Looking for plugin recommendations, any suggestion ?

[Adarodz]

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie and I'm looking to get started with using plugins for recording and producing music. I was wondering if any of you have suggestions for the best plugins to start with?

I've been doing some research and I came across Hornet Plugins. They seem to have a wide range of options and their prices are reasonable, but I'm not sure if they're the best option for someone just starting out. Has anyone had experience using Hornet Plugins or have any other recommendations for plugins to check out?

I'm interested in using plugins for EQ, compression, and reverb, but I'm open to exploring other options as well. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

Adarodz

[legendCNCD]

I'd, if I was starting, would use the DAW host provided plugins first and foremost. You can go from start to finish with those. Learning them and the basics of producing and mixing would benefit a lot. Basics of EQ, Compression, those help a lot.

[Raketenbauer]

The stock plugins of a DAW are often better integrated than third party VSTs. You'll have a better workflow by using them.

[Adarodz]

Thanks for the advice! I definitely want to learn the basics of producing and mixing, so I appreciate your recommendation to start with the plugins provided by my DAW host.

I'm actually using Reaper, so I've been playing around with their built-in plugins for EQ, compression, and reverb. They seem to work well, but I'm interested in exploring other options too.

Do you have any specific recommendations for third-party plugins that could complement the built-in ones?

Adarodz

[_leras]

I'm a newbie and I'm looking to get started with using plugins for recording and producing music. I was wondering if any of you have suggestions for the best plugins to start with?

What DAW are you using, and how much do you want to spend?

Generally, if starting out I'd suggest seeing how far you can get with only your DAW. Then in the future if you find you're not quite getting the sounds you want, then explore for particular things.

[resynthesis]

Have a look at the free stuff that's around, some of it is outstanding. Look here for a shortlist

https://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/

[Adarodz]

Thank you for your response! I'm currently using Reaper as my DAW, and I'm willing to invest in plugins that can help me achieve better results in my mixes.

While I agree with your suggestion to start with the plugins provided by my DAW, I'm interested in exploring additional options to expand my sonic palette and explore new creative possibilities. I've been looking into Hornet Plugins as one possible option, but I'm also open to hearing about other recommendations you might have.

Adarodz

I'm a newbie and I'm looking to get started with using plugins for recording and producing music. I was wondering if any of you have suggestions for the best plugins to start with?

What DAW are you using, and how much do you want to spend?

Generally, if starting out I'd suggest seeing how far you can get with only your DAW. Then in the future if you find you're not quite getting the sounds you want, then explore for particular things.

[Frankie.T]

Lots of people here suggested you to learn what your DAW offer, that's the suggestion you asked for, maybe not the one you hoped for.

If you don't know what to buy it's because you currently don't need anything. Spare your money and invest your time into learning how to do stuff with stock plugins your DAW already offer along the knowledge you naturally lack of beeing new in the game

Don't fall into marketing BS being tempted by nice UI or "magic" description. Plugins doesn't make your music any better, even the best plugins money can buy, what really matter is you.

Once you reach certain limits, or you technically feel the needs of something more, you will know what to buy.

This suggestion come from someone who started to "play with music" in 1999, and i also have a youtube channel about stuff and plugins, so would be easy for me to come here and post a link to something i like and i made a video, an "hidden" way to suggest you something along promoting myself. But i'm not that kind of person, so going "against my personal evil youtubish interest" as my usual i prefer to do what i think it's the best for people, in your case:

Use your DAW stock plugin, and train yourself doing music.

Good luck, and welcome into that madness called music production

[Adarodz]

Thank you for your thoughtful response and for sharing your insights and experiences with me. I appreciate your perspective on the importance of investing time into learning my DAW's stock plugins and improving my skills as an audio engineer.

That being said, while I do plan to focus on mastering my existing tools, I'm also interested in exploring some additional plugins at some point down the line. I'm curious about what's out there and want to try some different things to see what works best for me and my music.

Your advice to avoid falling for marketing hype and to prioritize developing my own abilities is well-taken. I'll make sure to keep it in mind as I continue my journey in audio engineering.

I appreciate your honesty and your commitment to providing helpful advice without promoting your own channel. However, if you feel like sharing your channel in the future, I'd be interested in checking it out. It's always great to learn from experienced producers like yourself. Thank you for your input and guidance.

