRR | Very short, detached notes with an even sharper, more pronounced attack than staccato, offering a crisp, percussive effect ideal for fast, energetic passages. |
Doit (Trompeta 1/2 only) | A quick, pronounced upward pitch bend followed by a sharp, abrupt release, emulating the dramatic, expressive effect often used in mariachi music to add flair and emphasis to a note or phrase. |
Guitars
The guitar and vihuela, along with the guitarrón form the rhythmic and harmonic foundation of a mariachi band. The guitar provides rich, resonant chords, while the smaller vihuela adds bright, percussive accents.
El Mariachi’s guitar engine allows you to strum chords in real time, automatically generating chord voicings from piano chords, including different inversions. With samples at every fret position for both the guitar and vihuela, you can play realistic chords across the fretboard, control strum direction, dynamics, and speed, and perform muted chords. The engine also includes per string legato and “picking” keys for playing individual strings.
The Mariachi Guitar includes: sustain, sustain with release, muted, tremolo, and muted tremolo.
The Vihuela offers a few additional articulations, including sustain, sustain with release, muted, tremolo, muted tremolo, harmonics, left-hand picking, slap mutes, and body hits.
Articulation | Description |
---|---|
Sustain 2xRR | On the vihuela, individual sustain notes are used sparingly to add a brief moment of resonance and melodic emphasis, often in contrast to the instrument’s typical sharp, rhythmic strums, helping to accentuate key phrases or transitions. |
Sustain + Release 2xRR | Sustained notes with a release sample triggered on MIDI note off. |
Muted 2xRR | A softer, more controlled resonance that adds a delicate rhythmic pulse or a subtle harmonic texture without dominating the overall sound |
Tremolo 2xRR | A shimmering, rhythmic drive that enhances the lively, vibrant energy typical of mariachi music, especially in fast-paced pieces like sones. |
Muted Tremolo 2xRR | A soft, rhythmic buzz that adds a hushed percussive effect, subtly enriching the ensemble’s rhythm without overwhelming the melody. |
Vihuela Only: Harmonics 3xRR | A bright, ethereal quality to the music, often used for ornamental effects or to highlight particular moments in a piece. |
Vihuela Only: Left Hand Picking 2xRR | A technique where the left hand, typically responsible for fretting the notes, also plays a role in the picking or strumming motion, allowing for unique variations in tone and rhythm, although it is less common compared to traditional right-handed picking |
Vihuela Only: Body hits/taps 4xRR | Percussive sounds, adding a rhythmic texture and enhancing the overall groove, especially in fast-paced mariachi music. Often used to emphasize the beat or accentuate transitions between sections of a song. |
Vihuela Only: Strike Mutes 7xRR | Add variety and dynamic control to the performance, enhancing the overall rhythm and texture of the music. |
Guitarrón
The guitarrón, with its deep, booming bass lines, anchors the ensemble and drives the rhythm forward. Together, these instruments create a dynamic, cohesive pulse that supports the melodies and harmonies of the violins and trumpets, giving mariachi music its lively and full-bodied sound.
El Mariachi’s guitarrón features sustain, octave sustain, and harmonics. These options allow for rich, resonant bass lines and melodic versatility.
Articulation | Description |
---|---|
Sustain 3xRR | Used during melodic lines or solo passages, where a more focused, clear tone is needed to stand out or highlight specific harmonic changes in the music. |
Octave 3xRR | The guitarrón generally plays notes in octaves to create a fuller, more resonant sound that reinforces the bass and harmonic foundation of the mariachi ensemble. |
Harmonics 2xRR | High-pitched, bell-like sounds that add brightness and texture, often used for special effects or to accentuate key moments in a piece. |
Harp
The arpa jalisciense, or Jalisco harp, is a distinctive instrument in traditional mariachi, adding a unique melodic and harmonic voice to the ensemble. With its bright, resonant tone, the harp often plays elaborate arpeggios, runs, and counter-melodies that complement the other instruments.
El Mariachi’s harp features recordings using both fingertip and fingernail techniques. This provides a wide range of tonal nuances, from the soft, rounded sound of the fingertips to the brighter, more percussive quality of the fingernails.
Articulation | Description |
---|---|
Fingertip 6xRR | A warm, full-bodied tone, allowing for greater control and dynamics in softer, lyrical passages |
Fingernail 6xRR | A brighter, crisper sound, offering a more percussive and articulate attack, ideal for accents and sharper effects in the music. |
Accordion
The mariachi accordion adds a vibrant, dynamic layer to the ensemble. Our accordion features both Clarinet and Musette reeds, offering a range of expressive timbres. It also includes bass and chord key samples, as well as bellow inflate and deflate noises.
Articulation | Description |
---|---|
Clarinet Reed 6xRR | A smooth, rounded tone similar to a clarinet instrument, often used for its softer and mellow sound quality. |
Musette Reed 6xRR | Tuned slightly sharp or flat relative to the main reed, creating a distinct, bright, and wavering sound ideal for the lively, “wet-tuned” effect common in French and folk music |
Additional Content
MIDI Strumming Patterns
This collection includes 100 MIDI files organized by mariachi genre, covering the most common time signatures in these styles. However, feel free to mix and match them in any context you find suitable, as they are not limited to just mariachi genres.
The MIDI files can be easily dropped into your DAW, allowing you to sequence them in any way you like. Since they are MIDI, you can adjust the timing and tempo of the patterns and individual notes to tailor them to your specific needs.
Each pattern includes a few chords for immediate playback, but you are encouraged to replace these with your own. Additionally, MP3 files demonstrating each pattern are included for quick auditioning.
Mini Masterclass Videos
The musicians of Mariachi De Oaxaca have graciously recorded a set of masterclass videos, in which they discuss their instruments, explore their roles in various mariachi genres, and explain how they work together as a group.
These videos provide valuable insights into the nuances of mariachi music, helping you better understand the individual instruments and their interplay within the ensemble.
By watching, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation of the mariachi tradition and improve your own compositions and arrangements by learning how each instrument contributes to the overall sound.
These videos have been carefully translated, with subtitles added, so that you won’t miss a thing.
Mariachi de la ciudad de Oaxaca

