synthesizers

Salix Babylonika · 2013-01-01 01:28:28

thread was requested and is now made

this is a place to talk about useful synthesizer VSTs.

Obā-san · 2013-01-01 02:03:18

synth-1 is the best subtractive plugin you can get for free

if you have FL, that, 3xOSC and Sytrus and you're all set

best payware i have used:

FM8: At FM synthesis, it is simply the best there is.

Massive is overused, don't bother with it

Sylenth is a fantastic virtual analog synth, not an emulation of a particular instrument but rather sort of a "generic" one. "Generic" is in quotes because generic would imply that it isn't like pure sex in vst format

I like Synplant for weird FX-y stuff sometimes, it sounds pretty interesting and is easy to use

Now, even more important than synths you gots your effects plugins, and you have to have good ones, which are hard to come by for free.

some standouts in the free department are:

Ohm Force's Ohmicide: A wicked nice Low Pass filter, like seriously you should own this

(?)'s Bionic Delay: My fave delay plugin, good for more straightforward stuff and more dubby what-have-you-not

Audio Damage's Rough Rider: A fantastic compressor, nice warm sound that with a bit of tweaking can be used for seriously ugly distortion

TAL's stuff: The folks at Togu Audio Line have a whole batch of solid-to-good effects plugins for all your needs, special shout-out to their bitcrusher, which has some A-grade presets and is just so much fun to work with.

iZotope Vinyl: the best way to get quick dirty lo-fi-ness when you need it

dBlue Glitch: a nice plugin, but MAKE SURE TO UTILIZE IT PROPERLY because some people just spam it onto a drum track and it;s instantly recognizable and boring

Destroy FX Buffer Override: Exactly what is sounds like. A very unique plugin, used by a fair number of glitch & IDM musicians, most notably Datach'i

Now there are a few things that don't seem to have really good free options, most notably dedicated distortion units and reverb.

best payware distortion that i have used:

Dada Life's Sausage Fattener: Like Rough Rider, but much better. An industry standard among electronic musicians of all stripes.

Ohm Force's Ohmicide: It is endorsed by both Skrillex & Russ Russell. I think that speaks for itself really.

Best Reverb i have used:

112dB Redline Reverb: made by a former NI employee, is based in the stuff he did for various Reaktor ensembles that are already fantastic in their own right

and that is like all i can think of >_>

thenamelesssamurai can probably mention additional stuff, he knows more about this than i do