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Hey guys, I've downloaded a bunch of free VST plugins from all the sites everyone seems to link around here, but I'm not happy with the amount of instruments I have. It seems to be quite lacking, so I've accepted that I'm probably going to have to shell out some money for some decent quality instruments. I have plenty of EQs and various effects and limiters and samplers for now. Although I may end up looking for more later. Also, for pure clarity, I'm using Reaper on a Mac and I currently have no MIDI controllers or launchpads etc, but I'm looking at getting an Akai Mini MPK to get me started off. I know that the MPK comes with some of this stuff, but it would be good to know whether those synths etc that are included with it are actually any good too.

So to be specific I compiled a little laundry list of things I'm looking for. I'm seeking preferably cheap(ish) or at least affordable ones with as much versatility as I can get. If there are some good packs of plugins that anyone could recommend that might my requirements, that would be great. So I'm after:

• Some low, earthy and subtle sub-bass.
• Some harder hitting trap style sub-bass.
• Versatile and customisable lead synths (hopefully there are some good packs floating around?) to get as many different sounds as possible.
• Generic but heavily customisable drum machine (I've looked into EZ-Drummer but it's pretty pricey and the impression I got from their website makes it seem to be geared towards general rock/pop production as opposed to dubstep and such, would this observation be correct?).
• Some metallic percussion sounds (I know NI released something like this recently but I lost it on the site somewhere and again, it's probably a little out of my price range).
• A realistic sounding piano.

I know this might be pretty demanding to ask for, but any help towards this would be really appreciated as I have no connections to any other bedroom producers and I have no idea what sources for these things are particularly reliable to go by recommendations on. Thanks.

NI Massive, Lennar Digital Sylenth1, Spire, Serum for Sub-Bass, Lead synths, Bass growls etc.

XLN Addictive Drums is probably better suited for all genres.

TruePianos for the piano.

The Albino was sick, probably still is. It can do a proper fat, warm sound with a good amount of flexibility. Moog stuff is generally good for anything. Massive is too clinical for my liking personally.

Have you tried Shortcircuit as sampler/drum editor? I'm using it myself for Reaper after someone recommended it here and it's f*cking brilliant if I do say so myself http://www.vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php

If you want metallic percussion sounds use a ring modulator set with to 100hz or something, it's how you get the Dalek voice as well. Good for bell sounds etc

If you want something free go for TAL noise maker, synth1,adonis or sq8l... they re surely the best for free

Honestly if you learn synthesis (and I include processing after the sound leaves the synthesizer VST here) you shouldn't really need a boat load of synths. One, maybe two at the most. How long have you spent with any of the freebies you downloaded that you've decided you must shell out some cash? Not that you shouldn't buy a synth. Go for it. I just think most of the time when people ask this its not their synth arsenal which is the problem.

That being said, my two favorites are Alchemy and Absynth. Between the two, you can do pretty much anything and they are both interesting samplers.

fragments wrote:Honestly if you learn synthesis (and I include processing after the sound leaves the synthesizer VST here) you shouldn't really need a boat load of synths. One, maybe two at the most. How long have you spent with any of the freebies you downloaded that you've decided you must shell out some cash? Not that you shouldn't buy a synth. Go for it. I just think most of the time when people ask this its not their synth arsenal which is the problem.

That being said, my two favorites are Alchemy and Absynth. Between the two, you can do pretty much anything and they are both interesting samplers.

Good point. I think you need maybe a few different ones to access different signal flow arrangements though, they have set patterns to minimise coding etc I think. I really wish there was a properly modular vst

test_recordings wrote:I really wish there was a properly modular vst

There are loads, what do you mean by proper? like a actual Buchla in your computer?

test_recordings wrote:

fragments wrote:Honestly if you learn synthesis (and I include processing after the sound leaves the synthesizer VST here) you shouldn't really need a boat load of synths. One, maybe two at the most. How long have you spent with any of the freebies you downloaded that you've decided you must shell out some cash? Not that you shouldn't buy a synth. Go for it. I just think most of the time when people ask this its not their synth arsenal which is the problem.

