Recommended VSTs for beginners

[VoiceEx]

This topic came up while I was talking about music production with Michan. She recommended I share with you some of what I know about the subject. So then I looked around here and I have noticed that there are many threads here about individual VST`(and about VST`s in general). Which is fantastic. However, I have not seen a thread which rounds up multiple purpose VSTs, which can address a wide range of musical concepts on their own right. Not that i`m an expert on this subject, mind you. Far from it. But I thought that it might be nice if there was a thread which rounded up VST`s which in my opinion can help musicians become more acquainted into this subject. Granted, the ones I will post are not on the high range of the spectrum (I could address that on a separate thread, if enough people were interested). However, I have had some experience with the ones I am posting, and they helped me to get started. I hope that my suggestions can, at the very least, give aspiring musicians a lead into this these sides of the technology involved in production. I will try to keep this short and straight to the point. As a side note: It goes without saying, that these are just my opinions, they are not copy pasted replies from other sources - You are more then welcome to share an equivalent of this, of your own!

 

1) Native Instruments Kontakt - possibly the best sample library loader I have ever seen. It might even be the best in the world, and it is used by many Hollywood composers. If I were to describe this one in a nutshell, this VST loads up sound libraries and allows you to control them. It is a composers bread and butter. Granted it has a few downsides in terms of actual sound synthesis, as it does not fair well with working with none-Kontakt libraries (aka, Wave files without an additional software that controls them). But that shouldn't be a problem since you will most likely be using normal sound libraries and presets, anyway.

 

2) reFX Nexus 2 - this is a good VSTi for a wide array of electronic music, as well as having some very good soundscapes and effects. It is very easy to use when it comes to sequencing arpeggios, and its sound engine has a unique feel to it. And in addition to the presets and built in samples it comes with, it also has a few expansions which widen the array of what can be done with it.

 

3) Absynth 5 - this VSTi has a focus on functioning more like an actual synthesizer, and such are the sounds that come with it. This instrument also allows you to preform basic sound synthesis. I can sit here and talk about this one for hours, but all i`ll say is that if your looking to create Synthwave or something which has abit of a dark / gritty sort of feel to it, then this VSTi is the one you want.

 

4) 8Dio Aura Guitars + 8Dio Steel strings + 8Dio Post Ppocalyptic Guitars + 8Dio Progressive Metal Guitar (Kontakt libraries) - those are several different instruments which, as their name imply, simulate different types of guitars (and sequencers). I am not going to tell you that these can truly serve a replacement for real guitars. Nothing can replace the real thing. However, if you combine all of them properly you can get pretty close, and if you reach fully mastery of them, they will sound very, very good. The trick is to combine them and take what you need from each type. Using these sampler libraries will allow you to compose for an actual band, and make raw sketches.

 

5) Spectrasonics Trilian - I would never recommend using a virtual Bass in a finished song. But if you had too.. this would be it. This has to be the best virtual Bass I ever heard. If I didn't have a bass guitar of my own, this is what I would be using. Its also great for electronic music, and all music alike. Possibly one of the few VSTi that are actually worth their price tag.

 

6) Percussion Instruments - Superior drummer + Studio Drummer. As the names imply, these are virtual drum kits. Both of those can produce very good results, once mastered. In terms of which is better, it all comes down to their expansions. In my personal opinion, Superior drummer sounds better. I know that some people like EZ Drummer and stuff like that, which is a good choice as well. But I personally don`t like it. EZD sounds abit too bland.

 

7) Edirol Orchestral - many classical music composers would tell you that this is a toy when it comes to classical music. And they would be in the right for saying so. This is NOT a high end VST. This is outdated garbage. But the reason I am mentioning this here, is because when it comes to learning the basics of classical music composition, in terms of pure practice and making raw sheets, in my personal opinion this VST offers a very good introduction into what its like to work with classically oriented instruments, as well as getting used to working with multiple layers. Yes its a toy. But its a good one. Infact, if you get good at editing you can even make it sound presentable.

