Reply To: What are Your “Go To” Sample Libraries & Plugin Instruments?

[superabbit]

Synthesizers: Applied Acoustics Systems’ Chromaphone 3 and Ultra Analog VA-3. They really have something great going with that engine of theirs. I was first exposed to their sounds when Mixcraft bundled their Journeys and Entangled Species soundpacks. I was pretty new to virtual synths and they sounded so….”classy” is the term I’d use.

I count them as variations on the same instrument because I’m 99% sure that all of their synthesizers share the same sound generation engine.

They pulled me in similar to how MeldaProduction did. Their soundpacks were part of the Plugin Boutique monthly BOGO a couple of times, they did a Humble Bundle, and they started doing Swatches, which is a playback-only instrument that contains about a dozen sounds from each of their “soundpacks.” Soundpacks are what other companies might call patch sets, they’re each over 100 patches for one of A|A|S’ synths, but they can be purchased without the user having the synth that they’re from.

Genius marketing, Swatches grants users 10% of what comes in a soundpack, giving a good idea of what’s in there. Each soundpack is a playback-only synth unto itself also acting as a way to taste the full synth, and then if you decide to buy the full synth product, the sounds in the soundpack may all be used (and modified) by the synth. So no matter how you do it, you never feel like you’re paying twice for the same thing.

They’re one of the few companies whose synths I’ve bought patches for. Each soundpack is designed by a different musician under commission, and they are introduced with the designer performing compositions that use the sounds. Each soundpack has its own theme and “cover art,” so buying a soundpack is like buying a record album. If you like one artists’ soundpack, chances are you’ll want to check out others by them. I hope they have Venus Theory do one for Chromaphone 3 or Ultra Analog VA-3, I would get it in a second.

The sounds are top notch and the synths are versatile. Much to offer both the preset jockey (like me) and the synthesist. Also a company whose marketing and licensing practices never generate any whinging on user forums.

Honorable mention: AIR Hybrid 3, Vacuum Pro and Xpand!2. The embodiment of “oldies but goodies” that are easy on both the wallet and the computing resources. Underrated due to origins as a package bundled with Pro Tools at a time when few Pro Tools users were interested in virtual instruments.

Sample libraries: IK Multimedia SampleTank 4 MAX. A beast of a collection of sampled instruments, acoustic and electronic, orchestral and pop. Miroslav Philharmonik 2 isn’t the greatest thing for professional scoring, but it does just fine for laying orchestral sounds into pop songs. The SampleTron 2 instrument is an encyclopedia of vintage sampled instrument sounds, and Syntronik 2 is an extensive collection of sampled classic synthesizers, with a good number of lesser-known models. Price for the package regularly dips to the $50 region, which is nuts considering how much it has to offer. Also includes an extensive and underrated array of sequencing, layering, and effects processing tools.

Some dislike the UI, I prefer it to its main competitor, Kontakt. IK are another company that hooked me with generous freebies.

Honorable mention: Soundpaint. Yet another with a generous offering of free instruments to whet the appetite, Soundpaint is pretty much ambient drone-in-a-box. Atmospheric evocative samples that go on forever. I like the cut of their jib.

Drum instrument: Addictive Drums 2. XLN recently generated a big wave of goodwill among longtime licensees by thoroughly revamping the UI and adding cool features and then not charging anything for the update. Of the drum machines I’ve tried, theirs has the best samples and array of articulations I’ve seen so far, and I really like the new UI. I’m assuming that the revamp signals that they have larger plans for the platform, and they have my attention.

Honorable Mention: Break Tweaker. I usually prefer to create my own beats rather than using ones that come with the instrument, but Break Tweaker is an exception. Beats that I can build an entire song around. I’m not sure if iZotope still sell it.

-Erik
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superabbit.bandcamp.com

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