# VST instruments suggestion



## DanDLS (Feb 25, 2020)

Good morning,
I'm back in music after long time I've stopped to play, and now I would like to prepare my computer to use it for making music.
At the moment I'm using a Windows 10 Pro computer with a Motu M2 audio card and a Novation Impulse 61 keyboard, as soon as possible I would like to sell the actual keyboard and buy an Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII and later a ROLI Seaboard Rise 49.
For the software compartment I'm using Cockos Reaper with the following VST instruments:

AIR Music - Hybrid 3, Xpand! 2
Camel Audio Alchemy
HG Fortune - Avatar ST Pro, Serenity Pro, Ultra Swamp Pro
iZotope Iris 2
reFX Vanguard
Rob Papen - Blue II, Predator 2
Steinberg Padshop 2
Synapse Audio Dune 3
Tone 2 - Electra 2, Icarus 2
u-he ACE
Virtual CZ
if possible I would like to add to them some other virtual instruments like:

Arturia Pigments 2
KV331 Synthmaster 2
Native Instruments Komplete 12
Native Instruments Razor
u-he Diva
I have demoed Serum, Avengers and Spire but even if they all are very fine... there is something I don't like in them, I like more the one I have or I would like to buy. Other fine pieces of VST are Hive 2, Zebra 2, Repro and Bazille (do I like u-he too much?).

Am I OK with these ones or do you think there is something else to add to my wish list?
As you know the desire do expand the VST collection is always hungry! 😀

Ciao!
Daniele


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## khollister (Feb 25, 2020)

Without some context on the genre & style of music you want to create, it is very difficult to recommend anything. A few general observations:

* NI Komplete (or Complete Ultimate) when available on one of NI's sale events is usually good value for money. Composers who are not 100% synth based end up with the full version of Kontakt at some point and Complete adds several useful synths, effects and sample libraries. 

* Buy VI's based on sound, 3rd party support, update history and flexibility. Don't buy something just because it's cheap.

* As far as synths, Omnisphere, Zebra & Diva are standards for a lot of folks. While I own and use a lot of other synths (including Kontakt-based instruments that are not acoustic instrument sample libraries), if I lost everything and was forced to start over those 3 would be the first things I would purchase as far as synths go. There are huge numbers of 3rd party sound sets available too.

For orchestral libraries, it is far more complicated and potentially expensive.


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## MartinH. (Feb 25, 2020)

DanDLS said:


> Am I OK like this or do you think there is something else to add to my wish list?



You most certainly are not OK, you need to have a minimum required number of VST plugins to be allowed to make music... 

Seriously though, I don't understand the question. Wouldn't it be better to just pick one and try to really understand and master it? Turn it into a tool that you can wield with confidence and purpose instead of "just another preset collection that you didn't even demo every sound of, because there are so many"? I understand that they aren't all the same and don't sound the same, but there has to be some redundance with so many synths and I doubt you've already spent the time with each of them you'd need to spend to get the maximum out of them. 



DanDLS said:


> Native Instruments Komplete 12
> Native Instruments Razor



I'm pretty sure Razor is part of Komplete.


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## DanDLS (Feb 25, 2020)

khollister said:


> Without some context on the genre & style of music you want to create, it is very difficult to recommend anything. A few general observations:


My inspiration is Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Kitaro, Arkenstone...



> * NI Komplete (or Complete Ultimate) when available on one of NI's sale events is usually good value for money. Composers who are not 100% synth based end up with the full version of Kontakt at some point and Complete adds several useful synths, effects and sample libraries.


This is a very good one and it's in my wish list (Complete "standard", not the Ultimate). Probably it is a bundle that permit to do almost everything.



> * Buy VI's based on sound, 3rd party support, update history and flexibility. Don't buy something just because it's cheap.


You're absolutely right, some of the VST I bought is because of the price, for instance Iris 2 that I paid € 8.5... even if I will never use it, it have a big library of waves to play with.
Other cheap synths can be funny to be used layered with other one.



> * As far as synths, Omnisphere, Zebra & Diva are standards for a lot of folks. While I own and use a lot of other synths (including Kontakt-based instruments that are not acoustic instrument sample libraries), if I lost everything and was forced to start over those 3 would be the first things I would purchase as far as synths go. There are huge numbers of 3rd party sound sets available too.
> 
> For orchestral libraries, it is far more complicated and potentially expensive.


I never considered to buy Omnisphere or orchestral libraries. I will think about it.

Thanks!


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## DanDLS (Feb 25, 2020)

MartinH. said:


> You most certainly are not OK, you need to have a minimum required number of VST plugins to be allowed to make music...


