Must-have plug-ins?

[terminal3]

Love 'em or hate 'em, there's a pretty massive selection of software plug-ins available right now which do everything from emulate the classics (Waves SSL, for example) to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in music production (Celemony/Melodyne DNA, for example).

For those that use DAWs to create your music, what are your top 5 or 10 must-have plug-ins? Even if you prefer outboard, there must be a few that you use on a regular basis!

For now, let's leave DSP-powered plug-ins out of the equation (I love my SSL Duende, though) - and stick with pure software.

Here's a quick non-exhaustive list of mine, in no real particular order - these tend to get used on almost every session somewhere.

Waves Studio Classics Collection bundle
Wave Arts Masterverb
Sonnox Inflator
IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX
Audio Ease Speakerphone (mostly for post, which I do a fair amount of, mind you, as opposed to music, but it can be useful on guitars as well!)

[waxxy]

for me it has too be without a doubt--
korg legacy collection
stelsi
proteus x
rebirth
superwave pb

in fact two of those (stelsi/superwave pb) are in my previous posting about free vsts ..if youve not got these get them there excellent --

http://forums.dv247.com/music-softwa...-get-them.html

[Ian B]

There's only one that gets constant use here, and that's the incomparable Jamstix rayzoon technologies The best drum plugin there is imo, throw in the low cost and the best support I've ever seen and it's a steal.
Ok, even if you don't like the bundled kits (tho' I can't imagine why, especially the Bonzo add-on pack) it will host other drum vsti's/sample sets and that makes it a killer plugin for me.

[JAYDMF]

Waves bundle
Reaktor
Battery
Wavestation
Z3ta

If you like electronic music then these are a great starting place and my personal favourite plugins.

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by JAYDMF

Waves bundle

Any particular bundle?

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by terminal3

Any particular bundle?

Mercury if you can get your hands on it comps, gates, all the clean up tools such as the x-click and x-hum are amazing. The enigma is possibly the most awesome plugin for really making your pads sing and couple that with the trans wide and man you have some enveloping sound

[donnaqueebo]

i would say:

Sculpture (which comes with Logic)
Battery
Reaktor
PSP vintage warmer
Sonalksis Bundle (Eq Comp and gate)

[tyronehowe]

Well if you need synth sounds...

I really like Rob Papen's Blue - it comes with some fantatsic sounds, is relatively cheap and no dongle.

[JAYDMF]

Originally Posted by tyronehowe

Well if you need synth sounds...

I really like Rob Papen's Blue - it comes with some fantatsic sounds, is relatively cheap and no dongle.

Yeah thats an awesome plugin i like albino to, sounds filthy but i havent used it since V1

[Dreamfullofzen]

nomad factory blue tubes
the old t.c native bundle
lexicon pantheon and psp42
spinaudio roomverb (discontinued)

those cover my eq,verb and comp needs. the waves stuff is nice.. but pricey and abit too transparent for my tastes...

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by Dreamfullofzen

nomad factory blue tubes

can I ask what sort of stuff you use this on and how you use it?

just interested because I've read such mixed things about it - some seem to love it, some seem to absolutely hate it...

[Dreamfullofzen]

Originally Posted by terminal3

can I ask what sort of stuff you use this on and how you use it?

just interested because I've read such mixed things about it - some seem to love it, some seem to absolutely hate it...

Sure thing!

Ultimately for electronic music (dance, pop, techno), i could see why people would hate blue tubes...

For real recorded tracks (guitar, piano, vocals, etc) Blue tubes have a certain warmth to them that is really great.

The compressors aren't modern type.. they won't give you that juiced makeup gain sound, but then again the older tube comps never did!

The EQs are great though and i use them allot. The 3D delay is awesome also.
THe chorus is ok... it does the boss analog chorus, not the digital detune style chorus.

I mostly use them on guitar (eq, delay), and Piano (EQ,comp) and bass (limiter,EQ)
I also use the brickwall limiter 90% of the time for my mixes to remove peaks.

I bet the same people who hate blue tubes love the waves stuff. I'm not crazy about the waves stuff.

Check out my myspace page for some audio samples of stuff i've done. I have an album which you can download for free... unfortunately my site is down at the moment!

[samplerbanker]

My choice:

Virus Powercore with multilicence (up to 256 voice Virus!)
Cakewalk z3ta+
Native Instruments Massive
Native Instruments Absynth
Stylus RMX

[dvdan]

I really like the magix plugin suite. The reverb, ecox, filtox and corvex dont get used much but the am suite sounds excellent. Its by the same guy that did the free digital fishphones stuff...
I really like the abbey road compressors.
Waves SSL EQ is the best snare eq going.
Waves Neve EQ and Compresor I like on the mix bus.
I'm yet to be impressed by a software reverb, but the ones I like are the reverb from the TC native bundle and IK CSR. I'm looking forward the using the new Waves faichild and Pultec plugs...
The Voxengo Analog Flux suite is very good. The tape emulation doesn't quite sound like tape... but still excellent on the drum bus. Cheap as chips too!
I also use Toontrack C&V and am just waiting for my superior drummer 2.0 upgrade to show up!
I'm also on the lookout for a nice orchestral plugin... any suggestions?

[DaveS]

Hi

The ones that get used on pretty much every project here are

Vintage Warmer 2
Voxengo AnalogFlux TapeBuss
Autotune
Addictive Drums

Then add in a mix of
Kjaerhus Golden series eq and comp
Oxford eq & comp
Sonalksis eq and comp
Voxengo Prestine Space
Various delays

Cheers
Dave