 

One small note: when it comes to VST / VSTi`s, the sky is the limit. However, I recommend as a rule of thumb to always aim to compose parts which can be playable by an actual human being (or group). Making a song with, lets say, 50+ layers is possible and it can be good for intros or possibly Soundtrack etcetc. But if your aim is to make sketches for a song that can be be played by an actual band (or person), its important to keep matters realistic in whats going on in there. 

[john]

Nice idea @VoiceEx 

[Michan]

It's very interesting and super useful information VoiceEx!

I'm so glad we came to the topic and the idea of sharing this here. I'm sure you'll help a lot of people with this ^^

[Peggy]

Thanks VoiceEx!  

[subvibe]

Hi

i really like Kontakt in combo with cubase 

there are also quite a few quality free libraries

 

subvibe 

[john]

I got the full version of Kontakt 6, thinking of authoring my own instrument, but haven’t had a chance yet. It’s an awesome bit of kit. Kontakt Player is almost essential these days. So many great instruments use it.

 

For example, anything by Output is pretty awesome.

 

Although I have a good few VSTi, lately my time has been more focused on FX, processors, amp sims etc. I will dig out a list

[Michan]

Nice and detailed post @Steve Mueske! I'm glad you mention the cons, in terms of complication of the management.

 

So, which ones would you recommend for beginners?

[starise]

If you have Cubase, then you get a stripped down version of Halion. I think Steve has some excellent ideas for anyone on a budget. And these aren't just inexpensive, they sound good.

 

I am a huge fan of Kontakt, mainly because they are probably the most developed sample player out there and they have the largest following bar none of 3rd party library producers. Once you get  Kontakt in your pocket, you're on the way to a whole new world of libraries. Native instruments integral libraries are always great.  The price of entry is a bit steep for a beginner, but I think it's well worth the $ for anyone who is seriously getting into electronic music. This is only an opinion. Yes you can find alternatives. I like the way everything integrates into Kontakt allowing you to pull up sounds fast either though their payed system where 3rd party shows up as a graphic on the left hand right along with NI's libraries OR the less traveled road of simply finding a library in the file system. It really isn't that difficult either way.

 

We all probably approach music making in different ways. I'll just say that for me, too many choices always limit my creativity rather than help it. If I have like 5000 organ patches I'm going to spend all day going through patches instead of making music. This is why I haven't seriously considered Omisphere yet. If you're a more disciplined individual maybe you can go through three patches and say "That's the one!" I can't usually do that. I burn through a lot of time hunting stuff. In order to maintain a creative flow I tend to limit myself to only a few of my favorite sounds. Maybe later on I might replace a sound with something else.

 

I'm going to say something else that will likely not be totally accepted. The sounds that lay deep in the mix, the ones that add a hint of strings or angels or something else soft. Those soft angelic, choir patches and similar. I don't waste much time on those because buried in the mix the listener isn't as tuned to them. I get something I like that fits in the mix. I sort of have a mental aural image of it. I find the closest thing. Maybe tweak it later on. But for the base mix I don't let it waste a lot of my time.

 

I would mainly ask myself what it is you hope to accomplish. If you lean mainly on a computer for everything , then you need those cutting grating sounds for leads, you need decent bass that isn't muddy in the mix. Imagine the feel you're going for. Many times you can get that with a minimal setup.

[Gazebo]

There are lots of good free VST's and VSTi's out there that can help you to decide what you like working with and what you might want to follow and invest some hard cash into.

 

My suggestions would be to look on the KVR website which has a database of products and download links.

 

I'm in the UK and we have a magazine called Computer Music, which gives you access to a whole bunch of free effects and instrument downloads.  A lot of them are slightly limited versions of paid software, but again can help in deciding what you like the sound of and what you want to work with.

 

I will chip in with a few that I use:

• Lepou Poulin Guitar Amp VST's - a suite of guitar amps that can cover jazz to speed metal
• Ace Guitar Amp by Shattered Glass Audio - Tweed style amp sim
• Ignite Amps do some great amp and effect VST's
• DSK do some good keyboard/ strings/ brass instruments.  I'm told they are not state of the art, but as someone who doesn't work with real instruments they sound ok to me.

I'm interested to hear what others are using.