The title is self explanatory, but from time to time it's good to pick people's brains about their plugin use. As we all know, our favorites tend to change over time.

For this thread, consider you can use all of the stock plugins in your DAW. So the question is

"Which only one plugin would you choose to add to the stock plugins in your DAW?"

The title asks to add one paid-for plugin, but it can also be a free plugin. The point is to add only one extra, single-purpose plugin to the stock plugins in your DAW.

Tell us your DAW and the one plugin you'd choose to add if there were no other choice. Please, don't include channel strips or modular plugins (like Slate VMR), only single-purpose plugins.

Also, explain why your choice. That's something we can all learn from.

Let's see what conclusions we arrive at in the end. Blessings to you all.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2022

I use Pro Tools, and the one plugin I'd add (because of how ofter I use it) is Softube Drawmer S73. It's a mastering compressor, but I use it for everything. I just slap it in, dial the sound that makes my ears happy, and crank it up until before I hit red. A lot of times, I have to add a limiter after it, but it sounds good on a lot of things. It's great for the drum bus. Besides, it often goes on sale.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2022

Cubase + ApQualizr2. Because ApQualizr2 is not just an awesome and easy to use EQ. It's also a "modular EQ monster". It can be a dynamic EQ, de-esser, gapper/stutter/trance-gate, compressor, multiband-compressor, expander, distortion, etc etc.

Edit: If it's "VSTi" I would choose Kontakt.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2022

Gullfoss

 

Cubase & Pianoteq. (Cheating a lil bit w/ single-purpose, maybe?) But it's just endlessly usable for pia, let alone all the other instruments. I can easily live (mixing esp) w/ stock Cubendo stuff for most everything else. Maybe just miss acoustic guitar? But I suppose (finally time to learn guit!) I'd bring one w/ me, along w/ keys. They're more practical to carry on a rowing boat than a grand piano!

 

I'd be cheating by bringing all of the libraries, but Nebula 4

 

People seem to be ignoring this part which is the bit that makes the answers interesting. Without this bit, thread is just a pointless list of VST's.

 

Nuendo 12 and Omnisphere

 

Phase Plant without a doubt.

 

It'd be great if you explained why your choice.

Nebula is a modular plugin. I don't think it applies to this thread. Would you choose another plugin?

 

Only one paid-for plugins... OK.

But... along with all the freeware plugins we want? Or a single plugin which must be purchased and nothing else ? Important question even if we don't list these free plugins. Because it may have an impact in the choice of the paid-for plugin.

 

True, I'll update the thread instructions. The point is to add only one, single-purpose, free or paid-for plugin to your stock plugins.

 

Celemony Melodyne hands down. I find Melodyne to be an indispensable tool for any producer/engineer who is serious about the quality of what he or she is getting paid to deliver. With Melodyne a so so performance, whether vocal or musical, becomes an excellent one without having to do it all over again. A time saver and well worthy of its price tag.
My DAW? I don't use one just one DAW because there is not a perfect one. Each DAW out in the market offers something unique to the user. Therefore, I use a combination of DAWs depending on which one I thinks is the right one for a given job.

 

Ok. Then if I had to choose only one paid-for plugin without any other plugin even freeware, I would choose Arturia Pigments. Because among all the instruments I ever tested it is by far the most versatile with all its plethora of wonderful features (nota: I of course haven't tested all the existing plugins). It would probably take me years and years to go through it all. And for all styles of music.


But if I'm allowed to choose only one paid-for plugin but along with several freeware plugins, the paid-for plugin I would now choose would not be an instrument nor an effect. It would be the huge composition tool I've been using for now ten years: RapidComposer. Because the composition features embedded in this great tool go way way way beyond the composition features of any DAW. It would then be my only paid-for plugin and all my instruments and effects would be awesome freeware plugins.

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2022

@The Pirate getting stuck on a deserted island? Sounds like an absolute amateur mistake =)

 

instruments: UVI Falcon2. fx: Kirchhoff EQ.

 

You're on a desert island and won't be delivering anything except perhaps a prayer to be rescuedI myself have no idea what plugin, though maybe because I use FL Studio and don't use any of the stock synths I'd bring along Surge.

 

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Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2023

do i have my sample libraries as well?