Ok, so I've just come back to music production for the first time in over I'd say15+ years, and I feel like a newbie all over again. There are so many things that have changed over the years, so many options now, so many synths, so many plugins etc. I remember back when everyone used Nexus 1, z3ta, hypersonic, Vangard and Sylenth1 had just come out. There are so many romplers, samplers, etc. and everything is so freaking BIG now. I just got a new laptop and back in the game again and it's so overwheliming, I'm like a kid in the candy store downloading everything I come across. I've filled my 2TB stock HD, and I just expanded last week to a 4TB and I've nearly filled that too. I really don't want to spend another $800-1k on an 8TB HD. So I thought maybe I need some advice and guidance to stop the addiction lol. I haven't made one piece of music because of how much crap I've downloaded and actually purchased. (I got Steinberg SampleTank4 off SweetWater for $49 so I figured why not.) I think the last Fl Studio I had was like FL7, hell I remember FL 3 and 4.. yep I'm that old lol. I don't even think most audio warez (I know we don't mention warez, please don't ban me) sites existed back in those days, but I was an OG to the pro audio torrent community for sure. I think it used to be proaudiozone.org way back then or something it was p2p and more of a forum. I was an original member on ProAudioTorrents too I believe. Those were like the only p2p sharing ones I knew of back then, that's in the days of Napster and Limewire and everyone still used mIRC. It wasn't a big community, usually went by invites and people could keep secrets. I haven't been in the community in so long, but Audioz may be what audio zone once was. The community is definitely much larger and you have many more cracking teams as well.

I have so many plugins from different companies that probably do all the exact same thing or maybe a little better than others. I have like 10+ reverb plugs, 10+ tape machines, 10+ saturation, 30+ synths, probably 7-8 samplers, and god knows how many guitar, bass and drum machines. I have nearly 1TB in samples and also kontakt libraries. So maybe all of you can help me with an "end all be all list", to save me some space and time. Everyone used to use the same crap and mainly samples back when I was making music, so that was the only way I knew. We were limited in plugins as well as connection speed (56k and DSL) might of taken days to download a plugin. I may have had around 100 tops and now I have probably nearly or over 1000. I know all advice is opinion and subjective, some people prefer some companies over others etc. I mainly make remixes, hiphop, trap, house, techno, trance, electro (if they even call it that anymore), break beat (if that still exists), dubstep, and EDM. I have the creativity to produce more genres most likely, but I haven't dabbled in years and now I spend my days downloading, testing out software and viewing libraries and sound banks.

I know most of you will say Acoustica Audio and Universal Audio are the best, but I'm not spending $3k lol.
I'm also in the market for my first midi controller, I remember hardly anyone even had one. Everyone used to use Bomes Mouse Keyboard. I also need a controller interface too. Thanks, any feedback and advice is appreciated.

Best reverb?
Best saturation?
Best compression?
Best scale detect/adjustment?
Best distortion?
Best EQ?
Best modulation/delay?
Best for mastering?
Best for beginners?
Best for Vocals?
Best drum machine?
Best Kontakt libraries?
Best sampler/rompler?
Best guitar?
Best keys?
Best bass?
Best strings?
Best brass?
Best percussion?
Best presets?
Best Sample company?
Best overall plugin suite?

 

Personally, I would focus entirely on Nexus 4.5, it covers all the genres you do and it will take you enough time to actually get familiar with everything it offers expansion vise, then I would just add something I do feel is missing.

As far as effects goes, again personally, Valhalla and FabFilter bundle goes long way, then just again add anything you feel is missing.

Start small, make music and add the stuff you feel is missing on the way, have a blast doing it.

One more thing, you don't have to download gig's of drum samples either, there's plenty of great drums in Nexus, you can go long way before you feel you are limited there, most of them are on point, probably Vengeance ones, so yeah, really drain that Nexus before reaching for anything else.

 

The biggest change from when you remember and now is how much high quality plugins are in a subscription bundle, and how much cheaper they are than buying everything individually.

"Paying for UAD" is no longer 3K and hardware dependent. There is no subscription bundle of Acustica plugins, and they will barely show up on many people's list if someone fills out your "survey". Others you could get are Plugin Alliance, or UVI, etc. And then just fill in the gaps, because every one of them do have some.

 

the free plugins today are soooo good. you don't even need the payed ones to make high quality sounding music. and the answer of your question is, you can choose whatever you like. all plugins are top notch.

 

Thanks brother, I have nexus and nearly all the expansions, but with the FL cloud thing they are not recognized as being installed even though they are in the right folder.

I've downloaded all the toontrack libraries and battery too lol, drums are the easy part. I've always been a drummer so it just comes natural.

 

That is very true, I see a lot of monthly subscription based. I'm in love with East West libraries, is it worth the monthly charge? I got the cinematic and its nearly everty orchestral sound from horror movies, it's freaking dope.

Ah I see, it just seems like when a ware comes down from Acoustica people flip out over it, maybe because they fibally broke the code, Unison is the same.

 

Yea I've found some great quality free ones, I just want some direction so I don't have 1k plugins and no space left LOL

 

USB AUDIOINTERFACE: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen - 116 €
https://focusrite.com/products/scarlett-2i2-3rd-gen
https://www.thomann.de/de/focusrite_scarlett_2i2_3rd_gen.htm

 

plugins?
I would start with Melda Production Bundle* plus stock plugins in your DAW, dont waste time with fancy stuff that will come later.
Focus on VSTi (3 max for melodic sounds + a couple for drums)

after 5-6 months you will know if you need more and what

*Melda has a bunch of FREE plugins that are pure gold, both FX and instruments

 

Remember less is often more...

