What are your 5 most used VST (Not PreSonus)?

[Jeff]

Over on the VI there is so much angst about individual VSTs. I am curious as what SO users select as their "Goto" instrument vst's. Here's mine:

1. Opus
2. TOC 3.3
3. Fantasy Orch
4. Arturia Lab 5
5. EW Pianos

I've given up on adding anything new because of the complexity and scale of major tools. Learning how actually to compose using the orchestrators in Opus and TOC was a major effort. For me, looking for every "perfect" vst instrument just didn't seem like a good use of my time. I am just an amateur but the time/effort cost of always seeking perfect seems to be a roadblock to being productive. What do you use on a daily basis and would be "sad" if it no longer was available?

 

[ianaeillo]

Not instruments obviously, but plugins in general.

1. Metric Halo / Make Believe Sontec MES-432D9d - Does something no other Sontec EQ plugin does. I have no idea what it is that’s different, but it is a flawless plugin. It lives on my master bus after mixes hit 75% or so
2. Brainworx Townhouse - fantastic bus compressor. Don’t know if it sounds like the real thing but it’s really good
3. Klanghelm MJUC - The pinnacle of Vari-Mu comps. Nothing that has come out in the years since it’s been released has even gotten close to it
4. Metric Halo / Make Believe MBSI - Best channel strip compressor+eq combo I’ve ever used.
5. Softube Tape - I used a Studer A827 for ten years and this is the first plugin I’ve tried that has ever gotten it right. I love that it is MixFX compatible and while I originally purchased it for that reason, I immediately fell in love with it. It’s brilliant.

 

[dominicperry]

Instrument VSTs in no particular order.
1. IK Hammond B-3X. No fan of IK generally, but this is my favourite B3.
2. Pianoteq - specifically the Bösendorfer and Yamaha (YC5) combined, does a good impression of my Nord Stage layering the same two instruments. Also works on my phone for a super-portable rig (with external keyboard and audio interface).
3. Spectrasonics Keyscape - C7 with tweaks is awesome and LA Rhodes is beautiful. I also like the Wing Upright. I have Omnisphere too and can't find anything I want to use....
4. Arturia Pigments. Make stuff up from scratch. Very cool.
5. Organteq. I don't use it in my music but I like feeding it midi files.

 

[Davey]

Omnisphere
Pigments
Scaler 2 (and now Scaler 3)
Voltage Modular (Cherry Audio)
Kontakt

 

[Craig Anderton]

Native Instruments Kontakt
Cherry Audio P-10
Cherry Audio Miniverse
Korg Collection
AAS Chromophone

 

[Lukas]

Instruments / libraries:

- Omnisphere
- U-he Zebra
- Keyscape
- Cherry Audio Blue3
- Strezov Sampling Macabre Solo Strings

Effects:
- Izotope RX11
- Valhalla Vintage Verb + Shimmer
- Soundtoys Bundle

 

[sintil8]

Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Arturia Pigments
Korg Modwave native.
NI Kontakt

FX
Lots of Arabica Coffee
Softube Console One (Desk emulations)

 

[madFloyd]

Lots of synth folks here!

 

[lokeyfly]

Instruments / libraries:

- Synapse Dune 3.5
- Arturia Pigments.(and V Collection)
- Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate
- Devicemeister Stepic (sequencer)
- Omnisphere

Effects:
- BX Console Amek 9099 & Focusrite Console
- Waves Schepps Omni Channel
- Valhalla Vintage Verb & Supermassive
- Klanghelm MJUC

Mastering
- Izotope Ozone
- Plug Alliance Shadow Hills Compressor Limiter.
-Plug Aliance Amek Mastering Compressor

Other
Some Studio One Instruments and Columbian coffee ️ as well.... ; )

 

[ianaeillo]

Effects:
- BX Console Amek 9099 & Focusrite Console

great picks. The Amex is perfect on overheads and I love the focusrite for acoustics and toms.

 

[lokeyfly]

I think what may also help you Jeff [OP] is what instrument(s) and genre you're looking to explore. For example, to my ears if it is piano, for mostly a pop genre, Keyscape is just incredible with its LA Piano. I dont think I've heard an equal. Of course someone using a piano for classical may swear by Vienna Imperial or symphonic library. Having us note what we use may help, but its a pretty vast arsenal. ; ) That, and pretty vast interests.

These VSTi instruments people here noted are very good and will undoubtedly help.

