Must have plug ins!

[DemiAlex]

I've been putting production on hold for a while now, and I just started getting into it and learning the ins and outs of Ableton. I'm just wondering what everyone's take is on essential plug ins, obviously sylenth1/n1 massive is a must have plug in. What else?





Also aside from plug ins, what equipment do you find extremely useful aside from the standard keyboard and drumrack?


Cheers guys!

[botstein]

Generally, synthesizers (Massive, Reaktor, Razor, Diva, Omnisphere), samplers (Simpler/Sampler, Maschine, Kontakt), and effects like compressors, distortion, etc are must haves.

[luxi]

You actually dont need anything... Ableton has everything u can think of... plus there is quite a few preset racks etc that people are not even aware of. Operator is a great synth capable of producing massive patches specially if u combine it with other ableton stock effects into a rack and connect some stuff to a macro knob u can build stuff more capable then any vst synth out there. Ableton has a sampler, drum rack, compressor, amp, saturator and all the others effects u can think of and for the most part they sound good... So i suggest u get as little vsts as u can and work with what u have... its gonna force u to get to know all the effects and ableton in general. When u master those u can then turn to other vsts for their characteristic sound or whatever special thing they have to offer. But for the most part this vsts come too cluttered and complex for a beginner yet still packed with presets and that just calls for a disaster imo.

[Tarekith]

Totally agree with Luxi, learn what you have first, more than enough to get you making quality tracks right now.

[Jack Hoesterey]

I have a launchpad and abelton launchpad edition... It is sooooooooooooo hard to figure out and they literally put a bullet-proof wall between you and the good sounds. I am too nervous to buy the full version, I am going with maschine becuase I already have demo'd it and LOVED it.

[MYE]

Cthulhu by steve duda

[MaDeN]

All you basically need is one software synthesizer like Sylenth or Massive to make your own sounds.. Ableton has the rest. Although i do recommend the sausage fattener by dada life love that plug-in

[davoh]

I have a launchpad and abelton launchpad edition... It is sooooooooooooo hard to figure out and they literally put a bullet-proof wall between you and the good sounds. I am too nervous to buy the full version, I am going with maschine becuase I already have demo'd it and LOVED it.

I'm with this guy except I'm still going to learn the launchpad regardless.

[marouf88]

I do agree with some of the other replies about abelton having everything you need.

But I will go ahead tell you some of my favorite plugins to use and the companies that sells them.

As you said Massive is a great synth, and Native instruments has a great rep and sells quality stuff. Personally I like Kontact and I like using it to sample Drums like the abbey road pack which is also sold by Native Instruments.

I would suggest you get the Komplete 8 if you are thinking of doing things the legal way, since it does come with ALOT of insruments and sounds for a relativly low price.

Also another good company is u-he. They have a synth called Zebra 2 which is one of my favorites. As well as ACE but it could be difficult to understand.

Vengance (I probably spelled that wrong) but you might of heard of Vengance and their samples, they have many samples which are go to for many arists, mainly drum samples and FX samples. Also they sell a synth called Nexsus, which is big in the dance world production.

Rob Papen is also a well renound Individual in the virtual instrument world. I personally own predator and sub-boom bass by him and love both.

For effect plugins I would suggest you get effects from waves.com, and Universal audio. To get plugins from universal audio working you have to buy this thing called a dsp accelerator which is not cheap. But worth the investment imo.

I hope this helped you.

[luxi]

Marouf88 listed quality stuff. all of those companies make good products and you cant really go wrong with them. I will list a couple more... FabFilter, AudioDamage and also Brainworx and PSP Audioware, but this last 2 are maybe a bit on the high end as far as price goes. There is more for sure. but i think u cant really go wrong with any of this companies, its all good stuff and if u see a very good offer somewhere u should just grab it. Now that said i still think its good to take it slow as far as vsts goes cause its soooo easy to fall into that pit hole.

Plus i seriously stand by the fact that abletons stuff sound good and is really straight forward... i often find myself going for ableton effects first and if i cant get what i want i ll go to some vst then... but somehow my workflow is just faster if i stay within ableton.

There are a couple of vsts that are in almost every track i make though. Like Massive, Kontakt, FabFilter ProQ, PSP Vintage Warmer, Brainworx Boom! and Saturator, Kombinat and WOW Filter.