What is the minimum number I have to reach? 🙂



> Seriously though, I don't understand the question. Wouldn't it be better to just pick one and try to really understand and master it? Turn it into a tool that you can wield with confidence and purpose instead of "just another preset collection that you didn't even demo every sound of, because there are so many"? I understand that they aren't all the same and don't sound the same, but there has to be some redundance with so many synths and I doubt you've already spent the time with each of them you'd need to spend to get the maximum out of them.


That is a big truth! But I can't resist to increase my collection of VST.



> I'm pretty sure Razor is part of Komplete.


Razor is included in Komplete Ultimate, I'm planning to buy the "standard" version.


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## HeliaVox (Feb 25, 2020)

I don’t have Omnisphere. Don’t cave into the pressure to buy it. 
That being said, Pigments 2 is pretty darned nifty.


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## Reid Rosefelt (Feb 25, 2020)

DanDLS said:


> My inspiration is Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Kitaro, Arkenstone...


Arturia's V collection includes models of some of the original synths used by Tangerine Dream and Vangelis. There are *expansions* available like "Tangerine Tribute" and "Vangelis Tribute." 

You might want to check out Nori Ubukata's *expansions for Synthmaster*, particularly "Dawn of Electronic Music" Vol. 3. Synthmaster expansions (as well as Synthmaster itself) are deeply discounted from time to time, so you will save money if you wait.


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## Sean J (Feb 25, 2020)

With an orchestra and cherry-picking percussion I like, the only other tool I feel I ever need is Zebra. I can make anything with it. If Urs Heckmann said Zebra could make me a Cheesecake, I'd believe him.


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## Snoobydoobydoo (Feb 25, 2020)

DanDLS said:


> I have demoed Serum, Avengers and Spire but even if they all are very fine... there is something I don't like in them,


I know what you mean. Its that Serum sounds pretty thin and very digital and needs more work away its distinctive digitalness and add lows. Same for the other synths. I really liked pigments when testing it in and out, but it was just not cutting it, it was bland, no matter how pretty it looked (and the look will fade after using it a lot).

I almost solely use U-HE's now, just because i always get what i want out of a Synth, and that really
is Zebra(2) mainly. If i want to get a faster result or want to get into wavetables, Hive 2 is really fine to use
and sounds like it should without noticing a certain colorization in sound.
Diva can sound great, but its not a "to go synth". But perfect for whats its made for.

My suggestion is, get Zebra and learn it completely (pretty easy if you care), and will reward you the most.
And if you want a certain emulation, ie. a Minimoog, theres the Legend for example.


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## Snoobydoobydoo (Feb 25, 2020)

DanDLS said:


> You're absolutely right, some of the VST I bought is because of the price, for instance Iris 2 that I paid € 8.5... even if I will never use it, it have a big library of waves* to play with*.


But, are you still playing around with something or want to create something certain?


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## Snoobydoobydoo (Feb 25, 2020)

scoredfilms said:


> If Urs Heckmann said Zebra could make me a Cheesecake, I'd believe him.


I think that could already be achieved with deep modulation of the formant filter and certain
frequencies will trick your brain into thinking you eat a cheesecake, i tried it but i cant get
it right because i cant bake at all.


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## DanDLS (Feb 25, 2020)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> But, are you still playing around with something or want to create something certain?


Until now I'm creating... a collection of synth! 🙂
It's long time I don't play, so I'm still doing exercises.

From the demo I can say that Zebra is very inspiring for me, I was lost in it when I tried it... Hive it's very fine too and Diva too, but I can't buy everything... maybe little by little I will.

Arturia's V collection... I never take it in consideration, but the expansions examples sounds terribly fine and I like them more than the SynthMaster ones.
With the KeyLab 88 MKII there is Analog Lab, Piano V, Wurli V and Vox Continental V that I don't know.


Thanks to everybody for your replies, I really appreciate.


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## Sean J (Feb 25, 2020)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> I think that could already be achieved with deep modulation of the formant filter and certain
> frequencies will trick your brain into thinking you eat a cheesecake, i tried it but i cant get
> it right because i cant bake at all.



My method uses noise to replicate the ingredients, shapers to combine them, MSEG+arp+LFO's to create the friction for heat, comb filters to solidify the process, and technically I cheat by using u-he's Satin to give it the right color.

I guess I could be accused of trolling at this point, so I'll stop. But once and a while, we need musical cheesecake to lighten out the day. Who doesn't?


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## Sean J (Feb 25, 2020)

I thought I'd contribute something productive to this thread (I feel I owe it at this point), so...

Audioollie - Scoring Synths
Bassynth

I'd check those out!

-Sean


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## Snoobydoobydoo (Feb 25, 2020)

DanDLS said:


> Until now I'm creating... a collection of synth! 🙂
> It's long time I don't play, so I'm still doing exercises.


As said before, dont buy too many, just focus on one or two and learn them completely.
Only buy more if you look for a certain sound or features you really need.




