Which ROM/Sample playback VST is reliable for live use?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Instruments Discussion
Post Reply New Topic
RELATED
PRODUCTS

Post

Hi! I just started working with a friend on a project which may end up in a live situation.

A lot of the VST electronic stuff would be sequenced or played by me not a problem.

The music has some pianos, organs, strings etc.. which would be required playing live.

I absolutely do not want to carry a hardware rompler for this one as the use here will be quite light.

For those, I presently use a combination for composing between XPand2, M1/Wavestation for now.

I doubt that these will fit the bill on the long run and might need something a bit more serious (although Xpand2 might hold up).

Contenders are : XPand2, VSCO2 free, SampleTank, Halion Sonic, Kontakt (Komplete vs individual packages?).

Which would be the best recommendation here? I need to stay conservative on stuff like sample sizes, cost and quality. HS seems like too big a package for my use.

Do any of these make sense for a live gig as well?

Any other ideas which would have a high quality and a small footprint?

Thanks!!!

Post

I don't personally like it, but Sampletank / Miro 2 were basically designed for what you are talking about. Sampletank itself is very weak on orchestral, but Miro 2 CE goes on sale very cheap and the 2 combined probably fit a stage act better than anything else.

Of course you can always try VSCO2 Free and delete it if you don't like it (of course I'm biased).

It kind of depends on your music as VSCO2 is classical music ensemble (I get complaints that it doesn't work for pop, yeah its classical), while much of Komplete (which I really like) is more pop based strings and brass and such. Session Strings and Session Horns are both impressive. Sampletank is more something to toss in the background that is easy, but doesn't sound real (to me).

Just a note that right now you can download and register Drummica, use it to crossgrade Kontakt for $125 and then use that to crossgrade up to Komplete or maybe Komplete Ultimate.
Image

Post

Hey thanks for your response! Didn’t realize Sampletank would perform well in real time. Miro2 does have a very large footprint though from specs I read.

Out of curiosity, any feedback about the other instruments mentioned above? Anything I am missing?

Thanks!!

Post

Kontakt also has a feature that makes patch changes really smooth and realtime, called instrument banks. Basically you preload your patches, and then use program change messages to switch between them.

Post

After getting far too annoyed with both IK- Multimedia and Native Instruments, my one go-to has become HALion. (3/6)
I even finally let go of my Korg plugins and haven't missed them at all.

Remember, Kontakt is bait for spending on 3rd party sets... and it gets expensive fast.

Post

Got it for Kontakt. What about Halion..? how is it different than Halion Sonic for my needs? What does 3/6 mean?

Thanks so much!

Post

HALion Sonic 3
HALion 6
6 has more engines and detailed editing. However, it uses more CPU.
I run 6 on my desktops and 3 on my tablet for travel and/or impromptu jams. Easy to get around on for setting up quick layers and splits.

Post

BBFG# wrote:Remember, Kontakt is bait for spending on 3rd party sets... and it gets expensive fast.
Sure but 3rd party content has lots of superb quality stuff and in majority of cases is not found on any other platform, so... :)

Post

Consider using Bliss https://www.discodsp.com/bliss/ it's very focused on performance.

Post

EvilDragon wrote:
BBFG# wrote:Remember, Kontakt is bait for spending on 3rd party sets... and it gets expensive fast.
Sure but...
And a great deal of them are NFR. So once you get off the NI trail, you still are stuck with them, good, bad, and truly horrible - for life.

But then again, you're bound to the company. So your rationale is expected.

Post

Thanks guys some good info here. Much appreciated.

Post

BBFG# wrote:
EvilDragon wrote:
BBFG# wrote:Remember, Kontakt is bait for spending on 3rd party sets... and it gets expensive fast.
Sure but...
And a great deal of them are NFR. So once you get off the NI trail, you still are stuck with them, good, bad, and truly horrible - for life.

But then again, you're bound to the company. So your rationale is expected.
I don't work for NI, so I'm not really bound to them.

Post

So much depends on the sound you want so that makes it a tough call and also we tend to be more familiar with certain ecosystems if you will. ED is a brilliant scripter for Kontakt, rightly loves PianoTeq and is generally knowledgeable. I'm a crappy scripter and freebie developer for Kontakt & Maize and sort of know low end instruments from buying too many and creating too many more. BBFG likes HS and not Kontakt which is fine. So we can't be unbiased.

I tend to think of Xpand (from reviews) and Sampletank/Miro2 as entry level but easy cheap and smallish, Halion Sonic as not really entirely about acoustic instruments but an amazing hybrid, not for orchestral composers (from reviews don't own), VSCO2 Pro (obvious bias) as nice if quirky mid tier chamber orchestra lot of solo instruments, Komplete Ultimate as the best deal for almost endless stuff (get it on upgrade/ crossgrade sale) now with decent large orchestra sections and decent solo (but no solo strings) in Orchestra Essentials. Orchestral Tools and Spitfire, the tone is pro baseball versus little league to things like Expand and Miro 2, are the top tier.

If you want to know about higher end orchestral stuff...
https://orchestralvst.wordpress.com/

If I wanted to spend $500ish and get a quality orchestral VST, I'd get Berlin Inspire. (Note edited as I forgot you didn't need to buy Kontakt to use Inspire).
Image

Post

EvilDragon wrote:
BBFG# wrote:
EvilDragon wrote:
BBFG# wrote:Remember, Kontakt is bait for spending on 3rd party sets... and it gets expensive fast.
Sure but...
And a great deal of them are NFR. So once you get off the NI trail, you still are stuck with them, good, bad, and truly horrible - for life.

But then again, you're bound to the company. So your rationale is expected.
I don't work for NI, so I'm not really bound to them.
You don't have to be 'employed' by them to be bound to them.

Post Reply

Return to “Instruments”