At this point in my life, not only am I getting rid of redundant or unnecessary plugins, but also I'm claiming space in hard drives. I've started to erase years and years of plugins as old as OS X Maverick. I still have DVDs with plugins for pre-Intel Macs. What a waste!

Now my rationale for installing plugins is first stock plugins (especially for EQ). Then freebies or paid-for plugins that I've gotten to trust (I'm a lazy ass, so Drawmer S73 is my go-to compressor: little to tweak and only my ears to tell). Then comes those that have a specialty use, like UAD Massive Passive or UAD Distressor (of which Kiive Audio Xtressor is second best).

 

No two people are going to have the exact same workflow, however, you are in the perfect situation to decide for yourself.. All you have to do is pick whatever you want from your collection, then be strict with yourself by not using anything other than those choices for a month.. If the experiment works? delete everything else.. If not? Pick a different combo and start again.

My apologies to those who came before me and said the same thing. I always give my opinions first before reading others!

 

Last edited: Mar 21, 2023

same here, otherwise 80% of the time you’ll never get to say anything lol

 

I have been thinking the same thing for a while

I suppose that I will only install FabFiltre, Plugin Alliance and Softube bundle.

No one can't decide for you what VST effects you should use.

 

what! You are Wrong, there is a right and a profoundly moral choice in choosing VST workflow.

I hope you are not encouraging people to disobey go their own way and then pay the price becoming a pariah in AS?

 

So true !!!

 

Did this about 3 years ago, cretead a folder I named "essential VST". The folder has 463 objects.

 

Im shocked at the results you guys shared, totally backwards, are you all serious?? you have access to anything and cant distinguish between delays, amp SIMs etc etc

There are emulations of classics (example; AMEK EQ) and then there are simply new generation VSTs etc

let me contribute here on helping you how to pick and EXPAND your sexy list like the PROS who have jobs do lol.

Here is a list with a basic over view

️Channel stripsHere you list Neve, SSL, etc etc
Vocal Plugins, Chains & Strips
️Compressors by Types (4 Types) VCA, Opto, FET, Vari MU
️Delay-Echo by Types (3 Types) Tape, Analogue, Digital
️Distortion by Types (4 Types) Tube, Amp, Lofi, Fuzz
️EQ by Types (5 Types, or maybe 3) Graphic EQ, Parametric EQ, Shelving EQ, Linear Phase EQ, Dynamic EQ
️Gate plugins (3 Types) Analogue, Digital, Rhythmic
️Limiters, (2 types) full-band and multi-band
️Modulation by Type ( 4 Types) Tube Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Tremelo
️Preamp by Types (3 Types) Tube, Transister, IC aka chips
️Reverb by Type (4 Types) Plate, Room-Chamber, Spring, Hall
️Saturation by Types (3 Types) Saturated, unsaturated, and supersaturated.
️Stereo Pan by Type (4 Types) Tube, Warm, Tape, and Retro

The Guitar Amp sim evolution is what's hot atm, this is something everyone is like WOW, especially after Neural DSP kicked everyone's @SS
Some plugins do a number of things, example: compressor and limiter re essentially the same., there are also gates,

here is a sort list of most decent amps

Amps
Alex JCM800

Audio Assault
RVXX

Audiority
Audiority Klirrton Grindstien
Audiority Solidas VS 8100 (Based on the 8040/80-8100)
Audiority Solidas Randy 250

Audio Blue Cat Audio
AXIOM

Bogren Ditigal
Bogren Ditigal AmpKnob GUIT
Bogren Ditigal AmpKnob BASS
Bogren Ditigal Ampnob

GuitarML
Chameleon
NeuralPI
SmartAmp/SmartAmpPro

Ignite
Bass SHB-1

IK Multimedia
IK Multimedia Amplitude 5
IK Multimedia TONNEX

JST Toneforge
Jeff Loomies
Menace
Jason Richardson
Guilty Pleasures
Been Bruce
Rex Bass from hell

Kuassa Amplifikation
Caliburn
Creme
Vermolion
Matchlock

Mercuriall
Mercuriall Spark
Mercurial AmpBox

Nalesoft
Ninja

NI Instruments
Guitar Rig Pro

Nembrini
Nembrini MRH810 (Based on the Valvestat 8040/80-8100)
Nembrini MR159 (Brown Sound)

Neural DSP
Neural DSP Fortin Cali
Neural DSP Soldano
Neural DSP Nameless
Neural DSP Archetype Gojira
Neural DSP OMEGA
Neural DSP Mesa Boggie
Neural DSP Archetype Rabbia
Neural DSP Archetype Patrucci
Neural DSP Tone King ?

Overloud
TH-U
Mark Studio 2

Plugin Alliance / bx_
PA Ampeg B-15
PA Ampeg SVT-3Pro
PA Ampeg SVT-VR
PA Ampeg SVT-VR Classic
PA Ampeg V-4B
PA bx_Bassdue
PA bx_Megadual
PA bx_Megasingle
PA bx_RockerGain100 (Orange 00)
PA bx_RockRack
PA Chandler Limiter GAV19T
PA Diezel Herbert
PA Diezel VH4
PA Deskew Gige Performer
PA ENGL E646 VS
PA ENGL E765 RT
PA ENGL SAVAGE 120
PA Friedman BE-100
PA Friedman BUXOM Buddy
PA Friedman DS-40
PA Fuchs Overdrive Supreme 50
PA Fuchs Train II
PA Galien-Krueger 800RB (bass)
PA Suhr PT100
PA Suhr SE100

Positive Grid
Positive Grid Bias Amp
Positive Grid Bias FX2

Purafy
DeathWestern

Softube
Softube Marshall 2203
Softube Marshall 2550 Jubilee
Softube Marshall 1959 Plexi
Softube Marshall Kerry King
Softube Marshall MURDER ONE
Softube Amproom Marshall

STLTones
Howard Benson

WAVES
WAVES GTR
WAVES CLA Guitars
WAVES PRS

Viator DSP
Diode Amplifier

Vox
JamVox 3

Pedals
WAVES
Sidewinder, JST

Audiority
Audiority Klirrton Grindstien
Audiority Heavy Pedal
Audiority Orange etc

Plugin Alliance / bx
PA bx_BlackDist2 based on RAT
PA bx_bluechorus2 based on Boss SE-2 Chorus
PA bx_Distorange based on Boss DS-1
PA bx_Greenscreemer based on Ibanez TubeScreamer
PA bx_metal2 based on Boss MT-2
PA bx_Opto Pedal
PA bx_Shredspead
PA bx_yellowdrive based on Boss SD-1 1990s

Special Effects
Blue Cats AcouFlend Feedback simulator
Softube Acoustic Feedback
PA bx_Shredspead


Bus and Master Bus effects
Reverbs
Eventide BlackHole Reverb
JST tones SkyBox
Fab Filter etc etc

Delays
Eventide BlackHole Reverb

Mod Types
WAVES
Sidewinder, JST

IR Apps
STLTones Ignite Libra
STLTones NADIR
Nimbrini IR Loader
Rewirez MixIR3
Lancaster Audio PULSE
Audio Ausult Impulse Pack
Zilla

Now start your lists and see why you need to know....I will post my go to plugins list, I copied it from friends who worked in big rooms in the past, plat records...you will be shocked what they use....let's just say for starts that most where pro tools plugs since the 90s., I am just about to do my "go to b1tch" lists for 2023 both VST and VSTi...

 

Last edited: Mar 26, 2023