DanDLS said:


> From the demo I can say that Zebra is very inspiring for me, I was lost in it when I tried it... Hive it's very fine too and Diva too, but I can't buy everything... maybe little by little I will.


Zebra needs a bit time to understand, i remember when i saw it first, it seemed so strange and unfamiliar. But when u know how it works, you kind of develop a workflow that you will miss on any oher synths :D The manual btw. is very well written.


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## DanDLS (Feb 26, 2020)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> As said before, dont buy too many, just focus on one or two and learn them completely.


I will try to do it.

I wrote "I was lost in it when I tried it" I meant that I was hypnotized by it, I was not able to stop playing with it, I meant something very positive...

Sorry for my bad English.


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## DanDLS (Feb 26, 2020)

About orchestral, I found something: "Vienna Smart Orchestra Starter Edition".
The price is not too high and I think it can cover something I don't have in my selection of instruments.

In the freeware I found "Vienna Big Bang Orchestra" and "The Total Composure Orchestra".


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## Sean J (Feb 27, 2020)

Snoobydoobydoo said:


> Zebra needs a bit time to understand, i remember when i saw it first, it seemed so strange and unfamiliar... The manual btw. is very well written.



Agreed.

1. Read the manual
2. Discover things on accident

The way I really learned Zebra was forcing myself to create 5 real instruments. I tried to create an xylo and ended up accidentally creating a very convincing steel drum. Then I created a steel drum (on purpose) via a completely different approach. It's great for carving out a typical sound, but I find that the more you understand the subtle edits you can do with it, the more it just becomes my every-day, always useful tool.


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## vitocorleone123 (Mar 6, 2020)

You have Dune 3, so you don't "need" Hive 2 (I chose the other way around). Or Synthmaster. Honestly, dive deep on the synths you have, rather than buy new ones....

hahahahaha! As if I can even do that myself 

Given what you already have, I wouldn't recommend Native Instruments Komplete. Diva is fantastic at retro synths, though I find I use Repro more often. But I seem to like Sequential Circuits synths. Synapse Audio The Legend is amazing if you want a Moog Model D sound.

One caveat with sample libraries is that you can't resell the vast majority of them. Nor can you demo hardly any of them. Be VERY sure you know what you want/need. Omnisphere is almost a way of life, and a deep investment, as you'll want, or even need, to buy 3rd party presets to start making the most of it.

Keep an eye out, and perhaps save your money for, Synapse Audio's upcoming OB-Xa synth (since you said Vangelis). If Diva is too $$, then consider buying TAL-U-NO-LX and having a great Juno emulation.

Random suggestion: check out XILS Mini SynX as well (or the full one, but that's much more expensive).


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## DanDLS (Mar 7, 2020)

Thanks for the suggestions.



vitocorleone123 said:


> You have Dune 3, so you don't "need" Hive 2 (I chose the other way around). Or Synthmaster. Honestly, dive deep on the synths you have, rather than buy new ones....


Some days ago I already decided to remove Synthmaster from my wish list, because I think that the work can be done by the other VSTs I already have. In effect, going deep in each of them, the need of other ones it's for sure a waist of money... but it's too difficult to resist!



> hahahahaha! As if I can even do that myself


Sometimes we NEED to buy something new, even if unneeded.



> Given what you already have, I wouldn't recommend Native Instruments Komplete. Diva is fantastic at retro synths, though I find I use Repro more often. But I seem to like Sequential Circuits synths. Synapse Audio The Legend is amazing if you want a Moog Model D sound.


Instead of The Legend, I prefer to consider Repro and/or Bazille.
I don't want to buy an hardware synth, the only hardware will be the Arturia Keylab 88 MKII.



> One caveat with sample libraries is that you can't resell the vast majority of them. Nor can you demo hardly any of them. Be VERY sure you know what you want/need. Omnisphere is almost a way of life, and a deep investment, as you'll want, or even need, to buy 3rd party presets to start making the most of it.


Omnisphere is terrible impressive but I prefer to spend something more to buy Komplete, there are a lot of interesting VST and FX I really like in it.



> Keep an eye out, and perhaps save your money for, Synapse Audio's upcoming OB-Xa synth (since you said Vangelis). If Diva is too $$, then consider buying TAL-U-NO-LX and having a great Juno emulation.


I'll wait to see the new Synapse product.
Diva is Diva...



> Random suggestion: check out XILS Mini SynX as well (or the full one, but that's much more expensive).


It's fine but it will not enter the wish list.

- - - - -

With the Arturia Keylab there is Analog Lab 4 that looks interesting and it's possible to add "Vangelis Tribute", "JMJ Tribute" and the "Tangerine Tribute" sound banks.


Finally, I found the orchestra VST I like: UVI Orchestral Suite.


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