The Unsung Hero & legendary studio behind Bruno Mars', The Romantic

When Bruno Mars dropped The Romantic on February 26th, one detail stood out to those who listened a little closer: the strings. Rich, cinematic, and unmistakably soulful, six of the album’s nine tracks feature the legendary touch of composer, arranger, and conductor Larry Gold.

Larry Gold, Getty Images

Gold’s legacy runs deep. From shaping the sound of artists like Jill Scott, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Silk Sonic, and Erykah Badu, to arranging for timeless records like Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now, his fingerprints are all over modern soul, R&B, and hip-hop. His signature? Strings that not only decorate a record, but make it move it with feeling.

That same spirit lives inside Splice’s latest Bruno-inspired pack Retro Romance: Classic Soul, a timeless soul sounding pack from award winning producer and instrumentalist Dave James. Even prior to this pack many others have been recorded at MilkBoy in Philadelphia—the very studio that evolved from Gold’s original creative hub. Long before it became MilkBoy, the space was a magnet for artists across the country, drawn by Gold’s ear for arrangement and his ability to bring records to life. Today, MilkBoy continues that legacy, hosting sessions for artists like Jazmine Sullivan, Lil Uzi Vert, John Legend, and Meek Mill.

Splice has been tapping into that lineage, recording packs that channel both the precision and emotion of Philly’s orchestral soul tradition. Splice’s in-house labels Discotheque and Diaspora have created packs like: Retro Strut Vol. 2, Revolution, Boogie Down, Philly Disco, Montuno: Boogaloo and Liberation, exploring rhythm-forward globally inspired textures, at the legendary studio. Across the span of Discotheque’s library, you’ll hear disco strings directly inspired by Gold’s influence—lush, rhythmic, built to elevate a groove.

Use the button below to check out Retro Romance: Classic Soul by Soul Surplus and be sure to check out their label page for more amazing sample packs. Plug in, pull up a string section, and build something that lasts.

View Pack

FAQs

What is Splice Sounds?

Splice Sounds is an industry-leading catalog of royalty-free samples, loops, one-shots, MIDI and presets for music production. Browse sounds by genre, instrument, key, BPM, and more, preview individual sounds, search by text or audio, and download the ones that fit your track.

Are Splice sounds royalty-free?

Yes, every single sample on Splice is 100% royalty free, meaning they're free to use, even for commercial use. You can download samples on Splice, then make and release original music with those samples, and you don't owe Splice (or anyone else) any more than your subscription fee, even if your track goes viral.

Can I use Splice sounds for commercial use?

Yes. In fact, we can even supply you with documentation in case you ever need to prove that your music is royalty-free and properly licensed. The license for sounds you download from Splice Sounds permits use for commercial and non-commercial purposes so long as you remain in compliance with our Terms of Use.

Is my DAW supported?

Splice Sounds works with any DAW. Download samples and add them directly to your projects using the Splice Sounds Plugin (beta) or the Desktop App. All purchased samples are downloaded locally to your machine in .wav format.

Ableton, Fender Studio Pro, and Pro Tools users should use the Splice direct integrations in their DAWs for the best workflow experience, plus a rotating selection of free sounds for their projects.

For all other DAWs, download the free Splice Sounds Plugin (beta) to search, browse, and preview samples in your project's key and tempo. Then, subscribe to download sounds or create Variations.

How do Sounds credits work?

Use credits to download your favorite samples, loops, one-shots, presets, MIDI & more. All samples are one credit each. MIDI patterns and presets use up to three credits each. Unused credits automatically roll over to the next month. Keep everything you download, even if you cancel.

With our DAW integration plans for Ableton Live, Fender Studio Pro, and Pro Tools, you can license up to 100 individual samples per day by simply dragging and dropping the samples into your project. Once licensed, samples live in your Library, and you can download them at any time. With a Creator or Creator+ plan, you can also license up to 100 sounds per day directly in any of our native DAW integrations without using credits.

Do I have to download a full pack or can I download individual samples?

You can download individual samples on Splice, not just full packs. Every single sample, preset, MIDI, one shot, and loop on Splice is available for individual download, so you can only download what you need.

What happens to the sounds I download if I cancel?

Every sound you download is yours forever. Keep everything you download, even if you cancel. Learn more about our cancellation policy here.

Can't find your answer here?

Check out our Help Center, Licensing FAQ, or Plans FAQ for more information.