I thought the internet gave us that one.1-2-Many wrote:2. The right to Bitch and Moan
Free vs Paid virtual Instruments
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- KVRist
- 127 posts since 24 Feb, 2012
People have already said this, but I'll say it too, just because I use a lot of freeware.
I'm a very broke musician, so I am forced to use freebies.
Initially, this was a bane. Because all i seemed to find were the useless "OMGZ U CAN MAKE ALIEN BLOOPY NOISES WITH A BUILT IN REVERB!!" or "THIS PHASER MAKES EVERYTHING SOUND LIEK BELLZ!".
After some more intense searching and experimenting I have developed a tool-set of completely free VST effects and Instruments that I really enjoy using and can find an application for most things.
1. Bootsy is a BAMF. http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/
I love every single one of those plug-ins and I have yet to have a project where I don't use one of those plug-ins.
2. BPB is a BAMF. http://bedroomproducersblog.com/
3. Free Samples are awesome! (you'll have to do the digging on that one)
4. KVR is your friend.
Other than that I can suggest getting Reaktor Player, and Kontact Player from Native Instruments, with their Factory Content. All of which is free. There is some very useable stuff right off the bat.
Adonis is a good FM/ Subtractive Synth.
Genobazz is really nice for generic "dubstepy" sounds.
Tyrell N6 is amazing and is made by the same guy who developed DIVA and Zebra, two of the most respected soft-synths I can think of.
Apollo can be useful.
Those are pretty much what I use on the free side of things. I have to say that I use Razor, a 49$ synth by Native Instruments, quite a lot. I find it useful for sounds that extend well beyond it's "intended use". (The Plucked and Bell sounds are friggin' awesome!)
But all you can do is go download some free synths, try em out, and make up your own mind. I can tell you that having good TBPs can make a crap synth sound incredible (Bootsy Bootsy Bootsy Bootsy).
Go on a damn adventure! That's what making music is about!
I'm a very broke musician, so I am forced to use freebies.
Initially, this was a bane. Because all i seemed to find were the useless "OMGZ U CAN MAKE ALIEN BLOOPY NOISES WITH A BUILT IN REVERB!!" or "THIS PHASER MAKES EVERYTHING SOUND LIEK BELLZ!".
After some more intense searching and experimenting I have developed a tool-set of completely free VST effects and Instruments that I really enjoy using and can find an application for most things.
1. Bootsy is a BAMF. http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/
I love every single one of those plug-ins and I have yet to have a project where I don't use one of those plug-ins.
2. BPB is a BAMF. http://bedroomproducersblog.com/
3. Free Samples are awesome! (you'll have to do the digging on that one)
4. KVR is your friend.
Other than that I can suggest getting Reaktor Player, and Kontact Player from Native Instruments, with their Factory Content. All of which is free. There is some very useable stuff right off the bat.
Adonis is a good FM/ Subtractive Synth.
Genobazz is really nice for generic "dubstepy" sounds.
Tyrell N6 is amazing and is made by the same guy who developed DIVA and Zebra, two of the most respected soft-synths I can think of.
Apollo can be useful.
Those are pretty much what I use on the free side of things. I have to say that I use Razor, a 49$ synth by Native Instruments, quite a lot. I find it useful for sounds that extend well beyond it's "intended use". (The Plucked and Bell sounds are friggin' awesome!)
But all you can do is go download some free synths, try em out, and make up your own mind. I can tell you that having good TBPs can make a crap synth sound incredible (Bootsy Bootsy Bootsy Bootsy).
Go on a damn adventure! That's what making music is about!
Disco flangus shenanigans
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- KVRAF
- 14123 posts since 20 Nov, 2003 from Lost and Spaced
I say the best of both worlds. Bootsy's essential. As is the Antress stuff. Don't be fooled by free. A lot of people, like myself, just can't find or afford copy protection for software they've built. Or just don't want to mess with the hassle. Free does not always equal lame/crap.
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thecontrolcentre thecontrolcentre https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=76240 - KVRAF
- 37262 posts since 27 Jul, 2005 from Scottish Borders
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- KVRAF
- 14123 posts since 20 Nov, 2003 from Lost and Spaced
I only hope Glitch works on Win 7. BTW- I've seen Glitch in many a pro's arsenal....
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- KVRist
- 127 posts since 30 Sep, 2010
The difference that free ones don't cost any money, but that doesn't mean they sound free or "cheap".
Check out these great free synths:
http://kunz.corrupt.ch/
Check out these great free synths:
http://kunz.corrupt.ch/
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- KVRist
- 65 posts since 9 Jan, 2011
I have a few commercial synths, but i honestly can't hear any difference in sound quality between them and (good) freeware synths.
