Producers: Virtual Instrument Suggestions?

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Producers: Virtual Instrument Suggestions?
Posted on: 04.08.2009 by Verona Fashbaugh
I can never remember the difference between VST and VSTi, but I'm looking for suggestions for virtual instruments. I guess specifically I'm looking for ones that can produce decent Electro sounds, but I'm open to any suggestions; I don't strictly produce electro. I suppose I would try making other types of music if I had a wider range of sound capability.

One that I've used in the past and really liked is reFX's Vanguard



Just trying to expand the potential of my production, I guess.
Jaime Piston
23.09.2009
Originally Posted by BentoSan
To start with just grab one synth for every one of the major synth types:

Subtractive synthesis
Additive synthesis
Granular synthesis
Wavetable synthesis
Frequency Modulation synthesis
Originally Posted by Lambox
Do you know if there's a good website for explaining the difference between those synth types (substractive, additive, etc) in simple terms.
Of the top of my head:

- Subtractive: Generate a waveform or more (e.g. a sine wave) and take away from it (e.g. by filters). E.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimoog . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_synthesis

- Additive: Screw the filters. Instead add sine waves of different frequencies until you're happy with the sound. E.g. Kawai K5 http://www.kfuenf.org/ . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_synthesis

- Granular: Chop out tiny parts of a sample and put them in sequence creatively. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular_synthesis

- Wavetable: Instead of just one waveform, use samples of different but similar waveforms and switch between these quickly. E.g. PPG Wavecomputer http://www.ppg.synth.net/360/ . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular_synthesis

- FM: Take a couple of oscilators and make them modify themselves. E.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_DX7 , See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_synthesis
Verona Fashbaugh
17.09.2009
Originally Posted by Rumblejazz
Lambox I know you can get some amazing sounds out of the 3XS synth on FL studio and that is as basic as they come!
Only because it's the only thing I know how to use inside and out
Graham Frazier
23.09.2009
My favorite free vsti is the minimoog va available at,

http://glenstegner.com/softsynths.html



There's also a Arp2600 vsti on the page, but i haven't used it yet.
Jaime Piston
23.09.2009
Originally Posted by BentoSan
To start with just grab one synth for every one of the major synth types:

Subtractive synthesis
Additive synthesis
Granular synthesis
Wavetable synthesis
Frequency Modulation synthesis
Originally Posted by Lambox
Do you know if there's a good website for explaining the difference between those synth types (substractive, additive, etc) in simple terms.
Of the top of my head:

- Subtractive: Generate a waveform or more (e.g. a sine wave) and take away from it (e.g. by filters). E.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimoog . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtractive_synthesis

- Additive: Screw the filters. Instead add sine waves of different frequencies until you're happy with the sound. E.g. Kawai K5 http://www.kfuenf.org/ . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_synthesis

- Granular: Chop out tiny parts of a sample and put them in sequence creatively. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular_synthesis

- Wavetable: Instead of just one waveform, use samples of different but similar waveforms and switch between these quickly. E.g. PPG Wavecomputer http://www.ppg.synth.net/360/ . See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granular_synthesis

- FM: Take a couple of oscilators and make them modify themselves. E.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_DX7 , See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_synthesis
ceyhun gunaz
20.09.2009
u guys seemed to cover most of them...
For me:
Spectrasonics (omni especially)
NI stuff
Rob Papen
Auturia
G Force
Camel Space
Luann Scatterday
18.09.2009
From the top of my head these are my fav.
Anything by d16 www.d16.pl best virtual emulations TB303, TR909, TR808, TR606... they're other stuff is also the sh** can't wait for they're shioitor


I luv to go for freeware though so some of my prefered stuff as already been mentioned so here's a link to some more inetresting bleeps ... http://kunz.corrupt.ch/?Products (TAL) .

Arturia stuff rocks as does G-Force (G Media)...

Plug ins ... Suppa Trigga/ Live Cut -- anything by the live cut guys!!
Ohm force is also really good!

Z
Riccardo gava
19.09.2009
I really like Fabfilters TWIN, that's my "go to" synth at the mo.

SURGE is also good, and also MASSIVE.

If you're on PC there was one I used to use called Z3-XTA (I believe?> something like that..) that was good :-)

But try TWIN out peepz, it rocks!
Fernande Jada
18.09.2009
i would like to suggest a very nice free vsti:



http://www.kvraudio.com/get/708.html
Latoria Kavulich
17.09.2009
All we need is some more psy producers in here then i wont have to sift through FP anymore
@ Rumblejazz: I've just started playing round with the albino myself, have some cool new banks as well such as the cosmosis psytrance bank etc.
If anyone is looking for a good vinyl sound, instead of just a sample. check out vinyl from izotope, the company that makes the wicked ozone 4. Its free!
http://www.izotope.com/products/audio/vinyl/
Verona Fashbaugh
17.09.2009
Originally Posted by Rumblejazz
Lambox I know you can get some amazing sounds out of the 3XS synth on FL studio and that is as basic as they come!
Only because it's the only thing I know how to use inside and out
Amada Brierley
18.09.2009
Good shout on the production community Bento, lot of wicked producers here too, and I've learnt a thing or two here that I haven't been able to crack anywhere else!

I exclusively use Albino, as I can't afford anything else yet! But it is really amazing how many different sounds you can get out of a synth if you really learn it inside and out.