 

[Jeff]

I think what may also help you Jeff [OP] is what instrument(s) and genre you're looking to explore. For example, to my ears if it is piano, for mostly a pop genre, Keyscape is just incredible with its LA Piano. I dont think I've heard an equal. Of course someone using a piano for classical may swear by Vienna Imperial or symphonic library. Having us note what we use may help, but its a pretty vast arsenal. ; ) That, and pretty vast interests.

These VSTi instruments people here noted are very good and will undoubtedly help.

Just curious about where the musical interests of the group are. I do mainly scores, others may do pop, rock, Jaz, or whatever. Are most of the composers/orchestrators using Dorico and then transferring into a DAW? Are most people capturing "real" music and only mixing/mastering with SO? I have a feeling most of the score/orchestrator types if they hang out, hang out at VI. And SO seems to have a lot of players (instruments that is. With the Studio One tools for mixing and mastering and my selection of VSTs, I don't want or need anything else but I think for me it is nice to see how others are producing their music.

 

[BobF]

EZ Drummer, Addictive Drums, Kontakt, Guitar Rig, Amplitube ...

 

[John Vere]

Ample P Bass
Addictive drums
AirDB 33
Lounge Lizzard
Air Xpand2

 

[madFloyd]

Superior Drummer 3
Pianoteq 8
Ample Taylor
Arturia Lab V
Synthesizer V Studio

 

[Vocalpoint]

Instruments

Native Instruments Kontakt (via Komplete Kontrol)
Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Spectrasonics Keyscape
Arturia Pigments (v6)
u-HE Diva/Zebra

FX

Hornet Plugins - VU Meter MK4
Waves Scheps Omni Channel v2
Fabfilter Pro Q-4
Nugen Audio - ISL2
UAD Pultec/1176 combos

VP

 

[Ari]

How about Mac users? They may use AU.


As a mainly synth music creator and sound designer, I naturally need more synths than Studio One provides, that's for sure.
But again, not that many more. Here are my favs:

- OB-Xd
- Serum
- Model 84
- TAL U-NO-LX
- The Legend HZ

And of course Kontakt for sampling stuff.

 

[bilox]

- Pro-Q4 (sometimes Pro-Q3)
both versions are installed.
- Focusrite Fast limiter
- Pro-L2
- NI Kontakt
- H-Delay

 

[ianaeillo]

How about Mac users? They use AU - no VST.


As a mainly synth music creator and sound designer, I naturally need more synths than Studio One provides, that's for sure.
But again, not that many more. Here are my favs:

I use VST and I'm on a Mac? I explicitly filter out AU. Should I be using AU?

 

[lokeyfly]

Just curious about where the musical interests of the group are. I do mainly scores, others may do pop, rock, Jaz, or whatever. Are most of the composers/orchestrators using Dorico and then transferring into a DAW? Are most people capturing "real" music and only mixing/mastering with SO? I have a feeling most of the score/orchestrator types if they hang out, hang out at VI. And SO seems to have a lot of players (instruments that is. With the Studio One tools for mixing and mastering and my selection of VSTs, I don't want or need anything else but I think for me it is nice to see how others are producing their music.

For some that might be Notator, Dorico or other music notation programs. That being one option.
Its all a very personal choice.

I'd venture to say many composers irregardless of their fornal or nonformal background would trigger sounds first from their preferred instruments, developing notation after. Some, myself included play various instruments along while tracking. Be it hardware synths, guitars, drums, bicycle spokes, what-have-you. ; )

It wouldn't be the first time I said its all clay. So I do think asking about "VST's" kind of offsets what answers you might be hoping for.

"What instruments......and your preferred genre(s)..... " would have eeked out some more related responses, me thinks.

As Ari mentioned AU is a common Mac instrumemt/plugin standard and we have a lot of Mac folks here!

Just mentioning this stuff, so in the future it may help. Yeah, its pretty cool to hear what others are doing, have accomplished, as we often only get to hear how they assist others. Its a mixed crowd (wonderfully), and that makes this forum an excellent resource for each of us in one way or another.
Cheers, Jeff!

As for me, I adore Jazz, and really most every genre except hip-hop. I'm also big synth fan from way back so DAW's allowed me to incorporate so much of what I love to do! Make and play music, and get involved in all production aspects. Lately, I'm exploring ambient, but mixing it up with a 70's progressive element. That and cinematic themes.
Everyone here has a cool story.