Tips for Interesting vsts for someone returning to PC after years iOS-only

Parthand

Hi. I’ve just bought a relatively cheap laptop after ten years of solely using an iPad. Finally gave in to play a few old games. I suddenly realised it opens the door to some of the pc only music apps I’d seen and wanted over the years.

I have pretty much everything on iOS in that regard, ironically I’d just for the first time felt I don’t need anything before getting the laptop. I’m well covered with pianoteq, swam, xinematix, staffpad iaps, synths effects etc. But it’s a whole new world on pc.

Please don’t limit your suggestions I love anything interesting experimental sound design wise, anything particular;y amazing or emotive orchestral wise, anything I might have been missing out on that I can now try!

As a little guide the first things I’ve downloaded, or saved to bookmarks are:

• cakewalk free
• Modo bass (not an ik fan but Ive wanted this for so long)
• rhythmic robot audio hurdy gurdy
• Arturia pigments
• Arturia buchla
• Project sam free orchestra
• acustica various gear (la2a, neve, pultec)
• Spitfire bbc orchestra
• Plogue chip sounds stuff and their vocal synth thing
• Pianobook kontakt stuff!
• roli equator/Mpe synths/acoustic electronic in general
• East west silk - I love Chinese and Asian traditional instruments
• some mediaeval instruments vsts I can’t remember looking for that lute sound

Just any cool inspiring things I might have been missing out on on iOS if anyone can help. Mainstream or weird esoteric, experimental or just something you think is particularly fantastic. I love interesting textures and composing with weird instruments.

I dont make EDM but I do like synths, (not into sequencers)

Thanks! Maybe can become a vst chat

Gavinski

For mpe, check out Plasmonic by Rhizomatic, also look at some of the Madrona Labs synths

hibjshop

Polyverse SuperModal

cuscolima

Synplant 2

https://soniccharge.com/synplant

tyslothrop1

Very complex free synths:
https://vital.audio/
And
https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/

Complex free sequencer:
https://stochas.org/

Darkstring

Free:
Zebralette 3 - synth
Tyrell N6 - synth
Supermassive - reverb

Paid:
Serum 2. Get the demo and try. It can do so much now.

Getting serious:
Bitwig and Phase plant, preferably PP hosted in Bitwig for all the extra modulation.

For added tinkering, Harmor.

Sergiu

fullbucket.de

DSZA

I'm not much in the PC these days, but I always think fondly of Arminator 2:
https://www.getdunne.net/Krakli/vst.php?id=Arminator2

frosttrance_7

@Darkstring said:
Free:
Zebralette 3 - synth
Tyrell N6 - synth
Supermassive - reverb

Paid:
Serum 2. Get the demo and try. It can do so much now.

Getting serious:
Bitwig and Phase plant, preferably PP hosted in Bitwig for all the extra modulation.

For added tinkering, Harmor.

I think Harmor is FL only now. Razor is on sale. I want to say that BazilleCM and ZebraCM are now free and available on the U-he Website. If you want FM synthesis, there is Exact Lite and then Baconpaul's SixSines

frosttrance_7

Some suggestions:

• Free stuff: SQ8L (32-bit only, but sounds great), U-he stuff (Tyrell N6, Zebralette 2/3, ZebraCM, BazilleCM), Cobalt, Sixsines, ExaktLite, VOPM, JuceOPL, Quilcom stuff, Fullbucket stuff, Charlatan (old and free versions), Tunefish, Synth1, Cardinal
• Cheap stuff: Memorymoon's instruments, Aurora FM, Audiomodern Soundbox, Renoise Redux, some NI stuff that's on sale now, including Razor, HY-Poly, Plogue OPS7 ($25 on Black Friday), SQ80V (used license for $30), Imaginando DRC and FRMS
• More expensive but affordable synths: Audjoo Helix, U-he stuff (especially Hive), Albino 3 Legend, Opsix native, most Tone2 stuff
• Higher-end stuff: Spire, Serum 2, Tone2 Icarus 3, Chromaphone 3, and Omnisphere/Falcon

And I suggest you check out the synths that have been used for KVR's One Synth Challenge contests