What are your favorite instrument plugins?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Instruments Discussion
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Pianoteq, VB3-II, Korg EP-1, Korg 2600, AudioThing Wurly, Cherry Audio Voltage Modular, Arturia Synthi V

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mixyguy2 wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 1:08 amGetting back to this...many, many VIs are not synths at all; they're sampled instruments. To call them all "synths" is simply incorrect.
No it's not. If they are straight sample players, then maybe, but the instruments we're talking about here have filters and envelopes and LFOs and all of the things other synths have to shape the timbre. After all, what's a wavetable but a fancy kind of sample and, honestly, what else would you call Kontakt instruments like Output's Analog Strings and Substance or Heavyocity's Novo Strings and Convergence? Is there even a sample-based instrument that doesn't have synth features? I can't think of one.
DJDJ wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 5:33 amJFC your pedantry is off the charts bro. You asked why I think of it the way I do. I told you why. You dont have to agree (obviously you dont), and you dont have to like it.
Yesh and if I left it then someone might come along and read it later and think it made sense when it clearly doesn't.
But lets not confuse that for any one "right" way of understanding or categorizing synths.
There's no right or wrong but there is stupid and that way of doing things is really f**king stupid. I went into considerable detail to explain why it's stupid, did it not make sense to you? Do I need to give you more examples to prove my point?
You write as if your way is the only way to understand it, and it's simply not.
I'm not suggesting my way is the only way, I was simply using it as an example of another way of categorising synths that at least makes some sense. I don't actually categorise mine at all. I'm sure there are other ways that would also make sense but the way you do it is not one of them (assuming you actually do that, of course).
Do a favor and dont feign curiosity when the place you're coming from is a bad faith approach to the discussion.
I was kind of hoping you'd have an explanation that made sense, something that might have made me rethink my stance on the matter. It's not my fault that your reasoning was so flawed.
I could explain my position in depth, I could point out the places where you clearly dont understand what you're talking about as well.
I'm sure you could if you had any counter arguments. The fact you have instead resorted to whining like a little girl suggests you don't.
NOVAkILL : Legion GO, AMD Z1x, 16GB RAM, Win11 | Audient EVO 8 | Lumi Keys | Studio Pro 8
Korg Odyssey, bx-oberhausen, Proxima, PolyMax, GR8, JP6K, Union, Atomika,
Invader 2, Flow Motion, Olga, TRK 01, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron

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mixyguy2 wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 6:36 am Just do like the rest of us and utilize that ignore feature and you'll be fine.
Bingo! Don't feed the troll.

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Gertrude Stein said it best: "Rompler is a rompler is a rompler is a rompler."
Doing nothing is only fun when you have something you are supposed to do.

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BBFG# wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 7:41 am
mixyguy2 wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 6:34 am
BBFG# wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 2:51 am Maybe that's why the subject line is "What are your favorite instrument plugins?" and not synths.
And synths are instruments.
Well duh. I guess you missed the part where there was some mention of "all instruments are synths." That is all I was addressing.
Yes. I missed that mention. Still not seeing "some mentioning" it. Not going through the whole thread to see what or who you were addressing.
No worries, wouldn't expect you to (that's why I brought it up) :)

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_leras wrote: Wed Feb 11, 2026 7:46 am
Aiynzahev wrote: Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:23 pm I've been working on a bank for Pigments for a few months. In V2 form it was already impressive. Versatile, easy to program, and easy to get nice sounding results. I felt it's filters and FX were good but lacked a bit of wow factor I knew I had heard on their very latest stuff. Now with V3, this synth has a cutting edge feel. I can already recommend it as a work horse. It will be interesting to see where they take it.

It could get more complex and start to lose it's simplicity, or they could just make some small tweaks here and there and not make enough waves?
How do you feel about it now in V7?
It’s even better now, however serum 2 has just about bridged the gap. There’s almost parity in features, new filters and effects, though I think the rage, lofi and phase rotation filters in pigments are special sauce.

If I want to sound design with samples I still go to Pigments first, maybe that’s just because I’m used to it more, but the sequencer, and new filters, good effects all make for a really good platform for sound design with audio.
Aiynzahev-sounds
Sound Designer - Soundsets for Pigments, Repro, Diva, Virus TI, Nord Lead 4, Serum, DUNE2, Spire, and others

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This thread still on? Has every instrument plugin been mentioned yet? :lol:

There are as many answers to this as there are people using plugins. The answer for me changes often, because what I’m trying to achieve changes.
Zerocrossing Media

4th Law of Robotics: When turning evil, display a red indicator light. ~[ ●_● ]~

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One day I will buy that "amazing plugin"!

viewtopic.php?t=204964

My fav instrument changes, but Xpand2 is almost always a part of a project, sometimes only for inspiration/ composing purposes.

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Arturia Sem V3, CZ V, JP8000V, DX7V, Acid V, Jun-6V, Pigments, Minifreak, Minibrute V, MS-20V.
Tone 2 Warlock, Electra 3, Icarus 3.
Roland Zenology Pro with all the extras, System 1, Juno 106, TB-303.
Cherry Audio Mercury 6, SH-Max, Yellowjacket, Cat.
Synapse audio Proxima, Legend HZ.
Korg Multipoly, OPSix, Microkorg, M1, Triton, ARP 2600.
Tal Tal-Pha, Tal-Mod, Tal Bassline 101.
GForce OB-1, OB-X, SEM.
U-HE Zebra CM, Diva.
Waldorf Blofeld.
Adam Szabo Viper.
Plogue Chipsynth C64 and OP7.
Virtual guitarist Carbon, Surge XT, OB-XF, Vital

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im in love with all things slate+ash

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Vital
PolyMax
Alchemy

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Tal-Drum, Tal-Sampler, Redux, HY-Slicer2, Ephemere, Lancinantes, Aalto, PS-20 and more

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Today it's Avenger

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Mine's been pretty steady of late:

Serum 2
Nexus 5
Beatsurfing L0W
Splice

Mix in a few other things like Diva and Kontakt here and there, but the 4 above are about 80% of the work.

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