Lambox I know you can get some amazing sounds out of the 3XS synth on FL studio and that is as basic as they come!
Belen Wermes
05.08.2009
i love massive. super powerful but very simple and user friendly. defninitely my favourite newer vst instrument. I use it for all of my tracks right now.

my other favourite is WaspXT. this things power is in it's simplicity.... Layer a few of these bad boys together and do a bit of crafty fx routing and you can get some VERY MEAN thick analog sounds! I get some serious badass basslines using the layered WaspXT technique, but that's all i'll devulge lol gotta keep some secrets haha!
Kayleen Positano
05.08.2009
I use reason, and I'm still working on figuring out the Thor as much as I can. Not being able to use VST(i)s, I can vouch for learning just a few synths and screwing the rest.
Latoria Kavulich
05.08.2009
vanguard and nexus 2 are magic.
Dotty Fadeley
04.08.2009
one word...err....acronym...shit...ok 3 letters KVR


Firebird:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/2414.html (CPU friendly, quality sound and nice effects....and reasonably priced!)

impOSCar:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/608.html (classic bread and butter synth, CPU friendly, great for thick and nasty bass sounds and good for electro and retro pads....$99 US)

Synth 1:

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/214.html (FREE!, great sounds, from bread and butter to soaring leads, lush pads, etc)

I wont mention the overpriced ones that are of course...great sounding but hey...they do their own promo.
Sherika Lasee
04.08.2009
"Electro sounds", like hard electro?

heres a little ten step run down of my technique

1find a good sounding synth
2comeup with a stong synth/bass line
3adjust all the parameters to get the right sound out of the synth
4cone/copy the notes you recorded
5open an electric guitar w/ distortion
6paste the notes in the guitar
7edit the guitar parameters, distortion, distortion depth
8harmonize the instruments again using their parameters/ volume /adding FX to each &/or master FX over both, - then edit all FX depths
9fill in any gaps with more instruments like, pads, sub for more bass, etc.
10side chain it to the kick drum - edit the automation of the sidechain
Mechelle Duncil
04.08.2009
If you are believeing in expanding with different sounds.... Lataley Ive been working with more natural sounding instruments in search of some deep sounds.
I ve been very satisfyed with the results from Uberschall Liquid series... I bought the Liquid trumpet. Although that this is more of a sound library than an instrument, you can still compose your own stuff.

Also for percussion, altough Ableton live 8 has a new Latin percussion samples I love the EZ drummer and Ez latin percussion. Excelent sound, there are some good demo videos on tube
Xavier Emanuels
04.08.2009
Originally Posted by neworleansTECH
Native Instruments is selling Komplete for July only at just US$/EUR 399, instead of $1139/EUR999. It comes with Kontakt 3 (sampler), Guitar Rig 3 (guitar), Massive (bass), Reaktor 5 modular instrument studio, Absynth 4 (synth), Battery 3 (drum), Akoustik Piano, Elektrik Piano, B4 II, FM8 (FM synth)
Pro-53 - the faithful reproduction of a synth legend. I never saw this deal till august but this was a crazy sale.
The problem there is its now August but yeah it was a killer deal !
Predrag Mladenovic
04.08.2009
Native Instruments is selling Komplete for July only at just US$/EUR 399, instead of $1139/EUR999. It comes with Kontakt 3 (sampler), Guitar Rig 3 (guitar), Massive (bass), Reaktor 5 modular instrument studio, Absynth 4 (synth), Battery 3 (drum), Akoustik Piano, Elektrik Piano, B4 II, FM8 (FM synth)
Pro-53 - the faithful reproduction of a synth legend. I never saw this deal till august but this was a crazy sale.
Lilliana Perris
04.08.2009
you looking for a soft synth.

What kind of music dude?

Try the Albino....Discovery.....Massive....predator.

Basically look out for Rob Papin's shit....

They are quality!

Benita Jankauskas
04.08.2009
automat and the crystal are both awesome and diverse freeware's for the mac, not sure about PC though, if your willing to spend some money, motu's MX4 is the greatest for me, that and FM8.
Verona Fashbaugh
04.08.2009
That whole "i" thing would make sense. Duh. Thanks.

I know... I never really wanted to have a massive collection of synths. Tbh, having a couple VSTi's and knowing in and out is probably a lot better than having a ton of VSTi's and being mildly familiar with them.

The only reason I'm really looking to add something new is because I've pretty much burned 3xOSC out (but don't get me wrong - for something so simple it's quite a powerful synth). And most of the other synths that come with FL I've been unimpressed with (except Sytrus, which I may never fully understand).

Do you know if there's a good website for explaining the difference between those synth types (substractive, additive, etc) in simple terms. A while ago I tried reading up on them, and everything I tried to read was way over my head. I'm a musician, not an engineer.
Xavier Emanuels
04.08.2009
VSTi = instrument
VST= effect

Just remember the "i" part stands for instrument, its ez

I am a pretty big fan of NI Massive - though honestly most of the synths are much of a muchness. Especially if you have some decent fx, a decent DAW host and some time to put your own fx chains together. You can make killer synths with just 3xOSC and some know how in FL studio, i personally would not get too caught up in learning to use a million different synths. Your better off having just a few synths and knowing them really well then you are to have a huge collection of synths that you know only a little about each one. To start with just grab one synth for every one of the major synth types:

Subtractive synthesis
Additive synthesis
Granular synthesis
Wavetable synthesis
Frequency Modulation synthesis

There are more but they should be explored after learning these major ones.
Anushka jayamaha
04.08.2009
I've really been digging Gladiator and Sylenth lately . But Massive is still my go to synth

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