TOP VST / FX

- FabFilter Total Bundle v2024.05.30 Incl Patched and Keygen-R2R
With this bundle, you get our professional EQ, reverb, compressor, multiband dynamics, limiter, de-esser and gate/expander, creative multiband distortion, delay, filter and synthesizer plug-ins.

- Plugin Alliance MEGA Bundle Effects 2024 Incl Patched and Keygen-R2R
This bundle include all Plugin Alliance effects currently available.

Top 10 VST Synths

- Spectrasonics Omnisphere - Best Hybrid Synth
- Native Instruments Massive X - Best Bass Synth
- Xfer Serum - Best Wavetable Synth
- Arturia V Collection - Best Vintage Synth Emulations
- LennarDigital Sylenth 1 - Best Arpeggiator
- Native Instruments Kontakt - Best Sampler Engine
- Output Arcade - Best Loop Synth
- u-he Diva - Best Analog Synth
- Native Instruments Reaktor 6 - Best Modular Synth
- Reveal Sound Spire - Best Digital Synth

 

I would not want to learn or re-learn on Acustica at all. They are too nebulous about what they do. Even the people who like them will not use the works "kinda like", "sorta does", "a combination of these units", etc; more about any other plugins. There are also too many of them which are redundant, they take up lots of storage space for what they do.

I would start out with something that is no guesswork, or thinking they are maybe degrading your sound quality, and easy to understand. Fabfilter, Pro-Q3 is one of the best EQ, pro-c2 is a clean predictable compressor, Pro-L for limiter, Saturn2 for saturation and distortion, Pro-DS for a de-esser, Pro-R2 for algorithmic reverb and it also can load impulse responses, Pro-G for Gating, Pro-MB for multiband compressor, Volcano 3 for create filtering, and Timeless 3 for delay.

Add stuff from there. Valhalla reverbs. Don't fall back to 2000 and start with Waves.

 

Last edited: Oct 22, 2024

4TB full of samples and plugins, WTF?

You don't need more plugin recommendations. You need to delete 90% of it.

Nobody can tell you which are best for you and which samples you need. Pick a few of each category and see if they work for you.

I had an eye opening moment when I watched some masterclasses of some of the best producers breaking down some of their most success songs... and they used 95% stock Ableton. Something they add is maybe another distortion/saturation (not necessary any more with roar and the new saturator), sometimes a reverb like Valhalla, and synths in case you're not into Operator (Try arturia bundle, Serum, diva or Omnisphere).

You will work much, much more efficient and creatively if you have a few handpicked plugins/stock plugins in each category instead of 300+ plugins that you don't know shit how to use them because it's just too much.

If been there, trying to find a plugin but I forgot the name and I have to scroll through 400 plugins, in the meanwhile I forget even what I'm looking for and lose all inspiration. (Also, maintaining thousands of plugins can be quite time-consuming)

Now I have my favorite categories set up properly, each with my all time favorite plugins and a few new candidates that I want to try and I can always pick one really quick.

Add fabfilter and that's it.

My categories are: Favorites, Synth Classic, Synth Modern/Drum, Reverb, Delay, Dist/Sat, Creative, Mix/Master

 

I would say ... you need every piece of software and all plugins that are available. You have to do your own research to build your own opinion.

)))))))))))))))))))))

How can one think that even mediocre work is possible with less than 20+ reverbs? It's completely beyond me ...

 

Thanks, looks good. I will have to do some research

 

Thanks, right lol, I used to open FL and knew exactly what I wanted and how to use the plugin for what sound. Howver, now I'm just lost

 

Thanks, I already have both or those lol. I may to delete all the other crap. I have the Eventide collection, Karani Sounds, Cherry Audio nearly eveythig except the new one Atomika, NI Komplete, IK bundle Kilohearts collection, TAL everything, Soundtoys eveything, Sugarbytes eveything, Slate digital, Initial audio, the entire Melda collection, waves bundle 14, I have a lot. I have all those synths as well, appeciate it. I have Avenger and the expansion bundles too. Sylenth was my fav synth when it come out, I was in love.

 

Oh yea for sure I agree, there are most likely comparable hardware interfaces in other plugins too,

Thanks, I have that entire collection, I also like their synth Twin 3 I think? I've seen many people swear by Fabfilter plugins espcially saturn, Pro-Q3.

LOL@ the waves comment.

 

I would keep Eventide, Soundtoys, Waves and Slate Digital.
I would copy everything else to an external hard drive - what you have is what you have!

 

If I were to start from scratch, I would install my favorite Daw and start using just stock effects and synths, and from there see what is missing (ohh, my daw has no amp sim at all, or the one that comes with it is just really unusable, so... let's look for one!!!). Daws nowadays have almost everything you need in terms of basic fx (eq, compressor, reverb, delay, phaser, chorus, saturation, flanger, etc).

And before buying/installing anything basic that you already have in your daw and is not satisfied with, I would look for quality free alternatives (the free plugins available from TDR, Variety of Sound, Klanghelm, Tal, Airwindows, Melda, Kilohearts are more than enough for basic and not so basic fx).

Then only look for plugins for extremely specific/creative tasks, like some creative vsts that have no equivalent in freeware.

And for synths, also start with freeware: Vital, Surge, Tyrell and some Full Bucket.


Orchestral stuff and real acoustic drums are, in my opinion, the most difficult to find in stock or freeware.

 

from the above list? you don't need recommendations for new plugins. you need recommendations of what to delete.

You do not have any D16 group?