That being said, my two favorites are Alchemy and Absynth. Between the two, you can do pretty much anything and they are both interesting samplers.

Good point. I think you need maybe a few different ones to access different signal flow arrangements though, they have set patterns to minimise coding etc I think. I really wish there was a properly modular vst

Reaktor...Pure Data...Max4Live...pretty sure U He has a fairly powerful modular synthesizer...your DAW is essentially an infinitely modular environment...FL Studio has Patcher now which is pretty awesome...

FL Studio plus 3xOSC, plus some decent 3rd party FXs and a filter (or love philter) and Patcher is a modular software synth...from what I know of Live...same deal...

kontact libraries for instruments, NI just released new pianos that are supposedly great. battery for drums and take a look at serum for a synth

fragments wrote:

test_recordings wrote:

fragments wrote:Honestly if you learn synthesis (and I include processing after the sound leaves the synthesizer VST here) you shouldn't really need a boat load of synths. One, maybe two at the most. How long have you spent with any of the freebies you downloaded that you've decided you must shell out some cash? Not that you shouldn't buy a synth. Go for it. I just think most of the time when people ask this its not their synth arsenal which is the problem.

That being said, my two favorites are Alchemy and Absynth. Between the two, you can do pretty much anything and they are both interesting samplers.

Good point. I think you need maybe a few different ones to access different signal flow arrangements though, they have set patterns to minimise coding etc I think. I really wish there was a properly modular vst

Reaktor...Pure Data...Max4Live...pretty sure U He has a fairly powerful modular synthesizer...your DAW is essentially an infinitely modular environment...FL Studio has Patcher now which is pretty awesome...

FL Studio plus 3xOSC, plus some decent 3rd party FXs and a filter (or love philter) and Patcher is a modular software synth...from what I know of Live...same deal...

I stand corrected! I stopped looking even after just seeing Reaktor

test_recordings wrote:

fragments wrote:

test_recordings wrote:

fragments wrote:Honestly if you learn synthesis (and I include processing after the sound leaves the synthesizer VST here) you shouldn't really need a boat load of synths. One, maybe two at the most. How long have you spent with any of the freebies you downloaded that you've decided you must shell out some cash? Not that you shouldn't buy a synth. Go for it. I just think most of the time when people ask this its not their synth arsenal which is the problem.

That being said, my two favorites are Alchemy and Absynth. Between the two, you can do pretty much anything and they are both interesting samplers.

Good point. I think you need maybe a few different ones to access different signal flow arrangements though, they have set patterns to minimise coding etc I think. I really wish there was a properly modular vst

Reaktor...Pure Data...Max4Live...pretty sure U He has a fairly powerful modular synthesizer...your DAW is essentially an infinitely modular environment...FL Studio has Patcher now which is pretty awesome...

FL Studio plus 3xOSC, plus some decent 3rd party FXs and a filter (or love philter) and Patcher is a modular software synth...from what I know of Live...same deal...

I stand corrected! I stopped looking even after just seeing Reaktor

Sorry but, Reaktor is not a modular synth vst, nor is Pure Data, or Max4Live. There are loads of them though, just google image "modular synth vst", and get fapping.

Though there are ensembles that are modular synths for Reaktor, most notable RUHR, by Herwig Krass http://www.native-instruments.com/en/co ... show/7329/

Screem shot;


Though probably of more interest to Reaktor programmer, or users still wanting more from this system is Modular X, by Herwig Krass http://www.native-instruments.com/en/co ... show/7153/

Which allows you to select which modules are in your system, and also create new modules.

Now Reaktor is a fully customizable modular synth

Tyrell n6 is maybe the don of free synths?

Zebralette?

Notice a pattern?