Maybe it's because i just don't have the money to buy the expensive ones, so i try not to demo anything i can't afford, but still the result is what counts. And to me they sound just fine.
Some free synths you really should check out are Kairatune (i think really one of the best, discovered it in the OSC), Voyager (it's old but still very good, and great sound banks available for it), xoxos has some real good free physical modelling synths, he currently has an insane deal for all his commercial synths (and effects) too, everyone (on windows) should really check that out. And all synths by UGO (don't know what it is but i keep coming back to them, just really nice sounding synths). I am sure there are many more, these were just the first that popped into my head. If you search for a bit i am sure you can find many great freeware synths.
And i have to say i am really grateful to these developers, so when i have some money left over i just make some donations to them(or in the rare occasion that i actually make some money with the music
)
But maybe you shouldn't listen to me, because i still even use MDA JX10 from time to time
Maybe it's because i just don't have the money to buy the expensive ones, so i try not to demo anything i can't afford, but still the result is what counts. And to me they sound just fine.
Some free synths you really should check out are Kairatune (i think really one of the best, discovered it in the OSC), Voyager (it's old but still very good, and great sound banks available for it), xoxos has some real good free physical modelling synths, he currently has an insane deal for all his commercial synths (and effects) too, everyone (on windows) should really check that out. And all synths by UGO (don't know what it is but i keep coming back to them, just really nice sounding synths). I am sure there are many more, these were just the first that popped into my head. If you search for a bit i am sure you can find many great freeware synths.
And i have to say i am really grateful to these developers, so when i have some money left over i just make some donations to them(or in the rare occasion that i actually make some money with the music
) But maybe you shouldn't listen to me, because i still even use MDA JX10 from time to time
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- KVRian
- Topic Starter
- 517 posts since 14 Oct, 2006
Cool thanks for the opinions. I'll think about getting the CM magazine sometime
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- Banned
- 10196 posts since 12 Mar, 2012 from the Bavarian Alps to my feet and the globe around my head
The CM magazine is always very interesting, but I thought for myself to save this money and better buy a good book about audio.3ptguitarist wrote:Cool thanks for the opinions. I'll think about getting the CM magazine sometime
The CM synth & effect versions are always more ore less reduced in functions compared to the original payware. But for the price there are okay, and surely sometimes there are some gems in CM...
Another point to the topic: Commercial synths do not automatically sound better than free synths. But commercial synths do have less bugs as there are better programmed. And (mostly) you can be sure that they will be updated some times.
For example, the free Atlantis synth by Jeremy Evers sounds really good and has many modulation possibilities. But it won't be developed any further (as it seems), and the waveforms- and presets system is a bit complicated...
I would say that most commercial synths are better than the free ones, but there are also some simple commercial synths I wouldn't pay for. And there are a few which actually are good, but have exaggerated high prices, and I wouldn't buy them for THIS price.
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- KVRian
- 979 posts since 7 Jan, 2011 from UK
The expression on the dog's face is brilliant.xamido wrote:Now this is a strange question.
It's eyes look stoned
Synth Magic synths for Konatkt - ARP Quadra, Polymoog and many more. www.synthmagic.co.uk
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- KVRAF
- 9096 posts since 5 Feb, 2004
I'd like to say paid software means you get better support, but that isn't really the case, it really depends on the developer and some freeware devs with maybe one product may be able to give much better support than some large company with a huge catalog.
I think the best thing to do is take every product, free or otherwise, on the merit of the value it gives you,. If that is worth your money than great, and most freeware devs would appreciate a nice donation anyhow.
I think the best thing to do is take every product, free or otherwise, on the merit of the value it gives you,. If that is worth your money than great, and most freeware devs would appreciate a nice donation anyhow.
If you have requests for Korg VST features or changes, they are listening at https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/requests/new
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- KVRAF
- 2747 posts since 13 Feb, 2012 from Amsterdam
This. It's not about whether payware is better than freeware, it's about the tool that inspires you the most. If it's free, great. If it's not, hope you can afford itbraj wrote:I think the best thing to do is take every product, free or otherwise, on the merit of the value it gives you,. If that is worth your money than great, and most freeware devs would appreciate a nice donation anyhow.
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- KVRAF
- 12141 posts since 13 Mar, 2009 from UK
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- KVRAF
- 1796 posts since 4 Sep, 2011 from England
If U-he were free developers they would be working for someone else ten ours per day and developing synths two hours per day. We wouldnt have ACE or DIVA yet. I prefair small teams that are paid to work on something great.