Popular Virtual Instruments/Plugins
Virtual Instruments are software programs designed to produce audio from a variety of means, most often MIDI note and CC messages. Some are designed to resemble real world gear, while others are original designs (and some are outright wacky stuff).
Contents
Virtual Instrument Formats
Some of the Virtual Instrument formats are:
- Avid (ProTools) Real Time AudioSuite
- Steinberg VSTi
- Microsoft DirectX Instrument
Depending on your DAW softare, each format may or may not be supported.
Synthesizers
Synthesizers are devices or software capable of generating audio signals from human or MIDI input. Some synthesizer software gives you huge control over the sound generation mechanics, while others are designed to faithfully replicate the sound of classic analog synthesizers.
Mixing Multiple Synths
ADSR (Envelope Filters)
Samplers
Samplers use clips of audio called samples, assign them to a particular note and velocity range, and allow them to be triggered by MIDI. Many have advanced features to interpolate samples, pitch shift them, or even provide a unique user interface to trigger them. Numerous general-purpose sampler plugins exist that you can load sample libraries into, along with MIDI mappings to assign them to notes and velocities. Some allow you to create samples or edit them directly in a graphical editor, splitting, reversing, clipping, bit-crushing, compressing, or pitch-shifting them. Other sampler software is designed to replicate real-world instruments, such as drums, bass, piano, organs, orchestras, and choirs. The software adjust the samples used and effects applied to them based upon how they are programmed/triggered, or the software provides a specialized user interface to more quickly arrange how the samples are arranged and how any effects are applied to them.
Step Sequencers, Arpeggiators
Effects
Compression/Limiting
Parallel Compression
Reverb
Examples of Virtual Instruments
Synths
- Arturia V Collection
- IK Multimedia Sonik Synth
- Native Instruments Komplete
- Native Instruments Massive
- Rob Papen Blue
- Rob Papen Predator
- Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Samplers
- IK Multimedia SampleTank
- Native Instruments Battery
- Native Instruments Komplete
- Spectrasonics Omnisphere
- Steinberg Halion
Bass Guitar
- Native Instruments Scarbee (Various bass plugins available)
- Spectrasonics Trillian
Choir
- Spectrasonics Omnisphere
Drums
- FXpansion BFD
- Native Instruments Studio Drummer
- Steven Slate Drums Steven Slate Drums
- Toontrack EZDrummer
- Toontrack Superior Drummer
- Wave Machine Labs Drumagog
Orchestra
- DSK Overture
- Garritan Personal Orchestra
- IK Multimedia Miroslav Philharmonik
- Spectrasonics Omnisphere
- Steinberg Halion Symphonic Orchestra
Piano
- 4Front TruePiano
- IK Multimedia SampleTank
- Imperfect Samples (various sample packs)
- Native Instruments Akoustic Piano
- Native Instruments Scarbee (Various piano plugins available)
- Steingberg The Grand
- Synthogy Ivory
- Toontrack EZKeys Grand Piano
- XLN Audio Addictive Keys
Glitch Effects
- Native Instruments The Finger
- Izotope Stutter Edit