The Mariachi de la Ciudad de Oaxaca is a talented ensemble known for their dedication to traditional Mexican music. These skilled musicians bring the authentic sound of Mexico to life, both on stage and in the studio.
Their professionalism and attention to detail were evident throughout the recording process. They handled the sessions with patience and expertise, helping us capture the true essence of mariachi music.
Studio Uno

When I set out to produce a mariachi sample library, I knew I needed a team that could deliver both technically and artistically. Studio Uno, nestled in the beautiful hills of Oaxaca, was the perfect choice.
The team at Studio Uno handled everything, from finding the perfect musicians to arranging and managing the recording sessions with precision. Their expertise and commitment to capturing the authentic sound and emotion of each performance made the entire process seamless and enjoyable.
The result is a truly authentic and high-quality sample library that we’re incredibly proud of.
Main Features
12 PATCHES
3 solo violins, 1 duet violin, 2 solo trumpets, 1 duet trumpet, guitar, vihuela, guitarron, arpa Jalisciense, accordion.
FOCUSED ARTICULATIONS
Each instrument includes articulations specific the mariachi music. We wanted to keep the library focused on this style.
STRUMMING ENGINE
The guitar and vihuela benefit from a powerful guitar engine, complete with real-time strumming and dynamic chord detection.
PURGE UNTIL PLAYED
The library includes an optional lazy load feature to minimize RAM usage.
EXTRA STUFF
Over 100 MIDI files of guitar strumming patterns to kick-start your rhythm section.
EDUCATIONAL
The library comes with over one hour of mini-masterclass videos, presented by the musicians themselves.
Specifications
40000+ Samples
24bit/48kHz
42GB (16.5GB compressed)
2GB RAM Required
Runs in the free Rhapsody player v2.5.2+
Apple Silicon Native
FAQ
They are created by recording 1000s of individual notes on a real instrument. These recordings are then chopped up into individual files, called samples, and mapped in software so that they can be triggered using MIDI.
If you run into any problems using this library (or any others) in FL Studio there are two things you can try straight away.
Firstly, make sure you are using an audio buffer size that is a power of two: 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, etc.
Secondly, enable FL Studio’s align tick lengths option. You can find this in Options > Audio Settings > CPU > Align Tick Lengths.

lanesound (verified owner) –
For me EL MARIACHI is the fulfilled dream of authentic samples taken from original instruments coordinated with each other. This library with typical Mexican feeling is an enrichment for my collection of exceptional instruments. I think you already guessed it: words from a satisfied customer!