Lots of people here suggested you to learn what your DAW offer, that's the suggestion you asked for, maybe not the one you hoped for.

If you don't know what to buy it's because you currently don't need anything. Spare your money and invest your time into learning how to do stuff with stock plugins your DAW already offer along the knowledge you naturally lack of beeing new in the game

Don't fall into marketing BS being tempted by nice UI or "magic" description. Plugins doesn't make your music any better, even the best plugins money can buy, what really matter is you.

Once you reach certain limits, or you technically feel the needs of something more, you will know what to buy.

This suggestion come from someone who started to "play with music" in 1999, and i also have a youtube channel about stuff and plugins, so would be easy for me to come here and post a link to something i like and i made a video, an "hidden" way to suggest you something along promoting myself. But i'm not that kind of person, so going "against my personal evil youtubish interest" as my usual i prefer to do what i think it's the best for people, in your case:

Use your DAW stock plugin, and train yourself doing music.

Good luck, and welcome into that madness called music production

[SCprogfan]

This thread is strangely similar to this one:

viewtopic.php?t=596596

Different op, but both new, both mentioning their discovery of Hornet plugins. Similar wording.

Just an observation. Becoming suspicious of AI/bots these days.

[Jac459]

Thank you for your thoughtful response and for sharing your insights and experiences with me. I appreciate your perspective on the importance of investing time into learning my DAW's stock plugins and improving my skills as an audio engineer.

That being said, while I do plan to focus on mastering my existing tools, I'm also interested in exploring some additional plugins at some point down the line. I'm curious about what's out there and want to try some different things to see what works best for me and my music.

Your advice to avoid falling for marketing hype and to prioritize developing my own abilities is well-taken. I'll make sure to keep it in mind as I continue my journey in audio engineering.

I appreciate your honesty and your commitment to providing helpful advice without promoting your own channel. However, if you feel like sharing your channel in the future, I'd be interested in checking it out. It's always great to learn from experienced producers like yourself. Thank you for your input and guidance.

Ok, I think you already got the advise on the DAW which is quite good.
BUT.
If you really want to have fun. I'll go in the opposite direction. I mean to buy directly the best of the best.
I think there is no point to buy an average thing, you will be disappointed.

For mastering effect the general favorites are izotope or fabfilter. I think fabfilter is nicer. Izotope is good to start because it helps you with an AI.

For fun and a crazy good product, I'll go to fabfilter. These plugins are awesomely made... Their multiband EQ is considered an industry reference, pro Q3.

[Jac459]

This thread is strangely similar to this one:

viewtopic.php?t=596596

Different op, but both new, both mentioning their discovery of Hornet plugins. Similar wording.

Just an observation. Becoming suspicious of AI/bots these days.

Nice catch... I felt for it.... Actually, looking at hornet website I don't know how they can catch the eye of anyone. I mean apart from retina detachment from painful color choice lol.

[T-CM11]

Just an observation. Becoming suspicious of AI/bots these days.

Yeah, these responses sound a lot like the non-helpful/informative ones from a large company's support department.

[Junolab]

The biggest obstacle to learn the tools and how to produce is to focus on those blood** plugins too early. Likely 99% of us have made that error. Not saying it cannot be fun, buts it's just not adviceable. Use Reaperw plus some of the great free onesnfor the next few years. Then buy things because you know you need it.

[musicproducerdee]

Hey, do check out the TDR (Tokyo Dawn Record) plugins, they're on sale right now and are some of the best qualify of life plugins out there, especially for the current sale price, you can't beat them.

https://www.pluginboutique.com/manufact ... -Dawn-Labs

Also, you could skip most of the plugins and land directly on FabFilter. Although they are pricey, but it probably doesn't get any better than that. They're the top of the line plugins. Could say the same for almost all the Sonible plugins. But they're more about AI/machine based. You do have the option of working 100% manually as well.

iZotope is good too, but if I had the choice, I'd go with FabFilter. iZotope can also get pretty resource hungry.

Some of the more affordable yet good plugins would be from Toneboosters. Good plugins for a very good price.

PS: try to skip most subscription services, you don't want to go down that rabbit hole. They will temp you with world class marketing tactics, which I myself have fallen prey to, one too many times. Imagine Netflix, but instead of watching a new series or a movie every time, you just use the same plugin a 100 times a month, and keep paying for it for eternity, and never get a perpetual license.