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You Can Have Only ONE Virtual Instrument. It would be...


Anderton

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I've been thinking about this recently, because of having my hard disk die just before leaving Florida. So I had time to install only a couple of instruments before adding a new hard drive and moving to New Mexico.

 

I don't want to influence the responses, so fire away...I'll let you know what I ended up installing later on in this thread. Any virtual instrument qualifies: Virtual analog, sampler, sample library front end, etc. And yeah, you can mention more than one favorite if you have several tied for first place!

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Sampletank or some other general ROMpler type instrument with a lot of sounds. I'd say Gigastudio but that might be cheating. ;) Also, B4 and Lounge Lizard are killers, but OTOH, they're not enough by themselves if that's all I could have. I'd need a wide variety of sounds available or I'd feel hindered.

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Wow, New Mexico - (Johnny Carson voice...) I did not know that!

 

I hope you didn't make a wrong turn in Albuquerque! ;)

 

Okay, on topic:

 

I suppose it would be cheating to pick Logic Pro with its vast selection of included software instruments, so I'll pick a sampler (nowadays, that's Kontakt 2 for me) because it can be loaded with any sound.

 

If I had to pick just one sample library, it would be East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra Platinum (although technically, that's four instruments) because I'm mostly working on orchestral stuff right now.

 

If I had to pick just one sample library for recreation, it would be Ivory because I enjoy playing the piano. (Ultra Focus, with its wide variety of great synth samples, would be a close second.)

 

Best,

 

Geoff

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Reaktor 5. Why? Well, it handles every synthesis method I require and that means it does a lot besides subtractive synthesis.

If there isn't a pre-assembled instrument to fit a need I can build one myself. Plus it becomes kind of a game, seeing how far just using that one piece of software can be taken.

It's not just for pads, bass, lead voicings, either. Reaktor is capable of some of the most exotic loop manglers available anywhere. And with all of the unique sequencer and oscillator configurations it's probably, bar none, the most advanced drum machine environment.

Another way Reaktor can be used is as an effect plug in. That's getting off topic, but as an effect Reaktor is a bottomless pit.

Now that Track Freeze is a standard feature in most audio applications CPU constraints are no biggie. I can open up a Reaktor synth, and use Reaktor for all kinds of effects, freeze, and move to the next track.

 

This is a great question to ask. Having too many virtual instruments can drag a person into a pattern of not thoroughly exploring the creative possibilities of each instrument.

Plus it's a drag to pay for all of the incremental updates. Those hidden costs can really add up. That's why I favor a combination of Reaktor and Reason. Both of these programs offer a unique environment where tweaking almost becomes a game, seeing how far you can exploit what's there in each environment, and then you're not paying for half a dozen or more synth updates to do things these two programs, each very unique and different from the other, can do.

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Originally posted by UnderTheGroove

Definately Stylus RMX. I find myself inserting it into projects constantly! I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the Ilio S.A.G.E. expanders.

I have the Backbeat and Liquid Grooves S.A.G.E. modules and they take it to another level all together. I think Burning Grooves is just about ready to come out. I have it on back order.

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Originally posted by Jotown

I have the Backbeat and Liquid Grooves S.A.G.E. modules and they take it to another level all together. I think Burning Grooves is just about ready to come out. I have it on back order.

 

 

I believe Burning Grooves has been available for a while now. I'm planning on getting that soon as well.

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Burning Grooves is definitely out. I have it.

 

I've got a hardware Rompler/Sampler, so what I'd want would be something that could take me in different directions beyond those otherwise available. Thus, I'd pick Reaktor 5. As noted above, you can build just about anything with it, in virtually any type of synthesis imaginable. While it's perhaps not my favorite VI (as I also use Stylus RMX, Kontakt 2, and Absynth 3 a lot), it's probably the most flexible one I own.

 

--Mark

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